Cobh is a small town in the south of Ireland, with a special charm thanks to the large number of estuaries that it has. This place offers one of the most beautiful coastal scenery of County Cork. It takes 30 minutes to go from one city to another, the charm of the city lies in being a very small fishing town but with a lot of history. The most famous and impressive is the story of the ocean liner Titanic. This city is known for being the last shipment that had this before sinking. If you love the sea and cities with history, you have to see it. Here are some things to do in Cobh.
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What to see in Cobh
This city is full of history. And if you’re coming from Cork, it’s definitely worth a visit. From its monuments to its surroundings where you can enjoy some incredible scenery in true Irish style. Here’s a list of some of the best things to see in Cobh.
Titanic Experience
If there’s one thing the city is known for, it’s the Titanic story. If you’re a fan of the film, it’s all the more reason to check out The Titanic Experience. The city of Cobh brings together all the memories of the Titanic and the people who made its history in a beautiful experience. Upon entering, you receive a boarding pass with the name of a real passenger who travelled on the famous Titanic. Throughout the tour, you can learn about the history of this ocean liner. If you know a little of its history or are a fan of the film Titanic, it is curious to make comparisons of the reality and what is shown in the film.
The visit is guided. If you don’t speak English, you can choose to do it in Spanish with the audio guides. Here you will see different rooms and halls, understand why so many Irish had to emigrate and how the families lived the losses caused by the accident. Thanks to the video projections, you can see in first person what life was like on board. In fact, in one room you can see several authentic objects that they managed to recover. The entrance fee is €10. The opening hours are from October to March from 10:00 to 17:30 and from April to September from 9:00 to 18:00.
St Colman’s Cathedral
You have to see in Cobh the St. Colman’s Cathedral was built in 1868 and curiously took over half a century to complete, although that time was well worth it. If you climb its towers, you reach the highest part to see the whole city of Cobh. Enjoy the colourful stamp that the city gives you.
Famous for its interior as it is full of colours and mosaics, it is located near the port, surrounded by green area. It can be seen in three dimensions, front, back and sideways and in all of them it keeps its essence of the cathedral. Its entry is free, and it is open every day except for some specific ceremony.
Houses of Old Street
Although not an ancient monument, the Old Street Cottages are one of the things you have to see in Cobh. They are multicoloured cottages side by side that make a very nice aesthetic of the street. It’s one of the most photogenic part of the city. You have to see it in Cobh if you like aesthetic things.
These houses are perfectly aligned and seem to be based on the same design. The colourful houses are beautiful in their simplicity. And behind them, you can see the contrast of the cathedral, so the old and the new coexist.
Cobh Heritage Centre
This is a must-see place in Cobh. The centre explains the history of the town, such as how it was once called Queenstown in honour of the queen. You can also see the story of how two million Irish had to emigrate to the United States. In other words, all the things that have happened to the city and have made history are collected here in an exhibition. It lasts an hour and a half, the price is 10€ and the opening hours are from 10:00 to 16:00.
Port of Cobh
An obligatory stop is the Cobh Harbour, this is very important not only because it is quite a prominent part of the city but also because it is the second-largest natural harbour in the world, the first being Sydney Harbour. The promenade from the harbour is beautiful, you can enjoy the beauty of the place, the colours and see the perspective from there of the city of Cobh.
It’s interesting to go in the evening hours as the views are beautiful. One thing you can find in the harbour are the statues of the young immigrant Annie Moore and her brother, a bronze statue of the Moore brothers dreaming of the new world, symbolising the migration of the time.
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What things to do around Cobh Ireland?
Cobh is a quiet fishing town, which has a lot to gain from tourism, being close to Cork the best thing to do if you want to go sightseeing is to go to the surrounding areas of the town which offer various interesting activities for tourists, here is a short list of things to see so you don’t go too far from the town.
Spike Island
Spike Island is an island off Cork, off the coast of Ireland, this former prison has been named Europe’s top tourist attraction. Spike Island rivals Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum in Rome as a monument to visit, hence its importance, in the 19th and 20th centuries it was the largest prison in the world. Known as Ireland’s version of Alcatraz, this island is a must-see if you travel to Cobh, and was once a monastic settlement that served as a fortress in the 17th century by the hand of Fort Mitchel, which later became a prison due to its strategic location.
During the visit you first walk around the island and you can see beautiful views with lots of vegetation and later access what was once the prison. When you enter you can take an audio guide and listen to all the history of the different sections that you can see, there are some parts that give chills and more if you know the history of the prisoners who have passed through that prison as the Clarence brothers, John Anglin or Frank Morris.
The visit lasts approximately two and a half hours and its timetable is Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 14:00 and its price is 49€ for adults, 46€ for young people and 33€ for children.
Fota Wildlife Park
This wildlife park is located near Carrigtwohill, is around 30 hectares in size and is situated on the island of Fota. You can travel there from Cobh by bus or hire a car. They have about 50 species of birds and about 30 species of mammals. It is noted for having animals in semi-freedom such as maras, giraffes or lemurs. There is also a large central lake filled with many species of birds, the most beautiful to see are pelicans and swans.
Some of the animals that they have are collected and they act as a protectorate for them, they have different areas that belong to the different species that are there, one part of the visit that you have to see is the cheetah speed exhibit, the primate section is also very interesting especially if you are travelling with children.
The hours are Monday to Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, and the price varies due to the fees, an adult is €17.20, for students and pensioners it costs about €12.90, and for children €11.90.
Things to do in Cobh in 3 days
Cobh being a relatively small city you can easily see it in one or two days, although if you want to visit several things and rest it is not superfluous to visit it in three days along with the surroundings you have to see in Cobh and enjoy this beautiful Irish city while resting as much as you need to.
First Day in Cobh
- Visit Titanic Experience
- Take a stroll around the harbour
Second day in Cobh
- Visit the cottages on Old Street
- Visit Spike Island
Third day in Cobh
- Visit St. Colman’s Cathedral
- Visit Cobh Heritage Centre
Where to eat in Cobh
The main ingredients of Irish cuisine are: meat, potatoes, cabbage, onions, pork, salmon and cod. In fact one of the things you should try are typical Irish dishes, here are some of the pubs and restaurants you can go to.
Ellens Kitchen: Two kilometres from Cobh station, this is a café that also serves traditional Irish cuisine. Famous for their chicken salads and the use of chicken in their tapas, if you’re having breakfast instead of lunch, you must try their muffins. Prices range from €9 to €22.
The Rob Roy: It is next to Cobh Heritage Centre, and if there is something you have to try is Irish craft beer, or Irish whiskey, in this famous pub-bar they have a lot of variety in addition to offering an excellent Irish coffee, the bar has a very nice decoration reminiscent of the Titanic, no doubt if you want to go brewing is one of the best options besides being in a central area. Average price €7 to €19.
The Bosun: It is a famous bar-restaurant where they offer typical Irish food, if you go on holiday or weekend is interesting to book to have a table, among its main dishes of the house have oysters, fish fillet and steak of different meats. Also, their famous puddings, the house wine is very good and the latté or tea is very tasty. Prices range from €23 to €43.
Best Accommodation in Cobh Ireland
Hotels and hostels are in abundance in Cobh as it is a tourist town and offers plenty of accommodation. Here are just a few of the places to stay on your trip to Cobh.
Mountview Ves and Breakfast: Located on John o’Connell Street one mile from Colman Cathedral and one and a half miles from Cobh centre, offers free parking and free internet, includes breakfast in the rate. Reception open all day, rooms are well-equipped and very well serviced. The price is around €80.
Commodore Hotel: Located 1 km from the Titanic Experience Cobh, it offers beautiful sea views, and if travelling with children has family rooms, although this may apply if you are travelling with friends. 24 hour reception available and free parking and internet. The facilities are very comfortable, and the price is around €85.
Bella Vista Hotel & Self Catering Suites: Located on Bishop’s Road Spy Hill, 0.2 km from Colmans Cathedral, being in the centre of town you can walk to many places, a convenient location if you need to see Cobh in a few days. Car hire and tours are available, as well as free internet and free parking. The rooms are very well-equipped and have very good service. The price is around €120.
How to get to Cobh Ireland
The easiest and cheapest way to get to Cobh is to fly into Dublin Airport, then go into the city centre and catch a bus, as this is the cheapest option, although you can hail a taxi or car-share as well. There are several bus routes that run frequently and usually cost between €7 and €10, while taxis cost €25.
Togo to Cobh from Dublin the cheapest and easiest way is to take a train to Cork, which takes about three hours, and then in Cork another half hour to Cork-Mallow, costing between €20 and €30. Another option is the bus to Cobh, this takes 4 hours and costs £30, it is one of the most direct options.
If you are going from Cork to Cobh the best are the direct trains, these cost from €5 to €7 and take about half an hour.
Travel Tips for visiting Cobh
- The currency in Cobh Ireland is the Euro.
- Bring an umbrella or something to cover against medical emergencies: travel insured.
- Bring an umbrella or something to account for rain, it’s likely to rain
- Tap water is safe to drink, although as a city near the sea it’s best to drink bottled water.
- Although Cobh is safe, everywhere can have thieves, so take care of your belongings.
- Bring comfortable clothes if you plan to travel to see a lot, especially good footwear.
- For the cold, take something warm.
- Try to buy tickets online to avoid queues.
- If you want to eat an Irish meal, go straight to a restaurant and book a table.
Organise your trip to Cobh Ireland
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Frequently Asked Questions before you go to Cobh
The truth is that although we have created a three-day itinerary, it could be seen in one day perfectly, it is a very small city and although the museum tours are long if you want to see it in passing you can shorten the tour, but if you want to see it in one day make sure of the visiting hours of each thing you want to see and prioritise one over the others.
For starters, you can try a typical Irish breakfast.
Irish Stew, a very famous beef stew.
Salmon, the salmon fillets are delicious.
Whiskey chocolate cake.
Bacon and cabbage, cooked bacon with white sauce.
Typical fish and chips.
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