Sometimes you want to visit a lesser-known town in a popular place…
For us, this turned out to be Kinsale. Only a 35 minute drive away from the popular and well-known town of Cork, Kinsale is a quiet little town with lot’s to see at your leisure. There’s no rush involved, and a lot of culture opportunities. The locals are all super welcoming, and if you’re wondering where to stop for dinner you’ve got a lot of lovely and different options.
We had an ulterior motive for visiting – we were at a wedding, at the nearby Spa and Hotel. But, since we were flying to another island, we decided to lengthen our stay a little. Because of the stag party in the days before, this also ended up being my first taste of solo travel. About 100 solo travel blogs later, numerous Pinterest searches, and a lot of hyping myself up, I finally conquered a big challenge for myself. And fulfilled one of my travel bucket list goals. While it wasn’t exactly the challenge of flying to China by myself that I’d originally planned, it was a great way to start.
So, read on for 2-days worth of things to see, do, and eat in Kinsale.
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What to know before visiting Kinsale
Weather in Kinsale
The weather in Kinsale is never likely to hit extremes. The Summer months (June – August) will be warm, hot when in the sunshine, but we’re never talking tropical. Kinsale is a harbour town, and you’re never far from the sea, so even in its hottest temperatures, it still has a nice breeze most of the time.
Having said that, during the Winter months November – January) it shouldn’t drop too much below 10 degrees. But, rule of thumb is to always have a jacket or jumper packed, just in case. Even in Summer you may need one to walk the harbour in the evenings.
How to Get to Kinsale
By Plane
The nearest airport to Kinsale is Cork. Cork airport is well connected to most European airports, and flights from England are pretty regular. If you’re coming from further afield, like the US, you might struggle a little more, and need to look at either a multi-stop trip, or fly to an alternative airport.
By Ferry/Car
If you want to have your car in Ireland, ferry is a great travel option. It’ll take longer than flying, and you’ll have added travel time on the other side, but it’s a great option. To travel by ferry you’ll need to leave for Ireland from the UK, but there’s a few different options for this to look into.
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How to get around Kinsale
When you reach Kinsale it’s very easy to travel in. You can walk around almost all of the things to see, without having to get any kind of public transport. This is great news for any travellers worried about their travel budget.
If you’re looking to go outside of Kinsale, the best option by far is buses. They have a lot of services from the town centre, including one to the airport. Alternatively, if you prefer private travel to buses, you can stop by a taxi company.
Taxi Tip! Make sure you pre-book any taxis you’re planning, especially at the weekend. They get booked up very quickly by people heading into Cork. Also, make sure you carry cash to pay for your transfers. In the words of our taxi driver; “Cash is King in Ireland”, and most will only accept cash, no card payment option.
Where to Eat and Drink
I traveled day one on my own while my husband was already in Cork on a Stag Party. So, my first day was mainly about getting my bearings, settling in, and relaxing before dinner. I’d had an early morning to get to Kinsale, so a nap was in order. We were staying in the homely Long Quay House. The location of this hotel is perfect, right next to the town centre and within walking distance. The owners are super friendly and local to the area, so had lots of knowledge on what to see and do.
The Supper Club
After I’d rested up in my cosy room, I’d booked myself into dinner. I would be meeting my husband the next evening for dinner, so tonight I was treating myself and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. After a lot of Pinterest searching, I booked into The Supper Club.
THE SUPPER CLUB
Another homely venue that was perfect for a solo trip. When I walked in the owner was sat at a table and said hello, as well as all of the staff. They showed me upstairs to my candle-lit table, and I settled in for my first solo meal. And it was a great way to start.
I went for the steak, which came with chips and cauliflower cheese as a side, and a lemon dessert to finish. They do change their menu slightly every so often, but there’s always something delicious on the menu to try.
Dinos
As a holiday treat, I always like to get fish and chips takeaway at some point. Have you even been to the seaside if you haven’t had fish and chips? This was my dinner when I wanted something simple and easy. I looked at recommendations online, and everywhere I looked was the name Dinos. So that was where I went. It’s based right on the harbourside, and you can either get takeaway like I did, or sit in the restaurant next door.
I ordered mine to takeaway, and chose a bench just up the road on the harbour. I’d recommend it hugely – it was so relaxing, and unlike Cornwall, the seagulls here are pretty relaxed about chips. So you don’t have to worry too much about getting harassed while you eat.
OHK Cafe
After an early night the night before, I woke up for a day of exploring. Like the night before, I’d booked myself in for breakfast. I went to OHK Cafe, a place that would usually be a little bit out of my comfort zone again, but a good choice.
OHK CAFE
OHK Cafe is a lovely little venue on one of the streets heading out of the town centre, but well within walking distance. They specialise in breakfast, and have some really interesting options on the menu. You have the choice of hot breakfast options, or cakes and bakes. The venue itself is cosy and inviting, and the team are welcoming, so it’s a lovely way to start your day.
I went for a morning cappuccino to wake myself up, and the Turkish Eggs Flatbread. This comes with poached eggs, garlic and lemon yoghurt, aleppo chilli butter oil served on a flatbread. You can also add on halloumi and chorizo, which I certainly did.
The Grey Hound
My husband wanted to sit in a pub and have a pint of Guinness while he was in Ireland, and the pub we settled on was The Grey Hound. We actually ended up going here twice during our trip. It’s one of the oldest pubs in Ireland, thought to go back as far as the 1600s. On one of the evenings we sat in the bar area, which was small and cosy. The next evening we sat on one of the tables outside, and it was bustling. On a Friday or Saturday evening in the sunshine it packs atmosphere, and everyone (and their dogs) are sat enjoying their weekends.
What to Do and See
Kinsale is quaint, like a Cornwall town, and there’s plenty to see. You can stick with walking, unless you want to venture into nearby Cork, in which case you can either bus or taxi. The good news is there’s also plenty of things to do that don’t cost you anything, so this can easily become a budget-friendly holiday.
Browse the colourful streets at Newman’s Mall
The most colourful street in Kinsale in quite something to see. If you’ve done any research before your trip to Kinsale, no doubt you will have seen a photo of these buildings. It’s beautiful enough if you just want to visit to take your own photo. But, it’s also made up of independent shops, so a shopping trip here will be supporting the local businesses too.
Take a Walk to James Fort
You can walk to the more in-tact Charles Fort if you’d prefer, but this is a free option. And definitely likely to be quieter. It’s quite a walk if you want to get there on foot, but it’s a lovely walk by the water. If you’re lucky, there’s also a coffee van, The Nag’s Head, sometimes parked, which does lovely coffees. When you get to James Fort, you’ll be treated to some lovely views, and lots of cubbies to explore.
Walk the Harbour
Whichever way you go, there’s plenty of nice walks around the harbour. Kinsale is a busy harbour, so you’ll see lots of boats bustling around on the water. There’s also regular boat tours leaving various points, so if you time it right you can jump on one of these.
Walk Up to The Spaniard
Whether or not you go inside – sadly we didn’t because we were short on time at this point – it’s a lovely, if hilly, walk. You can’t miss it, the building is painted bright yellow and stands on top of the hill on a corner. The walk there you can follow the harbour and go through what’s almost treated like a nature walk, and coming back you can walk through a quiet neighbourhood.
Relax on Sandycove Beach
There’s a few beaches in or near Kinsale, but the one went visited was Sandycove Beach. It’s reasonably hidden away and was quiet when we went, so for somewhere to sit on the beach for half an hour this was perfect. But it’s worth looking up all the options, depending on how far you want to go or if you’re looking for something in particular from your beach trip.
