Day 1 in Kinsale

Welcome to Ireland! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Make your way to Kinsale and arrive at your hotel. Check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do!

First, visit a fortified tower house which now houses the International Museum of Wine, Desmond Castle. Afterwards, be sure to appreciate the architectural uniqueness of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, featuring one of the most ornate interiors to be found in a Catholic Church in Ireland. Then head south to Market Square, where there are lots of restaurants and cafes for you to try and shops for you to visit! Just off Market Square, the town`s history museum, The Kinsale Museum, educates visitors on topics ranging from the 1601 Battle of Kinsale to `the Kinsale Giant`, the first man in recorded human history to have measured over eight feet tall!

Head west and south from Market Square to the Medieval-era Saint Multose Church of Ireland, which dates from the late twelfth century. Finally, end the day by strolling past and stopping in some handicrafts shops along Main Street and Guard Well. Have dinner at one of the Michelin-starred restaurants along Main Street. Return to your accommodations at the end of the evening.

Day 2 in Kinsale

Wake up early and walk along Pier Road on the western side of Kinsale Harbor. You will encounter a couple of monuments, the first of which is a replica of the mast of a 1601 Spanish galleon. The Spanish were instrumental in helping the Irish fight the English colonial forces at the Battle of Kinsale. Next to the mast is a monument to the `Kinsale hooker`, a schooner-type boat which is native to the area. The monument honors those who have died while at sea. Further down Pier Road, there is a dual-bust memorial to Tim and Mortimer McCarthy, sibling seamen from Kinsale who helped to explore and document Antarctica in the 1910s.

Further up Pier Road, you will reach the intersection with Long Quay, which is where Local Link and Bus Eireann buses pick up and drop off passengers. From here you can head to Charles Fort, one of the best-preserved examples of pentagonal fortification on the Irish coast. You can take the local shuttle or you can walk Scilly Walk, a pathway leading from Lower Street on the eastern side of the Harbor.

After touring Charles Fort, head back through Kinsale and cross the River Bandon to tour the ruins of James Fort, the original fortification protecting Kinsale. Travel back and parallel to the river until you reach the Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance. The garden honors the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks, many of whom were Irish. If you`re in the mood for some beach time, you can visit secluded Sandycove Beach, south of James Fort; or you can visit Garretstown Beach and its sibling beach, Garrylucas Beach, right before you arrive at the Old Head of Kinsale.

The Old Head of Kinsale is a three-mile shale-and-sandstone headland jutting out from the mainland. Halfway down the Old Head, there is a museum housed inside the Old Head Signal Tower, with one floor dedicated to the history of the 81 signal towers built along the Irish coast, and another floor dedicated to the RMS Lusitania, which was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Kinsale in 1915. The final mile of headland is occupied by the Old Head Golf Course.

Close the day out by visiting the town of Clonakilty, west of Kinsale by about 20 miles. We recommend stopping by the West Cork Model Railway Village, a reproduction of an authentic Irish village similar to Clonakilty and others in the area. Return to your accommodations at the end of the day, whether you decide to stay at one of the famed bed and breakfasts in Clonakilty or head back to Kinsale.

Day 3 in Kinsale

Good morning! If you are heading out from Kinsale, go east first for a few miles and visit the haunting ruins of Mountlong Castle before heading back west, first stopping at Ballinacurra House, one of Ireland`s most stately manor homes, on your way to Castletownshend.

If you decided to stay the night in Clonakilty, walk the streets of town in the morning. If you have time, visit the Michael Collins House, where the slain Irish revolutionary once lived. Then head on to the small village of Rosscarbery, where there are megalithic stone circles thousands of years old flanked on both sides of the city. To the east there is Bohonagh Stone Circle, and to the west there is Drombeg Stone Circle. The famous Owenahincha Beach, is just a short drive from Rosscarbery, as is the more low-key Red Strand Beach. Whatever you decide to do and wherever you decide to spend your time in the morning, make sure you arrive in the early afternoon in Castletownshend.

Grab a bite to eat at one of the cafes and restaurants along Castletownshend`s Main Street and decide what you`re going to do next. If you want to go whale watching or kayaking, stay in Castletownshend and go to the waterfront to find vendors and tour companies. If you want a delicious, fresh, authentically Irish lunch or early dinner, head northwest to Skibbereen on the N71 motorway. Make sure you leave enough time in your day to get to Baltimore, one of the southernmost towns on the Irish coast. If you want, you can get on a ferry and explore tiny Sherkin Island, or its companion island, the Irish-language community (`Gaeltacht`) of Cape Clear Island. Return to your accommodations at the end of the day, whether you are driving back to Kinsale, Clonakilty, or if you`re staying in Baltimore or on one of the islands.

Additional Days in Kinsale

If you have time on your journey back to Kinsale from Baltimore, stop in at two towns northwest of Kinsale, Innishannon and Bandon. Split between two hills overlooking the River Bandon, the town of Bandon (pop. 6,900) has earned a place in Irish military history alongside Kinsale, as it was a noted fortified settlement protecting Cork to the east. It was also the closest town to Beal na Blath, six miles away, where Irish revolutionary Michael Collins was assassinated in 1922. Innishannon is a small town of just 900 people, but it is a beautiful ending note to the journey which took you all down the southern coast. Experience this quiet and quaint town for a few hours before continuing south and east toward Kinsale, in particular the beautiful religious architecture.

Before heading back home, you should consider spending a day or two in Cork, the Republic of Ireland`s `second city`. Situated on the River Lee, Cork is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the British Isles, with a very eclectic collection of cafes, bars, restaurants, shops, art galleries and museums. If you are an art lover, visit the Crawford Gallery, where many Irish artists have their works showcased. Soak up a little more of the art scene in Cork by taking in a show at the Triskel Arts Centre, located inside a converted church. Enjoy some of the delicious foods on sale at the large covered English Market, and follow it up with a delicious concoction at one of the many breweries in this, the `craft beer capital of Ireland`.

Your Last Day in Kinsale

Depart your hotel for the airport that will take you home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer; if so, a representative will meet you at the hotel in time to take you to the airport for your flight out.