Cork

Cork City Gaol is a former prison turned into a museum where you can learn more about the local history and about the history of radios.

At St Peter's, you can learn about the history of Ireland's second largest city. This arts & heritage centre is housed in a former 18th-century church right in the heart of the city.

Set in the University College Cork campus and developed on three levels, the Glucksman Gallery hosts modern and contemporary Irish artworks, as well as temporary exhibitions. Events, workshops and courses are also frequently organised.

The Crawford Art Gallery hosts Greek and Roman sculptures, a collection of paintings and sculptures from the 18th century onward and temporary exhibitions. Created by both Irish and international artists, the works you can see here are more than 2,000.

Bishop Lucey Park is a public green area in Cork's city centre. Past the picturesque entrance archway, you will find part of the old city walls, some statues, a bronze fountain and plenty of spots to rest.

Elizabeth Fort was built in the late 16th Century and converted into a prison in 1835. A portion of the fort is open to the public, and commands fine views of the city from its walls.

The Lavit Gallery regularly hosts exhibitions of artwork made by local and national artists. On its two floors you can find a variety of art, from paintings and sculptures to ceramic and glass works.

The multi award winning Lifetime Lab visitor centre, located in the tastefully restored Victorian waterworks on the Lee Road in Cork city, offers a unique way to learn about water and renewable energy.

You'll find the UCC Visitor's Centre in the North Wing of Cork's university. Whether going to an Irish university is your dream or you're just curious to know more about this institution, this is the place to go. They also organise walking tours of the university and sell UCC merchandise.

Fota House is a special place that offers visitors the chance to discover one of Ireland’s most interesting ‘big houses’. From the grand rooms with their exquisite plasterwork to the beautifully preserved service wing, charming nursery and delightful boudoir, Fota House gives visitors an intimate look at how life was lived in the past, whether as a servant or as a member of the gentry class.

Spike Island occupies a key location in lower Cork Harbour. The multi-cultural island has hosted a monastery, a fortress and a prison within its 104 acres, all of which have left their mark. Not least among its treasures is the intact star shaped military fortress that dominates the only entrance to the harbour.