Driving from Cork City to Kinsale: The Best Stops Along the Way

From Cork City, Kinsale is an easy and pretty uneventful 35-minute (27 km) drive. There are a few routes you can take, but the most popular and easiest route takes you past Cork International Airport. This route follows the N40 and N27 motorways in the beginning and then changes to the R600 (a regional dual-lane road) after the airport.

Alternatively, you can grab a taxi for around €50 or catch the 226 bus, which costs around €7 for a one-way ticket. But my top suggestion is to rent a car for your time in Kinsale, as that way you can easily explore the rest of glorious West Cork, or if you have time, drive some of the famed Wild Atlantic Way.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we – these are the places I always try to stop at when driving from Cork City to Kinsale.

Cork City

Before you head off on your short drive to Kinsale, be sure to spend a few days (or at least a day) in Cork City. Try to tick off the city’s top sights like the world-famous English Market and the Shandon Bells (a local favorite spot). And squeeze in a visit to St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, University College Cork, and Blackrock Castle. All of these are located within the city limits, so you can walk between them.

Where to stay in Cork City: The River Lee Hotel – offering riverside rooms and stylish interiors. This is an excellent choice within walking distance of the city center.

Riverstick

This small village is nestled in a picturesque valley along the River Stick, and it’ll likely be a quick stop-off. There’s a great coffee shop here called The Priory if you need a caffeine hit.

Belgooly

The next village over is Belgooly, and there’s a nice riverside walk here along the Belgooly River if you want to stretch your legs.

Charles Fort

A few minutes before coming into Kinsale town, you could take a left turn to Charles Fort (it’s well signposted).

Historic Charles Fort was built in the 17th Century to reinforce the defenses of Kinsale harbor. The view from the fort is breathtaking, and it’s a very important site in Irish history as it’s associated with some of the most momentous events in the nation’s past.

There is a small visitor center here, with audio and visual exhibits for a self-guided experience. Or you can arrange a guided tour, which lasts about one hour. The entrance to Charles Fort costs €5 per person.

While here, watch out for the ghost of the White Lady. According to local legend, a local soldier had to go on patrol at Charles Fort on his wedding night. He arrived at the fort drunk after his wedding celebrations and fell asleep on watch. He was shot for abandoning his post, and his grief-stricken bride threw herself from Charles Fort’s walls when she was informed of his death.

She is said to still haunt Charles Fort to this day.

The Bulman

It’s actually a short 5-minute downhill walk from Charles Fort to The Bulman pub and restaurant!

You can’t miss The Bulman, it’s painted bright orange and overlooks Kinsale Harbour. And despite its playful exterior, The Bulman serves up some of the best food in Cork.

With numerous awards under its belt, it’s worth reserving a table in advance if you plan on eating a meal here. Especially during the busy summer months.

If you feel like it, you could leave your car parked here and walk into Kinsale via the very scenic Scilly Walk. Which is around 3.5 km long and boasts views of the town and Charles Fort.

Kinsale

Kinsale is one of the most famous towns in Ireland, renowned for its brightly painted buildings and excellent restaurant scene. In fact, Kinsale is often labelled the ‘foodie capital of Ireland’. And despite its popularity, Kinsale remains one of my favorite spots in Cork!

And in my opinion, the ideal amount of time to spend in Kinsale is two full days.

Start your time in Kinsale off with a wander through town to snap some colorful photos – with Market Street and the Stoney Steps being my must-sees. Then, grab a takeaway coffee from one of the lovely Cafes in town – I like The Post House on Main Street and stroll over to the harbor to catch a harbor cruise. Where you’ll get to see marine life (such as seals and otters) and Kinsale’s top sights like the Old Head and Charles Fort from the water.

In the afternoon, learn about the history of Kinsale by driving over the Old Head of Kinsale and the Signal Tower/Lusitania Memorial there. It’s around a 15-minute drive, and you can stop off at Garrettstown Beach and the tiny Dock Beach on your way back into Kinsale.

Where to stay in Kinsale: Perryville House is a 4-star hotel in the center of town. You can’t miss it, it’s painted pink and is very eye-catching. The rooms here are luxurious, and there’s a lovely courtyard out back.

Parking in Kinsale:

If your accommodation doesn’t provide free parking, then your best option is to park at the large public car park next to SuperValu supermarket on the outskirts of town. There is a smaller paid car park in the center of town – across from Dino’s Chip Shop, but this fills up quickly.

Other routes you can take from Cork City to Kinsale:

From Cork City, you could also follow the N40 motorway to Bishopstown and from there follow the signs for the N71 as far as Halfway. You will take the first exit on the roundabout for Kinsale. This is a more rural route with fewer towns and villages to pass through.

Renting a Car in Ireland

When it comes to driving in Ireland, choose a vehicle that suits your travel needs. If you’re planning to explore rural areas or rugged landscapes, consider renting a compact or four-wheel-drive vehicle, which will handle narrow, winding roads more efficiently. Be sure to book your rental car well in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons, to secure the best rates and availability.

The cost of renting a car in Ireland can be expensive. However, there are some ways you can save money. We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars. This is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.

• Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around €300 per week for a manual (stick shift) economy car; this will rise to around €350 during the peak months of June, July and August.
• Try to rent your vehicle from major cities such as Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast, and Limerick. That’s because car hire companies in smaller cities tend to have fewer and more expensive options.
• Book as small a car as you can manage!
• We highly recommend selecting fully comprehensive car insurance. The roads and car parking spaces in Ireland are narrow, so it will quell your fears of getting a bump or scratch. Check if your credit card insurance covers this (some do!)

Slainte!

As always, if you have any questions for me about this drive, please ask in the comment section below.