3 days in Cork area

i have been to kinsale a few times and never found it too touristy...it is a small quaint picture book type of irish town on the harbor...desmond house and the owner michael would definitely be a highlight if you stayed there...quite the host...

We were in Kinsale last month and it is a wonderful village and not touristry. We stayed at the Friar's Lodge --- one of my favorite rooms with a large bath!
I loved the Rock of Cashel. We had a great dinner at the Fishy Fishy Cafe in Kinsale and the breakfast at the Friar's Lodge was excellent. Happy travels!

This seems like a good itinerary for three days. Kinsale is a great stop. In Cobh, make sure you visit the Queenstown Story museum. One other place you might think about stopping is in Cahir. It's on the way to Cashel from Cork and it has a great castle on a little island in the river. Blarney is also in the area, and even if you don't wish to kiss the Blarney Stone, December is a good time to get to roam around the castle without standing in line. The grounds are beautiful, too, even in the winter (I've been there in February before). And there is a huge Blarney Woollen Mills store across the road, if you feel like shopping.

South of Cork, we stayed at a place called Ardfield, in Ballinhassig. It's a beautiful place on a farm which trains jumping horses (they even let us visit the barn to see their new foals). It is a little scary to get to,as it is up a big hill, but the view is incredible.

In Blarney we stayed at The White House. The room was beautiful and large, the breakfast was great, and it's in walking distance to shops/convenience stores so you can pick up snacks for the drive.

The only thing we regretted visiting Kinsale was where we stayed. Actons Hotel. Place was run down, wallpaper peeling. bed was old and saggy.

The food was great, good pub entertainment, still have my Kinsale Ale sweater.

We really liked the Bulman restaurant.

the Titanic Tour in Cobh was interesting...and you get a Guinness at the end.

in kinsale the fishy fishy cafe a must for at least one meal and a pint at the bullman pub...

Kinsale was wonderful and it was my favorite stop in my tour of Ireland. Try to do the Ghost Walk Tour while in Kinsale. I also had great meals at Fishy Fishy Cafe (lunch) and the White Lady Pub (dinner). I stayed at the Olde Bakery with Tom and Chrissy Quigley and absolutely loved their hospitality. Rooms did not have ensuite bathrooms (bathroom a door or so down), but the rates were good and the breakfasts were yummy (porridge!).

Cashel is also a very cool town - I had lunch at a pub that declared it was the "first place a Guinness pint was poured in Ireland." Have no idea if that's true or not, but the pub was great. Unfortunately, I have no idea what it was called, but it is the oldest pub in Cashel and is located in a basement in the middle of town if you feel like asking around. The food might not be amazing (Kinsale really spoils you on good food), but the atmosphere was great.

Have a great time!

Another "ditto" to the Kinsale comments. I recommend taking the walking tour through www.historicstrollkinsale.com - daily at 11:15, leaving from the tourist center, 6 euro. Don and Barry are excellent guides (I wanted to bring Barry home with me, very cute Irishman!).

agree also on the don & barry walking tour...only takes about an hour and really neat...

Kinsale is an ideal town all year round, with a heritage town walk in the morning to understand the history of the town and the area, including Ballymartle. Prices should be good in December, look at the Kinsale.ie web site for hotel offers.