by Fiona Thompson

Created on: July 26, 2007

Cork is a city I had long fancied visiting without really knowing why and I was lucky enough to visit for a weekend break last December. Booking the flights and the accommodation was the only preparation we did so when we arrived in the city we had little idea of what we wanted to do and see.

Arriving late Friday afternoon and departing again Sunday lunchtime did not leave us with a great deal of time but we managed to cram in plenty of activity and found that there is still plenty left for another visit.

Join in my mini-tour of Cork.

Cork, like Britain, is pretty cold in December and so you will need to wrap up warm and be prepared to make regular stops for hot drinks or a pint whichever you find warms you best.

You will also need a pair of comfortable shoes; Cork has excellent public transport but in the city you may as well walk: although the centre is compact, there are a few hills.

It takes a little while to get your bearings in Cork; the city started life as an island in the swampy River Lee and today the river flows in two channels through the centre of the city. As a result you find that you are constantly crossing bridges and some of the main streets are even built over smaller sub-channels. On the north side, the streets start to climb the hill and if you are in bed and breakfast accommodation, you may find yourself climbing up several times a day as most of these establishments are in Victorian townhouses. The more affluent visitors will be pleased to know that the higher end hotels tend to be in the city centre which is flat.

Two distinctive churches make good reference points if you are struggling to get your bearings and are also worth visiting. St Finn Barre's Cathedral is named for the seventh century St Finbarr who started a monastery on the site where the cathedral now stands. This French Gothic style cathedral is very striking with its three spires and its rose window; to see it looking particularly splendid, see it lit up at night a worthy rival to Notre Dame!

The other church is St Anne's of Shandon and it stands to the north of the centre halfway up the hill. Its is constructed of two types of stone and the red and gray colours of the church are said to be the inspiration for the colours of Cork's rugby strip. While it is a beautiful church, most visitors go there to play the bells; for a small charge you can climb the tower and catch magnificent views across the city but first you must stop at the first floor where the bell ropes are. Each rope

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