Things to Do in Kinsale
Things to do in Kinsale for a Day
The first thing you can do when you reach Kinsale is take a wander around our historical, colourful streets. They hold many long-forgotten stories which have influenced the history of our town and country. There are a few good guided walks, which is one of the best ways to explore Kinsale and learn about its history and colourful characters. Find the town museum or walk out to Charles Fort with the fabulous views over the Bandon River.
After a stroll through the town, you are probably hungry. Kinsale has numerous delightful cafes for all tastes tucked away in the side streets, or around the square. Don’t completely stuff yourself though because you’ll need a little space for your next stop.
Take a tour of the Kinsale Meadery! One of the top things to do in Kinsale. Spend an hour on an entertaining, fun experience on our tour learning all about Mead, including how it’s made, the entire fermentation process, and the myths and legends of Mead and the bees of Ireland through the ages. It finishes with a wonderful tasting session of our award-winning meads. You can book your tour ahead of time.
Lunch and dinner options range from simple seafood, fish and chips, gorgeous chowder, pizza or a full blown Michelin star tasting menus.
Weekend in Kinsale - Day 1
Rent a bike from Ruth at Wild Atlantic Sports so you can truly immerse yourself in our dramatic coastline with electric bikes and standard bikes available. Take the popular guided half day tour, the Wild Coast Tour and go off the beaten track from the Old Head of Kinsale. Either way, enjoy zooming up the hills on an e-bike and all the fun of a downhill! Bring a packed lunch. There are plenty of places to pick up a picnic.
Kinsale has restaurants at almost every corner using delicious local ingredients. When the sun goes down, it’s the perfect way to relax after a day of sightseeing and touring. One of our favourites is Max’s Kinsale, run by Anne Marie & Olivier since 1999 and serving up many creative and tasty dishes. We collaborated with Olivier on a Skeaghanore roast duck with pearl barley risotto, Wild Red Mead and blackberry sauce and paired with a glass of Wild Red Mead of course!
Weekend in Kinsale - Day 2
Take a trip out to the stunning Old Head of Kinsale. Stroll along the stunning cliffs to watch the birds swoop by or for a bit of history pop into the Lusitania Museum at the Signal Tower. If you like beaches, there’s a great list here on Pure Cork
Wander the streets and do a bit of shopping, Take the obligatory selfie in front of Stone Mad and make sure to go inside to buy some of the eclectic hand made jewelery and knick-knacks.
Once you’ve chosen your favourite cafe for a bite of lunch, the highlight of your weekend is here: Your tour of Kinsale Meadery! Spend an hour on an entertaining, fun experience on our tour learning all about Mead, including how it’s made, the entire fermentation process, and the myths and legends of Mead and the bees of Ireland through the ages. It includes a wonderful tasting session at the end for their award-winning mead and assortment of mead cocktails. Make sure to call in advance to book a tour.
Then splash out in a top restaurant (best to pre-book) or visit one of our popular food trucks. Lots of the restaurants also serve Kinsale Mead!
Stay a Little Longer
Stay a little longer in Kinsale after your meadery tour and walk or take a short drive to Charles Fort, a stunning star-shaped fort built on a stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle that featured prominently during the 1601 Battle of Kinsale. Stroll to the fort along the Scilly Walk from by the Spaniard Pub or walk the high road & enjoy spectacular views over the bay. Choose from The Bulman and The Spaniard for food and refreshments along the way. Or visit Shirleys food truck for the freshest Fish and Chips.
Wild Atlantic Way
The Wild Atlantic Way is a journey of a lifetime. A 2,500km of breathtaking coastal roads snaking up the west coast of Ireland with spectacular discovery points to detour to.
Starting in in the beautiful harbour town of Kinsale in West Cork, the gateway to the Wild Atlantic way. After your meadery tour, head west to the tip of Cork then North up to the northern reaches of Donegal, travelling the coastline, experiencing the full breadth of Irish culture, epic views, delightful towns and villages and Celtic scenery before finishing the journey in incredible Donegal.
For more information and inspiration, click the link.
Kinsale History
The town’s charter was granted in 1333 by King Edward III of England. Sitting in a strategic location between Europe and North America, it was an important fishing, military and shipping centre. In 1601, the last of the Spanish Armadas launched against Britain landed in Kinsale to join the Irish rebel forces under the princes, Hugh O’Neill and Hugh O’Donnell. The ensuing Battle of Kinsale resulted in the defeat of the Irish and Spanish armies.
Following this, the Flight of the Earls occurred in which a number of the native Irish lords abandoned their lands and fled to mainland Europe. In 1649 during the English Civil War and era of Oliver Cromwell, Prince Rupert declared Charles II king at St Multose Church in Kinsale. King James II landed at Kinsale in 1689 as part of his campaign to regain power in Britain. Charles Fort was captured after a 13 day siege in 1690 by the Williamite English forces during the Jacobite-Williamite War in Ireland.
On 7 May 1915 during the first World War, the British Ocean Liner RMS Lusitania on a voyage from New York was sunk by a German submarine just 11 miles off the coast of Kinsale. Memorials to the event are dotted along the West Cork coastline including in Kinsale and at the Old Head of Kinsale.
There a cute little museum in Kinsale town you can visit to learn more where the coroners court was held.