Things to do in Cork

Back a winner at the greyhound racing

It may sound like a throwback to the 1950s, but greyhound racing still makes for a memorable night out. Try and pick a winner at Curraheen Park (tel: +353 1890 269 989; www.igb.ie), which hosts race meets throughout the week. There's live music each evening too, with special events hosted throughout the year.

Get caught up with the musical craic

You don't have to look far to find a fiddler or five in Cork as most pubs have traditional Irish music throughout the week. But the city's musical maestro is Sin É (+353 21 450 2266; www.corkheritagepubs.com/pubs/sin-e) at 8 Coburg Street where musicians pipe up on Tuesdays, Friday, Saturdays and Sundays.

Play Amazing Grace on the Shandon Bells

Not only is it possible to ring Cork's famed Shandon Bells if you climb up to the first floor of St Anne's Church (tel: +353 21 450 5906; www.shandonbells.ie), but there are several songs to choose from, ranging from Amazing Grace to Waltzing Matilda. This is not recommended on a hangover.

Putt across the greens of the Emerald Isle

If you can't travel without your 3-iron, take to the greens of the Emerald Isle at Cork Golf Club (tel: +353 21 435 3451; www.corkgolfclub.ie), located at Little Island. The course's underlying limestone offers excellent terrain, while the river and steep quarry chasms present a thrilling challenge for even a seasoned pro.

See nature’s own light show

If daytime kayaking is just too straightforward, this nighttime tour on Lough Hyne with Atlantic Sea Kayaking (www.atlanticseakayaking.com/west-cork-moonlight-night-time-trip.html) is for you. You'll go out an hour before darkness to acquaint yourself with your boat, and at certain times of the year the marine life will glow with bioluminescent light.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Featured Hotels

Vienna Woods Hotel

If you're after the charm of countryside living, you'll find it behind the yolk-coloured walls of Vienna Woods Hotel. Surrounded by some 9 hectares (22 acres) of woodland, this 18th century rural retreat is a charismatic and comfortable mid-range choice that mixes vintage furniture with modern facilities. There's free Wi-Fi, beds to lose weekends in and an onsite restaurant that does hearty Emerald Isle grub .

Hotel Isaacs

Most people come to Hotel Isaacs for its infamous Greenes restaurant, which serves up fine Irish dining and excellent wines on a charming little patio. Its rooms don't quite compete with the foodie flamboyance downstairs, but they're clean, spacious and practical, with a price tag that won't melt the credit card. Pick from 47 rooms, which come with en-suite bathrooms, complementary Wi-Fi, cable TV and one of the best locations in the city.

Crawford House

Just a 10 minute walk from the city centre, this smart, modern guesthouse is excellent value for money. Amalgamating three traditional houses, all rooms come with its king-size beds, huge baths and excellent traditional Irish breakfasts, served up in the conservatory. The staff here are lovely too. The quieter rooms are found at the back of the hotel.

Fota Island Hotel

It may be a little bit out of town, but it would be hard for you to swing a golf club anywhere near this 5-star retreat if it were any closer to Cork. The greens on its Championship-standard courses are as fine as the sheets in its ample, luxurious rooms. It has a gym, tennis courts and yoga, if you want to keep fit, plus a fine dining restaurant, complete with terrace, if you don't. Stylish, sophisticated and truly welcoming, Fota Island Hotel is worth blowing the budget.

Castlemartyr Resort

It may be 30 minutes out of Cork, but if you book a room at Castlemartyr Resort, you couldn't have truly envisioned leaving its grounds. This vast country manor dates back from the 17th-century and has the formal gardens to prove it. They, though, don't quite do its elegance justice. Its grace is admired from up close: it's found in the ruins of its 800-year-old castle, in the soothing splendours of its spa, around the 18 holes of its challenging golf course and in the unforgettable dining experience of its Bell Tower restaurant. Rooms, as you may have guessed, are worthy of the most magnanimous guest too.

Clarion Hotel Cork

Down on the promenade, next to the River Lee, the Clarion Hotel Cork is a stylish accommodation choice that isn't shy of stepping into world of avant-garde design. Its sleek rooms are generous and ultramodern, with clean lines and munificent king-size beds, while its fitness centre (including swimming pool and spa) squeezes in everything from aerobics to yoga. Step into its imaginative atrium though, and it's a world of fake grass, flaky croissants, fluffy sofas and strange, egg-shaped seating coves.

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