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| Mizen Head, Ireland's most south-westerly point, is located in county Cork. |
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| Memorial to Irish emigrants in Cobh, which was one of the main ports from which Irish men, women and children left for the new world. |
The county of Cork woes its visitors with a combination of picturesque landscapes, quaint villages and historical monuments, as well as with music, restaurants and theatres of Cork City. Apart from its wealth of natural beauty, the county also offers its visitors numerous activities to enjoy in: from horse riding in Ballinhassig and water sports in Schull, to the gourmet cuisine of Kinsale and the thriving cultural scene of Cork City - and much more. Tourists coming to this part of Ireland will be able to experience traditional ways of Irish living still practiced in the small towns and villages, as well as the more modern lifestyles of Cork City.
Located in County Cork is the world's second biggest natural harbour after Sydney, Australia - Cork Harbour.
Some of the popular tourist destinations in this area include the Blarney Castle and Cobh (formerly Queenstown), the disembarkation point for many Irish emigrants who left for North America, as well as for the convicts who were deported to Australia. Those with a taste for art will find their appetite satisfied by the numerous galleries, museums and historical monuments that can be found in Cork City, European Capital of Culture of the year 2005; and for those more inclined towards natural beauty we recommend visiting West Cork and especially its three peninsulas (Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and Beara Peninsula) whose wind-swept coasts will take your breath away, or the Fota Wildlife Park that will delight you with its roaming animals an and absence of conventional cages and fences.
