Cobh won the East Cork “Best Tourism Experience” accolade at the East Cork Business and Tourism Awards. Cobh has fabulous attractions, a fantastic setting and great people providing a warm welcome that makes for an unforgettable visitor experience.
Top Four Tourism Town Fáilte Ireland Awards
Gold Medal Winner National Tidy Towns Awards
COBH – A STAR PORT OF AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES CRUISES
Cruising the British Isles packs in the experiences of visiting really interesting and diverse ports.
With more than 21 years’ experience arranging cruise holidays all over the world, ROL Cruise offers bespoke itineraries to help passengers truly experience their destination. Although the sunnier climes of the Caribbean and Mediterranean make these popular holiday choices, there are so many hidden gems to discover on a cruise to the British Isles. Reaching the remote Hebrides of Scotland and stepping back in time in Ireland’s towns and cities, including Cobh, makes for a truly enriching experience, and one that just doesn’t compare to anywhere else in the world. This is what they had to say about Cobh, Ireland’s only dedicated Cruise Port situated in Cork Harbour in the Port of Cork.
Situated just across the water from Cork city, the picturesque town of Cobh can be easily identified by its spectacular cathedral. Rising high over the seaport town, St. Colman’s Cathedral is not the only example of beautiful architecture in this island community. Rows of pretty painted houses also line the streets down to the water’s edge.
Hendrick Verwey of Visit Cobh kindly told us about the history of this unique town: “Sailing into Cobh (pronounced Cove, not Cobe, or even Cob H) is definitely worth getting out of bed early for. Set on Great Island in the centre of Cork Harbour, gaily painted houses appear to be stacked up along the hillside from the shores of the bay. Elsewhere neat terraces run from east to west. Stately Victorian houses are perched on the hillsides while the majestic St. Colman’s Cathedral stands dramatically above the town allowing for spectacular photo opportunities.
“Cobh (formerly Queenstown) is a compact town that is packed with things to see and do. Cruise ships berth right in the town centre and next to the railway station. It was the coming of the railway over 150 years ago that allowed millions of people from Ireland to join the transatlantic liners that carried them to new lives in North America. Emigration helped to make Cobh prosperous and famous in equal measure.
“The visit of the Titanic, the emigration of so many, the harbour, its military history and its own ‘Alcatraz Island’ ensure that Cobh is well-known around the world. The streetscape has changed little in over 100 years and seeing the crumbling pier from where the Titanic’s last passengers boarded tenders still elicits the sense of excitement yet palpable sadness of those about to sail to a new life on the largest, most beautiful ship in the world.”