American online news website, The Huffington Post, has ranked Cork City top of its list of the most under-rated cities that visitors to Europe should see in their lifetime. Ireland’s second city was commended for its “locals that are friendly and welcoming, and a laid-back vibe” and recommended it as a must see destination for anyone planning a trip to Ireland.
Favourite destinations for European holiday makers and tourists tend to be the usual suspects of Paris, London, Venice and Rome; leaving to the smaller cities such as Cork, Lyon and Helsinki to be overlooked.
The Huffington Post‘s popular online travel feature refers to the southern capital’s lesser known title as ‘the real capital.’ which is accompanied by an evening scene of the famous River Lee and Cork’s St Patrick’s Bridge.
An evening scene of the River Lee and Cork’s St Patrick’s Bridge. (source: Getty Images)
The travel features goes on to highlight the city’s flourishing ‘foodie’ scene which is well supplemented by its pubs and live music scene. The article states:
“Dublin, the actual capital is great. But if you’re looking for a city that is easy to navigate, with locals that are friendly and welcoming, and a laid-back vibe, Cork is for you,”
“Once you’ve visited the classics, it’s time to head to one of these underrated cities in Europe, ”
Cork is named along side Split in Croatia – ‘the city’s coastal mountain backdrop can’t be beat,’ Basel in Switzerland – ‘a culture buff’s heaven’ and Bergen in Norway – ‘gateway to those famous fjords, including Sognefjord.’ Rhodes Town in Greece, Bratislava in Slovakia and Manchester, UK also feature on the list.
Cork City’s Lord Mayor Catherine Clancy explained the attractiveness of Ireland’s ‘real capital’ by stating that:
“It’s because of our small size that everyone knows each other and works together,”
“Much has been invested in the farmers markets, the planning of festivals and events to bring people to the city. We’ve planned 24 festivals for 2014 so far, we had 55,000 people visiting Cork for last weekend’s St Patrick’s Festival,”
Cork was also listed among the top 10 best cities to visit in the Lonely Planet Guide’s ‘Best in Travel’ 2010.