JulieVikmanis

We will be going on a Princess Cruise of the British Isles very soon. One of our ports is Cobh for Cork and the Blarney stone, etc. The reading I've done suggests that we would prefer Cobh and/or Kinsale to Cork and the Blarney stone, so I'm trying to figure out how we can spend time in Cobh and also see Kinsale without a car. Are there taxis between the two cities? a ferry? train?

Also my reading suggests that the people in Cobh are very nice but that Kinsale has better dining and may be "cuter" Is that true? In which should I plan to spend more time for a day that permits us time in port from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.?

Thanks much for all opinions and information offered.

TPAYT

As we had a car, I can't answer as to the transportation part of your question. I'll leave that to others.

Here's my opinion of Cobh & Kinsale.

Cobh is very small. The Titanic exhibit was interesting, worth maybe 1/2 hr. The church up on the hill was quite nice with great views. When we were in Cobh (May 2011) a huge Princess ship was in port. The streets right near the ship were filled with a fun market selling many different items. We spent 1 night here.

Kinsale is larger with more cute streets to wander and lots of shops & restaurants. James Fort was beautiful and worth about 1-2 hours of wandering around with beautiful views. Desmond Castle, right in town was also quite nice to tour, maybe an hr. or so. We spent 3 nights here.

I've enjoyed many of your posts & reviews here on Fodors.
Have fun & keep travelling!

JulieVikmanis

Thank you TPAYT. I think I'll try to spend some time in Kinsale, if I can just figure out how to get there and back easily and remain carless. Will appreciate info on that from anyone out there.

If I recall correctly you're also a Wisconsinite, I'm originally from Eau Claire though we now live in Pompano Beach, just north of Ft. Lauderdale. I haven't posted much on Fodors recently because we're been traveling so much I've not had time to write decent reports. Do about 6 or 7 trips to Europe each year at this point. We're not getting any younger and there's still a lot to see--and resee. Thanks for your guidance.

TPAYT

Good for you Julie, we travel as much as the budget will allow for the same reason. We're off to Paris & The Dordogne in Sept. and are very much looking forward to a new area of southern France.

We live in Oconomowoc and have been to Eau Claire many times. Small world, isn't it!

I saw this on Trip Advisor. If you scroll down through the comments, it seems like it would be 40 Euros to take a cab from Cobh to Kinsale How many people will you have? It might be a good deal. Check it out.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...unty_Cork.html

alanRow

Better point out that neither town is in the United Kingdom but in Ireland.

kansas

Totally off the topic, but...

Julie, I know you had asked about driving around the Gorge du Tarn a year or so ago on this forum. You usually write trip reports, but I never saw any follow up report about your travels to the Aveyron area. Did you ever make that trip?

There are so few trip reports about that part of France. If you did go, I would like to know what you thought of the driving. I know you were concerned about the roads.

Have a wonderful time on your cruise!

Rosemary

JulieVikmanis

TPAYT, Thanks so much. that's exactly the info I was hoping to get. Sounds doable. You'll love the Dordogne as I'm sure you're expecting from reading Fodor posts on that area. We were there in 2005 and returned in 2011. It's lovely. I can't believe I never wrote a report on either visit. I have logs and diaries, so I'll look for your posts as you get started planning your trip in earnest. Perhaps I can provide some helpful tips. I know I have some good pix from my last trip that included that area. I'll try to dig them up and post a link.

JulieVikmanis

Kansas, Yes, we did go to at least peek at the Gorges du Tarn. We stayed overnight in Roziers at the Hotel de la Muse et Roziers--very nice place, saw Millau and its bridge, did a bit of driving beyond Roziers and then headed to Le Puy en Velay. We didn't go into the gorges proper so I can't rightly talk about the driving there but what we did was acceptable to DH. That was all part of our 2011 trip that included the Dordogne that I spoke of to TPAYT. It was a lovely trip. Took us more or less across France from west to east, beginning in Bordeaux and ending in Lyon with stops in between in Brantome, Sarlat, Rodez (which we loved contrary to the warnings a few Fodorites issued about the place), Roziers, Le Puy en Velay and Lyon.

JulieVikmanis

I found my album (more than 500 pix so beware) from the 2011 trip from Bordeaux to Lyon with Dordogne and Roziers in it. Here's the link for anyone with great patience.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1059433...NCMyeWBjazWaA#

Cut and paste it into your browser if you can't just click on it here.

TPAYT

I just looked at the photos on your other Dordogne trip report post. Again they were lovely with outstanding lighting. That is sometimes so hard to get right.

Our plans are coming together for Sarlat, etc. and I'm sure to be posting many more questions. I look forward to all of the help I can get.

Back to starting topic----Bon Voyage! Another adventure for you and more stunning photos for us Fodorites.