Ballycotton

Perched on a rocky spur over the Atlantic, this pretty bayfront village with its famous lighthouse has a cliffside track that connects it to a series of sandy beaches. Seafood is the local speciality, which is served fresh in restaurants and watering holes throughout its steep streetscape. Keep an eye out for the RNLB Mary Stanford, a lifeboat with an illustrious past that sits on a pedestal by the pier. Her crew saved 122 lives over her career, and her prominence in Ballycotton reflects the pride locals take in the town's maritime history. With oodles of Cork charm, as its name suggests, Ballycotton is a cozy base to discover the East Cork coastline and countryside.