There are some destinations that slowly grow on you; the longer you stay there, the more you appreciate their character and individuality. There are others that you fall in love with instantly; those that capture your heart from the moment you arrive. 

Kinsale, on the south-west coast of Ireland, is without a doubt one of the latter. The second I stepped foot in this historic fishing port and market town, I was swept off my feet.

The main appeal is the row after row of brightly-coloured, picture-perfect buildings. Unfortunately it was so beautiful and magical that I was so busy taking in the sights with my own eyes, I almost completely forgot to get the camera out!

I did snap a few of the pretty doorways on our way out of town, but I'm afraid these are the only photos I have from the entire day we spent in Kinsale; you'll just have to use your imagination for the rest!




After arriving and being wowed by the beauty of the place, we stopped by an Irish pub to catch some of the All Ireland Gaelic Football Finals. This sport is apparently closer to Australian football than the English or American counterparts, but to be honest I still have no clue what the rules are! Despite this I felt it was only right to make some attempt at watching the game, given that I was in the country for the nation's most important match. However, I quickly found I had no more interest in watching this that any other televised sports! We quickly moved on to explore more of the town.

We continued to wander through the streets, admiring the colourful architecture, when we stumbled upon a street festival. There were a number of stalls selling food and various trinkets, plus a temporary stage set up with local bands playing. With the great atmosphere pulling us in, we decided to grab a few beers and find a spot to sit back and enjoy the entertainment. Kinsale struck me as the sort of town that always has something going on, and this list of local events has shown this to be true.

The day in Kinsale came to an end far too quickly, but I know it's somewhere I will definitely be returning to in the future and I would certainly recommend it as a must-see on any trip to Ireland.

Which are your favourite picture-perfect cities?

PS. To see more of what I got up to in County Cork, check out these posts on Mizen Head and The Ewe Experience.