Weekend Getaway to Cork, Ireland ⋆ The Alya Experience

Over St. Paddy’s Day weekend we decided to take a trip down to Cork, Ireland. We’d heard lots of great things about Cork and how beautiful it is, and we were not disappointed. The city itself feels a little slower paced than Dublin, probably because of the fact that the population seems to be predominately college students and not as many business professionals. The 2.5 hour drive to our hotel at Castlemartyr Resort was very scenic, with sprawling farmlands on either side of us.

Part 1: Castlemartyr Resort

(Rear view of the hotel, looking out onto the gardens)The resort sits upon acres of gardens, fields, and hiking trails along the pond, and features an indoor pool, fine dining restaurant, and 5 star accommodations. This probably explains why Kim Kardashian and Kanye West stayed here during their honeymoon.

The most unique part about Castlemartyr are the old castle ruins, which guests are free to explore around.

While I loved the castle and the gardens, my favorite part about the resort was the hiking trail along the pond, to the right of the hotel. The scenery is spectacular, like that of a fairy tale.

This trail was absolutely breathtaking, I don’t think my mind could have ever conceived such a magical place.

As if it couldn’t get any cooler, there were even swans in the pond!

Part 2: Blarney Castle

Of all the castles we have visited so far, this one is definitely my favorite. Not only are the grounds stunning, but the castle itself is in remarkably good condition and well preserved. Badger’s Cave