Cork City 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

St Patrick's Street, the Victorian Quarter and the River Lee

Cork's city centre sits on an island between two channels of the River Lee, and the bus loops through it from the start. St Patrick's Street, the main shopping street, follows a graceful curve because it was built over a river channel filled in during the 1780s. Nearby is the covered English Market, trading fresh produce since 1788, and the quays along St Patrick's Quay.

North of the river, the Victorian Quarter around MacCurtain Street keeps its 19th-century facades, theatres and independent shops. As the bus crosses the many bridges of the Lee, the audio guide explains how Cork grew from a monastic settlement into a merchant port. This loop is the best introduction to the city and a smart first ride before you decide where to hop off for longer visits.

Cork City Gaol

High on the hill at Sunday's Well, Cork City Gaol looks more like a castle than a prison. It opened in 1824 to hold male and female prisoners in better conditions than the crowded city jails, and closed in 1923. Today it is one of the most visited attractions in the city, with restored cells, lifelike figures and sound effects that bring 19th-century prison life vividly to life.

The building also hosts a radio museum in the former studio of the city's first broadcasting station from 1927. Allow about an hour for a visit; entry is paid separately at the door. If you wonder how to get to Cork City Gaol without a steep uphill walk, the hop-on hop-off bus is the answer, since it stops right by the gate.

St Anne's Church, Shandon

The bell tower of St Anne's Church, built in the 1720s, is the symbol of Cork. Two sides of the tower are faced with red sandstone and two with white limestone, the colours of the city. Its four clock faces are famous for showing slightly different times, earning the tower the nickname of the four-faced liar, and a golden salmon weathervane crowns the top.

Visitors can climb the narrow stairs of the tower and play its bells from sheet music, a unique experience that children love, then enjoy wide views over the rooftops of the city. Entry is paid on site. The hilly streets of Shandon around the church, with the old Butter Exchange nearby, are among the most characterful corners of Cork and worth a short stroll.

University College Cork and Fitzgerald Park

University College Cork was founded in 1845 as Queen's College Cork, and its Gothic Revival Quadrangle, built in limestone around a green lawn, is one of the most beautiful campuses in Ireland. Inside the Stone Corridor you can see ancient Ogham stones carved with the earliest form of Irish writing, and the Honan Chapel is a gem of Irish Arts and Crafts design.

A short walk away along the river lies Fitzgerald Park, laid out for the Cork International Exhibition of 1902. It has riverside lawns, rose beds, sculptures and the Cork Public Museum, which tells the story of the city from prehistoric times. Next to it the Daly's suspension bridge, nicknamed the Shakey Bridge by locals, crosses the Lee. It is a lovely place for a picnic break between rides.

St Fin Barre's Cathedral and Crawford Art Gallery

St Fin Barre's Cathedral stands on the spot where, according to tradition, the patron saint of Cork founded a monastery in the 7th century. The present building, completed in the 1870s in French Gothic style, has three soaring spires, richly carved portals, mosaics and stained glass, and a golden angel on the eastern roof. Plan about 45 minutes inside; a small entry fee applies.

Back in the centre, the Crawford Art Gallery occupies the 1724 Custom House on Emmet Place. Its collection covers Irish and European art from the 18th century to today, including classical sculpture casts in the elegant sculpture galleries, and entry is free. Together these two stops show Cork's cultural side and are easy to combine with lunch in the city before your next ride.