Cork, verdict by verdict

Cork is Ireland's food capital and it knows it: the English Market has fed the city since 1788, the pub and restaurant scene outperforms its size, and a gentle rivalry with Dublin mostly means the locals try harder. The centre is compact and ringed by water on two sides, while the big sights, Blarney Castle, Midleton's Jameson distillery and the harbour towns of Kinsale and Cobh, all sit within easy day-trip range.

The caveat is that the centre itself is light on headline attractions, and the weather is Irish-standard grey much of the year, so guaranteed sunshine is a dealbreaker and monument or museum density lands better in Dublin. Travelers whose Ireland trip centres on the west coast and the Wild Atlantic Way alone can route around it.

Two days covers the market, the gaol, the Shandon quarter and a proper pub crawl, with a third for Blarney plus a harbour town; May to September brings the longest, driest days and the late-October jazz weekend books the city out. Food, atmosphere and easy-day-trip travelers leave happiest, especially anyone who found Dublin too big or too touristed.