Tucked into Ireland’s southern flank, where the River Lee meets Lough Mahon, Cork is buzzing like it’s the late 1700s. The second-largest (and fastest-growing) city in Ireland is stealthily becoming one of the most livable cities in Europe, ranked #19 in our overall Livability performance, which is a great deal better than its overall perception.
That discrepancy will surely change: It’s only a matter of time before newcomers spread the word about The Rebel City’s special sauce: clean air, a sky-high standard of living, and impressive economic output – it ranks #2 for all three of these subcategories. The engine is a hopping economy that includes the likes of Pfizer, AbbVie, Apple, VMWare, IBM, and other icons too plentiful to name.
As they invest in Cork, Cork invests in itself. Its Docklands Project is the largest regeneration effort in Ireland, with plans to create a “new, sustainable neighbourhood” in Cork’s city centre. It will need that space: the city expects to add 111,000 new residents by 2040. If it’s economic opportunity that draws them here, it’s Cork’s charm that will keep them. Walk – or better yet, take advantage of its #9 Biking – and meander to Oliver Plunkett Street, often lauded among the most memorable streets in the world.