Cork is the only Irish inclusion on National Geographic’s travel bucket list for 2025
Cork – proudly hailed by locals as the ‘Venice of the North’ – was honoured by the prestigious magazine, ‘National Geographic’, which included it in its annual list of the best places in the world to visit.
The Rebel city is the only entry Irish in a feature that includes holiday destinations as diverse as Sweden’s Stockholm Archipelago, Los Angeles, Brasov in Romania, Guadalajara in Mexico and parts of Brazil and New Zealand.
Editor in chief of National Geographic, Nathan Lump, said that Cork “has always been a fun city with a vibrant culture … and an incredibly warm local population.”
The English Market in Cork
Travellers considering Cork can “immerse yourself in an emerging urban renaissance,” the magazine says.
“The Cork City Development Plan, part of the $128 billion ‘Project Ireland’ initiative, is funding ambitious and innovative improvements to be completed by 2028 that will redevelop the port and docklands, refurbish the Crawford Art Gallery, and enhance the Cork Event Centre so it can host new concerts, festivals, and exhibitions.
“In September 2025, Ireland’s second city shines during Sounds from a Safe Harbour, a biennial festival of music, dance, and conversation that was co-founded by Oscar-winning Oppenheimer actor and Cork native Cillian Murphy.”
National Geographic’s picks comes at a time when travel publications begin serving up bumper lists of inspiration for the year ahead.
Lonely Planet also revealed its ‘Best in Travel’ list for 2025 this week, naming Toulouse as its top city and Cameroon its No.1 country to visit next year.
Last year, Cork was named the second-friendliest city in Europe by Condé Nast Traveller, and the latest accolade is another boon to Cork City Council and the Pure Cork tourism campaign.
Cork Airport announced a new SunExpress service from Cork to Izmir, Türkiye this week. Photo: David Creedon
It comes as Cork has ambitious plans to transform itself – and better serve as a counterweight to Dublin and over-development on the eastern seaboard.
Major plans are underway to revive the city’s sprawling docklands, while investments are also underway in Cork Airport – which this week announced a new SunExpress Airlines flight to Izmir, Turkey, for summer 2025 – as well as hotel accommodation around the city centre.
This summer, The Montenotte opened a new, €600-a-night Woodland Suite Experience, while a new Moxy Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott opened to guests last month.
Major developments have also been completed or are underway at Pairc Ui Chaoimh and Musgrave Park, and the city is also developing themed quarters of the city including the Huguenot, Victorian and Medieval areas.
The Montenotte’s new Woodland Suite Experience
Mr Lump said that the ‘Best in the World’ list for 2025 includes a blend of both surprising up-and-coming destinations and timeless locations that have something new and exciting to offer.
“From a new rock-climbing haven in India to Stockholm’s new and lesser-known island-hopping trail, I like to think of ‘Best of the World’ as National Geographic’s annual invitation to get out and explore for yourself the incredible diversity of places and experiences around the world.”
“This year, at a time of uncertainty and difficult challenges, that feels more important than ever.”
National Geographic’s Best of the World’ 2025
The full ‘Best in the World’ 2025 list is on nationalgeographic.com.