Have you ever been to Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland? If so, you know it’s a medieval fishing village, but also a yachting community that straddles Irish small-town country life and an international cosmopolitan vibe. Kinsale enjoys the best of many worlds. Our population ranges from maybe 3,000 in midwinter, when most people have fled to warmer climes, to 10,000 or more in midsummer, when everyone is in residence and all tourists are down.

This article is not about the hustle and bustle of an active tourist city, but rather about the joys and pleasures in a quick “walk” through the city center that is only available in the fall here. Since its autumn, or fall, the Irish will say, life is moving a little more slowly than in the summer. You’ll hear locals catching up and always talking about the weather. If you just start each conversation with a comment about whether it’s a nice day or a rainy day, it’ll fit right in. Looking down on the map of Kinsale town center you will see a small square surrounded by shops. Surrounding that would be another five business streets with three or four long driveways, each leading into this tangle. It is the outer streets, which run through the city and out by the pier, that comprise the busiest section of the city. Built in medieval times, with narrow streets, this half-mile square contains a myriad of fantastic and charming Irish experiences. This article will take you through some of my favorites. The walk begins at a corner, going down to the village, at the church of St. Multose, erected in 1190, which is now decked out after finishing the Harvest Service. Harvest is a big season in Ireland, a surprise to our American visitors, who couple the celebration with Thanksgiving. A quick stop at the church reveals beautiful stained glass windows and a quiet place to contemplate ancient history as it blends with the modern world. Continue through the gate taking a right and heading towards the center of town. As you turn around, you pass the Tap Tavern, which should be a stop for you later that night. There is no pub in Kinsale as picturesque as “The Tap”. A hangout for local actor types, it has several small rooms where you can find a place to chat with your friends or, if you fancy mingling with the locals, grab a seat at the bar. The Ghost Tour starts from here, so you’re likely to see all sorts of believable and not-so-believable characters.

Enjoy walking down the street as it meanders into the city center with art galleries, restaurants and businesses, but be sure to stop at Eileen Murphy’s paint shop. The sign above the door says Murphy’s and you’ll know from the window to the right that they sell paint, but the left side of the store is packed with an amazing variety of housewares and gifts. Since it’s autumn, the windows have stained glass lamps and other cozy and homey items, designed to make us think of cozy evenings by a campfire. Looking around the store, notice that it doubles as Kinsale’s drop off location and news hub. Eileen does the city a great service by offering to keep something from one person so someone else can drop by and get it later in the day. And of course with each installment we get to hear the latest news on things like Kinsale standing up with the Tiny Town Campaign this year.

There are so many great places to shop for gifts in Kinsale, each with their own reasons for being so lovely. The other two I recommend to most would-be Hamish Hawken’s and the Perryville House Gift Shop. The owner of Hamish Hawkens has a practical eye and at the same time everything has an unusual style that makes it look “one of a kind” when you bring it home. Perryville House has the best Irish pottery and always lovely housewares. But like I said, shopping is such an individual experience in Kinsale that it has dozens of shops, each with its own unique style. You will surely find several that you will love. Finally, when it’s time to stop and rest your feet, you too have plenty of options. If you want to have a coffee or lunch, I would recommend the high-end nouvelle cuisine at Cucina or Salvi’s, which is quiet and open to moms with pushchairs. If the weather is nice, there are a couple of restaurants with outdoor tables where you can sit and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city.

Dinner, however, is where Kinsale shines. Known as the cooking capital of Ireland, there are dozens of great restaurants, some ethnic, some traditional Irish and some just fantastic gourmet food. My favorite of the latest variety is Max’s Wine Bar, where they serve perfect proportions of tasty treats from a menu designed from what was fresh that day, all enhanced with fantastic wines. Fishy Fishy is happy and reliable, and is definitely the restaurant in town that gets the most attention. Located just behind the quay road rose garden, don’t be surprised if in a busy season you may have a small line waiting to get in. The Blue Haven serves delicious food and can accommodate travelers at times when other restaurants may be closed or full. Just the other night when we were there we were enjoying traditional Irish music while eating in the bar.

Wherever you go in Kinsale, whether you’re staying here for one night in a B&B or hotel, or for several nights in self-catering accommodation, you’ll find our town friendly, interesting and charming. You only have to surf the net for Kinsale to see that many people have great memories of their time here. But in my heart, there is no better time than fall.