If you’ve seen a photo of the town of Cobh in Ireland, it’ll most likely be a picture of colourful houses, known as the Deck of Cards houses, lined along a street with the impressive St Colman’s Cathedral in the background. Here’s how you take the shot.

6 min read

The small town of Cobh in Ireland is popular with visitors for many reasons. Despite having a population of under 13,000, Cobh has a storied historic past that brings people in from all around the world. Known as being the last port of call for the infamous RMS Titanic before it embarked to New York, Cobh is also famous for its quaint houses, displayed in a colourful array of hues.

Cobh as a whole is whimsical, fun and peaceful. It was one of my favourite stops on a 5 Day Trip to Ireland because of its coastal setting, classic Irish architecture and great photo opportunity spots. If you love take photos like me, then you simply have to get the iconic shot of Cobh’s Deck of Cards houses with St Colman’s Cathedral in the background.

Where to stay in Cobh

Before you attempt to take the famous photo of Cobh’s ‘Deck of Cards’ houses, you’ll need a place to stay! While Cobh is a small town, there are still plenty of great accommodation options for you, no matter your budget. Here are our top picks.

Budget: Big Bright Room and Happy Box

While we usually recommend hotels on Beyond The Bay, we can’t help but recommend this great option for budget-conscious travelers. Although technically in the tiny town of Carrigaline, this guest house is only an 8km drive away from Cobh, and is a great choice because it’s still close enough to Cobh, but it comes at a fraction of the price you would normally pay to stay in town. The rooms here are perfectly cozy and adequate.

Take a closer look at the Big Bright Room and Happy Box by clicking here.

Mid-Range: Knockeven House

This B&B is absolutely beautiful. With its cute-as-a-button exterior, the interior is lavishly decorated with charming furniture throughout. The Knockeven House is renowned for its exceptional breakfast, which past guests have really enjoyed.

Take a closer look at the Knockeven House by clicking here.

Luxury: WatersEdge Hotel

Like the name suggests, the unique WatersEdge Hotel sits on the edge of the water in Cobh. With spectacular views over the sea, friendly staff and beautiful rooms, this is an easy winner for Luxury travelers.

Take a closer look at the WatersEdge Hotel by clicking here.

Deck of Cards Houses

The “Deck of Cards” Houses are a series of residential houses located on 1-23 West View, Kilgarvan, Cobh, situated on a slanted uphill street. It got its name because when you look at the shape of the houses, it resembles a deck of cards that’s been made into the shape of house (known as a ‘House of Cards’).

As pretty as they are, please bear in mind that people live in these houses – so don’t go obnoxiously taking photos from too up close, or knocking on their doors or anything like that. Just appreciate from afar. :)

With the rise of social media, the Deck of Cards houses have become increasingly popular, and are now icons of Cobh.

St Colman’s Cathedral

Another icon of Cobh, St Colman’s Cathedral (sometimes known as Cobh Cathedral) is an impressive Roman Catholic cathedral that overlooks Cobh town.

Ireland is filled to the brim with imposing churches and cathedrals. However, in my opinion, St Colman’s Cathedral is one of the most scenic cathedrals in the country due to its massive size and Neo-Gothic architectural style, especially in comparison with how cute and quaint the rest of the town is.

We didn’t go inside as we visited after opening hours, but the interior of the Cathedral is also impressive. If you want to see inside the Cathedral, make sure you visit between 8am – 6pm. Entrance is free.

How to get that photo of the Deck of Cards houses and St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh

From Spy Hill

Alright – this is what you came for. To get that iconic picture, the first thing you need to do is get to Spy Hill. You can find street parking here, so access is easy.

Then, you’ll need to walk in the direction of the Deck of Cards houses (just put in ‘Deck of Cards houses’ in your GPS if you’re lost) along the stone wall on the street, on the side closest to St Colman’s Cathedral. You’ll be able to see about 75% of the Cathedral from Spy Hill (the rest will be obstructed by the stone wall).

Walk along the stone wall, and once you’re in position, you’ll need to reach your camera or phone above the stone wall, which overlooks West View park. Ta-dah! You’ve found the perfect vantage point for your shot. Please be careful not to climb the stone wall – just don’t do it. You shouldn’t have to, as reaching over the stone wall just a little is enough to get the shot.

When we visited, we didn’t have these directions. We got lost several times, and then it got kind of late as well – so you can definitely do better than us!

If you’re confused, we’ll show you in detail with some visual help (courtesy of Google Maps).

It might take some fiddling around to get the right angle and height, but you’ll get it after a few tries.

From West View

For a different kind of view, you can head to the park in West View for another vantage point. The vantage point here is a lot closer to the houses – you won’t get as many houses in the shot, but it’ll still be nice. The park is also just an enjoyable place to relax and take in the scenery.

To find the Park, type in “West View Park” in your GPS. It should come up with this.

What to do after visiting Cobh?

Took the shot and ready to visit another place? The small town of Kinsale is another really interesting town with colourful houses. There’s also a lot of ghost stories about the town if you’re into that sort of thing!

It takes about 45 minutes by car to get to Kinsale from Cobh.

Check out our 5 Day Ireland Itinerary for more ideas!

 Did you manage to get the shot? Were our directions helpful? Let us know in the comments below!