Northern Ireland has it all. Enjoy historical heritage, scenic splendours, vibrant cities with shopping, nightlife and festivals, outdoor activities, fabulous food and unspoilt retreats where you can unwind, relax and recharge. Much has happened in the past few years and there”s no doubt that Belfast”s dynamic nightlife, with its club scene, modern bars, traditional pubs and gourmet restaurants, has huge appeal for young and old. A measure in the city”s renewal has been the increase in hotel room numbers: they”ve tripled in just five years. Beyond the cities you”re immediately off the beaten track and into green countryside, with farms and villages linked by small roads winding between thorn hedges. And according to a UN report, Northern Ireland has the second lowest crime rate in the developed world, only Japan is safer for tourist to visit. Size-wise Northern Ireland is small. Establish a base - hotel, cottage, anywhere, your choice - and you can visit the top attractions on easy day trips. For sheer variety of landscape, the country feels bigger than it is. Mountains, glens an inland sea, peaty moors, everything”s packed neatly together.
Must See & Do
Giant”s Causeway, County Antrim
Giant”s Causeway is a mind-blowing formation of 15,000-year-old basalt columns. It looks like nowhere else on earth and is a World Heritage Site.
Walls of Derry, City Centre, Londonderry
The 5th largest city in Ireland, Derry is bursting with cultural history. Its city walls were built in the early 17th century and were the last city walls to be built in Europe.
Ulster-American Folk Park, County Tyrone
The museum tells the story of emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th & 19th centuries and provides visitors with a "living history" experience on its outdoor site. Costumed demonstrators go about their everyday tasks in the traditional manner in authentically furnished Old and New World buildings. The Ship and Dockside Gallery features a full-size reconstruction of an early 19th century sailing ship of the type which carried thousands of emigrants across the Atlantic and a major indoor exhibition "Emigrants" complements the outdoor site. The Centre for Migration Studies can assist those who wish to find out more about emigration history and the way of life of emigrants and settlers.
Devenish Island Monastic Site, Lough Erne, County Fermanagh
The most important of Lough Erne's many island church settlements, Devenish was founded in the 6th century by St Molaise. It was raided by Vikings in 837 and burned in 1157, but in the Middle Ages flourished as the site of the parish church and St Mary's Augustinian Priory. There are extensive low earthworks on the hillside, but the earliest buildings are St Molaise's House (a very small church) and the fine round tower close by, both with accomplished Romanesque decoration of the 12th century. Teampull Mór, the lower church, dates from the early 13th century with a beautifully moulded south window.
St Patrick”s Trian Visitor Complex, Armagh
This is a great way to find out more about Ireland”s Patron Saint.
Ulster Museum, Belfast
The Botanic Gardens are the main attraction of Ulster Museum and the grey concrete bunker comes next. The collections inside are of great variety and quality. While the main focus is on Ulster's long history, the museum also contains sections devoted to art, anthropology and natural history.
St Patrick”s Day Celebrations, throughout Ireland (March)
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, the feast day of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is a national holiday in Ireland. It also is celebrated outside of Ireland in cities with a large number of people of Irish descent. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is primarily a religious holiday. People honor Saint Patrick by attending special religious services, enjoying family and community gatherings, and wearing shamrocks.
Mount Stewart House and Gardens, County Down
Home of the Londonderry family since the mid 18th Century, Mount Stewart is full of wonderful artefacts and treasures. The gardens were planted in the 1920s by Edith, Lady Londonderry and consist of vibrant parterres and formal and informal vistas. Many unusual and rare plants thrive in the mild climate of the area. The Temple of the Winds, James ‘Athenian’ Stuart”s banqueting hall of 1785 overlooks Strangford Lough and is a short distance from the main house. The house tour includes world famous paintings and interesting stories about the Londonderry family. Visitors can relax in the Bay Restaurant and enjoy culinary delights made from quality ingredients and excellent local produce.
Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, County Antrim
Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge is not for the fainthearted. Made from planks strung between wires, it sways 80ft above the waves, and there is no safety net!
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