If you’re on the hunt for a memorable getaway, you might just be overlooking an extraordinary short break destination that’s right on your doorstep.
A flourishing food scene, otherworldly scenery and unique heritage sites are all waiting to be discovered in Northern Ireland.
Ideal for a weekend break, Northern Ireland’s compact size means you can easily yo-yo between its bustling cities and the secluded wilderness of the coast and countryside.
Or if you want to spend a bit more time exploring, a fly-drive holiday could be for you. Hit ocean-hugging roads and scenic mountain passages as soon as you land, spending nights in stylish accommodations along the way.
A warm welcome from the locals, famed for their warmth, character and sense of ‘craic’, will make the trip all the more memorable.
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So, here’s why you should pick Northern Ireland for your next short-haul jaunt – and what to see and do when you arrive…
SHOWSTOPPING SCENERY
First on you itinerary should be the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway; thousands of interlocking basalt columns whipped by the Atlantic Ocean on County Antrim’s coast
To visit Northern Ireland is to throw yourself head-first into a sea of spectacular landscapes.
And first on you itinerary should be the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway; thousands of interlocking basalt columns whipped by the Atlantic Ocean on County Antrim’s coast, although lore tells that giant Finn McCool forged the causeway to cross the Irish Sea in order to face a rival giant in Scotland.
It’s one of many highlights of the Causeway Coastal Route, a 130-mile road trip from Belfast to Derry-Londonderry that winds past clifftop walking trails, dramatic sea arches and wide-open beaches.
En route, stop to cross the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge to Carrick Island, with waves thundering beneath your feet. Go on a guided walk along The Gobbins cliff path, laid out by Victorian railway engineer Berkeley Deane Wise, and spot native ferns, puffins and dolphins in their natural habitat as you move.
Picnic and surf along two-mile Portstewart Strand, keeping your eyes peeled for green fritillary butterflies in the dunes.
The sweeping sands of Portstewart Strand, County Londonderry
Cushendun Caves, County Antrim, was a stand-in for ‘The Shadowlands’ in Game of Thrones®
A real-life fantasy, Northern Ireland is home to more Game of Thrones® filming locations than anywhere else in the globe. On a guided tour, learn how County Antrim’s Cushendun Caves was a stand-in for ‘The Shadowlands’; the red squirrel-filled Glenariff Forest served as the ‘Vale of Arryn’; and the Dark Hedges, an 18th-century avenue of beech trees, doubled as ‘Kingsroad’.
Stargazers will be starry-eyed over the OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland’s only International Dark Sky Park. Gaze at the wonder of the constellations as they illuminate the enchanting Beaghmore Stone Circles, which date back to the Bronze Age.
Break in your hiking boots in the beautiful Mourne Mountains, County Down
Feeling active? Break in your hiking boots in the beautiful Mourne Mountains, granite peaks that inspired author C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. Mountain guides can lead the way, or you can even tackle the terrain by bike.
Horse-ride through the heather-rich moorlands of the little-known Sperrins range and trek along the Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail, passing by time-worn cottages and the occasional red grouse on the approach to Cuilcagh mountain.
Or hop between villages on the shores of tranquil Lough Neagh, Ireland’s largest lake, photographing the stunning scenery along the way.
REAMS OF HISTORY AND HERITAGE
In Belfast’s Titanic Quarter learn how the ‘Ship of Dreams’ was built and berthed, before having an interactive experience in the gleaming Titanic Belfast museum
See a different side to Belfast with a Black Taxi Tour – a local driver will guide you around the city’s political murals
Every corner of Northern Ireland is wrapped up in history and heritage.
See a different side to Belfast with a Black Taxi Tour – a local driver will guide you around the city’s political murals.
In the Titanic Quarter, learn how the ‘Ship of Dreams’ was built and berthed on a walking tour through the shipyard and slipways, before having an interactive experience in the gleaming Titanic Belfast.
Admire the stained glass window collection of Belfast City Hall and see a show in the Grand Opera House, with its elaborate Victorian interior designed by theatrical architect Frank Matcham.
St George’s Market, Belfast, is a must-visit for gourmands
Mingle with locals in the historic St George’s Market, a must-visit for antique hunters and gourmands, while art aficionados will swoon over oil paintings in the 19th-century Ulster Museum and the latest contemporary art exhibitions at The MAC Belfast.
Try basket weaving at the Ulster Folk Museum, a cluster of period buildings that take you back to the Northern Ireland of bygone years and walk the 17th-century walls of Derry-Londonderry, one of Europe’s most remarkable walled cities. Inside lies the Tower Museum, where exhibits illustrate the city’s origin story.
Learn about the city’s 1960s and 1970s civil rights movement at the Museum of Free Derry and pay a visit to the People’s Gallery – 12 large-scale murals by creative trio The Bogside Artists.
Get swept up in the romance of the medieval Dunluce Castle, County Antrim
History buffs will love the opportunity to be swept up in the romance of medieval Dunluce Castle, a cliff-edge edifice, once the site of a feud between the warring McQuillan and MacDonnell clans.
Or marvel over Carrickfergus Castle, which stands guard over Belfast Lough, and take a boat out to the ruins of an Augustinian abbey on the secluded island of Devenish in the Fermanagh Lakelands.
Turn your camera on ancient Navan Fort, once a site of pagan ritual, or photograph the 18th-century Mussenden Temple, an Italianate icon with front-row views of the Atlantic.
Tour the elegant rooms and gardens of Hillsborough Castle, the official residence of the Royal Family when they visit Northern Ireland, and stop for tea in striking Brownlow House, where American and British troops were stationed during World War II.
A BOTTOMLESS BANQUET
The Muddlers Club, Belfast, which takes its name from a secret society and serves up clever dishes from its Cathedral Quarter kitchen, has earned another Michelin star
The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast, formerly a Victorian gin palace
Foodies, you’re in luck. Northern Ireland has a first-rate culinary scene thanks to the bounty of fish from its lakes and coastline and top-quality meats and vegetables from its rolling green farmland.
An ever-growing list of creative restaurants offers a contemporary take on these ingredients, while hidden-gem pubs and cafes give a taste of more traditional local fare.
Treat your palate to a Michelin-starred meal in Belfast. One-starred OX, overlooking the River Lagan, sees chef-owner Stephen Toman plate up a sophisticated showcase of seasonal local produce. Another star has been handed to The Muddlers Club, which takes its name from a secret society and serves up clever dishes from its Cathedral Quarter kitchen.
It’s a rite of passage to begin your day with an Ulster Fry, a comforting, carb-loaded plate of soda bread, black pudding, potato farl and more. Or pick up breakfast baps in St George’s Market, one of Belfast’s oldest attractions.
If you’re self-catering, why not forage for wild spring shoots and fungi in County Armagh or shop for ultra-fresh produce in weekend farmers markets, to whip up your own culinary wonders.
Enjoy the freshest of fish at the Mourne Seafood Bar, Belfast
Northern Ireland’s seafood scene will reel you in too. Feast on langoustines and smoked haddock risotto at the Mourne Seafood Bar, or tuck into fish caught by local boats at Harry’s Shack along the sweeping Portstewart Strand.
Drop into cosy, time-honoured pubs for a pint and a chat. There’s The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast, formerly a Victorian gin palace; Antrim’s The Crosskeys Inn, Northern Ireland’s oldest thatched pub and a hotspot for musicians; and Armagh’s Hole In The Wall, a jail-turned-pub that’s said to be haunted by a ghost.
The Crosskeys Inn, County Antrim, is Northern Ireland’s oldest thatched pub and a hotspot for musicians
Make your own micro-beer in the Walled City Brewery in Derry-Londonderry – or sip on their ‘Derrymilk’ chocolate stout.
Try gin distilled with wild botanicals on a tour of Rademon Estate in Down, or savour the smooth, triple-distilled whiskey of the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world – Bushmills of Antrim.
With culture, history and awe-inspiring landscapes, there’s so much to discover on a short break to Northern Ireland.
