A Visitor's Guide to Northern Ireland

The North Antrim coast, where the Giant's Causeway, near Ballycastle, is a highlight, is a lovely area of dramatic coasts and tiny villages, and is renowned for its links golf courses. The Ards Peninsula is a little visited region which is full of historic buildings, wonderful gardens and small towns with interesting and different shops.

The lakelands area around Enniskillen is arguably the most beautiful part of the whole of Ireland, peaceful, serene rolling countryside and magnificent lakes dotted with islands. The Ulester American Folk Park which is near here is a major attraction and one not to be missed.

Belfast and Londonderry are thriving cities now, with the troubled days of the recent past replaced by rapid growth and development. Both have vibrant nighlife and good restaurants and bars. Armagh is a cathedral city and seat of the Primate of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

You are in a Different Country!

The North of Ireland is part of the UK and thus touring there is a little different to driving in the rest of Ireland - road signage, currency and other variations make it clear that you are in a different place.

While near the border it is likely that Euro currency will be accepted, but really it is best to have Sterling. If you have rented a car, check that it is ok to take it north of the border - it usually is, but you may be required to pay an additional charge or at least to inform the rental company.

Recommended Things to See & Do

Castle Coole
In the 1790s Armar Lowry-Corry, the first Earl of Belmore, commenced  work on a house which he was determined would outdo in both style and grandeur that of his brother in law, the Earl of Enniskillen, at nearby Florence...

Gosford Castle & Forset Park
One of the largest castles ever built in Ireland. At first glance it looks like a Norman castle but actually dates to the first half of the 19th century, when it was built a the then fashionable Norman revival style by the 2nd...

Royal County Down
Acknowledged as one of one of the best, some would say the best, links courses in the world, serious bunkers and high winds make just getting around the Championship course at all a real test at times. Many people say that the...

St Patrick's Trian
Kids love this place, which in three separate and highly interactive exhibitions tells the history of Armagh, the story of St Patrick and recounts the tale of Gulliver's Travels. The name Trian [say: Tree-an] is taken from...

The Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum
The linen industry was such an important part of life in Northern Ireland that it is impossible to look at the history of this part of the country without understanding it. This museum fulfills its role in telling the story of...

The Sheelin Irish Lace Museum
Irish Lace was at one time world renowned and prized for its beauty and the intricacy of its stitchwork. Examples of old Irish lace can attract high rices at auction and are not that easy to find. Nowadays the craft is kept alive...

The Tower Museum
Although it looks like an old Norman building, this is in fact a modern one, purpose built to house this interesting museum. There are exhibits tracing the history of the City of Derry from earliest times, and this is a city...

Ulster American Folk Park
If you were in two minds about going to Northern Ireland, this place alone should be enough to make you go. This is an open-air museum telling the story of emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th & 19th centuries in...

Marble Arch Caves
The caves at Marble Arch are unlike other Irish caves by virtue of their sheer scale - an underground river, the Cladagh, runs though caverns of breathtaking splendour, as well as narrow winding passages, and past a beautiful...

The Giant's Causeway
The extraordinary rock formations of the Giant's Causeway on the North Antrim Coast have been recognised as a World Heritage Site and each year draw many thousands of visitors to the area. Few are disappointed - it truly is...

Events Guide for the North

Jameson Belfast Film Festival 2009
Type: Film | Date: April 2009
A rapidly growing and increasingly popular film festival with films showing and events taking place in many venues around Belfast city including the Strand Cinema, the Waterfront...

Balmoral Show
Type: Shows & Fairs | Date: May 13th - 15th
This is the biggest agricultural and equestrian event in Northern Ireland and draws huge crowds every year to the lovely Balmoral Showgrounds. It's very much a family event...

Garden Show Ireland
Type: Gardening | Date: June 2009
This wonderful event at Hillsborough Castle really has something for anyone with even a passing interest in gardening, and for the enthusiast it is an absolute joy. It's location...

Limavady Jazz & Blues Festival
Type: Music: Jazz & Blues | Date: June 2009
A particularly relaxed and friendly festival, Limavaddy has grown to become a premier date in the Irish Blues calendar, and has a good serving of jazz thrown in too. Among...

John Hewitt International Summer School
Type: Summer School | Date: 19th - 25th July
The John Hewitt Summer School is a week of lectures, readings, discussions, writing, talks, drama, music & entertainment, held in Armagh in honour of John Harold Hewitt, a...

Matisse: Drawing With Scissors
Type: Visual Arts | Date: July 17th - Aug 12th
This touring exhibition from the Hayward Gallery in London will visit the Irish Linen Centre in Lisburn, close to Belfast, and is well worth a detour for anyone visiting...

Getting There & Getting Around

By Road

For detailed road directions from anywhere else in Ireland to the North please use the AA Ireland Route Planner.

By Air & Sea

There are two airports in Belfast, Belfast City and Belfast International. City of Derry Airport serves mainly the UK, with some flights from Spain. There are regular ferry crossings to Northern Ireland from Scotland and England and good rail links between Dublin and Belfast.

Regular P&O Ferries operate between from Scotland and England and the port of Larne. Stenaline operate from Stranraar to Belfast, NorseMerchant between Liverpool and Belfast.

By Train & Bus

There are good rail links to Dublin via Dundalk and Drogheda with Irish Rail, regular Bus Eireann buses link Belfast and several destinations south of the border and to other cities in Northern Ireland via Translink services.

Getting Around

There are excellent bus and rail links between all towns and cities in Northern Ireland, conveniently all available via TransLink.  For touring the more rural and scenic areas realistically a car is necessary.