Northern Ireland

Although Northern Ireland is covered with lots of natural and beautiful landscapes, behind that veil is a dark history with a troubled past plagued with violence. And for that reason, Northern Ireland appeals not just to nature and hiking lovers, but also to the history enthusiasts.

Furthermore, if you are a fan of the Game of Thrones, Northern Ireland is probably now screaming hard at you.

Unfortunately though, I have not watched the Game of Thrones. But that still doesn’t stop me from highlighting the best of Northern Ireland!

Overview of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is located at the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and is one of the four nations making up the United Kingdom (UK). First thing to remember, it is not to be confused with the Republic of Ireland (which is still part of the European Union). This segregation of Northern Ireland from the rest of Ireland comes as a result of a long and dark history which you will come to learn more about during your visit.

At just a population of two million, Northern Ireland is not surprisingly the least populated among the four nations of the UK.

How can I manage costs?

For the most part, Northern Ireland is not as expensive as many other UK or European countries. Especially so in terms of costs of transport and attractions. Even so, there are ways you can further manage your budget.

Transport costs

It certainly helps that you can practically reach most sights on foot in Belfast and Londonderry. Particularly so in Londonderry.

Each trip on a bus in Belfast (the Metro and Glider bus services in particular) costs £2.30. If paying by a contactless card, this is capped at £4 a day. To illustrate, this effectively means that you pay only £1.70 for your second trip and nothing for all subsequent trips that day! So for this reason, don’t use cash to pay for your journey, and use the same contactless card!

Belfast Visitor Pass

This pass is actually surprisingly affordable! However, I urge you to have a look at the benefits of this pass before you determine whether it works for you. It includes unlimited rides on the buses in Belfast and discounts on certain attractions, shops and restaurants. All in all, the discounts may not appeal to you and it pretty much depends on your spending patterns! And to repeat, transport in Belfast is already capped at £4 a day.

Visit Derry Pass

Compared to the Belfast Visitor Pass, the Visit Derry Pass is shockingly expensive. Furthermore, it doesn’t cover any public transport. It basically only covers entry to 10 attractions, and you need to visit at least 5 in a day or 6 in two days before you get to cover the cost of the pass. Having said that, you can still have a look if it works for you here.

Giant’s Causeway

It is worth pointing out and must be remembered that the Giant’s Causeway does not have an admission fee. That is to say, you do not have to pay the fee (approx. £15 per person) you see online. The fee covers entry to the visitor centre experience that allows you to use its facilities, view its information displays and videos, follow it’s guided tours, use their audioguides as well as park your vehicle.

To be honest, I paid the fee and I didn’t feel that the visitor centre experience was anywhere worth it. Thus, if you want to skip this fee and just need a place to park the car, you have a few options:

1. Park at the nearby pub (The Nook) for free, have a meal there, then walk over.
2. Park at the Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Railway station for about half the price then walk over.
3. Park in the town of Bushmills at the Park and Ride carpark (opposite the Bushmills Inn) for a nominal fee, then take the bus shuttle.
4. Park at the Causeway Coast Way Car Park for £10 then walk over. Cheaper, but still expensive.
5. Park at the nearby Causeway Hotel for £10, but I heard you get a £10 voucher for the restaurant (this information needs verifying).

How many days do I need?

Two days is generally sufficient to cover the city of Belfast, plus another 3-4 days to cover the Causeway Coastal Route and Londonderry.

Henceforth, if you have more days in Northern Ireland, you may include another county or two in your itinerary.

Where to stay?

As I have noted before, the cities of Belfast and Londonderry are so small and compact that it is possible to get around easily on foot. For this reason, you can easily look for accommodations that are within easy reach to the city centre.

Especially so with a car, there are numerous towns along the Causeway Coastal Route that you can pick from and stay in while you cover the key sights of the area. For example, the main towns Portstewart, Portrush, Bushmills and Ballycastle all line conveniently along the route.

Specifically, I chose to stay in Ballycastle due to its proximity to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and the ferry port to Rathlin Island, making it a very convenient base for exploring the Causeway Coast.

What’s the weather like?

Generally, Northern Ireland gets a temperate climate with mild summers and mild winters. That is to say, you can expect summer daytime temperatures to be just under 20 degrees Celsius with night time temperatures in the low teens. On the other hand, winters should see daytime temperatures dip below 10 degrees Celsius but rarely goes below zero except for in the mountain ranges.

However, just like the other parts of the UK, Northern Ireland can get a fair share of clouds and rainfall so it is essential that you prepare for that, even in summers. To illustrate, my trip in June had two days of heavy downpours, two days of thick clouds and two days of sun.

“That’s typical Irish weather for you”, the locals told me on the two days of downpour.

In summary, just pack your ponchos and waterproof gear!

Is it safe?

In truth, for many decades there had been numerous counts of civil unrests largely involving the Protestants/unionists and the Catholics/nationalists. On one hand, the Protestants/unionists wanted Northern Ireland to remain with the UK. On the other hand, the Catholics/nationalists wanted to leave the UK and join a united Ireland. Consequently, this led to decades of conflict. This period of unrest and violence is since known as ‘The Troubles’.

Thankfully and significantly, these days of civil unrest and violence are long gone following a peace agreement in 1998 known as the Good Friday Agreement. Although some tension can still be observed, they hardly ever affect tourists. To understand this complex conflict in detail, you can join a couple of walking tours in Londonderry and in Belfast. I will also cover this in my upcoming posts on suggested itineraries.

In fact, Northern Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe and is perfectly safe for travel with families and kids, or solo.

On the other hand, be careful when hiking along the coasts. It is most important to stay on pathways and take good care not to get too close to cliff edges as strong winds and rainfall may cause you to slip and fall.

What should I eat?

With Northern Ireland being part of the UK and the island of Ireland, I’d say food is not surprisingly an in-between of both. That is to say, expect traditional pub food like Irish stew, fish and chips and even an Irish variation of English Breakfast called the Ulster Fry. Specifically, a typical Ulster Fry would include a spread of bacon, sausages, eggs, black pudding and soda bread to name a few.

Another to highlight is champ. This is basically a variation of mashed potatoes made with milk, butter and chopped spring onions which makes the texture really unique!

Surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, there is undoubtedly some good seafood. Of course that includes the good old fish and chips, as well as mussels, oysters and scallops. And seafood chowder too, surely.

In Belfast

Traditional pubs and dining

1. The Crown Liquor Saloon (46 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7BA)

More affectionately known as the Crown Bar, it is undoubtedly one of the oldest bars in Belfast having opened since 1826. Even more so that it is now owned by the National Trust! It’s overall interior is lavishly decorated and beautifully restored which gives you a very authentic vibe.

If you’d rather have a sit-down meal, the dining hall is just above. It serves very good traditional northern Irish food. To point out, I had the tomato and basil soup and the Irish stew and both were great!

On the whole, expect this place to be very busy so booking the dining hall is highly recommended. Similarly, if you wish to have a snug (a private cozy area in the bar), you’ll also need to book them.

2. McHughs Bar and Restaurant (29-31 Queen’s Square, Belfast BT1 3FG)

This bar and restaurant is housed in the oldest building in Belfast and without doubt serves a good range of traditional food! The recommendation is the Irish potato pancake (called Boxty) mixed with a main of your choice. I recommend to make a reservation so that you won’t be disappointed.

Modern dining

3. Titanic Hotel Drawing Room Two / Wolff Grill (8 Queens Rd, Belfast BT3 9DT)

First thing to remember, the Drawing Room Two bar was where Titanic was designed! If having a drink or meal in a room of historical significance is your thing, this surely must be on your to-do list! While you enjoy your drink, look at the tiles used at the bar counter, because they are the ones used for the Titanic swimming pool as well!

In any case, do take note that the bar only does walk-in. Although it is available in OpenTable for booking, these are not recognised. Then again, it is also mentioned on their website that they operate on a walk-in basis. Their Wolff Grill Restaurant is open for reservations though.

Other worthy mentions in Belfast

In addition, below are places that I came across during my research but either did not manage to try, or was turned away as I didn’t have a reservation:

1. Top Blade Steakhouse (5 St Anne’s Square, Belfast BT1 2LD)
2. The Thirsty Goat (1 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LA)
3. The Dirty Onion and Yardbird (3 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LA)

In Londonderry

1. Gown Restaurant (24 Bishop St, Londonderry BT48 6PP)

The restaurant is located within the Bishop’s Gate Hotel where it was once used as a Gentlemen’s Club. Thus it has a nice dining ambience. On the whole, the food is good but does cost slightly more. Generally, you are looking at £30 at the minimum for a 2-course meal. On their recommendation, I had the soup of the day and the fish of the day which I had indeed enjoyed. Once again, I highly recommend that you make a reservation before heading there.

Other worthy mentions in Londonderry

Surprisingly, for a small city like Londonderry, the pubs and restaurants do get really busy. Particularly for Walled City Brewery just across the Peace Bridge. I’ve come across numerous recommendations for it so it must be remembered to make a reservation. I was unfortunately turned away when I turned up without a reservation.

1. Walled City Brewery (70 Ebrington St, Londonderry BT47 6FA)
2. Pyke N Pommes (53-55 Strand Rd, Londonderry BT48 7BN)
3. Browns in Town (21 Strand Rd, Londonderry BT48 7BJ)

Along Causeway Coastal Route

1. Harry’s Shack (116 Strand Rd, Portstewart BT55 7PG)

This casual cafe is located right at the beach of Portstewart and particularly serves some amazing seafood. It would unquestionably be one of my favourite meal places in my trip. I had the Dover Sole based on their recommendation which I, of course, enjoyed. Do note that the place gets really busy so call before you go. Despite that, the service I had was pretty good too!

Take note though, it will cost you £8 to park at the beach so you may want to park somewhere else before walking down to the beach.

2. Bushmill Inn and Restaurant (9 Dunluce Rd, Bushmills BT57 8QG)

This restaurant is in close proximity to the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle so makes a convenient stopover for a meal. And indeed it was another one of my most enjoyable meals on the trip!

On their recommendation, I had the Irish lamb with champ. And even though I was very full after the main course, I had to go with the butterscotch sundae as there were so many great reviews about it. Certainly, the sundae was out of this world, and the champ had an amazing texture that I love!

3. Morton’s Fish & Chips (9 Bayview Rd, Ballycastle BT54 6BT)

I had some high expectations from this takeaway store owing to its great reviews online. And I have to say, it is undeniably one of the better fish and chips I’ve had. The fish was fresh and crisp and at this time, I’m having the urge to have it again!

Breakfast and brunch

4. Ursa Minor (45 Ann St, Ballycastle BT54 6AA)

This is a bakery in the town of Ballycastle. I arrived slightly earlier than it’s opening, but as soon as its doors opened, a number of locals started streaming into the bakery! Evidently this is a highly regarded bakery by the locals. I had a pain au chocolate and it was soft, flaky and had a good proportion of chocolate!

5. Our Dolly’s (22 Ann St, Ballycastle BT54 6AD)

Just down the road from Ursa Minor is Our Dolly’s Cafe. To begin with, I was really surprised by how affordable the breakfast and brunch menu was. And unsurprisingly too, the tables started filling up really quickly! I had the egg benedict and a couple of pancakes with maple syrup and on the whole I felt that they were really good value for the money!