Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four nations of the United Kingdom, and a first trip usually runs between Belfast and the north coast. Belfast, the capital, has its own page for Titanic Belfast, the murals of the Falls and Shankill, St George's Market and its pubs; the Causeway Coast has another for the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede, Dunluce Castle, Bushmills and Rathlin Island, with the Giant's Causeway linked from the United Kingdom page.
It is part of the UK, so prices are in pounds and UK entry rules apply, but there are no checks on the land border with Ireland, and many visitors arrive from Dublin by train. This page adds three places beyond the two destinations: the walled city of Derry, the Mourne Mountains and the Game of Thrones Studio Tour at Banbridge.
1 hour for the circuit, half a day with a tourFree
Walk the full circuit of about a mile on top of city walls that have never been breached, past cannons and seven gates.
What it is
Derry's walls were built by the Irish Society between 1613 and 1619 to protect the planters' new city, and at about a mile round they have never been breached, hence the name the Maiden City. They held through the siege of 1689, from April until ships broke the boom across the River Foyle on 1 August. Below the western walls lies the Bogside, with the murals of the Troubles and the memory of Bloody Sunday in 1972.
How to do it
The whole circuit can be walked on top, past seven gates, four of them original, and the cannons lined along the ramparts, among them Roaring Meg at the double bastion near Bishop's Gate.
Good to know
For the stories, join a guided walk: Visit Derry lists operators such as Martin McCrossan City Tours, about an hour, and Bogside History Tours, £17.
Follow the Glen River through the forest, then the Mourne Wall steeply up to the 850-metre summit of the Mournes.
What it is
The Mourne Mountains rise behind the seaside town of Newcastle in County Down, and Slieve Donard, 850 metres, is the highest of them.
How to do it
The classic climb starts at Donard car park in Newcastle, with toilets in Donard Park, and follows the Glen River up through the forest to the saddle between Donard and Slieve Commedagh. There you meet the Mourne Wall and follow it steeply to the summit. For a gentler day, drive to Silent Valley, NI Water's reservoir park: £5 a car, open daily from 9:00 until 16:00 from November to March, 18:30 in April, September and October and 21:00 from May to August, with a café.
Good to know
Walk NI grades the route very strenuous: allow five to six hours there and back, wear boots for the slippery granite steps, keep dogs on leads and stay clear of the Eagle Rocks cliffs on the north side.
Walk the sets of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour at Banbridge
Banbridge, County Down
Half a day with the coach from BelfastBook ahead
Walk from Castle Black and Winterfell to Daenerys's throne among sets and original costumes, weapons and props from all eight seasons.
What it is
Since February 2022 the official Game of Thrones Studio Tour has filled more than 100,000 square feet of Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, County Down, with sets and with original costumes, weapons and props from all eight seasons. The route runs from Beyond the Wall and Castle Black to Winterfell, including the Great Hall where Jon Snow was proclaimed King in the North, then Dragonstone with Daenerys's throne, King's Landing and the destroyed Throne Room, and ends with a behind-the-scenes section on special effects and costume design.
How to do it
It opens daily from 10:00 to 18:00, and tickets are sold online in advance. Parking on site is free; without a car, the studio sells Belfast and Dublin coach packages, running seven days a week, that include admission and transport.
Good to know
Pair it with the Dark Hedges and Ballintoy on the Causeway Coast.
Time needed
Half a day with the coach from Belfast
Best time
Any day, 10:00 to 18:00
Booking
Book ahead
Plan your trip
Which places to pick
Belfast needs two days and the Causeway Coast about three, so five days covers the essentials. With a week, add Derry at the western end of the coast for a day, and a day south of Belfast for the Mourne Mountains or the Studio Tour at Banbridge. Fans of the series can combine the Studio Tour with the Dark Hedges and Ballintoy Harbour on the coast.
How to combine them
A loop works well: Belfast first, then north to the coast, then west to Derry and back to Belfast by train. Trains run hourly from Belfast Grand Central to Coleraine in about 80 minutes and continue along the shore to Castlerock and Derry, so even without a car the coast and Derry join up. Banbridge and the Mournes lie to the south of Belfast: take them on your way to or from Dublin, or as day trips.
Getting around
Translink runs the trains and the Ulsterbus and Goldliner coaches; on the coast the 402, the seasonal Causeway Rambler, and the 172 link Coleraine with the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede and Ballycastle. A car makes the Glens of Antrim, the Dark Hedges and the Mournes much easier. Drive on the left; speed limits are in miles per hour, unlike in Ireland, which uses kilometres.
When to go
Late spring and summer are best for the coast: puffins nest on Rathlin from late April to early August, and the long evenings suit the cliff walks. High wind closes the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Glenariff Forest Park and cancels Rathlin sailings, so keep a spare day. Belfast and Derry work all year, with their museums, markets and pubs carrying the winter.
Questions travellers ask
Do I need an ETA to travel from Dublin to Belfast?
If you need an Electronic Travel Authorisation to visit the UK, you need one to cross from Ireland into Northern Ireland too, even though nobody checks at the land border. Visitors legally resident in Ireland are exempt when entering from Ireland, with proof of residence. British and Irish citizens need no ETA.
How many days do you need in Northern Ireland?
Five days covers Belfast and the Causeway Coast; a week adds Derry and a day in the Mournes or at the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. Each destination page gives its own number of days.
Derry or Londonderry?
Both names are in use. The city's official name is Londonderry, while the council is Derry City and Strabane District Council and most residents say Derry. Road signs often carry both, so expect either on maps and timetables.
Can I visit the Giant's Causeway as a day trip from Belfast?
Yes. Coach tours from Belfast cover the Causeway with stops such as Carrick-a-Rede and Dunluce, or take the train to Coleraine and an Ulsterbus 172 or 402 along the coast. With a car, the drive is about 60 miles each way.
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