85 Best Sights in Northern Ireland

The museum tells the tale of the seventh U.S. president, whose parents emigrated from here in 1765. The roof of this thatched cottage was reinforced in 2019 with the addition of underfloor heating and its facade was restored. It is just outside town and is a reconstruction of an 18th-century structure thought to resemble their home. Interpretive panels, illustrating Jackson's story as well as Ulster–Scots history, have been added. The cottage is open year-round, but access from Monday to Wednesday is by arrangement through Carrickfergus tourist office.

Displayed here in all its nickel-iron glory is Ireland's largest meteorite, an astonishing 4.5 billion years old and weighing 336 pounds. Elsewhere, find a spaceship, satellite models, a moon map on which you can walk, and the Digital Theater with Digistar 5—sit back and navigate the night sky in the company of experts. Weekend children's activities include building and launching rockets. Outside, stroll through the solar system and the Milky Way at the huge scale model of the universe.

Reduction on admission price if tickets are booked online.

From the superstar Chilean flamingos and a gorilla troop reigned over by silverback alpha male Gugas---whose latest offspring was born in October 2021---to spot-necked otters, West African chimps, and Goodfellow's tree kangaroos, you can enjoy the spectacle of more than 150 types of the world's most exotic creatures on a visit to Belfast Zoo. Note that it's on the steep side of Cave Hill and getting around the zoo involves a strenuous uphill walk for even the most energetic (not ideal for anyone with mobility problems)—a stroller would be advisable for small children. A popular attraction at the Rainforest House, a walk-through exhibition with dense tropical landscaping, is the toco toucan, with its huge, bright, yellow-orange bill. The zoo is also noted for its children's farm and underwater views of the resident penguins and sea lions.

The Treetops Tearoom (at the top of the Cave Hill site) affords the perfect view over Belfast Lough and is surrounded by the Malayan sun bear and cheetah enclosures.

Among the several relaxed and welcoming old pubs in Enniskillen's town center, the one with the most appeal is Blakes, a place hardly altered since it opened in 1887. Its name derives from the fact that the heart of the town lies in a slight hollow and the pub's landlord is named William Blake. Traditional music sessions are held on Friday night in the front bar, which is also the best place for local gossip and stories. If the druth—a local word for thirst—is on you, then it's worth trying the craft beer, Inishmacsaint, from an island in Lough Erne that reflects an ancient tradition established by monks 900 years ago; or you could try the exclusive Midleton Single Cask Irish Whiskey, 26 years in the making. Bottled exclusively for Blake's, it went on sale in 2019, although you can't buy it by the glass—only by the bottle—and for a cool £750. A cheaper option is the Midleton Very Rare 2018 produced with specially selected malt and grain whiskey and costing £15.50 a glass. The bar displays one of the doors from the Game of Thrones TV series filmed in parts of Northern Ireland. The door was salvaged from beech trees that came down in a storm in 2016 and were transformed into unique works of art. This one, Door 4, depicts House Targaryen's return to power. Lunch and dinner are served in the adjoining Café Merlot.

In the Victorian heyday it was not unusual to find 10,000 of Belfast's citizens strolling about here on a Saturday afternoon. These gardens are a glorious haven of grass, trees, flowers, curving walks, and wrought-iron benches, all laid out in 1827 on land that slopes down to the River Lagan.

The curved-iron and glass Palm House is a conservatory marvel designed in 1839 by Charles Lanyon.

Inside, the hot "stove wing" is a mini-jungle of exotic plants such as the bird-of-paradise flower and heavily scented frangipani. In the main grounds you can wander around the arboretum and the 100-year-old rockery, or in summer savor the colors and scents of the herbaceous borders. On the last Sunday of August each year more than 30,000 people converge on the grounds for the Belfast Mela, a program of music, dance, food, and arts. Stalls and stands are laid out, and street theater, drummers, and choirs from many countries take part in the festivities alongside global cuisine in a world-food market, while tastings and tea-leaf readings are held in a tea emporium.

A fun challenge is to follow the Tree Trail, which leads you around 20 trees, many planted in the 19th century, with specimens such as the tree of heaven, Japanese red cedar, and the wonderful ginkgo biloba from China.

More than 20 wonderful arts-and-crafts shops selling Fermanagh pottery, jewelry, and paintings are gathered at the Buttermarket, a restored dairy market built in 1835. The organically run skin-care shop, The Natural Beauty Pot, sells biodegradable products, free of artificial coloring or fragrances and not tested on animals. You can relax in the courtyard of Rebecca's coffee shop which sells terrific traybakes and freshly prepared lunches including homemade cottage pie and salads.

A little resort made of white limestone, Carnlough overlooks a small harbor surrounded by stone walls. The harbor can be reached by crossing over the limestone bridge from Main Street, built especially for the Marquess of Londonderry. The small harbor, once a port of call for fishermen, now shelters pleasure yachts and is a base for wildlife-watching boat trips. Carnlough is surrounded on three sides by hills that rise 1,000 feet from the sea.

As one of the most archaeologically excavated towns in Northern Ireland, Carrickfergus is home to many fascinating finds on display in this museum, exploring life in the town from medieval times to the present. Tourist visitor information is available here as well as at the nearby Carrickfergus Castle. A guided walk which starts from outside the castle, "Lead the Way Tour," showcases the role of the town during World War II. It leaves at 10:30 am on Saturday and costs £8.

Although the Irish architect Richard Johnston made the original drawings in the 1790s, and was responsible for the foundation, the castle was, for all intents and purposes, the work of James Wyatt, commissioned by the 1st Earl of Belmore. One of the best-known architects of his time, Wyatt was based in London but visited Ireland only once, so Alexander Stewart was drafted as the resident builder--architect. The designer wasn't the only imported element; in fact, much of Castle Coole came from England, including the main facade, which is clad in Portland stone and was hauled here by bullock carts. And what a facade it is—in perfect symmetry, white colonnaded wings extend from either side of the mansion's three-story, nine-bay center block, with a Palladian central portico and pediment. It is perhaps the apotheosis of the 18th century's reverence for the Greeks.

Inside, the house is remarkably preserved; most of the lavish plasterwork and original furnishings are in place. The saloon is one of the finest rooms in the house, with a vast expanse of oak flooring, gilded Regency furniture, and gray scagliola pilasters with Corinthian capitals. One-hour tours are held daily, with the last one at 4:15 pm, and include Life Below Stairs, which explores the servants' rooms and service quarters; above stairs is the home of the present Earl of Belmore, who still lives on the estate. During the day the Tallow House tearoom serves lunches and snacks.

In the summer months, you can indulge in the Queen Anne Afternoon Tea Experience. This includes a guided tour looking deeper into the history behind the original Queen Anne site on the estate followed by afternoon tea served in the lavish Breakfast Room. It costs £20; check the website for dates and availability.

A huge maze, grown to symbolize Northern Ireland's convoluted path to peace, comprises 1,150 acres of forested hills running between the Mourne Mountains and Slieve Croob. There are also signposted mountain-biking trails, ranging from short routes of 4 km (2½ miles) up to 19 km (12 miles), and 7½ km (5 miles) of walking trails. Look out for the multi-stemmed sequoia, a giant redwood in the walled garden dating from the 1850s, which, in 2018, was named as Northern Ireland's Tree of the Year by the Woodland Trust, a conservation charity. With the maze, lake, secluded arbors, and arboretum, the park makes an excellent introduction to the area. Bike and canoe rental is available at the center starting from £18 for three hours.

Contemporary Irish and international artistic collaborations are part of the credo of this cutting-edge gallery. It has featured shows by emerging Irish artists and enjoys connections with galleries in India and France, as well as London and Dublin. There's a free public library where you can browse books on art.

Turnley's Tower—a curious, fortified square tower of red stone, built in 1820 as a curfew tower and jail for "idlers and rioters"—stands at a crossroads in the middle of Cushendall, called the capital of the Glens because it has a few more streets than the other villages nearby. The road from Waterfoot to Cushendall is barely a mile long and worth the stroll or cycle out to see the coastal caves (one of which had a resident for many years, a local woman named Anne Murray) that line the route. 

Since it was erected in 2019, the Derry Girls mural has become the talk of the town and a must-see sight for tourists. The extensive 3-meter-high artwork, based on the cast of a hit British comedy TV series, Derry Girls, has been spray-painted on to the gable wall of Badgers bar in Orchard Street. The eye-catching wall of fame in the city center can be clearly seen from a walk on the walls and is a contrast to some politicized murals elsewhere. The sitcom, which has earned critical acclaim—the Hollywood Reporter's reviewer declared it her favorite comedy of the year—features the adventures of five Derry teenagers navigating their way around the late-Troubles era of the early 1990s. It has been picked up by Netflix and turned into a second series, which ends with the re-creation of Bill Clinton's visit to Derry in 1995. You can also sample drinks made in the name of several of the characters from the series, including "Sister Michael" coconut stout and the "Wee English Fella," a strawberry pale ale, available from the Walled City Brewery on the city's Waterside.

Dramatic wall murals throughout Derry testify to the power of art as historical document, while also serving as a reminder of painful pasts. Symbolic of the different communities, the murals attract considerable curiosity from tourists. The Bogside Gallery of Murals, painted by William Kelly, Kevin Hasson, and Tom Kelly, are made up of 12 wall paintings known collectively as "The People's Gallery." They include the Bloody Sunday Commemoration, The Death of Innocence, Civil Rights, The Hunger Strikes, and a poignant one featuring the Nobel peace prize–winning Derry politician John Hume along with Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa—all beside the Brooklyn Bridge. In 2015, a mural featuring John Hume and Ivan Cooper, founding members of the civil rights movement, was restored. The paintings span the length of Rossville Street in the heart of the Bogside. Some of the guided walking tours that leave from the tourist information center include the story of the murals. On the other side of the political divide, close to the city walls, the Protestant Fountain estate is home to one of the oldest King Billy murals along with other colorful ones linked to the siege of Derry.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, or Down Cathedral as it's commonly known, is one of the disputed burial places of St. Patrick. In the churchyard, a somber flat stone slab inscribed "Patric" is supposedly the saint's tomb. It might be here, at Saul, or, some scholars argue, more likely at Armagh. The stone was quarried in 1990 at Slieve-na-Largie near Castlewellan and took 12 men 14 days to cut from the quarry. The church, which lay ruined from 1538 to 1790 (it reopened in 1818), preserves parts of some of the earlier churches and monasteries that have stood on this site, the oldest of which dates to the 6th century. Even by then, the cathedral site had long been an important fortified settlement: Down takes its name from the Celtic word dun, or fort. Information panels tell the history of the building through a timeline, showing the connection with St. Patrick, and give details on the war memorials. In the summer of 2018 a replica of St. Patrick's Cross was installed in the grounds of the cathedral, just yards from where he is said to be buried. The reproduction, sculpted from Mourne granite, is on the Hill of Down where the original cross once stood. There's also a shop selling souvenirs. Entry is free but if you would like a guided 30-minute tour (which must be booked in advance) it costs £2.

Dramatically perched on a 100-foot-high basalt-rock cliff, halfway between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle is one of the north's most evocative ruins. Even roofless, this shattered bulk conjures up a strength and aura that is quintessentially Antrim. Originally a 13th-century Norman fortress, Dunluce was captured in the 16th century by the local MacDonnell clan chiefs. They enlarged it, in part using profits from salvaging the Spanish galleon Girona, and made it an important base for ruling northeastern Ulster. Perhaps the MacDonnells expanded the castle a bit too much, for in 1639 faulty construction caused the kitchens (with all the cooks) to plummet into the sea during a storm. Between 2009 and 2012, archaeologists uncovered belt buckles, thimbles, dress fastenings, jewelry, clay pipes, animal bones, and shards of pottery that are now on display in the Discovery Room. An eight-minute introductory film explores the castle's history. Colorful leaflets are available on-site dealing with the castle's checkered history. Guided tours are held every day at 11 am and 2 pm in the summer months and last 45 minutes.

Children love the sandpit where they can handle tools and dress up.

Since its reincarnation as a venue for open-air concerts and other outdoor events, Ebrington Square, a former military barracks on the River Foyle's east bank, has become an established cultural hub. It was named for Lord Ebrington, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland during the years 1839–41 when many of the military buildings here were erected, including the Star Fort, one of the architectural highlights. During World War II, the barracks became part of a naval base that later functioned as an antisubmarine training school for the Allied navies operating from the city. Derry's contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic was acknowledged with the unveiling in 2013 of the International Sailor, a bronze statue in the square, which pays tribute to seamen from the 12 Allied nations who protected shipping convoys. It is a replica of the Mariner statue in Halifax, Nova Scotia. There are two restaurants, the Walled City Brewery (WCB) and Ollie's Cafe. The WCB, on the former parade ground next to the landmark clock tower building, does not hold official tours but instead offers a masterclass (one hour, 30 minutes) during which you can hear the brewers' stories and sample up to 10 craft beers with artisanal local snacks. It costs £20 and must be prebooked via the website. The restaurant has a tapas menu and offers delights such as a WCB burger or Malaysian laksa coconut lemongrass curry with rice noodles and bok choi chargrilled chicken.

Strategically sited overlooking the River Erne, Enniskillen's 600-year-old waterfront castle is one of the best-preserved monuments in the north, and has undergone a multimillion-pound redevelopment, which has seen the tourist office merging with the castle complex, creating a new gateway to the region. Built in the early 15th century by the Gaelic Maguires to command the waterway, the castle was of tremendous importance in guarding one of the few passes into Ulster and the crossing point between Upper and Lower Lough Erne. Fermanagh’s unique lakeland history is interpreted in four galleries spread over two floors in the restored barrack coach house. Exhibitions highlight life from prehistoric times to the present day, from crannógs (man-made island settlements) to early Christian stone sculpture, Belleek pottery, and rural crafts and traditions. The Full Circle Art Gallery showcases work of local painters such as William Scott, T. P. Flanagan, and Kathleen Bridle. In the listening seat you can hear a recording of Flanagan (who died in 2011) speak about his love of Enniskillen, describing the special quality of the stillness and light. A new building, in the shape of the original armory, links the visitor center with the coach house, allowing tourists a glimpse of the original castle wall. The center, styling itself as a "history hub," combines tourism, genealogy, archive, and heritage services alongside a café and shop. The Camp Commander's garden has also been re-created. The polished paraphernalia of the Inniskillings Museum, which includes weapons, badges, medals, and engravings, is held in the castle keep. Pride of place is given to the bugle sounded at the charge of the regiment at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Look out too for the spectacular room with a cabinet holding the regimental silver used to dress the mess tables for formal dinners. There are interactive displays, and a Roll of Honor contains the names of the 9,100 people from all over Ireland who died in World War II.

Beyond the West Bridge is Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, formerly Portora Royal School (it became co-ed in 2017), established in 1608 by King James I. On the grounds are some ruins of Portora Castle. Writers educated here included Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde, the pride of the school (until his trial for homosexuality). The life and writings of Beckett, the droll existentialist and arch-modernizer born near Dublin in 1906, is celebrated at the Happy Days International Beckett Festival; some festival events are held at the school, as well as other locations around Fermanagh over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August. The multidisciplinary festival incorporates literature, theater, visual arts, film, and comedy, and offers a chance to savor some of Beckett's killer lines, such as this one from Waiting for Godot: "Let us not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors."

A landmark in Belfast, the Europa is seen as a monument to the resilience of the city in the face of the Troubles. The most bombed hotel in Western Europe, the hotel was targeted 11 times by the IRA starting in the early 1970s and refurbished every time; today it shows no signs of its explosive history after a £1 million renovation. President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton chose the hotel for an overnight visit during their 1995 visit—for 24 hours the phones were answered with "White House Belfast, can I help you?" The former president's room is now called the Clinton Suite and contains memorabilia from the presidential stay.

Thrill seekers love this revived dramatic cliff walk in east County Antrim. Cut into the towering rock on the eastern side of Islandmagee Peninsula, the path is linked with a new metal staircase and is one of Northern Ireland’s best-kept secrets. Originally built in 1902 by the railway magnate Berkeley Deane Wise, in its heyday it was as popular as the Giant's Causeway but fell into disrepair and closed to the public after World War II. Today it merits a government-approved acronym, ASSI, for Area of Special Scientific Interest, and is noted for its noisy colonies of puffins, razorbills, fulmars, peregrine falcons, and guillemots. On a clear day, panoramic views across the North Channel stretch from the Scottish Outer Hebrides in the north to the English Lake District in the south. Legends associated with the Gobbins include mythical figures such as Gobbin Saor, a giant who lived in the cliffs. An exhibition room with interpretation, a café and crafts shop, and a tourist information point are located at the site.

On occasion, due to stormy weather, the path is closed to visitors. Call in advance to make sure it is fully operational.

Off High Street, especially down to Ann Street (parallel to the south), run narrow lanes and alleyways called entries. Though mostly cleaned up and turned into chic shopping lanes, they still hang on to something of their raffish character, and have distinctive pubs with little-altered Victorian interiors. Among the most notable are the Morning Star (Pottinger's Entry off High Street), with its large windows and fine curving bar; White's Tavern (entry off High Street), Belfast's oldest pub, founded in 1630, with plush seats and a big, open fire; and the delectable Muriel's Café Bar in Church Lane, with its damask drapes and velvet seats, themed on a 1920s hat shop. Look into St. George's Church, at one end of High Street, a beautiful building with a magnificent portico transported by canal from the house of the eccentric Earl Bishop of Derry.

Don't miss Kelly's Cellars, a 200-year-old pub in Bank Street, not far from High Street.

The bar was the meeting place of the militant nationalist group, the Society of United Irishmen, whose leader Wolfe Tone is remembered as the founder of Irish Republicanism. A colorful wall mural erected in the upstairs bar in 2018 features the poet Seamus Heaney, writers such as Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan, and Samuel Beckett, and musicians including Phil Lynott and Sinéad O'Connor. At lunchtime they serve tasty bowls of filling beef stew, but get there early as stocks are limited ( 028/9024--6058).

Belfast has so many churches you could visit a different one nearly every day of the year and still not make it to them all. The oldest house of worship is the Church of Ireland Knockbreda Parish Church. This dark structure was built in 1737 by Richard Cassels, who designed many of Ireland's finest mansions. It quickly became the place to be buried—witness the vast 18th-century tombs in the churchyard.

To see the city from a different perspective, board the Titanic harbor tour, which takes in the shipyard where the famous liner was built. The 65-minute tour leaves daily (March--October) from Donegall Quay at 12:30, 2, and 3:30 pm near the Big Fish sculpture (a gigantic salmon covered in tiles and printed with text and imagery about Belfast). Weekend tours are held in the winter months. Tickets can be bought in the Maritime Emporium shop beside the Obel tower at Donegall Quay.

This geopark—one of Europe's finest show caves—has an interpretative center and trail walking routes in the surrounding mountainous uplands, including Cuilcagh, the highest point shared between counties Fermanagh and Cavan. The only UNESCO geopark in Northern Ireland, it's an ideal half-day underground activity, especially if it's a wet day in Fermanagh. Stalactites glisten above streams as you admire fragile mineral veils and cascades of calcite-coated walls and waterfalls. Guided boat tours, run by knowledgeable tour guides, last 75 minutes but may not be available after heavy rain. The show cave requires climbing 150 steps so it is not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers. For more information on the geological timescale of the caves and geopark ask for a free copy of the excellent color booklet Rockin' Around the Marble Arch Caves.

Bring walking shoes and a warm sweater. Tours begin at Marlbank Scenic Loop Centre, Florencecourt. There are frequent events that are suitable for children, such as fossil fun days and wildlife walks—check the website for details. There's also a restaurant and souvenir shop.

Eye-catchingly beautiful, and flooded with light, the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) is Northern Ireland's flagship home for the arts and energizer of the Cathedral Quarter's flourishing creative scene. Six stories tall, and with two theaters, three art galleries, and artists' studios—along with a café, bar, and restaurant—the MAC is the centerpiece of the neo-Palladian St. Anne's Square development. The MAC makes an astonishing statement with redbrick and dark basalt, oak furnishings, Danish fabric panels, steel balustrades, bronze window frames, and dark-gray terrazzo flooring. Downstairs is a 350-seat auditorium, while upstairs is a 120-seat studio. The galleries present up-and-coming Northern Irish artists as well as attention-grabbing temporary exhibitions incorporating the works of world-renowned artists. The only permanent display is a sculptural artwork by Mark Garry, commissioned by the MAC and the Thomas Devlin Fund, created in memory of a 15-year-old boy killed in an unprovoked attack in North Belfast. Made up of 400 metal wires in the main foyer, it creates a color spectrum through the space with the aim of highlighting the futility of violence. Ushers, known as "MACtivists," are on hand to help point you in the right direction.

Just outside Armagh is Ulster's Camelot—the region's ancient capital. Excavations date activity to 700 BC. The fort has strong associations with figures of Irish history. Legend has it that thousands of years ago this was the site of the palace of Queen Macha; subsequent tales call it the barracks of the legendary Ulster warrior Cuchulainn and his Red Branch Knights. Remains dating from 94 BC are particularly intriguing: a great conical structure, 120 feet in diameter, was formed from five concentric circles made of 275 wooden posts, with a 276th, about 12 yards high, situated in the center. In an effort to make the past come alive, in 2020 the center underwent a modern-day rebranding making it a more immersive Iron Age Celtic experience for visitors. On arrival you are welcomed into the clan with a cleansing ceremony and purification involving smoke and fire. Traditional herb bread and mead is offered as stories of Ulster's heroes and warriors are recounted; those who feel the need may connect with the land and energy through some calming Celtic Mindfulness, all served up with music and mythology. Hour-long guided tours are held covering the whole site, while young children can dig into the past in the Archeo Pit, dress up as a Celt, and touch history with "feely boxes." Ecology trails bring the environmental aspects of Navan to life. There's a bug hotel, listening posts, bird boxes, a viewing hide, and Armagh's only "bug and beastie" viewer.

If you are searching for your ancestors, Armagh Ancestry is based at Navan Fort where they provide a comprehensive genealogical service with a computerized database containing millions of records of all the major family history research sources in Ireland. To find out more it is best to contact the office in advance of your visit; call 028/3752–1802 or visit www.armaghrootsireland.ie.

A disarmingly subtle resort, Newcastle offers cool restaurants, art galleries, independent shops, antiques emporia, chic cafés, and ice-cream boutiques on its 3-km-long (2-mile-long) energizing stretch of waterfront. But you will still find old-fashioned amusement arcades, fun fairs, and children's play areas to serve up a little seaside resort nostalgia. Sculptures, named by local schoolchildren, are arranged close to the beach and reflect the town's maritime connection. The visitor information center, at 10–14 Central Promenade, is well stocked with details on local attractions, and books and maps of walking and biking trails in the Mourne Mountains and forest parks. A range of cycle route maps are also available on the website.