5 places in Northern Ireland to visit • Go-to-Ireland.com

Getting ready to explore Northern Ireland? This island awaits you with open arms, promising many discoveries and breathtaking destinations. To help you make the most of your stay, here are 5 places not to be missed on your visit to Northern Ireland, so you can fully appreciate the beauty of the country’s cities, culture and landscapes. Follow the guide!

1. The Giant’s Causeway

Giant’s Causeway – S-F / Shutterstock.com

The Giant’s Causeway is certainly one of the first sights that springs to mind when you think of Northern Ireland. It’s an exceptional natural site, and every year welcomes many tourists who are captivated by this astonishing spectacle of stone. In fact, it’s Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here you can admire strange columns formed by layers of basalt, present for over 40,000 years, following a volcanic eruption that is thought to have taken place in this part of the world 60 million years ago. In fact, three consecutive eruptions formed the different layers of basalt that can be admired on this site. According to Irish legend, the existence of this particular landscape is attributed to the giant Finn McCool, who lived here before abandoning his home to fight with his enemy Benandonner.

To accompany you on your visit, you can go to the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center, where you can rent an audioguide.

2. Discover Belfast

Belfast – © Alexey Fedorenko

It seems almost unthinkable to visit Northern Ireland without passing through Belfast. Throughout the capital, you can discover various monuments and museums, and lose yourself in its lively streets and alleys, day and night. We recommend a visit to Titanic Belfast, which tells the story of the famous liner, or to Belfast Cathedral, Crumlin Road Prison or Belfast Castle.

If you take the opportunity of exploring Belfast to stop off at one of the city’s famous pubs, don’t forget to be wary of public WiFi, a real gateway for hackers to retrieve your personal data without your knowledge. To avoid any risk, we recommend that you install an iPhone VPN before you leave for Northern Ireland.

3. Dark Hedges attraction

Dark Hedges – © adrianpluskota

Are you a fan of the Games of Throne series? In that case, we recommend you continue your Irish tour with The Dark Hedges park.

Once again, this is a popular tourist attraction, located around 50 minutes from Belfast.
This particular landscape is formed by rows of beech trees, over 300 years old. They form the entrance to the Gracehill House monument, which you can also visit. These trees exude a very special atmosphere!
We advise you to visit in the early morning, to avoid the crowds of daytime tourists and fully appreciate the ambience of this special place.

4. The Glens of Antrim

Glens of Antrim – © peter

If you’re a nature lover, you’ll love discovering the landscapes of the Glens d’Antrim. Along the coastal road from Ballycastle to Larne, you can admire the hills and waterfalls of the region, and take to one of the forest trails that await you. If you love golf, stop by the seaside resort of Portrush, where you’ll find one of the world’s most challenging courses.

5. Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

Are you a thrill-seeker? The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is the place to be! The latter is about 15 minutes from the Giant’s Causeway site in the Ulster region. Near the charming coastal village of Ballintoy, this is a monkey bridge that crosses the sea to reach an island popular with salmon fishermen.

Although it’s forbidden to cross the rope bridge, some daredevils might find it hard to resist such sensations! What’s more, it offers splendid views of the Irish coastline.

And you, what are your top ideas for a visit to Northern Ireland? We look forward to hearing from you!