Once in headlines only for "The Troubles," the long-fought battle between Southern Republicans and Northern Unionists, peacetime for Northern Ireland means a resurgence of tourism. And with dramatic coastlines, a rich history punctuated by museums and monuments, and the traditional friendliness of the land of a thousand welcomes, Northern Ireland offers a lot for tourists to see and do.
A tour of Falls Rd., the Catholic portion of Belfast and Shankill Rd., the Protestant portion of Belfast, is a fascinating way to learn about the history of the violence in Northern Ireland. Tours are available by black taxi and include a stop at the Peace Line, the wall that separates the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods. Your guide will explain the significance of the many murals in each neighborhood, which depict the leaders and heroes of the respective political parties.
Cora Tours
114 Malone Avenue
Belfast, BT9 6ES
Northern Ireland
028-9029-4345
belfastattractions.co.uk/peacewall.php
Set on more than 170 acres, the Ulster-American Folk Park hosts life-size exhibits in a small village following the life story of a person living in North Ireland and emigrating to America.
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
153 Bangor Road
Holywood, County Down
Northern Ireland
BT18 0EU, United Kingdom
028-9042-8428
nmni.com/uftm/Visiting-Information
Visitors tour Marble Arch Caves by boat and foot. The caves host rivers plummeting to gushing waterfalls, narrow passages opening to huge chambers, and many unique rock formations.
Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark
Marlbank
Florencecourt, County Fermanagh
Northern Ireland, BT92 1EW
028-6634-8855
marblearchcaves.net/
Lough Erne stretches almost 50 miles through the Irish countryside and hosts several islands with historical sites. Visitors can see the lake by boat, ranging from large "bus-boats" seating more than 50 people to private charters with Erne Tours.
Erne Tours
Round 'O' Jetty
Brook Park, Enniskillen
Northern Ireland, BT74 7EU
028-6632-2882
ernetoursltd.com/
Derry was the site of many of the major conflicts during "The Troubles," but it had a long history before that and today is reinventing itself as a key influence on the art and music scene in Northern Ireland. City highlights include walking the 17th-century walls, visiting memorials and murals from "The Troubles" like Bogside murals and the Bloody Sunday Memorial, and listening to live music in one of the many pubs that bring the city to life.
44 Foyle Street
Derry, County Londonderry
Northern Ireland, BT48 6AT
028-7126-7284
derryvisitor.com
This World Heritage Site is the stuff of legends, literally. Science tells us that the basalt columns were made by volcanic eruptions over 60 million years ago, but legend says a giant built the stones as a staircase to reach a girl giant in Scotland. Either way, the 37,000 hexagonal stone columns are an amazing site and one of the top tourist attractions in Northern Ireland.
44a Causeway Road
Bushmills, County Antrim
Northern Ireland, BT57 8SU
028-2073-1582
nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-giantscauseway
Eleven miles down the coast from Giant's Causeway, this rope bridge crosses an 80-foot deep chasm connecting a rocky island to the mainland. Originally built by fisherman to bring their catch across, the bridge is now known for bird-watching and fabulous coastal views.
119a White Park Road
Ballintoy, County Antrim
Northern Ireland BT54 6LS
028-2076-9839
nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-carrickarede
At Bushmills Distillery, visitors can take a tour to learn how barley is made into whiskey and even taste a few samples.
Bushmill's Distillery
2 Distillery Road
Bushmills, County Antrim
Northern Ireland BT57 8XH
028-207-33218
bushmills.com/Distillery
This small island has just a couple of restaurants and shops, but day trips are very popular. It has excellent bird-watching and is less than 14 miles from Scotland.
Rathlin Island Ferry LtD
Ballycastle Ferry Terminal, 18 Bayview Road,
Ballycastle, County Antrim
Northern Ireland, BT54 6BT
028-2076-9299
rathlinballycastleferry.com/tr/index.php
With one of the most spectacular castle locations in all of Ireland, Carrickfergus Castle has graced many post cards. Standing on a rocky promontory, this Anglo-Norman castle has life-size history displays and a museum.
Antrim Street
Carrickfergus, County Antrim
Northern Ireland, BT38 7DG
028-9335-8000
carrickfergus.org/
