During five days in Northern Ireland, you can drink an Old Fashioned in a snug that has outlasted bombs and wars and the turn of two centuries, cross a rope bridge over the Atlantic, look out from Giant’s Causeway to Jura, the island where Orwell wrote 1984, walk a walled city where bullet holes are still visible, and stand in the recreated attic study of a Nobel Laureate.
We didn’t do this itinerary in this order. We started in Derry because we wanted to be there for Halloween. Derry’s Halloween celebration is the largest in Europe. This itinerary is in the order we would’ve done it in if the timing of our trip had been any different. Belfast first, then north and west in a natural arc, ending in the quiet of Heaney Country.
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Day 1: Arrive in Belfast
Fly into Belfast, check into the Europa Hotel Belfast, and settle in.
For dinner, walk across the street to The Crown Liquor Saloon and dine in a snug (reserve the snug well in advance). Each of the ten snugs in this 1885 Victorian gin palace has original gunmetal plates for striking matches. The Crown is said to be haunted by a woman named Amelia, who died after falling down the stairs. She may have tripped. She may have been pushed.
Where to stay: Hotel Europa. It holds the historic distinction of being the most bombed hotel in Europe. Thankfully, no one was killed, and it never closed. It’s elegant, the staff is gracious, and it’s directly across the street from The Crown. We booked two nights and left wishing we’d booked three. Book your stay at Europa Hotel Belfast.
Go deeper: Why Reserve a Snug at The Crown Liquor Saloon Belfast?
Go deeper: Staying at the Most Bombed Hotel in Europe: Europa Hotel Belfast
Day 2: Belfast – The Troubles and the Titanic
With your itinerary set, you can ease into the morning. Drink your coffee. Write, read, do whatever grounds you. Your first tour picks you up at 10.
10:00 AM — Iconic Belfast Black Cab Tour.
We visited the famous Bobby Sands Mural on the tour.A private, 90-minute tour covering both sides of the divide: Falls Road, Shankill Road, the murals, Divis Tower, and the Peace Wall. Our guide grew up during the Troubles and answered our questions in a way that felt genuine rather than rehearsed. The tour includes a chance to sign the Peace Wall. Book early. It often sells out. Book the Iconic Blefast Black Cab Tour on Viator.
1:00 PM — Titanic Belfast.
The building stands next to the slipways where the ship was built, its angular exterior rising to the height of the hull. Inside, the atrium features a steel wall with a rusted finish, a nod to the Titanic’s current state, two and a half miles below the surface.
We grabbed sandwiches at the Galley Café before heading into the exhibits. Plan for about three hours. Chris read every panel. I went looking for the human stories and found plenty. We lost each other for a while, following our curiosities in different directions. If the Shipyard Ride has a short line, don’t skip it. Purchase timed tickets for the museum in advance at titanicbelfast.com. They’re the most affordable option, and time slots do sell out.
Or, splurge on tickets that offer a bit more flexibility.
Return to the hotel to refresh with an indulgent Afternoon Tea in the hotel’s Piano Lounge. Afternoon Tea is served daily between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. If you make your reservations for 4:30 PM, your day should be quite well-paced.
Evening: Explore Belfast’s pub scene, or return to The Crown if you didn’t get enough the night before.
Go deeper: One Day in Belfast: Black Cabs, the Titanic, and a Snug
Go deeper: Belfast Black Cab Tour: What We Learned About a Divided City
Day 3: The Causeway Coastal Route
Pick up a rental car in the morning and drive north. You don’t need a car for Belfast, but from here on, you do. Go slowly. The stops are what you’re here for.
Morning — Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
The name means “The Rock in the Road.” The bridge is 100 feet above the sea, it bounces, and the walk out to it is stunning. Sheep and rolling green hills on one side of you and the Atlantic on the other.
Pre-book your timed tickets through the National Trust. There’s a small café called The Weighbridge Tea Room near the car park for coffee and a snack after you cross.
Afternoon — Giant’s Causeway.
Forty thousand interlocking basalt columns, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a legend about a giant named Finn McCool who built a path to Scotland to fight a rival. Take the guided tour. It’s brief, so you’ll have time to wander on your own after. Our guide pointed across the water toward Jura, the Scottish island where George Orwell wrote 1984. That single detail hasn’t left me. The Visitor Centre has a café and a gift shop worth browsing. Pre-book these tickets too.
What we didn’t get to, but you might: Dunluce Castle, The Old Bushmills Distillery, Portrush, The Dark Hedges, and Rathlin Island. Between April and July, there are puffins on Rathlin Island.
End the day in Derry. The drive from the Causeway area takes about an hour.
Where to stay in Derry: The Maldron Hotel Derry is well-situated within the walls and has limited parking. It’s a clean, comfortable, four-star hotel with a good city view. For something with more character, I’ve got my eye on Shipquay Boutique Hotel or Number 8 The Townhouse for next time.
Book your stay: Maldron Hotel Derry, Shipquay Boutique Hotel, Number 8 The Townhouse.
Go deeper: The Causeway Coastal Route: A Landscape That Tells Stories
Day 4: Derry — The Walled City
Morning — The Bogside Troubles Walking Tour.
Give this morning to the Troubles. You’ll be glad you did. Our guide was John McKinney, whose brother William was killed on Bloody Sunday. He walked us through the murals of The People’s Gallery, the site of Bloody Sunday, and he explained the history of gerrymandering and civil rights in Derry. We felt like we gained a book’s worth of knowledge in an hour. Only 15 spots per tour. Reserve your spot.
Afterward, find a café to sit and process what you’ve seen. We landed at Evie, ordered coffee and tea, and talked through everything before moving on.
Afternoon — The Tower Museum and Derry Girls Experience.
Erin’s BedroomThe Tower Museum tells Derry’s story from its origins forward and does it well. The Derry Girls Experience recreates sets from the show: Erin’s bedroom, the Quinns’ kitchen with its avocado-green pantry doors and Grandpa Joe’s surfboard balanced above the cupboard. You can try on the school jacket. I did. Chris did not.
Walk the walls.
Derry’s walls are over 400 years old and remarkably intact. If you can, book a guided tour. We walked them on our own and wished we’d had a guide. Along the way, spot Derry Girls filming locations and stop at the famous mural. Duck into The Yellow Yard, a vintage shop featured in the show.
A few landmarks not to miss: The Guildhall, a neo-Gothic building with a clock modeled on Big Ben. The Peace Bridge, a foot and cycle bridge over the River Foyle. It’s a great spot for morning or evening photos. And the Hands Across The Divide sculpture in Carlisle Square, where two men reach out to each other but their hands do not touch.
Go deeper: Derry, Northern Ireland: A Travel Guide to the Walled City
Go deeper: Derry, Northern Ireland: Restaurants Worth Knowing
Day 5: Heaney Country
Leave Derry in the morning and drive to Bellaghy. It’s a little less than an hour’s drive.
Late morning — Taphouse Bar and Restaurant in Bellaghy.
Arrive when they open at 11:30 AM. A framed portrait of Seamus Heaney greets you at the door. The atmosphere is Victorian-pretty. If you’re not shy about seasonings and spices, order the Chicken Spice Bag. It’s made with generously seasoned chicken and chips (fries), stir-fried vegetables (mostly peppers), and served with a side of curry sauce. Reservations required.
Early afternoon — Seamus Heaney HomePlace and Open Ground Locations.
Seamus Heaney Homeplace is an arts and literary center in Bellaghy, halfway between his two childhood homes. His life unfolds on the first level, from his first school bag to his final words, “Noli timere.” On the second level, a recreation of his attic study in Dublin, set up as it might have been the day the Nobel Prize news broke. Adult tickets are £12. Purchase when you arrive.
At the museum, you can download the Open Ground app. As I write this, it has five locations related to Seamus Heaney. We made it to two:
The Turfman sculpture in Bellaghy is a brief stop, but worth it. Inspired by “Digging,” a poem from Heaney’s first collection.
Moyola River at Castledawson. A fifteen-to-twenty-minute stroll to the bridge and back if you take the time to read the poems on plaques along the way. At the path’s end, near the stone arch bridge where Heaney used to watch trains, press the buttons on the wooden post to hear him read “Moyulla” and “Broagh” aloud.
Late afternoon — Check in at Laurel Villa
Laurel Villa is located in Magherafelt, a 10-minute drive from HomePlace. A family-run boutique guesthouse with four rooms, each dedicated to a writer. Request the Heaney room, but the literary memorabilia throughout the house makes any room feel right.
Dinner — The Old Thatch Inn.
Built in 1832, beside Heaney’s birthplace at Mossbawn. A turf fire greets you at the door. We both ordered beef fillets with Bushmills sauce, big onion rings, and bright cherry tomatoes. Finished with Sticky Toffee Pudding. Reservations recommended.
Go deeper: A Seamus Heaney Itinerary: A Day in Heaney Country
Go deeper: Laurel Villa Magherafelt: Staying in the Heaney Room
Practical Notes
Getting around: You don’t need a car for Days 1 and 2 in Belfast. Cabs (or ride-shares) and walking cover it. Pick up a rental on the morning of Day 3 for the Causeway drive and keep it through Day 5. From Heaney Country, you can loop back to Belfast for a flight (about an hour) or continue south into the Republic if you’re connecting to a longer trip. If you’re flying out of Dublin or another airport in the Republic, you’ll want to return the car to Belfast. When we did it, after returning the car we took a coach bus to the Dublin Airport and picked up a rental for our time in the Republic.
When to go: We went in November. The crowds were thin, the prices were lower, and the atmosphere was moody. We loved it all. The only disadvantage is the shorter days. Summer gives you more daylight and access to seasonal experiences like puffins on Rathlin Island.
Pre-book These Activities: Carrick-a-Rede, Giant’s Causeway, the Black Cab Tour, Titanic Belfast, and a snug at The Crown.
Currency: Northern Ireland uses British Pounds Sterling, not Euros.
How this connects to a longer trip: This itinerary is the Northern Ireland portion of our Steal Our Itinerary: 14 Days in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
This is one of many destinations in our Ireland travel guide, which includes itineraries, planning advice, and our favorite places to eat, drink, and stay across the country.
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