Northern Ireland Travel Guide

Here's what you do in Portrush:  get up and pack a picnic lunch, walk out and throw a blankie down on the East Strand beach (late at night near the light house is gorgeous) - start walking east, you'll soon run out of beach but keep to the rocks and don't be afraid!  after a few miles you'll see the famous rock formation that looks like a dude's face staring out to sea... soon after, the lovely stone arch... and then the jackpot, Dunluce Castle, one of the most beautiful and architecturally interesting castles in the entire world.  You don't need to pay to get in, just circumnavigate the place and find a crack in the ruins ;) If you want to keep up the hike, about ten miles later you'll come to the Giant's Causeway, weird!!    

I went to Strangford (Co Down, Northern Ireland, UK) on my honeymoon and absolutely loved it!  We stayed in a house called 'Number 42' (if you Google 'Number 42 Strangford' you should be able to find it) and it was the perfect base.  On the outskirts of the village close to the main road to Downpatrick.  You MUST visit Castle Ward, 1 mile up the road, it's a National Trust stately home with a unique quirk (the tea room alone is worth the visit, and the jazz/opera festivals are brilliant).  Portaferry is a fun ferry ride away with the Sea Life Centre nearby.  Best places to eat are The Cuan (for fantastic fine/chilled dinning) and The Lobster Pot (best fish and chips in the world bar none!). To sum up Strangford?  Gorgeous scenery, incredible wildlife (not uncommon to see buzzards soaring across the sky and fantabulous bluebell woods end April/beginning May) generous friendly locals, lots of walks, easy to get to from Belfast (if you don't drive a taxi will take you for less than £40 which is not bad). What are you waiting for?!

Derry's walls are the only intact walls in Western Europe. They also are one of the few that were never breached. Derry has plenty of other attractions top people such as the Tower Museum and Guildhall. Derry is certainly not lacking in restaurants I personally would suggest for the more sophisticated there is Mange2 on the river front and the Bayleaf. For people looking for good food at a reasonable price try the exchange or TimberKey. For those who like Drama you should try the Millennium Forum. If shopping is your thing then try either Northern Ireland's largest shopping centre Foyleside or the Richmond centre or how about the worlds OLDEST department store Austins in the Diamond. I personaly would suggest the City Hotel to stay in.