The Highlights of Northern Ireland

Enniskillen Castle, situated beside the River Erne in County Fermanagh, was built almost 600 years ago by the ruling Gaelic Maguires. Guarding one of the few passes into Ulster, it has been strategically important throughout its history. Today, the historic site houses two museums, Fermanagh County Museum and The Inniskillings Museum.

Take a tour of this amazingly preserved Georgian home, one of the most important in Ireland. If you’ve time, walk one of the trails in the gardens and take in the beautiful Fermanagh countryside.

This UNESCO Heritage site is host to magnificent natural and man-made attractions including Tully Castle (a 17th-century ruin), Gortmaconnell Rock, Cuilcagh Mountain Boardwalk, Money Gashel Cashel (remains of a fortified settlement), Drumlane Abbey, Pollnagollum Cave and Whitefather’s Cave, as well as the titular Marble Arch Caves which you can enjoy a guided tour through.

The largest tract of land in the wildest part of Donegal, Glenveagh National Park incorporates moorland, mountains, lakes and woods within its 40,000 acres of wilderness. You may be lucky enough to catch sight of soaring golden eagles which have been reintroduced into the area or chance upon a shy red deer. Within the park is Glenveagh Castle, a 19th-century castellated mansion built between 1867 and 1873. It was designed by John Townsend Trench, who appears to have imitated the style of earlier Irish tower houses.

This folk museum is made up of six replica thatched cottages with original artifacts an utensils. Overlooking Glen Bay Beach in South West Donegal, this unique living museum was built and is maintained by locals, allowing a fascinating insight into the hardships of rural Irish life between 18-20th centuries. Don’t forget to explore the craft shops to peruse locally-made knitwear or stop by the tearoom for a bowl of warming soup and an Irish coffee.

Eddie Doherty learnt traditional Irish weaving by hand at the age of 16. Now, 40 years later, after two long stints with large Irish fabric companies, he uses Donegal wool to handweave pure wool blankets and tweed at his home in Ardara.

The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge connects the mainland to the minuscule island of Carrickarede. At 30-metres above sea level, the elevated bridge was first made by salmon fishermen over 250 years ago. Once on the island, you can spot the island’s only building, a small fisherman’s cottage and look out onto the Atlantic Ocean.

Get off the beaten track on a magnificent cliff walk to the Giant’s Causeway that will take your breath away. Escape the crowds and enjoy more of this coast than the average tourist ever sees. This walk is six miles long and once you reach the iconic Giant’s Causeway, you will have some time to explore the stunning natural rock formation.

An atmospheric ruin, set against on a steep cliff edge in north County Antrim, Dunlace Castle is imbued with myth and fable. The castle dates back to 1500, when it was made by the MacQuillan family. A local legend says that the castle was abandoned after the kitchen collapsed into the sea, taking the cooks with it. The mystery of the castle has inspired writers and filmmakers alike: from C.S. Lewis’s Narnia to the TV series Game Of Thrones.

Enjoy a Black Taxi tour of the city with a local and learn more about the history of the city as you go. See the famous Catholic and Protestant murals that depict the colourful history of the city. Learn about what life was like in the city during the Troubles and sign your name on the world famous peacewall.

Located in the heart of Belfast, on the very slipways where the Titanic was built, Titanic Belfast is spread over nine galleries, with multiple dimensions to the exhibition. Drawing together special effects, dark rides, full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features to explore the Titanic story in a fresh and insightful way; from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her infamous maiden voyage and catastrophic demise. The journey goes beyond the aftermath of the sinking, to the discovery of the wreck and continues into the present day with a live undersea exploration centre.

For generations, Cave Hill has been synonymous with Belfast, with its imposing outline visible throughout the city. Named for the five caves located on the side of the cliffs, the area contains a wealth of natural, archaeological and historical features, including Belfast Castle, built in the 1860s and one of the city’s most famous landmarks. The estate contains landscaped gardens and mature mixed woodland and offers superb views of the city from a variety of vantage points.

Dublin’s musical pub crawl takes participants to two city centre pubs where musicians, also acting as your guides along the route, demonstrate their Irish traditional instruments and tell the story of Irish music. This is a great way to participate in some Irish ‘craic’ (fun), song and a couple of pints.