Northern Ireland Travel Guide: 13 BEST Things To Do In Northern Ireland (& Places to Visit)
How to find cheap flights and travel more: // This Northern Ireland travel guide shares the best things to do in Northern Ireland.
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Recommended Tours in Northern Ireland:
Cab tours belfast famous black taxi tours:
Belfast - Giants Causeway , Dunluce Castle and Dark Hedges:
Northern Highlights Full-Day Guided Tour:
Titanic Belfast Visitor Experience Including SS Nomadic:
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Embark on an unforgettable journey through the stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Northern Ireland as we unveil the top places to visit in this captivating destination.
Explore the iconic Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Marvel at the unique hexagonal basalt columns and take in the majestic views of the North Antrim Coast.
Discover the enchanting beauty of the Dark Hedges, an atmospheric avenue of beech trees that served as a filming location for the popular TV series Game of Thrones. Walk beneath the intertwined branches and immerse yourself in the mystical ambiance of this natural wonder.
Experience the historic city of Derry-Londonderry, one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe. Explore the well-preserved city walls, visit the Tower Museum, and take a walk along the Peace Bridge that symbolizes the city's journey towards peace and reconciliation.
Indulge in the culinary delights of Northern Ireland at local eateries and traditional pubs. Sample the famous Ulster Fry, enjoy freshly caught seafood along the coast, and savor the delicious flavors of Irish stews and soda bread.
Visit the enchanting Castle Ward, a stunning 18th-century mansion set in a picturesque landscape. Explore the mansion's unique architectural design, stroll through its beautiful gardens, and discover its connections to Game of Thrones.
Explore the mystical landscapes of the Mourne Mountains, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Hike through the rugged terrain, take in the panoramic views from the summits, and discover the enchanting Silent Valley Reservoir.
Immerse yourself in history at the historic Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Ireland. Learn about its fascinating past, explore the ancient walls, and enjoy stunning views of Belfast Lough.
Join us as we uncover the hidden gems and must-visit places in Northern Ireland. Let us transport you to a world of captivating beauty, cultural richness, and unforgettable experiences.
Get ready to be captivated by the allure of Northern Ireland in this immersive video experience. So, pack your bags, and let the adventure begin in this remarkable destination where history, nature, and warm hospitality await!
Keep watching to see the top things to do in Northern Ireland, top attractions in Northern Ireland, places to visit in Northern Ireland and UK travel guides.
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Inspired by 11 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Northern Ireland | Travel Video | Travel Guide | SKY Travel
Inspired by Ten Amazing Places to Visit in Northern Ireland | Let's Walk!
Inspired by Top 10 Things To Do in NORTHERN IRELAND
Inspired by Belfast and the Best of Northern Ireland
Inspired by Northern Ireland: The Don'ts of Visiting Northern Ireland
Also check out: Dingle Ireland Travel Guide: 11 BEST Things To Do In Dingle
Also check out: Cork Ireland Travel Guide: 12 BEST Things To Do In Cork
Also check out: Sligo Ireland Travel Guide: 10 BEST Things To Do In Sligo
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10 Best Places to Live in Northern Ireland
What are the best cities to live in Northern Ireland? We don’t often hear about Northern Ireland as much as we do the three other provinces because it’s the least discussed. If the 4 nations making the kingdom are ranked in order of popularity, we could go like England, Scotland, and, Wales. That’s why many people don’t have an idea of what living in Northern Ireland, the fourth province of the UK is. This time, we want to discuss the 10 best places to live in Northern Ireland.
This will prove that the part of Ireland that remained in the UK since 1921 is not faring badly at all. Please enjoy the discussion about the best places to live in Northern Ireland.
10. Newtownards
Newtownards is a town, townland, and civil parish in County Down. It’s not far from Strangford Lough, another one of the best places to live in Northern Ireland that would be discussed later. Newtownards is at the northernmost tip of Strangford Lough. It is also 10 miles east of Belfast on the Ards Peninsula.
When Newtownards hit the headline on July 17, 2021, it was about the townland of Ballywatticock toward Mount Stewart, where temperature peaked 31.2 °C at 15:40. Besides that, it has a very low crime rate. The town has a lot of beautiful spots that can add colors to the quality of life. Places such as Movilla Abbey, Somme Heritage Center, and Mount Stewart attract people to this town. The town’s residents are also entertained by sporting activities such as rugby, cricket, football, and motor racing. It is one of the best places to live in Northern Ireland.
9. Fermanagh
Ireland's Lakeland County of Fermanagh is the next of the 10 best places to live in Northern Ireland. It’s one of the six counties of the region, bordering the Republic. The county is renowned for its boating and fishing. Once a legendary dry plain, Fermanagh was believed to have magic well at its center with widely held tales of two lovers. Of course, the story around it makes the county. The lakes of Lough Erne stretching through 50 miles over the county were believed to result from bubbles from the water.
If you live in Fermanagh, you’ll be living in the roots of some famous people, including writer Rudyard Kipling and former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Ulysses Grant. Enniskillen, which we shall talk about later, is the county town of Fermanagh. You don’t generally hear about crime here and the cozy place has enough amenities.
8. Ballycastle
Let’s next consider Ballycastle, a small seaside town in County Antrim. Deriving its name from the Irish expression “Baile an Chaistil,” the “town of the castle” is on the north-easternmost coastal tip of the region of the United Kingdom. Its harbor plays host to the ferry to Rathlin Island quite visible from the coast.
Anyone living in Northern Ireland and desires a harbor town to live near the coast should consider living in Ballycastle. If you’ve ever heard anything about the best places to live in Northern Ireland, you’ll realize that Ballycastle is frequently mentioned in such lists. According to The Sunday Times, this seaside town is one of five places in Northern Ireland considered the best places to live in Britain. The publication crowns it as actually the best place to live in the province. It receives accolades for offering a better quality of life to the majority of the residents in areas of education, health, crime control, and house prices.
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10 Best Towns to Live in Northern Ireland
You know this channel is never biased in the coverage of cities, towns, and villages in the United Kingdom. Consistent with that, we shift our attention to Northern Ireland in this video. This time we want to talk about the 10 best towns to live in Northern Ireland. Before we begin, we have to be quick in saying that towns in this region of the UK are generally cooler than those you would find near London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or Glasgow. However, it would be unfair to believe that they are less sophisticated. After all, towns in Northern Ireland are expected to be influenced by the cities nearby. We now invite you to pay more than usual attention to this video.
10. Portstewart
We feel so good beginning this in Portstewart. This is a small town in County Londonderry with a population of 8,003. It is a seaside resort beside Portrush. Portstewart has a good-looking harbor and scenic coastal paths that form an Atlantic promenade that leads to a two-mile beach popular with holidaymakers all year round, not just during summer. Victorian middle-class families are in love with this town as a holiday destination. It has a long, crescent-shaped seafront promenade that is sheltered by rocky headlands. Portstewart is a reasonably prosperous town. You can thus live there and make good fortunes. Most of it is contained in the Strand electoral ward which is counted as one of the most affluent areas in the region.
9. Castlewellan
Castlewellan is a small town in County Down. The town in the southeast of Northern Ireland is close to the Irish Sea and beside Castlewellan Lake and Slievenaslat Mountain. It is also 11 miles southwest of Downpatrick. The town was originally designed for the Annesley Family by a French architect. As one of the 10 best towns to live in Northern Ireland, it has a wide main street running through two main squares lined with chestnut trees. One of the beautiful features of this town is Drumena Cashel, a small stone-built farmstead enclosure situated two miles southwest of Castlewellan, off the A25 road to Rathfriland. Castlewellan Forest Park and Castlewellan Lake also deserve to be mentioned in this town. Though the Castlewellan Castle is not generally open to everyone, the sight of this Scottish baronial beautiful and tranquil castle of 1856 is enough to add flavor to each day of life in the town.
8. Larne
Larne is a town with a population of 18,755 on the east coast of County Antrim. This town is a major passenger and freight roll-on roll-off port administered by Mid- and East Antrim Borough Council. It is also a civil parish in the historic barony of Glenarm Upper. Larne rose from the lowest spot during the course of The Troubles to become one of the best places to live. The significant paramilitary presence in the town has ensured the safety of residents. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defense Association (UDA) are helping to ensure that it sustains the peace for which it is presently known.
7. Newtownards
Also in County Down is Newtownards, a town lying at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough. Located on the Ards Peninsula, it’s just 10 miles east of Belfast in the civil parish of Newtownards. The town with a population of 28,050 is beautified by the 100-foot Scarbo Tower overlooking it and built as a memorial to Charles Stewart, the third Marquess of Londonderry in 1857. It also has Movilla Abbey, Somme Heritage Center toward the north which is a unique attraction of international significance telling the historical reality of the Great War including its effects on the community at home.
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8 Worst Towns to Live in Northern Ireland
Let us put it in the right context before we take it so far. The expression “worst towns” here is going to be subjective and relative. This is because Northern Ireland is a generally good place to live. Regardless of how good a region is, however, some parts of it will be better than others. On the other hand, those parts of the region that are not regarded as the best are in that context not so good. And if all of the parts of a region are just good, the “least good” among them is invariably the worst. It is in that sense that we now want to show you the 8 worst towns to live in Northern Ireland.
8. Ballymena
Let’s begin with Ballymena, a large town in County Antrim. The town with a population of more than 29,000 is the 8th-largest town in the region by population. But it’s also one of the worst towns to live in Northern Ireland. Gone are those days when the town was prosperous and when a lot of factories were providing job opportunities.
The town has now suffered from a gripping recession that not only deterred investment in manufacturing but also stressed out existing shopping centers. Though some attempts have been made to rejuvenate the town economically, the unemployment rate is still very high. The shopping centers are no longer bustling as they used to be due to badly reduced purchasing power and low demands in the town. Besides, there are several rough areas such as Harryville in the town. Generally, the town that hosts 7 towers lacks prosperity, though it’s one of the safest places to live for people with legitimate business dealings.
7. Lurgan
Lurgan is another large town on this list. It is in County Armagh near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. The town is located about 18 miles southwest of Belfast having been linked together by the M1 motorway. Additionally, the Belfast-Dublin railway line serves this town with a population of 28,634 within the Armagh, Banbridge, and Craigavon districts.
Even then, it is one of the worst towns. It is divided along the religious line, no thanks to the housing anomaly. This is especially apparent in its worst part. Many of the people born in the town would prefer not to live there if they are not landlords. Houses there are usually up for buying to own not to rent. That is why it’s not a good place to live in Northern Ireland for foreigners. You will get rental areas only on Ardboe Drive and Trasna Way. But in Pollock Drive and Grey Estate, you’re in for a completely different experience.
6. Strabane
We’re now in County Tyrone to find the town named Strabane. Lying on the east bank of the Foyle River, it had a population of 13,172. It is located roughly midway from Omagh, Derry, and Letterkenny. Strabane is also on this list of the 8 worst towns to live in Northern Ireland.
Strabane has remained stuck to that unpopular tag not only in NI but also in the UK as a whole. For instance, out of 317 local authority areas in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it is the 8th worst to live, according to the research carried out by Channel 4. The research measured 5 criteria homebuyers always consider namely crime, education, employment, environment, and lifestyle. The town performed woefully in all of them. It has been ranking badly for livability for years on end.
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Holywood Town Belfast - Places to Visit in Northern Ireland
Cities and towns, these are the two different places that tourists get attracted to when it comes to visiting a new country for the first time and trying to explore as much of it as possible, or even for the local people who want to get to know more about their own personal country.
Holywood town is part of Northern Ireland, it is located in the metropolitan area of Belfast city in county Down. This town in Northern Ireland is a civil parish and townland of 755 acres, lying on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor.
Going back into the history of this old city, one will get to ask about the name which lots of people now pronounce in the same way as Hollywood is pronounced. Back in the old days, the name Holywood was rather Sanctus Boscus, which means Holy Wood, and it was given to this place by the Normans after the woodland surrounding the monastery founded by St. Laseran before 640.
There are different interesting things that might be held in this town, such as the jazz and blues festival which is held there. There are other things that distinguish this town as well, such as the distinctive building known as the Old Priory. Even though this might sometimes be mistaken for the famous Hollywood in the United States of America, it is also considered one of the most visited towns in county Down for the fashion boutiques that it has, the delis and the galleries.
Holywood is also one of Northern Ireland's famous towns and places because it boasts Ireland's only surviving Maypole dating back to 1700 when a Dutch ship ran aground offshore and as a show of gratitude, they erected their broken mast.
We have already mentioned that the jazz and blues festival is held in Holywood, but there is also the annual May Day Celebrations which are considered the main focus when it comes to this town, and this is actually one of the big events in Ards and North Down calendar, when the school children dance around the maypole alongside market stalls and family attractions.
Holywood town stands as one of the beautiful places with a history carried behind which tourists and locals could visit and check what it has to offer - at least we have already mentioned some of the reasons why we believe this is considered a good place to travel to - but there are still other towns that could be visited in county Down as well, such as the Village of Saintfield ( Donaghadee which is 18 miles away from Belfast ( Crawfordsburn ( and Portaferry (
When it comes to the different attractions in county Down, Northern Ireland, there are different things which we should refer to as well in addition to these towns which we have mentioned, such as checking the Whiterocks Beach in Portrush ( Dundrum Castle ( Ballywalter Beach ( Down County Museum ( Tollymore Forest ( and lots of other things to dig deep behind and discover if you got the chance to be in county Down.
Being a place that is not far away from Belfast city, it is also considered a great suggestion for those touring the city to consider making a different kind of plan and add this destination to their list, they will end up visiting another part of Northern Ireland which they might have never thought about visiting before. The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in County Down at Cultra, is another touristic attraction that is just next to Holywood which visitors and travelers could also check (
Have you ever been to Holywood in Northern Ireland before? Have you ever realized that there is another Holywood than the one you are used to hear about when it comes to the United States of America? Have you ever been there or ever planned a trip to this beautiful town in county Down? At least now you could make a proper plan and enjoy yourself there.
Holywood in county Down, Northern Ireland, might not be the biggest town to visit or the one with the most attractions, but it is definitely one of the towns close to Belfast that could still offer history along with some attractions that people could enjoy visiting and bring back stories from to their homes and families.
So, are you now planning to visit Holywood and see what this small town getting mixed up with the big US Hollywood actually looks like? Plan your visit as a local or a tourist and let us know your feedback and hear about the stories you will have there in this small town.
Enjoy watching the video about Holywood!
The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Places to see in ( Newtownards - UK )
Newtownards, is a large town, townland and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. Newtownards lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is situated in the civil parish of Newtownards and the historic baronies of Ards Lower and Castlereagh Lower. Newtownards is the largest town in the former Borough of Ards. It is known colloquially by locals as Ards.
The town of Newtownards is overlooked by the 100-foot (30 m) high Scrabo Tower. The tower is 41 metres high, and was erected as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, in recognition of his concern for the plight of his tenants during the great potato famine. It is open to the public and houses a historical and local environment exhibition. The basalt topped sandstone hill at Scrabo is one of the dominant features of north Down. The tower now stands tall in Scrabo Country Park with its woodland walks and parkland through Killynether Wood.
The Somme Heritage Centre, which is situated a little north of the town, is the Somme Association's flagship project. Situated adjacent to the Clandeboye Estate outside Newtownards, the centre is a unique visitor attraction of international significance showing the reality of the Great War and its effects on the community at home. The centre commemorates the involvement of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions in the Battle of the Somme, the 10th (Irish) Division in Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine and provides displays and information on the entire Irish contribution to the First World War.
The centre promotes cross-community contact, mutual understanding, an appreciation of cultural diversity, and is a major visitor attraction. The centre is built on ground provided by Ards Borough Council in what is to be the Whitespots Country Park. It is linked to Helen's Tower on the Clandeboye Estate via the Ulster Way. Historically, the 36th (Ulster) Division trained on the estate during the first few months of the war and German prisoners of war were interned there. A replica of Helen's Tower was built on the Somme battlefield as Northern Ireland's national war memorial.
On the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside Newtownards and near Greyabbey, stands Mount Stewart, an 18th-century house and garden – the home of the Londonderry family. The house and its contents reflect the history of the Londonderrys who played a leading role in British social and political life. The ninety-eight acre garden at Mount Stewart has been proposed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Largely created by Edith, Lady Londonderry, wife of the 7th Marquess, in the 1920s, it has an unrivalled collection of rare and unusual plants.
( Newtownards - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Newtownards . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Newtownards - UK
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Donaghadee - County Down, Northern Ireland
Donaghadee has a great landmark in the lighthouse over the pier facing into the Irish Sea. There is a beautiful coastal walk here - also into the town where there is an old moat/castle structure and a great view of the surrounding area. Very close to Bangor and Belfast.
There are some small towns scattered around Belfast that open the eyes of the visitors and tourists who are staying in Belfast and give them the chance to think outside the box and go out of the city to any of these towns if they have some spare time to spend and this is usually a good plan because it will give them the chance to explore more parts of Northern Ireland during their trip.
Donaghadee is one of these different options related to small towns which we have to refer to and mention, it is only 18 miles away from Belfast and only 6 miles away from Bangor - which is not a long distance for someone to go. Donaghadee is a small town situated in county Down, Northern Ireland, that lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula; it is in the civil parish of Donaghadee and the historic barony of Ards Lower. The history of Donaghadee town and the different attractions that could be seen in it add to the encouragement that fills the visitor's heart and mind about going there.
Donaghadee town was actually featured in the Irish Rebellion of 1798; in the morning of Pike Sunday 10 June 1798, a force of United Irishmen mainly from Bangor, Donaghadee, Greyabbey, and Ballywalter attempted to occupy the the town of Newtownards, they met with musket fire from the market house and they were defeated. In addition to this historical part, Donaghadee harbour is also important when it comes to this town since it has its historical part as well; Donaghadee was used in the period between 1759 and 1826 by couples going to Portpatrick, Wigtown, Scotland in order to get married since there was a daily packet boat going there from Donaghadee harbour.
Of course when it comes to any new place you are visiting, the first thing that you will be doing is searching for the different touristic attractions that you could visit there. When it comes to Donaghadee town, there are a couple of things to consider visiting, such as the Moat, the Harbour and the Marina along with the lighthouse, and there are other minor places to consider such as the Parish Church.
The harbour and the lighthouse of Donaghadee town are famous because that harbour almost dates back to the 17th century and this harbour is well known for its lighthouse - it might be one of the most famous attractions related to this town, it has actually been a haven for ships for years and years.
In addition to the harbour and the lighthouse, there is also the Moat - or as it is also known and referred to the Motte - which was actually built to house the explosives used in building the harbour. The Moat is also one of the most prominent features of the town that dates back to 1818 but today it is now part of a park, giving views across the town and seawards towards the Copeland Islands (
These are the most common things to be done in this small town but there are still other activities which one could also include and which might be a walk by the town that includes the marine walk by The Commons: this is a semi-cultivated open space with bowls, tennis, putting, and an adventure playground. There are also those restaurants, hotels, and bars which you could choose from and enjoy sitting at, one of them is the famous Grace Neill's bar which opened back in 1611 as the King's Arms and which is considered the oldest bar to be found in Ireland.
When you are visiting Donaghadee town, you should always check the events that might be taking place there because you could get the chance to enjoy your time attending any of them. There are also those shops and boutiques which might be offering different products that you could go back home with any of them - make your visit count.
There are some other small towns and cities which are close to Donaghadee - and that of course in addition to Belfast the capital city of Northern Ireland and the one mostly visited ( - from these places, there is Bangor which is the closest to Donaghadee and which is mostly known with its harbour ( there is also Portaferry which is mostly known with its Exploris Aquarium ( and there is also Ballywalter which is considered not far away from Donaghadee (
These were the things we managed to visit in Donaghadee, county Down, and this was the trip we went on and enjoyed. Have you ever been there before? Share with us more of your stories and adventures.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
What to see and do in Holywood and Donaghadee
Paul and Marcus are in Northern Ireland. They visit Holywood and Donaghadee (or should that be Port Devine?) in County Down.
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Places to see in ( Holywood - UK )
Places to see in ( Holywood - UK )
Holywood is a town in the metropolitan area of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a civil parish and townland of 755 acres lying on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.
The English name Holywood comes from Latin Sanctus Boscus, meaning 'holy wood'. This was the name the Normans gave to the woodland surrounding the monastery of St Laiseran, son of Nasca. The monastery was founded by Laiseran before 640 and was on the site of the present Holywood Priory. The earliest Anglicized form appears as Haliwode in a 14th-century document. Today, the name is pronounced the same as Hollywood.
In the 17th century, Ulster ports began to rise in prominence. In 1625, William Pitt was appointed as Customer of the ports of Newcastle, Dundrum, Killough, Portaferry, Donaghadee, Bangor and Holywood.
In the early 19th century, Holywood, like many other coastal villages throughout Ireland, became popular as a resort for sea-bathing. Many wealthy Belfast merchants chose the town and the surrounding area to build large homes for themselves. These included the Kennedys of Cultra and the Harrisons of Holywood. Dalchoolin House stood on the site of the present Ulster Transport Museum, while Cultra Manor was built between 1902–04 and now houses part of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
The railway line from Belfast to Holywood opened in 1848, and this led to rapid development. The population of Holywood was approximately 3,500 in 1900 and had grown to 12,000 by 2001. This growth, coupled with that of other towns and villages along the coastal strip to Bangor, necessitated the construction of the Holywood Bypass in the early 1970s. Holywood today is a popular residential area and is well known for its fashionable shops, boutiques, arts and crafts.
The Old Priory ruins lie at the bottom of the High Street. The tower dates from 1800, but the oldest ruins date from the early 13th century. The Priory graveyard is the resting place for many distinguished citizens including the educational reformer, Dr Robert Sullivan, and the Praeger family. Robert Lloyd Praeger (1865–1953) was an internationally renowned botanist[5] and his sister, Rosamond Praeger (1867–1954), gained fame as a sculptor and writer. Johnny the Jig, one of her sculptures, is situated in the town. Praeger House at Sullivan Upper Grammar School is named after the family. Bishop Robert Bent Knox is also buried there.
( Holywood - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Holywood . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Holywood - UK
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Belfast Tourist Attractions ❤ Around Belfast in 60 Seconds
Any visit to Belfast is always good - rain or shine! We spent some time recording some of its best known attractions, shops, buildings and tourist sites. We took a speedy trip around the city - so you can see what your missing! :-)
Where is Belfast? Just in case any visitors are here - Belfast is in Northern Ireland - part of the UK and on the island of Ireland. It has a population of 1.2 million people who are looking towards a brighter future.
Belfast is an amazing city (the capital of Northern Ireland as well) - with even more amazing people. The city has been through the ultimate in ups and as low as they can go - downs. It was an industrial powerhouse in the 18th and 19th centuries and in the early 1900's it was the largest city on the island of Ireland. Sad times were never too far away - from the loss of the Titanic to Belfast being the 2nd most bombed city in the UK - to the troubles that impacted every part of Northern Ireland - the city has suffered more than most (
But the people of the city set it apart, from sitting having a tea - to drinking a beer in their local town. What else to say :-) Its a crazy, small city with loads of offers for locals and different places for the visitors to come and check.
So put Belfast on your list - if visiting Ireland or even the UK - well worth considering due to the local attractions. Belfast tours are available on foot, bus, car, air and water! Travel to Belfast is easy with two airports and the motorway from Dublin.
This video features - Belfast City Hall, Belfast Shopping, Cathedral Quarter ( Albert Clock, Queen's University, Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Titanic Museum, Nomadic SS, Keywest band playing at the city bandstand and more ;-)
Belfast city happens to be one of those European cities that carries a lot of history inside and thus will be always calling out for tourists to come and spend a couple of days in. There are lots of things to be seen in the city and from those which we have been to before, there is the famous City Hall building ( we also visited St. Anne's Cathedral which happens to be a famous cathedral in the city ( and walked through Victoria Square which is famous with being a shopping destination.
In addition to those buildings, there are other things that made a mark in the history of Belfast, such as losing the famous Titanic ship and which was built in Belfast and thus there has been a memorial placed in the garden of City Hall and there is also the Titanic museum to be found in the city ( Titanic has a smaller sister which is known as SS Nomadic and which back then helped in transporting the passengers from the land to the Titanic Ship. After more than 100 years, the SS Nomadic is back in Belfast where it is now turned into a touristic attraction that people could visit (
Among those famous landmarks found in Belfast city, Northern Ireland, there is Albert Tower which lots of those tourists visiting Belfast manage to place it on the list of things they would be doing and seeing there ( And finally, through the tour we have been doing to bring this video out to life and get more introduced to Belfast, we also came across Queen's University which opened back in 1849 (
All those Belfast attractions were passed by in a quick tour taken around the city but you could of course stop at every single one of them, enter if you are allowed to, and take all the pictures that you want; just make a good plan, know what are the attractions that are located close to one another and how long are you going to spend in every single one of them in order to visit those close ones all at the same day.
There are different other attractions that one could visit in Belfast and which are also considered very famous but the ones we already mentioned above are the landmarks of the city. From those other attractions, one could visit the Crumlin Road Gaol which is an old jail that has served for more than 150 years before closing its doors and being transformed into a touristic attraction site ( There is also the Belfast Castle which is an old castle building that tourists love to come across as well (
Being the capital city of Northern Ireland is not the only reason for those heading to Northern Ireland to visit, but Belfast is also an attraction because it is the largest city and carries lots of historical attractions and places that people could visit, and it is also the second largest city on the island of Ireland as a whole.
Have you ever been to Belfast city? Tell us about your experience!
Newtownards and Donaghadee
Short video taken with Panasonic HDC-SD900 (hand held)
Some shots of Newtownards Scrabo Tower and then some of Donaghadee Harbour area
Best Scenic Walks in Northern Ireland - Scenic Walks - Free Things To Do In Northern Ireland
Best Scenic Walks in Northern Ireland - Scenic Walks - Free Things To Do In Northern Ireland
00:00 Introduction
00:09 Hillsborough Castle Gardens
00:36 Divis and The Black Mountain
1:00 Whitehead
1:30 Helen's Bay Beach
1:50 Castlewellan Forest Park
2:15 Oxford Island
2:38 Giants Causeway
During these hard times, it can be a great lift to get outside, take in some fresh air and walk to clear your head.
This is why we decided to make a video on what we think are the best scenic walks in Northern Ireland.
Some are traditional tourist attractions - others places locals tend to only know about.
Northern Ireland is filled with lots of hidden gems that might not even fit in the days you are staying in the country; there are a lot of things to discover and visit in order to make your experience complete.
We are Connolly Cove.
We share the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield with you through our travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Learn more about where you should visit by checking out our website!
If you want to find out more about other attractions in Northern Ireland, Ireland and beyond click the links below:
Top 5 Titanic Quarter Belfast
Our quick list of Top 5 Things (in no particular order) to see when visiting Titanic Quarter Belfast, one of the most popular tourism spots in the city! Of course there is so much more to do but these are a handful of the top attractions that we love! 🏙️🌅
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Music
Epidemic Sound
Drone Footage - Sunrise at Donaghadee (Port Devine - Hope Street)
Sunrise over Donaghadee Harbour, June 2020. The famous setting of BBC One's Hope Street in Port Devine.
Sunday Runday Donaghadee lighthouse | Northern Ireland Motorcycle Run
Quick Sunday Runday down to Portaferry for breakfast then back around the Ards Peninsula to Donaghadee's Lighthouse and back home.
Recorded on Gopro hero 7 & 8 @ 4K
All music is licensed by Epidemic Sounds and is royalty free and copyright free for use on this channel.
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Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve - Newtownards, Northern Ireland
A lovely walking area in Newtownards for anyone - the walk goes along the path around the lake where there are loads of wild birds - especially swans, mallards, little grebe, moorhens and coots. A nice way to finish off a day.
Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve is a good choice for those who are trying to visit a place where they could have a nice walk in a quiet place that would leave them calm and relaxed with the beautiful view of the water and the wild birds that might be visiting the place - which is actually one of the different things that highlight this place found in Newtownards.
For bird lovers and those watchers who are interested in getting the chance to see those wild birds travelling around the place, there is actually a pathway along the lake which allows for closer inspection of the different birds which could be found out there, those birds which we have already mentioned; in other words, we could say that there is an inspection area in that place so that people could view and see the birds.
It might not end up being a long walk which you will get the chance to go through, but it is definitely a destination that its main purpose is for people and admirers to come and see those different types of birds while sitting by the lake surrounded by some green spaces - Kiltonga is actually one of our favorite places which we might always choose to go to to have some peace of mind away from all the hassle of the city.
Newtownards, where Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve is located, is a large town, townland and civil parish that is situated in county Down (one of the six different counties which form Northern Ireland). Newtownards lies on the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, which is 10 miles east of Belfast ( - which means that you could also get the chance to visit this place if your stay will be in Belfast.
Newtownards could attract tourists and visitors to it through several attractions which are located in it in addition to Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve, these attractions include Mount Stewart House ( which is all about the 19th century house and the gardens surrounding it, there is also the Greyabbey which is also located in Newtownards and is mainly about the ruins of the place that is next to the graves ( one of the other famous destinations in Newtownards is Scrabo Tower ( and this is one of our favorites and one which we have been to more than once.
These different attractions and locations are the ones which we at Connolly Cove managed to visit until now, but there are also those which we haven't been to yet. Sometimes it is not just about the suggested places which you add to your list, but it is also about those which you discover while wandering the city and enjoying the places and locations which it has to offer you.
If we are going to mention those different touristic attractions which one could find in county Down in general, there is Rostrevor ( there is also Donaghadee which is 6 miles away from Bangor ( and another option is the Newcastle (
There are lots of beautiful places scattered all around Northern Ireland no matter which city or county you are going to visit and one other benefit to be found is that lots of places are actually very close to one another, making it possible for tourists to go to more than one place during the same trip or the same day.
Nature is the number one friend for the person and that is the reason why we love Northern Ireland - it has lots of green places, mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and many other places which one could go for a walk at or even just enjoy the scenery - you don't have to worry about the place you are staying at because these are scattered all around the country.
Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve is one of these different nature-related places which are found in Newtownards, county Down, Northern Ireland, but adding to the fact that we enjoyed the atmosphere of the place as a whole, we also loved watching those different wild types of birds which tend to visit the place and which include the swans, the mallards, little grebe, moorhens, and coots.
Have you ever been to Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve before? This should be placed on your list right now and you should go and check the peacefulness of the place; it will definitely grab your attention and you will be waiting for the next chance to visit it once again in the future.
Kiltonga Wildlife Reserve in Newtownards is a perfect hit to go to and visit the place and enjoy every single part of it, just the same way we did.
Some of the best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.
Places to see in ( Portaferry - UK )
Places to see in ( Portaferry - UK )
Portaferry is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula, near the Narrows at the entrance to Strangford Lough. It has an aquarium and is well known for the annual Galway Hookers Regatta.
It hosts its own small Marina, the Portaferry Marina. The Portaferry - Strangford Ferry service operates daily at 15-minute intervals (8am to 11pm) between the villages of Portaferry and Strangford, less than a mile apart, conveying about 500,000 passengers per annum. It had a population of 2,514 people in the 2011 Census.
Commercial fishing for clams and king prawns and the farming of oysters and mussels takes place within the confines of Strangford Lough. This is supplemented by the presence in Portaferry of the Marine Laboratory of the Queen's University of Belfast. There are fine Georgian buildings in the town square, including a Market House, now used as a community centre.
Portaferry Lifeboat is an essential lifeline for local fishermen and yachtsmen. In 1987 a lifeboat house was built aided by money raised through the Belfast Newsletter's Lord Louis Mountbatten Appeal Fund. In 1994 a new Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat, also named 'Blue Peter V', replaced the Atlantic 21. (The Atlantic 75 is the fastest seagoing lifeboat in the RNLI's fleet and is capable of speeds up to 34 Knots.)
In the 17th century Ulster ports began to rise in prominence. In 1625 William Pitt was appointed as Customer of the ports of Newcastle, Dundrum, Killough, Portaferry, Donaghadee, Bangor and Holywood.
Portaferry is the home of the Northern Ireland Aquarium – Exploris. It was opened by Ards Borough Council in 1987 and extended and re-opened by Prince Charles in 1994 as Exploris. It is Northern Ireland's premier marine life centre and aquarium, featuring walk-through tanks which house examples of Strangford Lough's marine inhabitants.
Transport NI an executive agency of the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland) operates a car ferry service across Strangford Lough between the villages of Strangford and Portaferry. To travel the distance between Strangford and Portaferry by road is approximately 75 kilometres and takes about an hour and a half by car. By contrast, the ferry route is approximately 0.6 nautical miles (1.1 km) with a typical crossing time of about 8 minutes.
Portaferry Castle is a small 16th-century tower house built by William Le Savage. It is a square building with a small projecting turret at the south corner. It is three storeys high plus attic. There is no vault. Most of the eastern corner is ruinous.
( Portaferry - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Portaferry . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Portaferry - UK
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✈️ Northern Ireland by Drone | Travel video
📝 A compilation of aerial drone shots from a week trip to Northern Ireland.
🗺️ Places visited:
📍 The Giants Causeway
📍 Castle Ward, Co Down (Winterfell)
📍 Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down
📍 Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
📍 Castlewellan Forest Park
📍 Belfast Castle
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NORTHERN IRELAND ROAD TRIP: Best Destinations in NI
Our insider guide to a Northern Ireland Road Trip. Sharing some of the Best Things to Do in Northern Ireland on a road trip from our website Includes tourist attractions from popular road trip destinations such as the Causeway Coast in County Antrim, The North Down Coastal Path, Strangford Lough, and the Mournes / Mourne Mountains in County Down, and the Fermanagh Lakelands in County Fermanagh.
Some of our essential places to See in Northern Ireland in the video include:
1. THE CAUSEWAY COAST: The Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Murlough Bay, Portstewart Strand, Mussenden Temple, The Dark Hedges.
2. THE NORTH DOWN COASTAL PATH: Crawfordsburn Country Park, Bangor Seafront.
3. STRANGFORD LOUGH: Scrabo Tower, Mount Stewart, Portaferry to Strangford Ferry, Castle Ward (aka Winterfell) and Camping.
4. THE MOURNES: Silent Valley, Tollymore Forest Park, Murlough Nature Reserve, Castlewellan Camping.
5. FERMANAGH LAKELANDS: Enniskillen and Lough Erne.
For more on our life in Thailand and travels in Asia check our website All material is produced by travel bloggers Fanfan and Allan Wilson.
The best views of Belfast - from the top deck | Sightseeing Bus Tour
Hop onboard for the view from the top deck, front row, as we drive around the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, seeing all the sights on offer, including Stormont Parliament Buildings, the Falls Road and Shankill Road political and cultural murals, the famous tilting Albert Clock, Titanic Belfast and Nomadic, and the striking yellow cranes of Harland & Wolff, Samson and Goliath. Many thanks to Belfast In Your Pocket for providing the tickets.
Music kindly gifted by Belfast band 3D Shark. Song: Sunshine Stride.