Mon's Voyage

A visit to Northern Ireland is a must for nature, history, science and architecture lovers, and can be done as either a quick weekend trip or a an extended road trips. I’ve only been to Northern Ireland once, and honestly I knew close to nothing about it prior to going but ended up spending 5 lovely days here during the spring time.

1. Northern Ireland at a glance
2. Where to go in Northern Ireland
3. Tips for travelling Northern Ireland
   1. Transport
   2. Safety
4. What to eat & drink in Northern Ireland
5. Itinerary ideas for Northern Ireland
   1. 7 day itinerary
   2. 3 day itinerary
6. Personal insights

Northern Ireland at a glance

Partitioning from Ireland and becoming Northern Ireland in 1921, the region is part of the Great the United Kingdom. It has 4 seasons which blend together with cloudy weather being the norm for the northern region, which can be made up for with its beautiful green pastures and stunning ocean views.

Where to go in Northern Ireland

1. Belfast
2. Derry 
3. The Giant’s Causeway & the Northern Coast
4. Bushmills & Portrush

Tips for travelling Northern Ireland

Transport

Northern Ireland has a great train network, although if you want to explore a bit off the beaten track and have a bit more freedom, renting a car is a better option.

Safety

…don’t fear the nation’s history

Northern Ireland no longer has the same history it does from the past, and most areas of Belfast and Derry are considered safe. Always follow general travel precautions including following the news & your country’s travel advice while travelling in the region.

What to eat & drink in Northern Ireland

Ya’ll know I love my food and drink and even though having lived in Australia most of my life (for those who don’t know, bombared with Irish & British influence), there were some newbies I tried and some oldies that still hit the spot:

Guinness! A dark beer famous to Ireland & Northern Ireland (from any pub). To be honest I hate Guinness, but if you have to try it while visiting the region

A pub roast. Ahhh what’s not to love about a warm, juicy roast! Check out the roast at Home for a delicious twist

Soda bread. A dense scone-like bread which can be enjoyed with eggs, bacon, whatever… Slightly too dense for me

Potato bread, a yummy potato cakey like bread which is delicious with a fried egg or melted cheese

A classic breakfast fry-up (full Northern Irish). Ah my one true love….minus the black pudding

Itinerary ideas for Northern Ireland

Personal insights

Note the following is my personal perspective only and as always, travel is always influenced by timing, who you meet, luck and just generally how you’re feeling at the time.

I spent 5 days in Belfast visiting family in May 2024, which was lovely and I will of course be back again to visit them. The below is a view of my general thoughts from a traveller’s perspective.

General vibe: 3 out of 5

Fairly low key and relaxing, a little too quiet for me but lovely for a getaway from the big smoke

Experiences: 3 out of 5

The titanic museum pumped up the points for me as I’m an engineering nerd, however again fairly low key with pub hopping being a big activity

Food, restaurants & bars: 2 out of 5

Local food scored high points here with some amazing fry ups for breakfast, comforting roasts and delicious food markets. What killed it for me is the HUGE potion sizes, general unhealthiness of the overall food and the lack of good international cuisine (i.e. Asian)

Landscapes & architecture: 3 out of 5

For me I absolutely love mountains and this region is quite flat, although unique landscapes such as the Giant’s Causeway pumped up the points. Somewhat beautiful buildings in the centre of Belfast, with a mixture of modern and old, although nothing that stands out unfortunately

Logistics: 4 out 5

The bus system is grand in the city of Belfast, you can tap on using your credit card which is super easy! The train network, also connecting to the ROI is also easy and quite affordable. Getting to the country is also just a short flight from London, with 2 airports servicing the city

Overall ranking: 3/5. Would I visit again? Likely. Would I visit somewhere else before I go back? Probably. Would I recommend a visit? For me, I knew nothing about the history or culture of this nation prior to visiting, and as it is a short flight from London (with usual cheap Ryanair tickets), I would definitely recommend a weekend visit here!