Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about visiting Northern Ireland, which is a bit different from visiting Ireland or other parts of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland does not have as many tourists as Ireland, so we wanted to share our tips for visiting and the things you should know before you plan a trip to Northern Ireland.
What to Call It
Northern Ireland is NOT Ireland, so calling it Northern Ireland is best. However, you will hear people call it Ulster, or Six Counties. Different names have different connotations, so as a tourist, stick to calling it Northern Ireland.
Safety in Northern Ireland
If you’re over 40, you probably only ever heard about the turbulent and dangerous times of The Troubles. From the late 60s through the late 90s, Northern Ireland was a dangerous place, with lots of bombings and assassinations. The Good Friday Agreement ended the Troubles in 1998, and now Northern Ireland is the safest place to visit in the United Kingdom! Using our usual travel smarts, we’ve felt super safe and comfortable visiting Northern Ireland with our kids.
I do recommend avoiding any of the marches that are typically held in June and July. This is known as Marching Season, and it’s not inherently dangerous, but as a tourist, you may feel uncomfortable, so just avoid those areas during a march.
Crossing the street may be your most dangerous activity in Northern Ireland if you forget to look to the right!
Northern Ireland Locals
We found the locals in Northern Ireland to be super, super friendly. They love to share their favorite destinations, routes, and any other Northern Ireland travel tips. Just don’t bring up religion or politics; those are hot-button issues and as a foreign tourist, it’s best to just stay out of it. Remember, if a local buys you a drink, the next round is on you!
What NOT to Do in Northern Ireland
Getting Around Northern Ireland
Getting around Northern Ireland is super easy! I highly recommend renting a car so you can get out and explore beyond the cities. You can travel between Ireland and Northern Ireland easily as well with a rental car. The roads are a bit better in Northern Ireland than in the Republic and gas is slightly cheaper, although still fairly expensive. This is the best way to see all the castles and the coastline. Make sure you get a GPS!
Left-Side Driving in the UK and Ireland
They do drive on the left, and a lot of cars still have manual transmissions i.e. stick shift, so if you’re not comfortable with that, don’t worry. You can still get around on buses and trains. If you’re staying in Belfast, use the Great Victoria Street station, rather than Belfast Central Station. Cabs and ride-share apps are also easy to use in larger cities like Belfast.
There are also some Belfast tours and Northern Ireland tours to check out; they will drive you around and give you some insight and details!
Getting to Northern Ireland
If you are flying into Northern Ireland, the main option is the Belfast Airport. You can also fly into Dublin and drive from there. It’s about two hours to drive from Dublin to Belfast, and only about an hour before you cross into Northern Ireland. If you are coming from the United States, you’ll find flights to Dublin for about half of what you would pay to fly to Belfast. You can even get a bus or train from Dublin to Belfast if you don’t want to drive.
What to Eat in Northern Ireland
A lot of the meals in Northern Ireland are the same UK staples you would expect, like fish and chips, sausage rolls, and meat pies. However, there are a few unique dishes to eat in Northern Ireland, many of which include potatoes, of course!
- The Ulster Fry is their version of the English breakfast, with the addition of soda bread and potato bread, which are also called potato farls.
- Soda bread with Irish butter is delicious! (there’s a reason we buy Irish butter in the States!)
- Champ is mashed potatoes with scallions and usually lots of butter.
- Colcannon is another variation on mashed potatoes, with cabbage or kale mixed in.
- Irish stew is made with lamb or beef in a hearty stew, with potatoes and vegetables. There are lots of soups and stews to warm you up on a cold day!
- If you want a filling meal, try the lamb shank.
- The seafood here is fantastic. Oysters, lobsters, salmon, and mussels are all really good seafood to try in Northern Ireland. Jocelyn’s favorite is the Irish oysters.
- Pies or pasties are a great meal on the go; it’s like a pot pie with meat and veggies.
- Barmbrack cake isn’t really a cake, but more like bread with dried fruit. It’s like fruitcake, but way better!
- Fifteens is a dessert made up of lots of ingredients and different varieties, like marshmallows and coconut.
- Yellowman is sold at fairs and festivals. It’s a chewy toffee that looks a bit like a honeycomb. It comes broken up into pieces like peanut brittle and makes a great souvenir to take home.
Pubs and restaurants alike have great food and friendly service. While there, you may want to sample local beverages as well while you are here. Whiskey from Bushmills is a good choice, and you can even visit the Old Bushmills Distillery along the northern coast.
Things to See in Northern Ireland
- Belfast is the capital city and you should definitely include Belfast in your Northern Ireland itinerary.
- See the Murals of Belfast – we recommend Black Cab Tours for this
- St. George’s Market (Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
- Dublin has Temple Bar; Belfast has The Crown Liquor Saloon.
- Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and my favorite place to go in Northern Ireland. The Coastal Causeway to get there is also fantastic!
- Londonderry, or Derry, is another fun city to visit in Northern Ireland.
So much of Northern Ireland is surrounded by beautiful nature, so make sure you bring good walking or hiking shoes so you can fully explore the mountains and the castle grounds. You’ll also want an umbrella or rain jacket, as rain showers are frequent and can often come out of nowhere.
Where to Stay in Northern Ireland
What’s cool about visiting Northern Ireland is that you will have a lot of choices for accommodation. From hotels to bed and breakfast inns, you’ll find plenty of Northern Ireland accommodations. There are plenty of hostels, too! Northern Ireland is a very affordable destination; it’s nowhere near as expensive as visiting London or Dublin or other parts of the United Kingdom.
In the smaller villages, we like to stay in a local inn, which usually has a restaurant and lodging. Northern Ireland is becoming a popular weekend destination for Europeans, so be sure to book your weekend accommodations in advance.
What is the Difference Between Ireland and Northern Ireland?
Ireland and Northern Ireland are two separate countries and have been since 1921. Of course, a shared history means there are some similarities, but there are also a lot of differences, too. Many travelers wonder if it’s worth visiting both, and of course, we think it is absolutely worth visiting Northern Ireland and Ireland. So you can see for yourselves the differences!
- The currency is different in each country. Northern Ireland uses the British Pound, while Ireland uses the Euro. Fortunately, Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are easy to find as well.
- Ireland is part of the European Union, but Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. Even so, there are not any border formalities to deal with. You won’t get a passport stamp if you cross from Ireland into Northern Ireland or vice versa. Visa rules still apply, so do your research ahead of time!
- The Republic of Ireland is much larger. Northern Ireland has around 1.8 million people, while the Republic has 4.8 million. Geographically, the Republic is also much larger. The entire island isn’t super big, so you can still see a lot of both countries in a one or two-week vacation.
- The accent between the two countries is also different. Most Americans are familiar with the usual Irish accent from movies and TV. However, the Northern Irish accent is very different. It may take you a bit longer to acclimate to the accent in Northern Ireland.
- Both capital cities (Dublin and Belfast) are worth visiting and have many attractions to see during your trip. Dublin is much more expensive than Belfast, though!
- While both countries drive on the left, the signs in Ireland are in kilometers, but Northern Ireland uses miles to measure distances. This is why a GPS is helpful; it will calculate the travel time for you.
- Both countries use the same electrical plugs as Great Britain; the one with three flat prongs. Additionally, WiFi is widely available in both countries, but you may lose service or not have data when you are driving around the countryside.
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Northern Ireland is well worth visiting! The people are amazing, the food is hearty, and the landscapes are stunning. Need more travel tips for the United Kingdom? Check out these blog posts: