My Northern Ireland Road Trip came totally unexpected and it was a complete change of my original travel plans. I flew to Dublin with a friend in September 2020, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our original idea was to do a road trip in Ireland. However, new Covid-19 rules forbid to change county in Ireland, and everything is closed (bars, restaurants, museums…). What to do now?
After a couple of days in Dublin, wandering about what to do, the hostel receptionist suggested: “Why don’t you go to Northern Ireland? It is legally part of the UK; everything is open with very little restrictions. You catch a bus and you are in Belfast in 2 hours!”
Later that afternoon we were in Belfast, super excited for this unexpected Road Trip in Northern Ireland.
How to get to Northern Ireland?
You can fly to Dublin, as we did, and take a bus directly from Dublin Airport to Belfast City Center. Check out the main 2 bus companies, Translink and Aircoach.
Alternatively, you can fly directly to Belfast, and you may find some fantastic deals as Ryanair flies there.
If you wish to score some fantastic deal when booking a flight, check out my article on how to find cheap flights?
Northern Ireland Road Trip: Itinerary
Travellers will enjoy the charm of Northern Ireland on their own terms with this self-guided Road Trip Itinerary. Start with a pleasant walk around Belfast, get lost in some local food market and reach the Belfast Castle. Then pick up your car and drive along the Causeway Coastal Route. See some natural wanders and ancient castles. Admire the Dark Edges, tick the Giant’s Causeway off your bucket list and explore Derry, before making your way back to Belfast.
Belfast
Belfast is the starting point of your Northern Ireland Road Trip. It is NT’s capital and biggest city. I suggest you stay at Lagan Backpackers: it is a cheap backpacker hostel nearby Botanic Avenue, in the hipster neighbourhood where most bars and clubs are.
Start your day early and put on some comfy shoes as you will walk a lot. Head towards the City Center and check out The Big Fish, a 10 metre long ceramic-clad fish, commissioned to celebrate the regeneration of the River Lagan. According to local folklore, kissing the fish evokes wisdom.
Then cross the bridge and go to the other side of the River Lagan. Head to the Belfast Harbour Marina and see the Titanic Belfast. The Titanic is a monument and museum built to celebrate Belfast’s maritime heritage, on the site of the former Harland & Wolff, where the RMS Titanic was built over a century ago.
On the way back to the City Center, cross the river at Albert Bridge and you will find St George’s Market in front of you. It is probably lunch time, and St George’s Market is an unmissable spot for food delicacies and local products. Open only in weekends, you can have some tasty food at an affordable price. Do not miss it out!
With a full belly stroll around the City Center, check out Victoria Square, the Belfast City Hall, and Saint Anne’s Cathedral.
Victoria Square. 
Belfast City Hall. 
Saint Anne’s Cathedral.
Belfast recent history: The Troubles
Then head west to see more of the recent dark history of Northern Ireland. Everyone in Belfast refers to the city’s violent conflict as ‘The Troubles’. More than 3,500 people were killed during ‘The Troubles’ and about half of those deaths were in Belfast. It’s been 20 years since The Troubles officially ended in Belfast, but the divisions are still there for everyone to see, as you immediately realise when you visit the Peace Wall. The streets may be quiet these days, no sounds of bombs or gunshots, but they are are still divided. Physically, at least.
The most famous of the ‘peace walls’, as they’re now known, divides the Falls and Shankill Roads in the western part of Belfast. It runs for several kilometres and is interrupted at several junctions by enormous metal gates across roads. During The Troubles, these were used as security checkpoints. Today, some of them are still locked at night to control movements.
Sometimes the conflict is shown as a religious matter between Protestants and Catholics. However, it is really all about politics. It is about whether Northern Ireland should be a part of the United Kingdom (as it is today) or a part of the Republic of Ireland.
Still today, on the Shankill Road side, Union Jack flags hang from houses and poles on the street. Flags with the British colours and images of the Queen are everywhere.
Go to the other side of the wall, through one of the open gates, and you won’t find a trace of red, white and blue. Irish flags are predominant here.
Along both sides the walls are painted with murals that say a lot about where the sentiments of the communities currently are. On the unionist side are images of peace, calling for calm and cooperation. Northern Ireland is clearly still part of the United Kingdom and that is what these people want.
On the other side, just centimetres through the wall but miles away from that way of thinking, are the murals of the nationalists. These paintings continue the struggle with depictions of political prisoners, heroes who died fighting for their cause, and global icons of a campaign against oppression. There are no calls for peace if peace means giving up.
As these murals are now visited by tourists, they raise awareness of the conflict and the feelings of the communities on both sides. Violence may have stopped but the emotions that fuelled it are harder to demolish.
Belfast Castle
On a hill a bit outside of town, the Belfast Castle stands. You can reach it by car or by bus. Built on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park, in a prominent position 120mt above sea level, it offers unobstructed views of the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough.
Northern Ireland Road Trip: from Belfast to Derry
I rented a car from the Europcar office in Balmoral road and got a very good deal for 3 days. We will drive from Belfast to Derry with several stops on the way:
Carrickfergus Castle
The Carrickfergus Castle is only 20 minutes away from Belfast by car. It is a Norman castle situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough.
The Dark Edges
The Dark Hedges are on a quiet road near the town of Ballymoney in County Antrim. Lined with beech trees twisted branches forming an arch over the road it makes for impressive photos. During the weekend you will find plenty of people taking some great shots!
Norhern Ireland Road Trip: Causeway Coastal Route
Drive along the Causeway Coastal Road and admire the magical landscapes, with stunning cliffs and forgotten castles. As you weave along this great driving route, one sight jumps out as truly spectacular: The Giant’s Causeway.
Giant’s Causeway
Giant’s Causeway is an epic sight, with a whopping 40,000 hexagonal-shaped stepping stones, which date back to a volcanic age almost 60 million years ago.
While you walk through the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre, you’ll hear people talking about the legend of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. It all started with Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool), an Irish giant who picked a fight against Scottish big man Benandonner.
Legend has it that the giants loathed each other. And so, one day after enduring insults from Benandonner, the Irish Fionn starts grabbing chunks of the Antrim Coast and throwing them into the sea, to build a path to reach Scotland and fight his opponent. The result was the Giant’s Causeway.
Do you know how this legendary fight ended? Write it down in the comments 😉
Dunluce Castle
The iconic ruins of Dunluce Castle bear witnesses to a long and tumultuous history. Built by the MacQuillan family around 1500 on the dramatic coastal cliffs of north County Antrim, it is now open to visitors.
Norhern Ireland Road Trip: Derry
Derry is the 2nd most populous city in Northern Ireland and the 4th largest city on the island of Ireland. It had a tumultuous history, with several conflicts during The Troubles. It is now a vibrant city with plenty of activities to do. Stroll around the Center and cross the bridge to get a nice view.
Its full name is Londonderry. The name Derry comes from the Irish word doire, meaning “oak grove.” “London” was appended as a prefix to the name in 1613 when King James I granted the city a royal charter. However, if you are there and talk to a local, avoid mentioning London and just call it Derry! Unless you wish to get punched in the face eheh!
Time to head back to Belfast, drop off the car and catch a bus to Dublin!
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