{"id":861305,"date":"2022-04-06T14:51:36","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T13:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/5-reasons-why-you-should-plan-a-visit-to-northern-ireland\/"},"modified":"2022-04-06T22:41:37","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T21:41:37","slug":"5-reasons-why-you-should-plan-a-visit-to-northern-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/5-reasons-why-you-should-plan-a-visit-to-northern-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"5 reasons why you should plan a visit to Northern Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

History, natural beauty, sublime seafood, Hollywood status \u2013 Northern Ireland\u2019s<\/a> list of impressive credentials could go on and on. Here\u2019s 5 reasons why you should put a visit to the North, to the very top of your bucket list\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Discover Northern Ireland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1 \u2013 It\u2019s home to the incredible Titanic Belfast<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being voted the \u201cWorld\u2019s Leading Tourist Attraction\u201d is no mean feat, but that\u2019s the exact accolade that Titanic Belfast scooped in the 2016 World Travel Awards. A true \u2018wow\u2019 moment if ever there was one, Titanic Belfast stands majestically at the head of the slipway where the Titanic was built, the scale of the building exact to the scale of the ill-fated ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside, the multimedia displays chart the history, creation and downfall of the Titanic, while outside it\u2019s the immaculate attention to detail that really blows you away, such as the Titanic Memorial Garden. Located on the Olympic slipway, the garden is formed of four grass lawns alternated with timber decking, with proportions illustrating the number of Titanic victims and survivors from each passenger class and crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Discover Northern Ireland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Get Inspired<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 <\/em>Ireland\u2019s Legendary North<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 \u2013 The Causeway Coast is even more impressive in real life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Crashing waves, landscapes formed from volcanic activity and seals bobbing in the surf\u2026 no, not an episode of \u2018Blue Planet\u2019, but just another day on the stunning Causeway Coast. Dubbed one of the \u2018world\u2019s best road trips\u2019, the Causeway Coast weaves around the North-East coast of Ireland, starting in Belfast and winding through the nine glens of Antrim, before eventually ending in the Walled City of Derry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crowning glory of the Causeway Coast is of course the Giant\u2019s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Legend has it that this vast expanse of over 40,000 interlocking hexagonal stone columns was the work of local giant Finn McCool. The reality (cooling lava some 60 million years ago) is somewhat different, but the fact remains that the Giant\u2019s Causeway is one of Northern Ireland\u2019s biggest trump cards, and for good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Discover Northern Ireland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3 \u2013 Belfast will surprise you<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Belfast has come a long way since the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998. Nearly 25 years on from The Troubles and following healthy investment pumped into the city, Belfast has emerged as a cosmopolitan, warm and welcoming city with so much to offer. From the buzz of St George\u2019s Market to the ultra-modern Titanic quarter, to trendy Commercial Court or historical City Hall, the city hums with a mix of history and regeneration while never shying away from its past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also read<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 <\/em>11 of the best experiences you can enjoy on Trafalgar\u2019s \u2018Ireland\u2019s Legendary North\u2019 tour<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 \u2013 The food is sensational<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With over 75% of the Northern Irish countryside used for some form of agriculture, it\u2019s no surprise that the food in this corner of the world follows a true \u2018farm to fork\u2019 philosophy. After all, restaurateurs don\u2019t have to look far for fresh ingredients! Belfast is undeniably the hub for good food, with 3 restaurants in the city retaining their Michelin star rating for 2021 (Ox Belfast<\/a>, Deanes Eipic<\/a> and The Muddlers Club<\/a>), but elsewhere in the North, good food is not hard to find. Over in Derry, The Sooty Olive<\/a> and Quaywest<\/a> are both highlights, each serving up dishes that specialise in local, homegrown ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course, you can\u2019t champion food in the North of Ireland without putting the spotlight on seafood. St. George\u2019s Market in Belfast is the<\/em> place to go for the freshest catch, but you can tuck in to plates of shell fish and fresh all along the coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image courtesy of Discover Northern Ireland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5 \u2013 The locals will welcome you like family<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is known for its c\u00e9ad m\u00edle f\u00e1ilte, \u2018a hundred thousand welcomes\u2019, and the North is no exception. Warm, welcoming and always with a story to share, the locals of Northern Ireland are natural hosts and have an immediate ability to make you feel as if you belong. Family values and a sense of community are the backbone of life in the North, and it\u2019s this generosity and kindness that you\u2019ll remember long after you return home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you travel to Northern Ireland with Trafalgar, you\u2019ll have ample opportunity to embrace the Giant Spirit of this place and meet just some of the wonderful local people who call this part of the world home. These are just some of the local folk, who can\u2019t wait to welcome you\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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