If you want to combine two countries in one trip (Ireland and the UK) – head off on an island journey!
I’ve just returned from an incredible adventure in Northern Ireland, and I must share the highlights with you. This region is a magical mix of wild nature, mystical atmosphere, and legendary places you’ll instantly recognize from movies and TV shows.
🎬 And yes – Northern Ireland is packed with filming locations, especially from Game of Thrones!
Top places to visit in Northern Ireland:
🏰 Londonderry (Derry) – a historic city with stone walls, narrow streets, and a unique charm.
🪨 Giant’s Causeway – a true natural wonder made of 40,000 basalt columns formed over 50–60 million years ago by volcanic activity.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, some of the columns reach up to 12 meters high and look like they were carved by an architect.
🌳 The Dark Hedges – an eerie beech tree avenue that fans of Game of Thrones will recognize as the King’s Road. The atmosphere is so magical, you almost expect the characters to appear.
⚓️ Ballintoy Harbour – another iconic filming spot for Game of Thrones, known as the Iron Islands.
🏙 Belfast – a modern city, the capital of Northern Ireland, where past and future intertwine.
City Hall – a magnificent Baroque-style building with a 53m dome, featuring stained glass, mosaics, and exhibitions about the city’s history.
Murals of Belfast – famous political and cultural murals telling the complex story of Northern Ireland.
🚢 Titanic Belfast – the world’s largest museum dedicated to the Titanic, built right here in the city.
- Opened in 2012, exactly 100 years after the tragedy.
- The design resembles both a ship’s bow and an iceberg, standing 38m tall – the same height as the Titanic’s hull.
- Located on the very site of the Harland & Wolff shipyard where the Titanic was built.
- Inside: 9 interactive galleries covering everything from construction to the final voyage and wreck exploration.
- Over 1 million visitors come each year!
- The most precious exhibit – the violin of Wallace Hartley, the Titanic’s bandleader. When the ship sank, the musicians played until the very end. The violin was found next to Hartley’s body – miraculously preserved in its case.
🌍 Northern Ireland is a blend of legends, history, and nature that leaves you deeply moved.