Northern Ireland- Belfast and Beyond

Belfast, despite its troubled past, is a lively city full of pubs that rival Dublin as well as arts and culture. For a break from the bustling city, head north to the coast to see the Giant's Causeway and one of the world's most spectacular views.

Quick Tips:

Most sectarian violence takes place in the marching season in July. For those visiting the northern coast, head up there in the summer months. Even then, it can be quite cold.

Best Way To Get Around:

Belfast is a great walking city, which is good because public transportation in Northern Ireland is sub-par. Trains are OK, though they run on Ireland time (always late), bus service is terrible.

The Ulster Fry is served just about everywhere in, well, Ulster. Food in Ireland and the British Isles is generally terrible, but this is a great exception. It includes a piece of fried soda bread, a fied potato farl (a kind of potato bread), a fied egg, and bacon and sausage. It's totally unhealthy, but good eats for sure, and generally cheap at local diners.

The Giant's Causeway would be great if it was man-made. The fact that the thousands of hexagon-shaped columns are naturally created makes it fantastic. Do yourself a favor and take the long route from the visitor center up and along the cliff. On a clear day, you can see miles of ocean. The path eventually winds down to the causeway itself. I spent a lot of time just climbing on the columns like a little kid. They're remarkably stable. Just be careful near the water--the waves can really kick up and knock you off balance.