Music in the pubs, myths in the stones – the best things to do in Northern Ireland

Every landscape tells a story, and in Northern Ireland, those stories are etched into its top attractions – from the Causeway Coastal route to Titanic-era Belfast. Whether you’re exploring castles, film locations or musical pubs, a fly-drive holiday with British Airways Holidays is the perfect way to explore Northern Ireland through the centuries.

What’s more, when you book a fly-drive break with British Airways Holidays, all mandatory charges are included, and you’ll benefit from roadside assistance and 24-hour customer support.

Belfast is the city that launched a thousand ships, not least the world-famous RMS Titanic, which was riveted plate by plate at the Harland and Wolff shipyard beside the River Lagan. Today, the docks have been reinvented as the Titanic Quarter Belfast – a powerful symbol of renewal in this historic Northern Ireland port city – with the cutting-edge Titanic Belfast museum as the city’s must-visit showpiece.

But there’s more to Belfast than its celebrity cruise liner. Wander the stalls of St George’s Market Belfast and the city’s historic heart, where you’ll find Northern Ireland soul food like farls (soda bread) and champ (mashed potatoes with scallions), abundant oysters (try Mourne Seafood Bar), and the epic breakfast known as the Ulster fry. For a premium lunch or dinner, bring an appetite to Michelin-starred OX Belfast or The Muddlers Club.

Before you leave, climb the waterfront battlements of Carrickfergus Castle and pause for refreshment in one of Belfast’s historic pubs. Order a perfectly poured Guinness or a glass of Bushmills whiskey at the Duke of York or the Crown Liquor Saloon, or tap a toe to an Irish reel in The Sunflower Pub or Kelly’s Cellars.

Cooling lava forged the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, main image, located between Portrush and Ballycastle on Northern Ireland’s famous Causeway Coast. But the legend of how the giant Finn McCool built a causeway of stepping stones to face his Scottish rival, Benandonner, still endures. Whether you favour the science or the stories, the stacked stone columns are a humbling monument to the power of nature.

Continue your road trip west along the Causeway Coast past the romantic ruins of Dunluce Castle and the Old Bushmills whiskey distillery – a national treasure founded in 1608 – before reaching Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland’s second city. Here, on the shores of Lough Foyle, you can walk the 17th-century walls enclosing the city’s timeless heart and discover traces of the 1688 siege inside St Columb’s Cathedral.

You heard that right. Northern Ireland boasts golden beaches to rival the Mediterranean, and the early autumn weather is perfect for uplifting beach walks. Stroll along the National Trust–administered sands at Portstewart Strand, then savour succulent seafood at the much-loved Harry’s Shack. More dreamlike sands stretch along the cliff-edged Ballycastle Beach and Whiterocks Beach near Portrush.

Elsewhere, the Atlantic Ocean has sculpted Northern Ireland’s rugged coastline with relentless power. Appreciate the dramatic eroded cliffs from the coastal path to Mussenden Temple, perched atop a 120ft (37m) cliff between the wave-washed beaches of Downhill and Castlerock. Nearby, the evocative, roofless ruin of Downhill Castle stands – built, like the temple, by the Bishop of Derry.

Between Ballycastle and Ballymoney, gnarled tree branches transform a country lane into the eerie tunnel known as the Dark Hedges, one of a string of Game of Thrones filming locations across Northern Ireland. Elsewhere, Castle Ward doubled as Winterfell, Ballintoy Harbour became the real-life Iron Islands, and Antrim’s Cushendun Caves welcomed the Red Witch’s shadow child.

Movie-worthy landscapes unfold in every direction across Northern Ireland. In the much-filmed Mourne Mountains, discover cinematic moments on the woodland paths of Tollymore Forest Park and at the time-scarred Inch Abbey, or hike along the rugged route of the Mourne Wall.

If time is tight, follow the Gobbins Cliff Path along the craggy shore of Belfast Lough, or climb the Stairway to Heaven boardwalk through the moors at Cuilcagh. Don’t overlook the skies above – OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory near Omagh reveal unparalleled views of distant constellations.