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The walled city of Londonderry has much to offer from fascinating old buildings to an attractive harbour. Not far away is spectacular countryside with lovely rivers and natural gorges.
Carrickfergus castle in Antrim has a lot to offer the tourist. On the coast of the county is Carrick-a-Rede Island, which is joined to the mainland by a rope bridge spanning a wide chasm. This crossing is only for the brave and those with a head for heights. Perhaps the most famous feature of this part of Northern Island is the Giant's Causeway. This huge basalt pile was formed by cooling lava millions of years ago. It stretches for about two miles along the coast. Exhibitions describe both the geology and the mythology of the site.
County Tyrone has many tourist sites demonstrating the links of this part of the world with the United States of America. There is the ancestral home of the Wilson family, ancestors of Woodrow Wilson, and the Ulster American folk Park, which features the social history of both this part of the world and the areas they emigrated to at the time of the Potato Famine. In addition there are lovely areas of forest for those seeking a little seclusion.
Lovely forests are also found in the countryside of Fermanagh, which also boasts its fair share of castles and monasteries. Enniskillen Castle is one of the better preserved buildings and was the seat of the Maguires. The Marble Arch Caves offer a different sort of attraction with their stalactites and stalagmites decorating huge limestone caverns.
St. Patrick is said to have built the first church in the city of Armagh and the two superb cathedrals both bear his name. Armagh city is home to a planetarium and observatory, among other interesting exhibits in the Armagh Science Centre. The county is also home to the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles, Lough Neagh. The area around the lake is a nature reserve offering an interesting range of plant and animal life. Inland is Peatlands Park, an area of the peat bogs for which Ireland is famous.
County Down, in the South east of Northern Ireland has its own loughs and forests. It also has a number of castles and houses worth a visit, notably Castle Ward and Mount Stuart house, both on the shores of Strangford Lough, a lovely marine nature reserve. These are well-preserved stately homes but many ruined castles and abbeys can be found in the area. The natural scenery is spectacular. This is where rivers and streams flow down from the Mountains of Mourne to form lovely lakes in the valleys.
Bangor, in County Down, grew up around a sixth century abbey founded by St Comgall. The present abbey is believed to stand on the site of the original wooden structure. The nineteenth century castle is now the Town Hall. The town has seen many changes in its long history, mainly due to its position on the coast. It is now an ideal centre for anyone visiting this area of Northern Ireland.
Of course, Belfast itself has much to offer. It has an impressive castle and city hall and a respected university. The dockyard built many famous vessels, including the ill-fated Titanic. Belfast has its cultural life and holds an annual arts festival in addition to many other events. It also has the largest museum in Northern Ireland. Other buildings of note include the Opera House and the impressive Stormont Parliament building.