Discover Northern Ireland

Belfast defies expectations. This is a city that many visitors approach cautiously, carrying mental images of news footage from the Troubles, only to discover a vibrant, welcoming, creative capital that has transformed itself into one of Europe's most exciting urban destinations. Northern Ireland's capital combines Victorian industrial grandeur with contemporary creativity, political history with cultural renaissance, and maritime heritage with modern confidence. From the world-class Titanic Belfast museum to the powerful political murals, from Victorian pubs to contemporary restaurants, from the Cathedral Quarter's artistic energy to the peace walls' sobering history, Belfast tells stories that are complex, honest, and ultimately hopeful. This is a city that was once defined by conflict but has emerged as a symbol of transformation – a place where history is acknowledged rather than hidden, where different communities are learning to share space, and where a new generation is writing a different story. Belfast rewards visitors who look beyond the headlines to discover a city with character, warmth, and a future as compelling as its past.

Northern Ireland served as the primary filming location for Game of Thrones, with over 25 iconic sites bringing Westeros to life. From the Dark Hedges (The Kingsroad) to Castle Ward (Winterfell), Ballintoy Harbour (The Iron Islands) to Cushendun Caves (birthplace of the shadow), these dramatic landscapes made the show's world feel authentic. Today, fans from around the globe visit these locations to walk in the footsteps of their favorite characters and experience the real Northern Ireland beauty that HBO selected for its extraordinary visual drama.

Standing on the Giant's Causeway feels like standing at the intersection of mythology and geology, where ancient volcanic forces created something so perfectly geometric it seems almost impossible, and where legend offers explanations that feel just as plausible as science. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, represents Northern Ireland's most iconic natural wonder and one of the world's most extraordinary geological formations. The hexagonal columns, stepping down into the sea like a giant's staircase, were formed 60 million years ago when molten basalt erupted through chalk beds and cooled so rapidly it crystallized into these perfect geometric shapes. Yet the legend of the giant Finn MacCool, who built the causeway to reach his rival in Scotland, captures imaginations just as powerfully as the scientific explanation. Today, the Giant's Causeway attracts visitors from around the world who come to walk these ancient stones, photograph the dramatic coastal scenery, and experience one of those rare places where nature's power and beauty are immediately, overwhelmingly evident. Whether you believe in giants or geology, the effect is the same – awe.

Some places photograph well. The Dark Hedges photographs impossibly well – so well that millions of people worldwide recognize these intertwined beech trees even if they've never visited Ireland, thanks to Game of Thrones, countless Instagram posts, and appearances in films, music videos, and advertisements. This atmospheric tunnel of gnarled, intertwined beech trees creates a natural cathedral effect, with branches forming Gothic arches overhead and filtered sunlight creating patterns of light and shadow on the road below. The trees were planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family as a grand approach to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House, intended to impress visitors arriving by horse and carriage. Over 200+ years, the trees grew, intertwined, and developed the twisted, atmospheric character that makes them so photogenic today. While Game of Thrones (which filmed here for the Kingsroad scenes) brought international fame, the Dark Hedges had been attracting photographers and artists long before the series. Today, it's one of the most photographed locations in Ireland, a place where nature created something so visually striking that it seems almost deliberately designed for the camera.