One of the few benefits of Covid was that my wife and I found ourselves in Northern Ireland, (within the UK so no difficult travel requirements), instead of overseas, and we are so pleased we did.
The whole coast from Belfast right round to Derry/Londonderry is exceptionally scenic with long stretches of the road literally on the shoreline. At either end are two fascinating and tourist-friendly cities but of course the honey-pot destination is Giant’s Causeway. My advice is to ensure you arrive early in the day and try to ensure you pick a day of decent weather to see it at its best. The Causeway is truly breath-taking and it is well worth paying for the National Trust parking and visitor centre, (with audio guide or free guided tours). But whereas the Causeway is the main attraction the coast itself has plenty to delight. Dunluce Castle and Ballintoy Harbour are worth a stop, but not to be missed is the quiet village of Glenarm and in particular the fabulous walled garden at Glenarm Castle, which also has a stunning ‘tea room’ (more a cafe-restaurant). The whole coast is well-presented with tourist information boards everywhere you go, plentiful and usually free parking, and friendly people.
Northern Ireland is a wonderful destination and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
