County Antrim in Northern Ireland’s northeast is a land of striking contrasts. Belfast, its capital, pulses with urban energy and deep historical significance, while the dramatic Causeway Coast offers some of Ireland’s most spectacular natural scenery. The Giant’s Causeway’s otherworldly hexagonal basalt columns draw visitors from around the globe, and nearby Rathlin Island provides sanctuary for both seabirds and history buffs interested in Robert the Bruce’s famous hideaway. Notable natives include actor Liam Neeson, adding to the diverse appeal of this county where city life and rugged coastal beauty exist in perfect balance.
Randalstown Road, antrim
Approaching the Six Mile Water, the restored Clotworthy House rises above a tapestry of Anglo‑Dutch canals and a 12th‑century motte. The formal parterre, Victorian pleasure garden and newly‑added Clockwork Garden create a vibrant palette that instantly transports visitors into four centuries of horticultural splendor.
Ballintoy, antrim
Martin’s imagination immortalised Ballintoy Harbour when it became the on‑screen home of Pyke for *Game of Thrones* in 2015. The tiny fishing village retains its timeless stone quay and sea‑stack cliffs, offering clear‑water dives and rugged coastal walks.
County Antrim, antrim
Back in 1898, radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi erected a transmission station on Ballycastle’s seafront, bringing the world’s first wireless messages to the Causeway Coast. The early embrace of technology sits beside Viking‑era fortifications and the ruins of Kinbane Castle, giving the harbour town a layered heritage that spans centuries of innovation and defence.
Northern Ireland, antrim
What makes Ballymena the perfect midpoint between Belfast and Derry for explorers? Midway in County Antrim, the town’s Victorian People’s Park and historic market hall echo its 17th‑century plantation roots, while the looming Slemish Mountain offers hikers a dramatic backdrop to a lively cultural scene.
Northern Ireland, antrim
First glimpse of Ballymoney reveals a tidy town framed by the dark silhouette of the 1637 church tower against a sky of rolling green hills. The heritage trail winds past the 18th‑century courthouse, the Dark Hedges and remnants of the 1798 rebel road, immersing visitors in layers of Presbyterian settlement and tumultuous history.
Cave Hill Country Park, antrim
Stunning panoramas unfold as the pink Scrabo sandstone of Belfast Castle crowns Cave Hill, overlooking the city and Lough. Terraced gardens, the Millennium Herb Garden and sweeping views make the first glimpse a memorable blend of history and natural beauty.
Belfast, antrim
Best large indoor market in the UK, St George’s Market sweeps visitors into a Victorian hall buzzing with over 200 stalls. Award‑winning produce, live music and specialty crafts turn the space into a bustling showcase of Northern Irish food and culture.
Northern Ireland, antrim
Quarter of the United Kingdom’s shipping tonnage rolled out of Harland & Wolff’s slipways, including the ill‑fated RMS Titanic. Today Belfast blends its industrial legacy with a vibrant arts scene, from the Titanic Quarter’s interactive galleries to bustling music festivals.
Whitehead, antrim
How does a single white flash every three seconds keep vessels safe across the North Channel? Blackhead Lighthouse, erected in 1902, pierces the night from its cliff‑top perch, while the adjoining coastal walk offers dramatic sea views and restored keeper’s cottages for overnight stays.
Bushmills, antrim
Malt‑laden air greets visitors at Old Bushmills, where the scent of copper stills mingles with the River Bush’s mist. Since receiving a royal licence in 1608, the distillery has survived fires and closures to become the world’s oldest licensed whiskey producer.
Harbour Road, antrim
1944 saw Paddy the Pigeon dash a coded message across the Channel for the Normandy landings, earning the animal’s sole Irish Dickin Medal. His commemorative plaque hangs beside the 19th‑century harbour that once shipped limestone, now a scenic base for Game of Thrones fans and sea‑angling excursions.
Ballintoy, antrim
Fragile wooden hand‑rails once swayed over the Atlantic, while today a sturdy steel‑cabled bridge spans the 20‑metre chasm to Carrickarede Island. The modern structure, engineered to hold ten tonnes, offers tourists a swift 30‑second thrill amid towering cliffs and the distant silhouette of Scotland.
Marine Highway, antrim
1177 Anglo‑Norman knight John de Courcy erected Carrickfergus Castle, establishing a powerful foothold on Belfast Lough. Over eight centuries the fortress endured sieges, French raids and wartime uses before becoming a restored historic monument with free guided tours.
Northern Ireland, antrim
Rugged basalt cliffs clash with well‑marked waypoints along the Causeway Coast Way. Walkers traverse ancient castles and the iconic Carrick‑a‑Rede rope bridge while the trail remains fully sign‑posted, allowing both seasoned hikers and casual trekkers to experience the wild Atlantic edge of County Antrim.
163 Stewartstown Road, antrim
Looking for a place where adrenaline meets ancient industry? The park’s Alpine Coaster, zipline, and the only official Gruffalo Trail wind through reclaimed linen‑mill landscapes, offering thrills and heritage walks just outside Belfast.
Toome Canal, antrim
Only island in Lough Neagh reachable solely by boat via the historic Toome Canal, Coney Island offers an isolated retreat steeped in millennia of history. A 13th‑century motte, a 16th‑century round tower and a weather‑worn summer house await explorers, alongside rare wildlife such as mink and horned larks.
Cushendun, antrim
Red sandstone cliffs rise from the Atlantic, yet the caves themselves were carved only after the last Ice Age’s sea‑level surge about 13,000 years ago. Their orange‑tinged arches later became the Stormlands backdrop for *Game of Thrones*, linking a 400‑million‑year geological story with modern television fame.
Portballintrae – Portrush, antrim
Uniquely, Dunluce Castle is the only Irish stronghold that still displays cannons salvaged from the wreck of the Spanish Armada’s Girona in 1588. Perched on a basalt headland, the ruin’s twin drum towers overlook the North Atlantic, providing a dramatic backdrop that inspired legends and the Game of Thrones set for Pyke Castle.
County Antrim, antrim
Jaw‑dropping columns of hexagonal basalt rise from the Atlantic, their stair‑like silhouette dominating the Antrim coastline at first sight. Legend attributes the formation to the giant Finn McCool, while the UNESCO‑listed site invites free wandering among the stone steps and nearby visitor centre.
Glenariffe Road, antrim
What secrets lie beneath the boardwalk of Glenariff Forest Park’s Waterfall Walk? The three‑mile trail threads through a national nature reserve, revealing three dramatic waterfalls, red squirrels and, on clear days, distant views of Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre.
Northern Ireland, antrim
More than nine distinct glens squeeze into a compact twenty‑square‑mile stretch along the Antrim coastal drive. The route showcases everything from the 15th‑century Friary of Bonamargie to the derelict railway viaduct in Glenballyeamon, delivering history and scenery in a single day.
County Antrim, antrim
Wild folklore intertwines with polished modern roads as the Glens of Antrim flare from ancient Celtic legends to today’s scenic driving routes. While the valleys once served as strategic clan passages, contemporary visitors enjoy accessible villages, award‑winning gardens and the Antrim Coast AONB’s protected landscapes.
Islandmagee, antrim
1641’s rebellion left a stark imprint on Islandmagee, with roughly two dozen Catholic civilians recorded slain by Carrickfergus troops. Today the peninsula blends basalt cliffs, the daring Gobbins Cliff Path and ancient dolmens, inviting both history buffs and wildlife lovers.
Ballycastle, antrim
Only castle whose Irish name, Caisleán Ceinn Bán, means "white head", crowns a stark limestone promontory on the Antrim coast. Built by Colla MacDonnell in 1547 and later scarred by English sieges, its skeletal walls frame sweeping sea views of Rathlin Island and the North Channel.
County Antrim, antrim
1315 saw Edward Bruce land at Larne with a 6,000‑strong army, underscoring the town’s strategic coastal importance. From its Bronze‑age forts to the 19th‑century Chaine Memorial Tower, Larne blends ancient archaeology with a bustling modern port.
Lisburn, antrim
Louis Crommelin, the Huguenot linen‑expert who arrived in 1698, transformed Lisburn into “Linenopolis” and set the city’s industrial destiny. His legacy lives on in the Irish Linen Centre and the Georgian streets that still echo the town’s resilient spirit.
2 Distillery Road, antrim
Royal licence granted by King James I in 1608 allowed Sir Thomas Phillips to distil ‘aquavite’, a date proudly displayed on every Bushmills label. The distillery survived fires, closures and Prohibition, now guiding 120,000 visitors through copper stills, oak warehouses and a modern tasting room.
Northern Ireland, antrim
Luminous footsteps trace the Poet Trail’s path, a route inspired by the 2010 designation of Dublin as a UNESCO City of Literature that sparked a national push for literary walks. Along the Antrim coast, walkers encounter the same wind‑blown cliffs and sea‑sprayed villages that inspired verses by Yeats, Joyce and Synge, with interpretive signs linking each vista to its poetic legacy.
Off the north‑coast of County Antrim, antrim
Salty breezes accompany the cries of tens of thousands of seabirds that nest on Rathlin’s sheer basalt cliffs. A short ferry from Ballycastle drops you onto the island’s compact L‑shaped walks where seals haul out and the legacy of Robert the Bruce’s spider vision lingers in the ruins.
County Antrim, antrim
Witness the stark contrast between Slemish’s volcanic core, rising like an ancient plug, and the paved car park that greets modern pilgrims each March. The short 1.2‑mile loop rewards hikers with panoramic views of the Antrim plains, the distant Scottish coast and the very hill where a teenage Saint Patrick once tended sheep.
Bregagh Road, antrim
Dusk settles over the beech tunnel, muting the road into a shadowed corridor that rustles with wind‑whispered leaves. Visitors walk the pedestrian‑only path, tracing the 250‑year‑old canopy that once framed Gracehill House’s grand approach.
Islandmagee, antrim
1902 saw the Gobbins cliff path open to the public, unveiling Berkeley Deane Wise’s daring steel bridges and tubular walk. After a half‑century of closure, a €7.5 million regeneration in 2015 added fifteen new bridges and guided tours that still trace the Edwardian marvel along Islandmagee’s basalt cliffs.
Belfast, antrim
World‑leading visitor attraction sits on the very slipways where the RMS Titanic was launched in 1911. Its eight‑storey, 38‑metre‑high aluminium façade houses nine immersive galleries and a free ride to the historic SS Nomadic, blending maritime history with cutting‑edge technology.
County Antrim, antrim
Contrasting the remote, windswept promontory with a well‑paved coastal road, Torr Head offers both isolation and easy access. While the 1822 Marconi radio experiments once crackled across the strait, today visitors walk among the ruins of a 19th‑century coastguard station and gaze out at Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre.
Botanic Gardens, antrim
Cool concrete walls of the 1972 Brutalist extension frame dinosaur bones beside modern canvases across the museum’s 8,000 sq m of display space. Free entry invites families to explore collections ranging from Neolithic axe heads to a velvet suit once worn by the Irish Black Rod.
Portrush, antrim
Portrush’s community has long celebrated the towering white limestone cliffs that give Whiterocks its name, carving iconic features like the Wishing Arch and Elephant Rock. The three‑mile Blue Flag stretch draws surfers, hikers and photographers to its sweeping dunes and sea‑caves, all framed by the dramatic Causeway Coast scenery.
