londonderry tourist office

Visit Derry - Visitor Information Centre

Top ways to experience Visit Derry - Visitor Information Centre and nearby attractions

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Visit Derry - Visitor Information Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.10 mi) Shipquay Boutique Hotel
• (0.12 mi) Maldron Hotel Derry
• (0.11 mi) City Hotel
• (0.11 mi) Chamberlain House
• (0.06 mi) Derry City Youth Hostel
• (0.00 mi) Rockets Fast Food
• (0.01 mi) Tracys Bar
• (0.02 mi) The Scullery Cafe
• (0.02 mi) Peadar O'donnell's
• (0.02 mi) Maiden Heaven

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Explore Derry~ Londonderry

Derry-Londonderry

Derry~Londonderry and beyond

• #NorthernIrelandEmbraceAGiantSpirit
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Where the Causeway Coastal Route meets the Wild Atlantic Way

Check out the buzzing city of Derry~Londonderry, then use it as your base to explore the coastal charm and remote rocky coves of the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way.

For such a small city, there’s an awful lot to see and do in Derry~Londonderry. Take in the sights, stroll through centuries of history and indulge in some fantastic food.

The Walled City

17th century walls, Derry~Londonderry

Derry~Londonderry is one of the best preserved walled cities in Europe, and a walk along the top of the beautiful 17th century walls, past the preserved cannons, will give a bird’s eye view across the Renaissance-style street plan and over to the River Foyle. Passionate in their storytelling, the guides from the Unlocking the Walled City tour mix humour and history while telling tales of the city from its 6th century origins to the present day.

Derry Guided Tours

Derry~Londonderry

The sweep of history

The Guildhall, Derry~Londonderry city

Derry~Londonderry’s extraordinary history is told in several museums that dot the city. The Tower Museum will take you from earliest prehistory, from the ancient tribes of Ireland through to today, by way of the Spanish Armada and the Derry Girls Exhibition. The Siege Museum tells the story of the Apprentice Boys and the siege of Derry~Londonderry in 1688, when the English king found the walls of the city barred to him – an incident that shaped the history of Ireland. The Museum of Free Derry in the Bogside tells the story of the modern city (or at least the last century) and the birth of its civil rights movement. Drop into the neo-Gothic Guildhall for a coffee and a peek at the permanent exhibition on the history of the region. If you have more time, book a walking tour of the murals of the Bogside. You can meet the artists and hear their stories as you look at these pieces of living history.

Tower Museum

The Siege Museum

Culture and cuisine.

Street food, Derry~Londonderry city

Street food

For all this rich history, there’s a busy and thriving cultural scene in Derry~Londonderry that looks to the future. Check out the work of modern artists, some of whom are local, some from further afield, at the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Warehouse gallery. It’s not just artists but artisans who have been drawn to the city. You’ll find you’re in foodie heaven here, with chefs using wonderful local produce to create some of the most innovative and exciting cooking in the country. There’s also a thriving local craft beer scene – keep an eye peeled for quirkily named beers at the Walled City Brewery, and distinctive hand-crafted local brews from Northbound Brewery in the city's many friendly pubs. If you have more time visit the Walled City Market in Guildhall Square, where local producers sell their wares on the first Saturday of every month

Head along the Causeway Coastal Route, where the views are breathtaking and the welcome is warm. Your furthest point is the vertigo-inducing Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, with plenty of jewels along the way.

Fruits of the sea

Portstewart Strand, County Londonderry

Portstewart Strand

Set sail from Portstewart on a Catch and Sea food experience. It’s a breakfast tour, which means a very early start for all, but even the bleary-eyed will find it’s well worth it. Your crew and guide have a passion for the sea and are full of local knowledge and stories, however, you are all here to catch your breakfast, so enjoy reeling in the fish – most likely mackerel or pollock. Once the bucket is full, a local chef is waiting to prepare a home-cooked breakfast to match your appetite, with your own freshly caught fish as the main ingredient. Portstewart Golf Club is nearby, and is rightly proud of its stunning setting among the dunes. A close neighbour is the famous Royal Portrush Golf Club, host to The Open in 2019.

Portstewart Strand and Barmouth

Portstewart

Epic isolation

Dunluce Castle, County Antrim

Between Portstewart and Carrick-a-Rede there is so much to see, you could pack a few days with stops and wanders along the way. The craggy, mysterious ruin of Dunluce Castle crops up first: it is perched right on the cliff edge and looks like something straight out of a medieval epic. From here, it’s just six minutes in the car to the village of Bushmills, home to the oldest working whiskey distillery on the island of Ireland. Take a tour and sample the product (if you’re not driving!). Stop for lunch in Bushmills at The French Rooms before continuing east to tackle the Giant's Causeway Cliff-Top Experience Walk, with local guides led by Eimear Flanagan. The five-mile walk takes you along quiet routes that allow the best views of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant’s Causeway. If you have more time book in advance for trips to the Giant’s Causeway or to cross the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

Old Bushmills Distillery

Accommodation

The Bushmills Inn

Fantasy and fairy tales.

Mussenden Temple, County Londonderry

It’s a short hop to Ballintoy Harbour, one of the many breathtaking Game of Thrones® filming locations dotted along the Causeway Coast. If you’re a big fan of the HBO series, then you’ll adore Giant Tours Ireland. Flip, your local guide and driver was a stand-in actor for Hodor, so has wonderful stories and anecdotes from his experience, as well as being able to show you the superstar looks of the local landscapes. On the way back to the Walled City, keep watch for the stunning Mussenden Temple, a neo-classical folly perched on high above the beach. It’s an extraordinarily isolated and romantic spot – it's no surprise that it’s very popular for weddings. During November, two very special festivals arrive to these shores. Atlantic Sessions brings 50 musicians and music to everyone’s ears, while Taste Causeway is a delight for the senses with a memorable foodie experience between Limavady and Cushendall.

Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne

An island adventure.

Rathlin Island, County Antrim

Add an extra day onto your adventure with a trip to the wonderful Rathlin Island. Cars aren’t allowed, so go for walking, birdwatching, the slow pace and Ireland's only upside-down lighthouse. Legends thrive here, too, with Robert the Bruce seemingly inspired by watching the dogged determination of a tiny spider weaving his web – just ask the locals to tell you the tale. Ferries take 25-40 minutes from Ballycastle, so book your ticket early during summer months.

Rathlin Sound

Ballycastle

RSPB Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre

Rathlin Island

Rathlin Walking Tours

To the north-west of Derry~Londonderry you'll find the Inishowen Peninsula – a remote, rocky and spectacularly beautiful place and the start of the mighty Wild Atlantic Way.

The start of a journey

Malin Head, County Donegal

Just over an hour north of Derry~Londonderry at the far tip of the Inishowen Peninsula, lies Malin Head. It is not only a spectacular spot, untamed and rugged in any weather, but it marks the start (or end, depending on your viewpoint) of the Wild Atlantic Way. Walk up to Banba’s Crown, at the northernmost tip of the whole island of Ireland, and keep an eye out for basking sharks.

Take to the sea

Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal

If you're a lover of the sea and all its wonderful creatures, be sure to take a boat tour from Inishowen's Bunagee Pier. You never know what may breach the surface as you glide across the deep blue Atlantic waves, but if luck is on your side you could be greeted by minke whales, common and bottlenose dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks and sunfish. Always wanted to see the Northern Lights? Due to its northerly position and lack of light pollution, County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula is the perfect place to see this amazing natural phenomenon.

Ancient and modern

Grianán of Aileach, County Donegal

As you head south, just as you’re leaving the peninsula, stop and enjoy spectacular views of Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly from the 250-metre high prehistoric stone fort of Grianán of Aileach. Its fame has spread far and wide, and was even mentioned by Ptolemy, the ancient Greek mathematician. The fort is also said to be the inspiration behind the curved lines and stone walls of the nearby Church of St Aengus in Burt – regarded as a masterpiece of design. At the top of the next headland is Fanad Head Lighthouse. You can take the tour or even stay in the lighthouse and soak up the magic of this remote spot.

An Grianan Hotel

Seaside slumbers.

Fanad Lighthouse, County Donegal

At the top of the next headland is Fanad Head Lighthouse, which has safeguarded seafarers since 1817. Climb to the top of this seaside beacon for awesome ocean views as the wind whirls around you and the crashing waves pummel the rocks below. You can take the tour or even stay the night and soak up the magic of this remote spot. Who could resist playing lightkeeper by staying in one of its beautiful self-catering cottages? All you have to do is sleep easy on the edge of the world.

Into the wild woods

Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal

It's time to head inland for a complete contrast. This is just one of the highlights of this region, that you can travel from wild and craggy coast deep into the silence of the mountains in less than an hour. The Derryveagh Mountains are home to Glenveagh Castle and National Park. The park is a huge conservation area filled with lakes, waterfalls and ancient oak woodlands. In the heart of it lies the castle, built in the 19th century. Take a tour and hear of the Hollywood legends who have stayed here.

Glenveagh National Park and Castle

Look to the west.

Bloody Foreland, County Donegal

Journey along the coast beyond the natural beauty of Glenveagh to experience a kaleidoscope of colours during a sunset never to be forgotten at our final stop: the gorily named Bloody Foreland in County Donegal. But don’t fret, records do not show that anything awful has actually happened here – the name was coined in response to the light. Find yourself a good spot and watch as the westering sun’s rays bring out a reddish glow over the rocks and sea. If you have more time, add another day to your trip and catch a ferry from Magheraroarty to Tory Island. This tiny isle is home to many artists, who love the light and the views.

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Derry (Londonderry)

Northern Ireland's second-largest city continues to flourish as an artistic and cultural hub. Derry's city centre was given a striking makeover for its year as the UK City of Culture 2013, with the construction of the Peace Bridge, Ebrington Sq, and the redevelopment of the waterfront and Guildhall area making the most of the city's splendid riverside setting.

Leave the planning to a local expert

Experience the real Derry (Londonderry). Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

People's Gallery Murals

The 12 murals that decorate the gable ends of houses along Rossville St, near Free Derry Corner, are popularly referred to as the People's Gallery. They…

Derry's City Walls

The best way to get a feel for Derry's layout and history is to walk the 1.5km circumference of the city's walls. Completed in 1619, Derry's city walls…

Standing just outside the city walls, the neo-Gothic Guildhall was originally built in 1890, then rebuilt after a fire in 1908. Its fine stained-glass…

Tower Museum

Head straight to the 5th floor of this award-winning museum inside a replica 16th-century tower house for a view from the top. Then work your way down…

St Columb's Cathedral

Built between 1628 and 1633 from the same grey-green schist as the city walls, this was the first post-Reformation church to be erected in Britain and…

Museum of Free Derry

Just off Rossville St, this excellent museum chronicles the history of the Bogside, the Civil Rights Movement and the events of Bloody Sunday through…

Hands Across the Divide

As you enter the city across Craigavon Bridge, the first thing you see is the Hands Across the Divide monument. This striking bronze sculpture of two men…

St Columba's Church

Outside the city walls to the southwest is Long Tower Church, Derry’s first post-Reformation Catholic church. Built in 1784 in neo-Renaissance style, it…

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Latest stories from Derry (Londonderry)

Apr 18, 2018 • 5 min read

Northern Ireland’s charms draw more and more visitors each year. First timers head straight for the Giant’s Causeway, a worthy destination but only one…

Jun 14, 2016 • 5 min read

Mar 30, 2016 • 6 min read

Mar 16, 2016 • 6 min read

Feb 25, 2016 • 4 min read

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Official Sightseeing Pass

Visit derry pass, the derry girls experience is now open.

NOW OPEN AT THE TOWER MUSEUM

Visit the home of Derry Girls and discover where it all began! Check out the original memorabilia from the hit show at the Tower Museum, like Erin’s diary, Aunt Sarah’s famous pyjamas and Ma Mary’s Woolworths sweater, not to mention the infamous Spice Girls costumes! Step into the set of the Quinn household, cosy up on the sofa and feel like one of the family. Sister Michael fan? Don’t miss your chance to sit on her chair and roll your eyes at anyone who crosses your path.

Purchase single entry tickets here

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO APP FOR YOUR VISIT:

  Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/derry-girls-experience/id6448470925

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waymigo.derrygirls

The Visit Derry Pass is the Official Sightseeing ticket for the Walled City of Derry~Londonderry.

The Visit Derry Pass is valid for one or two days  and provides access to ten handpicked attractions, saving money on admission fees whilst seeing the best the city has to offer.

You will also receive a Visit Derry map, local tips and offers to make sure you get the very most from your trip.

Insightful and inspiring, the Visit Derry Pass is a winner for all ages and a great way to save money and time.

Visit Derry’s Pass is convenient and easy to use, and is available as an instant mobile download on your smartphone.

Enjoy Your Pass in 3 Easy Steps

Purchase your Pass online

2. Download

Download your Pass to your smartphone for use straight away or when you are ready to use it.

Then simply show your Pass at the admission desk or payment point for each attraction to gain free entry

What Is Included?

Discover the very best the Walled City, Derry~Londonderry has to offer with our official sightseeing Visit Derry Pass.

The Visit Derry Pass provides FREE entry to ten city centre attractions for one great price!

Learn about the fascinating history on a walking tour and take in some of the iconic attractions – all included with your Visit Derry Pass!

Visit our Attractions page to see the full list of what is available and further details on each.

Take a look at all the attractions included with the Visit Derry Pass

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The Walled City

Visit Derry 1-3 Waterloo Place Derry~Londonderry Northern Ireland BT48 6BT

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How to Spend a Day in Derry/Londonderry

Do you know the song Danny Boy? It was based off an old folk tune from County Derry. Beyond its musical tradition, Derry/Londonderry has a fascinating history as the most complete walled city in the British Isles. It was infamous during The Troubles for its violence and division, but it now serves as a fantastic destination for visitors from all over the world. While you could spend several days exploring the town, many people only have one day to explore. With this in mind, here is how to spend a day in Derry/Londonderry.

Table of Contents

Why Does This City Have Two Names?

Northern Ireland is a complex place with a tragic history. During the Troubles, a lot of violence took place here. The divisions are so deep that the Catholic and Protestant communities have different names for the city in which they live; Derry and Londonderry respectively. To be as apolitical as possible, I’ll use Derry/Londonderry.

Arriving in Derry

Derry/Londonderry is Northern Ireland’s second-largest city. As such, it has good connections all across the region, with links extending into the Republic of Ireland. If traveling from Belfast, the train takes about two and a half hours, which allows for plenty of time to explore the town. There are also plenty of buses from Belfast and other Northern Irish towns to Derry. Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is a phenomenal place to visit in its own right ; many visitors to Derry will arrive from here.

The train station is on the east side of the river, across from the walled town. There is a pleasant walking path from the station that leads to the Peace Bridge, an impressive modern structure built to heal the town’s divisions. It also allows visitors easy access to the historic town from the station, as the Guildhall and tourist info center are right on the other end of the bridge. The path from the station to the center of town takes about twenty minutes.

Starting Out

The Visit Derry Information Center is the natural place to start your visit. Not only are the staff exceptionally friendly, but you can find great information about the city and surrounding area. If you’re visiting for the day, the office has left-luggage storage. If luggage isn’t an issue, take the time to ask about things to do or places to eat, or just grab some brochures and hit the town. You can find it in the same square as the Guildhall, just below an entrance to the city walls.

Along the Walls

The tourist office convenient for those arriving from the train station, but there is also a staircase right outside that goes up to the city wall. Start here and follow the walls around the city. The entire circuit is about a mile in length, but take the time to explore sights just off the wall as well. For example, there are several fascinating churches right at the bottom of the stairs off the wall.

Moving counterclockwise from the visitor center, you’ll come to the First Presbyterian Church of Derry. In addition to its beautiful interior, it also has a small museum on the history of the church and Derry.

Next, continue along the walls to take in impressive views of the Bogside district and the surrounding hills. Costumed actors interpret scenes from Derry’s history on some days-they are informative and entertaining. Spend as much time as you’d like along this stretch-the views are quite impressive.

After this section of walls, you’ll come to St Columb’s Cathedral. This 17th century church was built about the same time as the walls themselves. It is a Protestant cathedral, and was built as such, which gives it a unique history. The sandstone walls and columns give it a natural feel distinct from other churches in Ireland. St Columb’s is set in a pleasant garden with a number of graves and memorials, so visitors can take a nice break from the walls.

Finally, follow the walls around until you reach the point where you started just outside the Visit Derry tourist office. This walk could take anywhere from two hours to a full day depending on how often you stop. The wall is just a guideline, of course; climbing down and exploring within town is important to get a full understanding of Derry/Londonderry.

Down in the Bogside

Derry/Londonderry remains a divided town. The Protestant population lives mostly within the city walls, while the Catholics live primarily in the Bogside district. The Bogside is infamous for the violence that took place there during the Troubles, but it is quite safe now. Leave the walled town to see the Nationalist and Republican murals, as well as the world-famous Free Derry Corner.

While I didn’t have a lot of time to explore the Bogside district, it was not a long walk at all from the Walled Town. If you only have time for one thing, see the Free Derry monument and walk back up the hill; you’ll also pass the Bloody Sunday memorial and a number of sectarian murals.

In addition to the recent history, there are great views towards the city walls. A green park sweeps down from the walls into the Bogside, allowing for unobstructed views.

Final Thoughts

Derry/Londonderry is an unmissable destination in Northern Ireland. Not only does it have a history of sieges and warfare from the 17th century on to the 20th, but it also has a surprising amount of culture. The culinary scene is thriving, as are the music and theater scenes. There are great transport links all over Northern Ireland and to County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. While I recommend staying at least one night, you can still see and do a lot if you only have one day.

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23 Best Things To Do In Derry City And Beyond

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated: December 29, 2023

There are plenty of things to do in Derry, once you give it a chance.

However, many people exploring this corner of Ireland often pass it by.

County Derry is home to countless historical sites, walks and a glorious stretch of coastline.

In the guide below, you’ll discover what to do in Derry City, first, before seeing the wider county’s main attractions.

Table of Contents

The best things to do in Derry City

Photos via Shutterstock

We’re going to tackle the various things to do in Derry City first. The city is home to an absolute wealth of things to do and places to see.

There are also some great spots for food that we’ll be recommending you nip into.

1. Derry City Walls

Derry is officially the only completely walled city in Ireland and it’s one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe.

The walls, which were built between 1613-1618, were used to defend the city against early 17th century settlers.

Still beautifully intact, they now form a walkway around Derry’s inner city and offer a unique promenade to check out the layout of the original town.

Standing at an impressive 19-20 feet high, the mile-long oval comes complete with watchtowers, battlements, gates, bastions, and big aul cannons.

2. Bloody Sunday and Bogside Tour

Photos via Google Maps

If you’re wondering what to do in Derry that’ll give you a good insight into the city’s past, this tour (affiliate link) is worth considering.

Over the course of 1.5 hours you’ll learn about what happened on Bloody Sunday . You’ll also be taken to Derry’s most prominent murals in the Bogside area.

You’ll be given an insight into the partition of Ireland , the seperation of the 6 counties of Northern Ireland and plenty more.

3. The Peace Bridge 

The now-iconic Peace Bridge is one of the more popular places to visit in Derry. It opened in 2011 and has won a clatter of awards since.

The bridge connects the old army Barracks in Ebrington to the city centre and was intended to end a 400-year-old physical and political gap by bringing the largely unionist east side of Derry closer to the largely nationalist west.

You can take a wander across it and get a good eyeful of both sides of the city’s ‘skyline’ or you can admire it from afar from either side of the river.

4. The Museum of Free Derry

Photo left courtesy of Visit Derry. Others via Museum of Free Derry on FB

If you’re looking for places to visit in Derry that’ll educate and enlighten, then this should tickle your fancy.

The Museum of Free Derry opened back in 2007. It exists to tell the turbulent story of what happened in Derry from 1968 to 1972.

The story is told from the point of view of the people that were most involved in and affected by the events that took place.

For those of you with little to no familiarity with the city’s past, you’re in for an enlightening experience.

This is one of the more popular things to do in Derry when it rains for good reason!

5. The Guildhall

The Guildhall tends to conquer many guides on what to do in Derry, and it’s not hard to see why.

This beautiful neo-gothic style building was built in 1887 and can be found just outside the city walls, near the Peace Bridge.

In 2013, a £9.5m restoration was completed which introduced a new multifaceted tourism experience to the building.

Those that visit the Guildhall can expect:

• An interactive Tourist Information Point
• A new dedicated exhibition exploring how the Plantation shaped our history
• Cultural spaces
• A cafe area
• Interpretation panels that bring the buildings features to life

6. The Derry Girls mural

Derry Girls is one of the most popular Irish shows to hit our screens in years.

In a nutshell, it’s a show set in Derry during the Troubles in the 1990s that follows a group of friends (4 girls and one English lad) as they get themselves into all kinds of mad situations.

The mural is painted on one of the walls of Badger’s Bar in Derry. The owner was contacted by the creators of the show and asked whether they could use the wall at the back of the pub.

The mural depicts the main cast members and was masterfully created by UV Arts, a group that uses street art as a tool for social change.

7. Trad music at Peadar’s

Photos courtesy of Tourism Northern Ireland

Peadar O’Donnell’s is arguably one of the best pubs in Ireland . It’s my favourite in Derry (and probably in Northern Ireland) for good reason.

This is, in my opinion, what every great Irish pub should strive to be like – it has a beautifully maintained old-school interior, it holds regular trad sessions and they do a solid pint of Guinness.

If you’re in the city and you’re looking to chill after a busy day exploring, you won’t go wrong here.

8. St. Columb’s Cathedral

St. Columb’s Cathedral is one of Derry’s oldest buildings.

This beautiful cathedral dominates the city’s skyline from many an angle and dates back to 1633.

Standing at an impressive 221 feet, St. Columb’s current tower and main building are that of the original Cathedral.

The spire was added later in 1821. Interestingly enough, the building is constructed from the same stone as the city’s walls and boasts an ample number of artefacts for you to check out during your visit.

9. Tower Museum

It’s from the top of the Tower Museum that you’ll get access to the only open-air viewing facility in Derry City.

Translation: there’s a pretty damn good view from the top of this place.

There are also some excellent exhibitions inside:

• The Story of Derry : This exhibition takes visitors through the dramatic history of the city, from the earliest prehistory to the present.
• An Armada Shipwreck : The second exhibition tells the story of one of the largest ships in the Spanish Armada, ‘La Trinidad Valencera’. This ship sank off the Donegal Coast in 1588 and was only discovered by divers from the City of Derry Sub-Aqua Club in 1971.

What to do in Derry County

The next section of our guide looks at what to do in Derry across the wider county.

Derry’s coastline in particular often gets missed. You’ll discover why it’s well worth exploring below.

1. Benone Strand

Benone Strand in Limavady is a peach of a beach. Here you’ll have a massive 7 miles of golden beach to saunter along while soaking up a mixture of interesting sights.

On a clear day, you’ll see everywhere from Lough Foyle and Benevenagh to he mighty Mussenden Temple.

It’s around a 50-minute spin from Derry City and it’s the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle for a while.

2. The Benevenagh hike

The Binevenagh hike is one of my favourite things to do in Northern Ireland . This is a tough trail that can take 4.5 – 5 hours to complete, but it’s well worth it.

The trail begins near Limavady, around a 45-minute drive from the city, and there are several start points, depending on which direction you come from.

This is a relatively strenuous hike but, when the weather’s clear, you’ll be treated to glorious views of Lough Foyle and the surrounding countryside.

If you’re looking for active things to do in Derry, this is well worth tackling!

3. Ness Country park

One of the more unique things to do in Derry is to head to Ness Country Park in Killaloo, a short 25-minute spin from the city.

This is one of those places to visit in Derry that people tend to miss. You’ll find Ness Country Park in the wooded Glen of the Burntollet River, south-east of Derry.

This park boasts 55 hectares of woodland, open parkland, and riverside walks. Oh, and the biggest waterfall in Ulster.

4. Mussenden Temple

The Mussenden Temple is one of those places that looks like it’s been whipped from a movie.

Located in the stunning surroundings of Downhill Demesne in Derry, the temple is perched dramatically on a 120-foot high cliff overlooking the ocean.

Bizarrely enough, the temple was originally built to act as a summer library for those that owned the estate that temple sits within.

It was constructed in 1785 and its architecture was inspired by the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, near Rome.

Make sure this is on your list of places to see in Derry during your visit.

5. Portstewart Strand

Nestled between the town of Portstewart and the River Bann lies the golden sands of Portstewart Strand.

It’s around a 50-minute drive from the city and it’s a good stop-off for those of you doing the Causeway Coastal Route .

Arguably one of the best beaches in Northern Ireland, Portstewart Strand is the perfect spot for a long ramble without any inclines.

It’s also one of the few beaches that you can still drive onto.

6. Seamus Heaney HomePlace

Photos via Ireland’s Content Pool

Now, it’s time for a bit of culture. A visit to the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy (50-minute drive from the city) will take you on a journey through the life and literature of Seamus Heaney, the renowned poet and Nobel Laureate.

You’ll find everything from personal stories and artefacts to dozens of family photographs and video recordings over a packed two floors.

If you’re in search of things to do in Derry when it’s raining, then this indoor attraction is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon.

7. Mountsandel Wood

Photos by Gareth Wray © Tourism Ireland

Our next stop is very interesting altogether. I’d never heard of Mountsandel Wood up until recently.

Which is crazy as it’s here that the earliest known settlement of man in Ireland was based between 7600 and 7900BC.

Flint tools were found on the grounds of Mountsandel, which indicates that Stone Age hunters camped here and fished for salmon in the nearby weir (a low dam built across a river).

You can head off on a forest walk here that’ll take you around this historic little chunk of Derry.

8. Roe Valley Country Park

This tranquil park offers stunning riverside views and woodland walks to those that chisel out some time in their itinerary to visit.

The river in Roe Valley Country Park plunges through stunning gorges and its banks are clothed in mature lush woodland.

Grab a cup of coffee in Ritters Tea Room (located on the left bank upriver of the Dogleap Centre) and head off for a stroll.

Fancy learning about the industrial and natural heritage of the area? Nip into the museum on-site.

Things to do near Derry City

Now that we have the various things to do in Derry out of the way, it’s time to explore some of the best things to do near Derry.

And there’s some stiff competition! Derry is close to  endless  things to see and do, as you’ll discover below!

1. Grianan of Aileach (20-minute drive)

Grianan of Aileach in Donegal is a hillfort that sits right at the beginning of the glorious Inishowen Peninsula.

Now, although it sits on top of a mountain (Greenan Mountain) you can drive very close to the top and it’s a short walk from there.

On a clear day you’ll be treated to magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and peninsulas. 

2. Inishowen Peninsula (25-minute drive)

The Inishowen Peninsula is arguably one of Ireland’s finest. If you follow the Inishowen 100 Drive, you’ll be taken to its best bits.

Some of the highlights along the route include Malin Head , Mamore Gap and some of the best beaches in Ireland .

3. The Causeway Coast (1-hour drive)

The Causeway Coastal Route is a great way to spend a day (although 2 days would be ideal, if you have the time!).

Over the course of this spin, you’ll see the likes of:

• Dunluce Castle
• Giant’s Causeway
• Old Bushmills Distillery
• Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge

4. Glenveagh National Park (55-minute drive)

A visit to Glenveagh National Park is another of the more popular things to do near Derry.

You can rent a bike and peddle around it, saunter along one of its many trails or take a tour of Glenveagh Castle.

What places to visit in Derry have we missed?

I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some brilliant things to do in Derry from the guide above.

If you have a place that you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out!

FAQs about things to see in Derry

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What to do in Derry when it rains?’ to ‘Where’s best for a stroll?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What are the best things to do in Derry?

In our opinion, it’s hard to beat Ness Country park, the Benevenagh hike, Benone Strand, Tower Museum and Derry City Walls.

What is there to do in Derry City?

There’s endless things to do in Derry City, from the mural tours and the City Walls to the Guildhall, St. Columb’s Cathedral, the Walled City Brewery and much more.

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries . Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.

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Vincent Harkin

Tuesday 29th of August 2023

Brilliant guide to the county, another thing worth mentioning is the Sperrin mountains and the Carntogher hike! 👍🏻

Friday 8th of May 2020

Keith, Absolutely wonderful guides of Ireland.

I have returned to Ireland after time in Australia,

I am looking forward to when it lifts so i can explore some of your hidden gems!!

Website is fantastic!!!

Keith O'Hara

Saturday 9th of May 2020

Cheers Kiera! Appreciate you taking the time to comment! I'm sure coming back home now must be a bit strange given everything that's going on! mind yourself!

• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 By train
• 3 Get around
• 4.1 Walled city
• 4.2 Bogside
• 4.3 Elsewhere
• 8.2 Mid-range
• 8.3 Splurge
• 10.1 Budget
• 10.2 Mid-range
• 10.3 Splurge
• 11 Stay safe

Derry or Londonderry (Irish: Doire ) is the second city of Northern Ireland , with a population of 83,652 in 2001. It's on the estuary of the River Foyle and historically within County Londonderry , which has been abolished as a unit of governance so the city is now part of Derry and Strabane District. It's on the border with County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, and its city walls reflect its frontier status. Derry is a fascinating destination with in-your-face history.

Understand [ edit ]

Accept at the outset that you will occasionally use the wrong name, or rather a right name in the wrong company, and be thunderously corrected. The multiple names of this city reflect its deep layers of history.

Doire is Irish for "oak grove". Glaciers gouged out the fjord of Lough Foyle, and as they retreated the Atlantic lowlands became carpeted in oak forest. Oak was essential so it's a common place-name element: Edenderry, Durrow, Kildare, Adare, and so on. Oak timber was needed for ships, carts, houses, furniture, fences . . . but even more it was needed to make charcoal to fire furnaces for metal-working and glass-blowing. (Coal was too dirty, and coke hadn't been invented.) A monastic settlement grew up at Doire at the head of the lough, while the forests were felled at a rate worthy of a Brazilian cattle tycoon. Meanwhile this northwest region of Ireland remained under Gaelic rule, rebuffing the Vikings, the Normans and the Tudors, until in 1603 Gaelic power was broken by the Nine Years War - almost. But in 1608 a diehard Gaelic noble rebelled, and the city was burned. The rebels were soon hunted down but the government were determined to prevent any repeat. Their astonishing solution was to outsource the place to a London business consortium - how come Nicosia or Sarajevo never thought of this?

Londonderry is the city they ringed with stout walls, soon put to the test. The consortium, "The Honourable The Irish Society", divvied up the area between their twelve leading merchant companies, and colonised it with loyal Protestant settlers mostly from Scotland. The walls were first tested in 1641 in the Civil Wars when Gaelic insurgents were repulsed. In 1649 Londonderry supported Cromwell and parliament, and withstood a siege by the Royalists. In "The Glorious Revolution" the city supported the Protestant King William but was attacked by Jacobites: on 7 Dec 1688 thirteen Apprentice Boys famously locked shut the city gates with a slam that echoes yet throughout Northern Ireland. On 18 April 1689 King James and his army began a siege that lasted 105 terrible days - "No Surrender!" - until relief ships broke through up the Foyle. And thus Londonderry was "the maiden city", never taken, and with an uncompromising tradition to uphold.

Derry remained in common use, and was the name of its Protestant and RC bishoprics. The big sectarian divide came in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned - six counties including Londonderry remained in the UK, while 26 including Donegal became part of the Republic. A "hard" border suddenly appeared at the west edge of the city, blighting both sides, while cultural borders hardened within it. "The Troubles" escalated in the 1970s, especially after the massacre of Bloody Sunday. In 1984 the city changed its name back to Derry, insofar as it was empowered to do so, but its Royal Charter of 1662 trumps this. The name you uttered became a badge of allegiance.

Stroke City was one mocking term for the hybrid "Derry / Londonderry", as used on transport and other facilities that were trying to be even-handed; it was also a nod towards Ulster's unhealthy lifestyle. Really, is this the most important thing for this city to obsess about? Unemployment, rust-belt industry, paramilitary crime, dysfunctional politics, drug misuse... The turning point was the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Peace and investment gradually returned and Derry, like Belfast, was able to relaunch itself as a tourist destination. "Splodgederry" is the place you might approach by road, as "London-" is often daubed out on signs. To avoid ambiguity these pages mostly use "Derry" for the city and "Londonderry" for the county, but note the opening sentence above. The county name was never changed, and since these have been abolished as units of governance it must remain County Londonderry.

Watch [ edit ]

Derry Girls (2018-2022, available on Channel 4/Netflix) is a dark coming-of-age sitcom set in 1990s Derry during the late Troubles and Good Friday referendum. Following the lives and families of five teenagers, who all attend a Catholic girls' school, it intersperses teen chaos and '90s nostalgia with poignant historical moments.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

You could also fly into Belfast City or International Airport, or Dublin, all with car hire and public transport. The Airporter bus runs hourly from Derry bus station direct to International then City Airport. The bus from Dublin to Derry stops at Dublin Airport, but there are only 3 per day. Another option, albeit a strenuous and complicated one, is to go through Knock/Ireland West airport, located in County Mayo. There is a bus (line 64) that connects the airport to Derry, but it takes nearly 4 hr. Driving takes roughly 2 hr 30 min.

By train [ edit ]

Trains run hourly, daily between 07:00 and 21:00 from Belfast Great Victoria Street via Lanyon Place and other Belfast stations, Antrim (for International Airport), Ballymena , Coleraine , Castlerock and Bellarena, taking two hours to Derry; an adult single might be £13. The last stretch of line along the coast from Castlerock is very scenic. Change at Coleraine for trains to Ulster University and Portrush , and for buses along the Antrim coast to Bushmills , Giant's Causeway and Ballycastle .

By car [ edit ]

From Belfast the direct route is M2 / A6, but there are several scenic alternatives depending on how much of the Antrim Coast you want to take in.

From Dublin take M1 to the N33 for Ardee, then N2 north via Monaghan to the border, then A5 via Omagh and Strabane.

Road signs south of the border read "Derry". Those north of the border call it "Londonderry" but are often vandalised. It's as much mischief as political, so don't be surprised to encounter a sign for London Zoo.

By bus [ edit ]

Ulsterbus Goldline 212 runs from Belfast Europa station to Derry every 30-60 min daily, taking two hours. Bus 273 takes a longer route south of Lough Neagh via Dungannon , Omagh and Strabane .

Goldline 234 runs from Coleraine , taking 75 min via Limavady , Ballykelly and Eglinton (for LDY airport). There are 7 M-F, 4 Sa and 2 Su.

Bus X3 / X4 runs 3 times a day from Dublin Busáras and Airport, taking 3 hr 30 min either via Monaghan and Omagh or via Armagh , Dungannon and Cookstown .

Expressway 64 runs every two hours from Galway via Tuam , Knock , Sligo , Ballyshannon , Donegal Town and Letterkenny (the transport hub for County Donegal), then another 30 min brings it into Derry.

The bus station is 54.997 -7.318 3 Foyle Street Buscentre at the foot of city centre.

Get around [ edit ]

East of the River Foyle is the district of Waterside, predominantly Unionist. The railway station is here and to reach city centre you either take the hourly Bus 2d, or walk across Craigavon Bridge which carries the main road, or take a longer walk via the Peace Bridge downstream.

The main city, bus station and areas of most interest are Cityside, west of the Foyle and mostly nationalist. The city has some steep streets but is compact and walkable; burbs and industry stretch out beyond.

Taxis wait at the bus and railway stations but you're unlikely to need one. You need your own wheels to explore the countryside, such as Grianan of Aileach prehistoric fort or the Donegal coast of Lough Foyle.

See [ edit ]

Walled city [ edit ]

Londonderry is the only city in Ireland with its walls intact, and one of the finest examples in Europe. They were built 1613-1618 by "The Honourable the Irish Society" to defend settlers from England and Scotland. They're 1.325 km (0.823 mi) in circumference, ranged over the crag that rises from Guildhall to St Columb's. They're mostly over 12 ft (3.7 m) high and wide, with a walkway giving great views over the city, free to stroll with multiple access points. Originally there were four gates: Bishop’s Gate, Ferryquay Gate, Butcher Gate and Shipquay Gate, with Magazine Gate, Castle Gate and New Gate added later.

• 54.99742 -7.3209 1 Tower Museum , Union Hall Place BT48 6LU ( At foot of walled city ), ☏ +44 28 7137 2411 . Daily 11:00-16:00 . The city's main museum covers prehistory, the 6th century monastery, the Spanish Armada and siege of 1689, the Great Famine, the partition of Ireland, the Troubles of 1969-1994, and present times. Adult £4, Student £2.60, child £2 . ( updated Feb 2023 )
• 54.99543 -7.32394 2 Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall ( Siege Museum ), 13 Society Street BT48 6PJ , ☏ +44 28 7126 1219 . M-Sa 10:00-17:00 . This is primarily the fraternity house of Apprentice Boy societies worldwide. Since 2015 it's also housed the Siege Museum detailing the history of the Boys and their prominent role in the 1689 Siege. Adut £5, conc £4 . ( updated Aug 2021 )
• First Derry Presbyterian Church is an imposing building by the Memorial Hall.
• 54.9951 -7.3192 4 Derry Girls Mural , 18 Orchard Street, BT48 6EG ( on the gable end of Badgers Bar ). 24 hours daily . Large and colourful wall painting of the five protagonists from hit sitcom Derry Girls - from right: Clare, Orla, Erin, Michelle and James. Free . ( updated Mar 2024 )

Bogside [ edit ]

This is the valley immediately west of the heights of the walled city, then the ground rises again onto the Creggan estate. A couple of miles further across the fields is the Irish border. Night after night during the Troubles the Bogside was the stuff of newsreels, with protests, vehicles on fire, shootings, and makeshift barricades against police and army trucks. It's an essential part of visiting Derry and the area of interest is within a short walk of the centre, and safe in daylight.

• 54.997 -7.326 5 Museum of Free Derry , 55 Glenfada Park BT48 9DR , ☏ +44 28 7136 0880 . Th-Sa 10:00-16:00 . Excellent museum of the Northern Ireland conflict, the march of civil rights, Bloody Sunday and its long aftermath from the republican side. Takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to go through the exhibit. Three different tour groups start their tours of the Bogside from here. Adult £8, Student £7, conc £6 . ( updated Feb 2023 )
• 54.996 -7.327 6 Free Derry Corner is the junction of Rossville Rd / Lecky St with Creggan Rd. A monument marks the bounds of "Free Derry", the fiercely nationalist quarter of town during the height of the Troubles. Building gable-ends around are painted with the "Bogside Murals" of political art, and another monument commemorates the peaceful protestors gunned down by the British army on Bloody Sunday. Today, it is co-opted for various political movements and memorials via permit at various times of the year, such as for LGBTQ2+ rights and Palestinian solidarity.

Elsewhere [ edit ]

• 55.02 -7.502 11 Burt Castle is a Z-plan turret built in the 16th century, a stronghold of the O'Doherty clan. In 1608 it was the seat of the rebellion that led to the burning of Derry. It's on private farmland and in 2021 there was no access.

Do [ edit ]

• Millennium Forum has the city's largest auditorium, with music, theatre and panto.
• The Playhouse by St Columb's Cathedral has theatre and music.
• Waterside Theatre and Arts Centre is on Glendermott Rd near the railway station. They host theatre, film and an art gallery.
• Cinema: Omniplex is in Quayside Shopping Centre.
• Institute FC also play soccer at Ryan McBride Stadium. They were relegated in 2020 and now play in the NIFL (Blue Fin Sport) Championship, the game's second tier in Northern Ireland, playing Sept-April.

• Gaelic games: Derry GAA play Gaelic football and hurling. Their usual home ground is Celtic Park (capacity 18,000) on Lone Moor Rd but home games are also played at other grounds.
• Golf: nearby courses are Faughan Valley on A2 northeast, City of Derry on A5 south, and Foyle on A2 north along the west river bank.

Events [ edit ]

• St Patrick's Day is celebrated on 17 March whenever that falls in the week. It's a public holiday, with parades and general hoop-de-hoop.
• Foyle Film Festival is held throughout April, but dates for 2023 are tbc.
• City of Derry Jazz Festival is in late April. The next is probably 27 - 30 April 2023 but tbc.
• Celtronic is a dance festival in late June. The next is probably 25 June - 2 July 2023 but tbc.
• Foyle Maritime Festival has tall ships, clipper races and shore events, on 20-24 July 2022.
• Maiden City Festival commemorates the siege of 1688, after the Protestant apprentice boys slammed the city doors against James II. The next is probably 10-12 Aug 2022 but tbc.
• Halloween Carnival is on the last weekend of October when the clocks change. The next is 28-30 Oct 2022.

Learn [ edit ]

• Magee College is a campus of the University of Ulster in the city. The main campus is just north of Coleraine .

Buy [ edit ]

• Foyleside is the large retail mall just south of the bus station, and Richmond Centre is a block northwest.
• Walled City Market is held in Guildhall Square 11:00-17:00 on the first Saturday of the month.
• Cross-border shopping is sometimes a feature, whenever Pound / Euro rates or sales tax differences draw shoppers from the Republic.

Eat [ edit ]

Budget [ edit ].

• 55.000978 -7.32278 1 Fiorentini's , 67-69 Strand Rd, BT48 7BW , ☏ +44 28 7126 0653 . M–Sa 09:15–17:15, Su 11:00–17:15 . Popular Italian cafe serves great value meals and ice-cream - try the Knickerbocker Glory. Helpful friendly staff. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• Guapo , 69 Strand Rd BT48 7AD ( next to Fiorentini's ), ☏ +44 28 7136 5585 . M–Sa 12:00–21:00, Su 14:00–21:00 . Burrito bar with great selection of tasty and affordable Mexican food. Takeaway or small sit in area available. £4 – £8 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• Saffron between Fiorentini's and Guapo serves Indian food Tu-Su 16:30-22:00.
• 54.997785 -7.322628 2 Doherty's Home Bakery , 23 William St, BT48 6EP , ☏ +44 28 7126 9376 . M–Sa 07:00–17:30, closed Su . A true greasy spoon cafe, there are a number of bakeries around the town all run by this local chain, but their cafe on William Street is the best place to go after walking around the walls and Bogside area for a cheap and tasty lunch. the cafe is located in the back behind the main bakery. ( updated Dec 2020 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 55.000885 -7.321508 3 Danano Forno , 4 Lower Clarendon St, BT48 7AH , ☏ +44 28 7127 7500 , [email protected] . 16:00–22:30 daily . A really nice Italian that is relatively cheap but great food. £4 – £11 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• Mandarin Palace , Lower Clarendon Street BT48 7AW ( next to Danano Forno ), ☏ +44 28 7137 3656 , [email protected] . M–Th 16:00–23:00, F Sa 16:00–00:00, Su 13:00–23:00 . Long established Chinese restaurant with excellent service and value. Mains £15 . ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 54.995253 -7.319134 4 Badgers Bar and Restaurant , 18 Orchard St, BT48 6EG , ☏ +44 28 7136 3306 . Daily 12:00–01:00 . A great port of call for lunch while shopping. Can be crowded and cramped at busy times. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 55.002895 -7.321404 5 Quaywest , 20A Queens Quay, BT48 7AS ( off Strand Rd ). By the Waterfront, quite near the Mandarin Palace. Serves light and sumptuous cuisine with an array of alcoholic drinks. Relatively cheap. £6 – £18 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.998363 -7.320222 6 The Exchange , Queens Quay, BT48 7AY , ☏ +44 28 7127 3990 , [email protected] . M–F 12:00–14:30 & 17:00–22:00, Sa 12:00–22:00, Su 15:00–21:00 . The best restaurant in Derry in the opinion of many, try the duck. £8 – £20 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.996358 -7.321043 7 Siam Thai , 12A Shipquay St, BT48 6DN , ☏ +44 28 7128 1111 . F–W 16:30–21:30, closed Th . Traditional Thai restaurant in the city centre, dishes are prepared by authentic Thai chefs and are packed with flavour. ( updated Dec 2020 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• 54.993233 -7.319736 8 Cedar , 32 Carlisle Rd, BT48 6JW , ☏ +44 28 7137 3868 . W–Sa 17:00–21:00 . Lebanese restaurant run by a local lady and her Lebanese chef husband. Great selection of fresh, Lebanese cuisine (good for vegetarians). Very small restaurant so booking is advised. It is also bring your own alcohol (£2 corkage charge) as they do not sell wine or beer themselves. £15 – £30 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.99786 -7.310747 9 Walled City Brewery , 70 Ebrington St, BT47 6FA , ☏ +44 28 7134 3336 , [email protected] . Th 17–20:00, F 13:00–15:00 & 17:00–21:30, Sa 13:00–15:00 & 17:00–22:00, Su 13:00–16:00 & 17:00–19:45, M–W closed . Microbrewery with attached restaurant. Fantastic food. £3 – £20 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 55.005916 -7.320078 10 Timberquay Restaurant & Wine Bar , 100 Strand Rd BT48 7NR , ☏ +44 28 7137 0020 . M–Th 12:00–14:30 & 17:00–21:00, F Sa 12:00–20:00, Su 13:00–21:00 . Pleasant modern restaurant on the quay. ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 54.993221 -7.311853 11 Brown's Bonds Hill , 1 Bonds Hill, BT47 6DW , ☏ +044 028 7134 5180 , [email protected] . Tu 17:00–21:00, W Th 12:00–14:30 & 17:00–21:00, F 12:00–14:30 & 17:00–22:00, Sa 17:00–22:00, Su M closed . Now under new management, with multi-award winning chef Ian Orr. Certainly one of the North West's finest restaurants and first champagne lounge. Also has a sister restaurant in the city centre, Browns in Town. £4 – £45 . ( updated Dec 2020 )

Drink [ edit ]

• 54.9962 -7.3175 1 Sandinos , Water St, BT48 6BQ ( near the bus terminal ), ☏ +44 28 7130 9297 , [email protected] . M–Th 12:30–01:00, F Sa 12:30–01:15, Su 13:00–00:30 . Perhaps the most interesting bar in Derry. Named after Augusto C. Sandino, the bar has very strong Central/South American vibe. The walls are decorated with posters and paraphernalia of leftist movements form Cuba and Nicaragua amongst others. There are also images from the city's own past and struggle through the Troubles, including the battle of the Bogside. This is where you will find Derry's intelligentsia and one or two local celebs, a must for a pint when in the Walled City. Decent selection of bottled beers. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.9965 -7.3183 2 Blackbird , 24 Foyle St, BT48 6AL , ☏ +44 28 7136 2111 . M–Sa 11:30–01:00, Su 12:00–00:00 . Very popular city centre bar, has a great selection of craft beer and cocktails, also serves pub food. Live music on most evenings. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• Guildhall Taphouse ( Dopey Dick Brewing Co. ), 4 Custom House St BT48 6AA ( north side of Guildhall ), ☏ +44 28 7136 4888 , [email protected] . M–Th 12:00–01:00, F Sa 12:00–01:30, Su 12:00–00:30 . Gastropub and craft beer bar in Guildhall. DJ sets or live music on the weekends. ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 54.9975 -7.3218 3 Peadar O'Donnell's , 63 Waterloo St, BT48 6HD , ☏ +44 28 7137 2318 . M–Sa 11:30–01:30, Su 12:30–00:30 . If you are looking for traditional Irish folk music sessions, this is the best place in Derry. Such sessions are held nearly every day of the week, and both locals and visitors create a nice atmosphere. Drinkers can access Gweedore Bar through an interior door. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• Gweedore Bar , 61 Waterloo St, BT48 6HD ( next to Peadar O'Donnells ). M–F 18:30–01:30, Sa 11:30–01:30, Su 12:30–00:30 . Geared purely to live music but with a more contemporary band nature than Peadar O'Donnells. Here you can listen to line ups of all ages strutting their stuff giving their interpretations of all the favourites and some original self penned music. Upstairs is in a nightclub-style, with disco nights. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.9967 -7.3195 4 The Metro , 3-4 Bank Pl, BT48 6EA , ☏ +44 28 7126 7401 . You'll find this charming bar in the shadow of the imposing city walls. The décor is interesting, with intriguing bric-a-brac collected from around the world, and lots of alcoves provide an intimate atmosphere. The pub grub here is of a high standard and features every thing from soup and sandwiches to a hearty beef stew in Guinness. A night the upper level transforms into ad hoc dance area, filled with a young crowd. Complete with a roof-top smoking area, great on a sunny day. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.992 -7.3262 5 Oakgrove Bar , 88 Bishop St, BT48 6QE , ☏ +44 28 7126 0856 , [email protected] . M–F 11:30–01:00, Sa 11:30–2:00, Su 12:30–01:00 . Located close to the Brandywell Stadium, this bar is busiest on Derry City FC matchdays. ( updated Dec 2020 )
• The Quiet Man Whiskey is blended on Rossdowney Road on Waterside, but construction of their own distillery was abandoned in 2018.
• Northbound Brewery is on Campsie Industrial Estate next to the airport, no tours. You can buy online but they only deliver within the city area.
• Otterbank Brewery is on the border at Muff, no tours.

Sleep [ edit ]

• 55.014002 -7.376389 1 Groarty House And Manor , 62 Groarty Rd, BT48 0JY , ☏ +44 28 7126-1403 . Check-in: 17:00–20:00 , check-out: 08:00–10:30 . Bed & Breakfast with pitches for 3 tents or motorhomes. Groarty Manor is a newly built house, set in its own one acre site surrounded by trees, and is tastefully furnished in warm relaxing colours. Has disabled access and disabled bathroom facilities on the ground floor. It offers a great base for touring County Londonderry, Donegal, and Derry City itself with its historic walls, museums and various other tourist attractions. £48–64 . ( updated May 2021 )
• 55.001265 -7.324155 2 The Merchant's House , 16 Queen St, BT48 7EQ , ☏ +44 28 7126 9691 . A wonderful old house with B&B. Nice and clean, good breakfast. No en suite bathrooms. Closed in 2021 . ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 54.99598 -7.32266 3 Maldron Hotel , Butcher Street, BT48 6HL , ☏ +44 28 7137 1000 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: noon . Modern four-star hotel, centrally located inside the city walls, 200 m (660 ft) from Guildhall. Underground parking provided. £66–124 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 55.014544 -7.312471 4 Da Vinci's Hotel , 15 Culmore Road, BT48 8JB , ☏ +44 28 7127 9111 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 11:00 . Modern 4-star hotel. 65 spacious bedrooms, award winning traditional Irish bar, grillroom restaurant, Spirit Bar night club, Style Bar function space and meeting rooms. All guests can avail of complimentary car parking, unlimited wi-fi and weekend entertainment. £56 – £114 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 55.010022 -7.279741 5 Waterfoot Hotel , Caw Roundabout, BT47 6TB , ☏ +44 28 7134-5500 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the city centre on the east bank of the river (Waterside). Free car parking. £58 – £99 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.999283 -7.320386 6 City Hotel Derry , Queens Quay BT48 7AS , ☏ +44 28 7136 5800 , [email protected] . Slick modern hotel on the quay with spacious guest rooms, conference and event venues and dining. B&B double £120 . ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 55.03 -7.219 7 Best Western Plus White Horse Hotel , 68 Clooney Rd, Campsey BT47 3PA ( 2 miles west of airport ), ☏ +44 28 7186 0606 . Comfy efficient hotel on A2 near airport. B&B double £80 . ( updated Aug 2021 )
• 54.994777 -7.323044 8 Bishop's Gate Hotel , 24 Bishop Street, BT48 6PP , ☏ +44 28 7114 0300 . Check-in: 16:00 , check-out: 11:00 . A boutique hotel in the city centre. Nice bar and restaurant on site as well. £99–165 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.981874 -7.336996 9 Everglades Hotel , 41-53 Prehen Road, BT47 2NH , ☏ +44 28 7132 1066 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 11:00 . Four-star hotel, 2 km south of the city centre on the east bank of the river (Waterside). Free car parking. £76–120 . ( updated Dec 2020 )
• 54.969229 -7.270137 10 Beech Hill Country House Hotel , 32 Ardmore Road, BT47 3QP , ☏ +44 28 7134-9279 , [email protected] . Five-star hotel that Bill and Hilary Clinton stayed in. Small hotel in a converted country house, in large grounds 5 km east of the city centre on the east bank of the river (Waterside). Free parking. £85–154 . ( updated Dec 2020 )

Stay safe [ edit ]

Derry was scarred by the late 20th century Troubles, and it remains an "interface area" where Republican and Loyalist communities co-exist and occasionally kick off. But it's become a normal city by British and Irish standards, and hasn't seen the need for the kind of "Peace Wall" that still separates neighbourhoods in Belfast. There are down-at-heel districts where you have no reason to go, and aggressive drunks whose politics you need not debate, same as anywhere else. Safeguard your valuables and vehicle, beware traffic, and use your commonsense, you'll do fine.

Connect [ edit ]

To call a number in Northern Ireland from the Republic, use area code 048 with no country code. The +44 28 versions given above will work but incur international rates.

As of Aug 2021, Derry has 4G from all UK carriers, which extends some miles into the Republic, especially along Lough Foyle west shore.

It also picks up an Irish 4G signal from Eir and Three, and a mobile signal from Vodafone. Neither side has 5G.

Go next [ edit ]

• The County Londonderry coast is scenic: Castlerock has the ruin of an eccentric mansion and "temple". Portstewart is the main beach resort.
• The Antrim coast east of Portrush has the big attractions of Bushmills Distillery, Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Bridge. It's very touristy on summer weekends.
• County Donegal has a rugged coastline and marks the start of the Wild Atlantic Way : you pick up the signposts for this as you cross the border at Muff.

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By Darragh Peter Murphy

There are so many things to do in Derry-Londonderry, but here are the top 10. 

Heaney Homeplace

Newly opened in Bellaghy, the HomePlace gives an introduction to Derry’s most famous literary figure. The eldest of nine children, Seamus Heaney was born at Mossbawn in 1939 near Bellaghy and attended St Columb’s College in Derry before proceeding – like many at the time – to Queen’s University in Belfast. Heaney was buried in Bellaghy in 2013. The centre includes a 191-seat performance space, a library, education spaces, a community annex, cafe and shop.

Visit the Seamus Heaney HomePlace

Amble along the City Walls

Few cities do history like Derry-Londonderry, and a walk along the Walled City’s 17th-century fortification is the best way to explore the area’s tumultuous past and slow walk to peace. If you do nothing else here, do this.

The People’s Gallery and Free Derry Corner

For many, Derry-Londonderry is synonymous with the Bloody Sunday massacre, here tastefully documented in the People’s Gallery . Combine a Bogside History walking tour with a visit to the Museum of Free Derry .

Seisiún ceoil

Derry has long been an incubator for outstanding talent in Irish traditional music, and since the Fleadh Cheoil and City of Culture year of 2013, it has come into its own. You can’t move in the city after 10pm without hearing trad being played. Sunday afternoon sessions are particularly entrancing. Check out Bennigans and Sandinos among others for jazz, rock and acoustic music for today’s successors to Phil Coulter or The Undertones.

Marvel at Mussenden Temple

Now perched precariously on cliffs high above the North Atlantic on the eastern edge of the county, the Mussenden Temple was built in 1785, modelled on the Vesta Temple in Rome. It forms an architectural hook for Downhill Demense, offering great views towards Magilligan Strand towards Donegal. It’s popular for civil ceremonies, while Downhill Beach has been used for filming of Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones fans will love a trip to Mussenden Temple

The most striking building in the city, the neo-gothic Guildhall in the city’s civic centre, overlooking the Peace Bridge, is home to one of Ireland’s largest collections of stained glass.

The Heritage Trail

Explore the historic churches – and the story of Columcille, also known as St Columba – by visiting St Columb’s Cathedral , St Columb’s Well, St Augustine’s Church, and the Long Tower Church. Continue on to visit the First Derry Presbyterian Church, and St Brecan’s at St Columb’s Park – the only surviving medieval church in the city today.

Hike the Sperrin Mountains

Stretch your legs in the scenic hills of the Faughan Valley and beyond. The Derry-Londonderry tourist office has a list of scenic driving, cycling and hiking routes.

Experience the world’s best Halloween Carnival (according to USA Today), attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. The successor to the ancient Celtic feast of Samhain, these days Halloween involves light shows, animations and a terrifying woodland trail Fright Night.

Experience Derry-Londonderry’s amazing annual Halloween Carnival

The Tower Museum and the Siege Museum

This museum traces the history of the city’s unionist community from the Plantation of Ulster in the early 1600s to the present day.

Read more about Derry-Londonderry

Image credits: ©Brian Morrison/David Cordner/Northern Ireland Tourist Board; Mid-Ulster District Council

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15 Fun Things To Do In Londonderry, Ireland (For 2023)

Categories Londonderry , Things To Do

Londonderry , also popularly known as “Derry”, is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland.

Overall, it is the fourth largest city in the country. Derry is derived from an Old Irish name which means “oak grove” but aside from that, it is also known as the walled city.

READ MORE: Best Hotels In Londonderry.

In fact, it is the only remaining intact walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples in Europe.

Londonderry is engulfed with a lot of history that is why you should not skip it when in Ireland. To give you an idea, here are 15 things to do in Londonderry

Things you'll find in this article

1.  Walkthrough Irish history in the Walls of Derry

2. understand the story of derry in the tower museum, 3. get to know more of the free derry museum, 4. learn the history of the siege of londonderry in the siege museum, 5. cross through the peace bridge, 6. see the beautiful guildhall building, 7. hear a story of romance and tragedy in the prehen house, 8. pay respect to st eugene’s cathedral, 9. visit the internationally recognized st columb’s cathedral, 10. take a walk in st columb’s park, 11. take a quick trip to ness country park, 12. snap a pic with the bogside murals, 13. add the free derry corner in your ‘gram, 14. rediscover the charm of the craft village, 15. travel through the derry-coleraine railway.

The Walls of Derry is one of the most iconic spots in Londonderry. After all, these walls made the city known as the only walled city in Ireland that survived through time. These diamond-shaped defensive walls were built in the 1610s to protect the city from the English and Scottish colonists.

It also stood strong amidst the 105-day siege during the Williamite War in 1689. The walls can be stretched 1.6 kilometers in total, is 26 feet high, and approximately 30 feet wide. It can be seen straddling a hill.

Walking through the middle of the wall shows a clear division of the countryside and the Inner City. Before, the walls were closed to the public for decades mainly because it is one of the best spots for snipers.

However, after the city has regained peace, this walled city has become one of the top tourist attractions in Londonderry and one of the best day trips from Belfast. 

Opening Hours

Monday- Saturday – 11:30 am- 1am

Sunday- 12pm -12 am

Contact Information

Address: Bishop St, Londonderry BT48 6PR, UK

Phone: +44 28 7126 7284

Email:  [email protected]

The Tower Museum is located within the historic walls specifically in Union Hall Palace. It is a historic tower which presents the history of Derry through award-winning exhibits from the prehistoric time until the 1960s.

It also has an exhibit of a local shipwreck in 1588 located in a separate gallery. In this gallery, you can see artifacts from a Spanish Armada ship known as La Trinidad Valencera.

The Museum also has a cinema where you can continue learning the history of Derry during the second half of the 20th century. The presentation talks about the causes and outcomes of the Troubles.

Monday- Sunday- 10 am-4;30 pm

Address: Tower Museum Union Hall Place Derry  BT48 6LU

Phone:  028 7137 2411

Email: [email protected]

As stated earlier, Derry is engulfed with a lot of history and more of it can be seen from the Free Derry Museum.

With over 25,000 artifacts in its exhibits, the Free Derry Museum aims to send a message supporting civil rights and equality. It tells the story about the Battle of the Bogside, Operation Motorman, and Bloody Sunday.

These stories are being supported with letters, posters, photographs and actual footage. The museum opened in 2006 and it has become one of the major resources for schools and colleges all over Ireland and beyond.

The museum also draws visitors from Unionist and Nationalist communities but more importantly, it welcomes everyone who is interested in the history of the city of Derry and its civil rights movement.

Monday – Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm (All year, excluding Christmas and New Year)

Saturday 1.00pm – 4.00pm (All year, excluding Christmas and New Year)

Sunday 1.00pm – 4 pm ( July – Sept)

Last admission 30 minutes before stated closing time.

Admission Fee

Adult £6.00 / Concessionary/Senior £5.00 / Groups (10+) £4.00

Address: Museum of Free Derry,  55 Glenfada Park, Bogside, Derry, BT48

Phone: 028 71 360880

Email: [email protected]

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The Siege of Londonderry is another historical event in Ireland that is worth to know. In fact, an extension to the Apprentice Boys of Derry Memorial Hall was completed in 2016 to exhibit this 1688 Siege.

Today, it is now called the Siege Museum and Exhibition where you can find exhibitions about the Apprentice Boys of Derry, Orange Order, Women’s Orange, and The Royal Black Institution.

Each of these orders is located in separate rooms where you can find artifacts, videos, and interactive media.

Monday – Saturday

10am – 5pm (last entry 4:30pm)

Closed (Group tours available by request)

£4 per person

Under 12 – Free

Address: 13 Society Street Londonderry BT48 6PJ

Phone: 028 71261219

Email: [email protected]

The Peace Bridge is another symbolic spot in Derry which connects the Unionists and Nationalists as it literally crosses between the waterside and cityside communities in Derry.

As for those who have not known, the Waterside community generally belongs to the Unionists while the Cityside to the Nationalists. The 235-meter bridge was completed in 2011 as a collaboration between AECOM and Wilkinson Eyre Architects.

Today, it is a popular scene to celebrate New Year in Londonderry.

This beautiful neo-gothic style building is located just outside the city walls and near the Peace Bridge and is totally worth the visit.

Originally built in 1887 by the Honourable Irish Society, the Guildhall is embellished with a beautiful stained glass window, a grand staircase, the main hall organ, and a corridor which altogether adds up to the building’s alluring charm.

Aside from its intriguing history, the Guildhall also faced a major restoration in June 2013 which now results in a multifaceted tourism experience for anyone who wishes to visit the building.

Visiting the Guildhall will introduce you to an exhibit which presents the history of the city during the colonization in the 17th century- also known as the Plantation of Ulster. Because of this, this promising tourist hub has been awarded and recognized by several professional bodies, heritage groups, and construction organizations.

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Home of Ireland’s greatest love story, the Prehen House is an 18th century Irish Georgian house located in Prehen, County Londonderry . The house was built in 1740 for Andrew Knox after he married Honoria Tomkins, heiress of Prehen.

Much more of this, the Prehen House is also tied to the story of Mary Ann Knox. Her story was both romance and tragedy where she was accidentally killed during an attempted elopement by John MacNaghten, the landowner.

As a punishment for this accident, MacNaghten was executed and hanged for his crime. Although the house is still privately owned, tourists and visitors are also welcome to visit to hear this tale and appreciate the views of Derry and the Foyle River.

Address: Prehen Park, Derry, Londonderry, BT47 2PB

Phone: (028) 7134 2829

Email:  [email protected]

The Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Derry is no other than St. Eugene’s Cathedral. This Roman Catholic church was built in the second half of the 19th century with a Gothic Revival style.

The enchanting outcome of this project was made possible by the brilliance of its architect, James Joseph McCarthy. The tower of the cathedral is visible in the northwest of the city kissing the edge of Brooke Park.

In the upper section of the bell tower, you can also see a statue of St. Eugene from 1873. McCarthy used a Sardinian granite on the sanctuary floor while the altar is bedazzled with Carrara marbles.

Monday to Friday:   

8.00 am, 10.00 am and 7.30 pm

Saturday:   

Address: St. Eugene’s Cathedral Derry City BT48 9AP

Phone: 028 7126 2894/ 028 7136 5712

Email: [email protected]

It is dedicated to St. Columba, an Irish monk who established a Christian settlement in Derry before he was exiled from the country. Parts of this cathedral is recognized as one of the oldest standing monuments in Derry.

The chancel and spire, on the other hand, does not belong to it because it only came in the 19th and 20th century.

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If you’re looking for a place to just chill or maybe have a picnic with your family, the St. Columb’s Park right at the bank of the River Foyle is the perfect hangout spot for you.

You can also go straight to this park if you’re coming from the Peace Bridge. Aside from the greenery and landscape of the park, you can also find a manor house which was built in the 18th century.

This manor house is currently being used for accommodation and conference center. There is also a small cafe on the ground floor for visitors who wants to take some refreshments.

March to October – Monday to Saturday 9 am – 5 pm

November to February (incl) Monday to Saturday 10 am – 2 pm

​ Open for Services: Sunday 8am-9am, 11am – 12.30pm, 4pm-5pm

Address: 17 London Street Londonderry BT48 6RQ

Phone: 028 7126 7313

Email: [email protected]

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Ness Country Park, a 55 hectares of greenery, is located on the Banks of River Burntollet just outside the walled city. It consists of seven kilometers of forest and riverside and a vast meadow.

If you dig deep into the heart of the forest, you will be taken to the enchanting Ness waterfall and its set of rapids. Locals advise that the best time to walk in the park is during the spring season where bluebells and wood anemones paint the forest floor with lovely hues.

Ness Country Park is the perfect countryside getaway if you want to take a break from the walled city.

Monday – Sunday -9 am – 4pm

Address: 50 Oughtagh Rd, Killaloo, Londonderry BT47 3TR

Email:   [email protected]

The Bogside Murals do not only serve as a tourist attraction in Derry but it is also a reminder of its difficult past. This set of 12 large paintings are located in the neighborhood where the Bloody Saturday took place. This historical event resulted in these paintings which aim to champion civil rights.

You can take a guided tour to know the deeper context of these paintings which depicts the Battle of Bogside in 1969, Operation Motorman in 1972, the victims of the Bloody Sunday, and a dove of peace.

Still located in the Bogside Neighborhood, the Free Derry Corner is a single standing wall which was once the entrance to a self-declared autonomous Nationalist area in Derry.

The message which says “You are now entering Free Derry” was painted by a local activist in 1969 during the early phases of the Troubles.

The wall used to have rows of terrace houses at the background. However, these houses were demolished later on which leaves the wall independently standing as a dual carriageway in the present time.

Beside the wall is a memorial for the victims of the Irish Hunger Strike.

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If you have an eye for arts, crafts, and little trinkets, the Craft Village deserves a quick trip. Most of the finds here are of Irish references like Irish dancing costumes, glassware, knitwear, crystal home decorations, candles, and a lot more.

Aside from these, the Craft Village also hosts live performances. To watch these performances, just spot the Canopy and the large iron and glass structure which shelters the stage.

The Derry-Coleraine Railway is a 50-kilometer train ride offering one of the most beautiful views in the world. The ride passes through a green landscape of dry-stone walls and basalt hills.

It continues heading towards the coast of Benone Strand before reaching Castlerock. From there, you’ll experience the longest railway tunnels in Ireland which were dug in the 1850s.

The ride ends at Causeway Coast where you’ll most likely recognize several scenes from Game of Thrones .

Planning to visit soon? Here are our recommended best hotels in Londonderry . 

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Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries for the past 8 years. I also lived in 3 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia to Africa. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.

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Thanks for the ideas of things to do in Londonderry

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Derry~Londonderry

Discover the historic walled city of Derry~Londonderry

… and the beautiful Causeway Coast

Nestled perfectly between the beautiful Antrim Glens and the stunning Wild Atlantic Way, the breathtaking city of Derry, arguably the most historic place in Ireland, boasts 2,000 years of powerful and compelling history that has been touched by saints and scholars, kings and armies, royalty and rebellion, troubles and triumph, and much more.

Derry~Londonderry boasts the only completely walled city on the island of Ireland and is full of history and hidden treasures. The modern-day city is a vibrant place to visit, full of great pubs & places to eat, authentic live music, warm friendly people and great craic. Come join us on an adventure!

Derry~Londonderry City Tour

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Things to do in Derry the ultimate guide

Visiting Derry or Londonderry Northern Ireland as it’s “officially” known is something I do quite often. The historic walled city of Londonderry is often overlooked and extremely underrated for folks visiting Ireland and yet it is one of my favourite cities in the country. I’ve put together an itinerary for visiting Derry that you can do in one day and it includes 16 things to do in Derry (Londonderry) that you shouldn’t miss.

Derry is the second biggest city in Northern Ireland and is located in County Derry which borders Donegal and has close ties to the County. Its name Derry comes from the Irish word  Daire  which means oak forest. Derry is the only remaining intact walled city in Ireland. The old city which is walled is on the west bank of the Foyle River and is spanned by two bridges for vehicles and the pedestrian bridge named the Peace Bridge.

There is a lot to see and do in Londonderry Ireland, the city holds a lot of history from the ancient oak forests that were plundered by the British to the Troubles and Civil Rights marches and the best city walls in Ireland.

Is it Derry or Londonderry?

A brief derry history, derry tourist map, londonderry ireland, getting to derry (londonderry), touring the city of derry cemetery, free derry corner, bloody sunday memorial, free derry museum, derry city walls, visiting the guildhall in derry, the craft village of derry, the derry peace bridge, tower museum derry, check out the gold teapot, guildhall taphouse – artisan brewers of dopey dick beer, the story of dopey dick, siege museum of derry, the heritage tower – former derry gaol, derry girls mural, derry halloween events, tourist information centre londonderry, where to stay in derry.

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101 Landmarks in Northern Ireland

Is Derry worth visiting? Derry is one of those Northern Ireland cities that everyone should visit. Smaller than Belfast it is rich in history and culture and there is some mighty craic to be had in the pubs. From Derry you can also take the ferry across to the fabulous Inishowen Peninsula , Donegal’s wild untamed northern Wild Atlantic Way Coast .

Is Derry Catholic or Protestant? Although Derry was originally an almost exclusively Protestant city, it has become increasingly Catholic over recent centuries. The 1993 census of Derry said that nearly 70% of Derry’s citizens were Catholic.

Is Derry a friendly city? Derry has been named as the eighth friendliest city in the UK, with Newcastle coming in at number one. Thousands of tourists flock to Derry for events such as Halloween celebrations.

What are the top attractions to visit in Derry? Derry Attractions include the Derry City Medieval Walls, the Bloody Sunday Memorial, The Derry Murals, the Peace Bridge and of course the Derry Girls Mural.

What should I not miss in Londonderry? Take a guided tour of Bogside – which will include the Free Derry, Murals, and the Bloody Sunday Memorial. These tours will teach you a lot about the ‘Troubles’ and how the citizens of Derry are moving into a peaceful future.

I should say a word or two here about the Derry Londonderry naming issue. Nationalists favour Derry and Unionists use Londonderry. The name of the city didn’t use to be contentious but in the ’60s at the start of the Troubles, it was politicized by the Republicans to drive home the fact that Ireland should be united and not under the control of London .

The argument to change the official name from Londonderry to Derry has gone back and forth for years. Hopefully with a much younger voting group coming up and the Peace Accord going strong eventually the name will become in law Derry which is its original Irish name.

Derry is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Ireland whose earliest records stretch back to the 6th century. A monastery was founded here by Saint Colmcille who came to Derry from Donegal to help convert the occupants to Christianity.

Derry is famous for its old intact city walls which surround the old city which lies on the banks of the River Foyle. This one mile of city walls are known as one of the best examples of a walled city in Europe.

1609-1613 : After the de-population following the Nine Years War and the Flight of the Earls, the Plantation of Ulster begins. Derry is renamed Londonderry due to the involvement of the Guilds of London in its development. With its imposing walls and new Protestant Cathedral (1633), Londonderry was intended to be a bastion of British power.

1688-1689 : Siege of Derry. Thirteen Protestant Apprentice Boys close the gates on the Catholic King James, with a bitter 105-day siege following. There is a great loss of life before the siege is lifted.

1968 onwards : Outbreak of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, with Derry at its centre. Civil Rights demands by the city’s Catholic majority lead to violence, with Bloody Sunday, on  30 Jan 1972 , seeing 14 unarmed Catholic civilians shot dead by British Paratroopers, an event which remains emotive to the present day. During this time, the city sees a great exodus of the Protestant population to the East of the river . In Your Pocket

60 Best Northern Ireland tourist attractions

Fancy a visit to Ireland? Well here is everything you need to know about visiting Ireland

If you are touring the Causeway Coast then your itinerary will probably end up in or near Derry. Visiting Derry is an easy trip from Belfast . The train takes about 2.5 hours, a bus via Translink is around 2 hours (that depends on stops) or by car which is around 90 minutes.

Getting to Londonderry from Dublin by driving takes around 3 hours. Translink UK operates a bus from Dublin to Derry every 3 hours.

You can also fly into Derry Ireland Airport from the UK  or into Belfast where you can rent a car. The George Best Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport both take flights from the UK and of course, the international airport takes flights from the US and other areas of the world. 

Since we live in Donegal we recommend flying into Donegal Airport, which has been voted as the most scenic landing in the world and it means that you can add Donegal to your itinerary.

We wanted to take the Derry Hop On Hop Off bus but when we made it to the visitor’s centre we learned that it only runs in season…sigh… from mid-March until the end of October. So, the Centre recommended a tour with a cab and arranged it for us right then and there. The cost was pretty much the same as the Hop on Hop off bus around £25 for the two of us. Our tour guide was Adrian Callan who was absolutely brilliant and made us forget everything about doing a bus tour.

Adrian was born in the Bogside and was an actual witness to events during the “troubles”, Bloody Sunday and all the horrific times that nearly destroyed this city. Adrian is an absolutely superb guide and raconteur – he knows his history and tells you stories that are not one-sided and cover the gamut from the good to the bad to the ridiculously funny.

Adrian Callan [email protected] or call 0044 (0) 7793525478 the best guide in Derry.

Things to do in Derry in 2 days

We began our tour of Derry with Adrian from the Londonderry Tourist Centre (which is very easy to find and located right across the road from where the Derry Peace Bridge begins) and we crossed the Foyle over to Waterside where we toured some of the Republican and Unionist areas. You can still see the markings on the curbs in the Unionist areas and on the telephone poles for the red, white and blue of the British flag. In the Republican areas, these painted curbs and poles are becoming less and less common and we rarely saw one.

I noticed that the flags all seemed to be at half-mast and asked Adrian why that was. Adrian in typical Irish fashion wove a tale of the flags being at half-mast because they couldn’t be picked out and destroyed by snipers. Laughingly he then told us the basic truth of the matter – the flags were at half-mast because that was how high the ladders could reach.

We spent around an hour and a half with Adrian and he provided us with insights and information on everything from the Spanish Armada, the division of Derry from Donegal, and the ancient civil wars and early days of the founding of Derry.

Adrian was by far the best guide we have ever met and we would highly recommend you give him a shout when you are in the area. He also does a wide range of tours into Donegal, the Causeway Coast , and the Glens of Antrim to name just a few. I can’t say enough good things about his experience and tours.

Crossing over to Waterside with Adrian we had a quick tour around the area and checked out the views from Eskaheen. Which gave some scope to the area with the Peace Bridge in the distance and Adrian gave us some great history lessons on how Derry came into being and how the divide was made between the north and south. He told us that Derry got its name from the fact that it was a huge swathe of oak trees that used to cover the area.

During Elizabethan times, Derry was a highly prized area for the London merchants who salivated over the oaks, which would be used to build the British naval fleets to defeat the Spanish for Queen Elizabeth. The biggest prize in Ireland was the ability to make money for the British from these magnificent and now long-gone forests.

From Waterside and the striking views of Derry from this higher vantage point, we then visited the Cemetery.

The cemetery is on a hill with views over the Foyle River and Derry city itself. There were IRA graves there, victims of Bloody Sunday, Hunger striker memorials and graves as well as just ordinary folk. We were very surprised to see graves belonging to Canadians from WWI and WWII decorated with little Canadian flags in memoriam. It was a really quiet, peaceful place to be with magnificent views over the city.

From the cemetery, we then took a drive back over the Foyle to visit and tour the Bogside area of Derry. Adrian our guide grew up in this area, was incredibly knowledgeable, and freely shared his experiences of growing up here.

A tour of Bogside – Free Derry, Murals, Bloody Sunday Memorial

We began by taking in some of the murals that are on the gable ends of houses in Bogside .  The Bogside Artists have painted all these murals and there are 12 of them in total over time these murals have become known as The People’s Gallery.

Painted between 1997 and 2001 the murals are a commemoration of the events of the troubles in the Bogside. The murals include Bloody Sunday, Battle of the Bogside, Operation Motorman, and the hunger strike that took place in 1981.

First painted by teenager John Caker Casey in 1969 on the gable end of terraced houses which have now gone. The name ‘Free Derry’ was given to those areas barricaded off from the security forces from 1969 -72. The barricades were removed during Operation Motorman. This street art is often added to with slogans relating to current events.

A simple granite obelisk is surrounded by a small cast iron fence and a plaque that explains the Bloody Sunday massacre that took place here in 1972. Piles of flowers are left daily in remembrance of the event and the victims.

We have all heard the U2 song but it just doesn’t capture the pathos of standing at that monument and realizing most of the killed were young boys aged between 16 and 21.

This was a civil rights march that started out peaceful and ended up with 14 dead and many more wounded. British soldiers were essentially told to gun down innocent civilians, the majority of those killed and wounded were shot while running away from the soldiers, and others were shot trying to help the wounded. Army vehicles ran down some protestors, others were hit with rubber bullets and even more beaten with batons.

My personal favourite was, however, the Che Guevara mural. Apparently, Che’s father, whose full name is Ernesto Guevara Lynch, was proud of his Irish roots and how his family built a business in Argentina after fleeing Ireland during Cromwell’s era.

Years later when Che was Cuba’s transport minister, he made an unscheduled stop off in Limerick and wrote a letter to his father, who he thought would be pleased to hear that he was visiting a country of his ancestry

Jim Fitzpatrick an Irish artist created the famous print of Che that appears around the world on t-shirts to posters. Jim was also the graphic designer for all of Thin Lizzy’s album covers. Recently Adrian told us that since Jim never received a penny for the Che graphic he has now copyrighted the graphics and created a fund that gives all the profits from the sale of the image back to Cuba.

This mural is dedicated to the Women of Derry. Countess Markievicz, carrying a flag of Cumann na mBan, and Ethel Lynch, carrying a flag of the Derry IRA. Markievicz is famous for her role in the Easter Rising of 1916 Lynch died in December 1974 of injuries sustained when a bomb exploded prematurely.

The Free Derry Museum concentrates on the Battle of Bogside, Bloody Sunday, and Operation Motorman which tells the story of the civil rights movement that began here. There are over 25,000 artefacts within the museum.

Derry City centre is surrounded by ancient walls that were completed in 1619. The Derry Walls are 8 metres high and 9 metres thick. These are the only walls in Ireland to survive virtually intact today. The walk around the walls is approximately 1.5 kilometres long.

Derry’s nickname, the Maiden City, derives from the fact that the walls have never been breached by an invader. However, as Adrian, our guide put it “these walls have divided us and will continue to do so until we deal with pulling down the parts that have been added to them”.

We learned from Adrian that a large part of the issue of division is down to the fact that kids from protestant and Catholic families still divide themselves educationally by these so-called loyalties.

An integrated education system is desperately needed in N. Ireland. Most citizens feel that with an integrated system, the old lines of Protestantism and Catholicism will be breached and overcome and peace will then be long-lasting and not as temporary as they feel it is now.

Adrian dropped us at the Guildhall and encouraged us to visit the building to learn about the Plantation of Ulster and the Guildhall’s history in Derry.

Standing just outside the city walls, the neo-Gothic Guildhall was originally built in 1890, then rebuilt after a fire in 1908. Its beautiful stained-glass windows were presented by the London livery companies, and its clock tower was modeled on London’s Big Ben.

You will see a statue of Queen Victoria in the entrance hall, notice the hands are missing and the marble base has some cracks and gouges this occurred during the bombings of the Guildhall in 1972.

Inside, there’s a historical exhibition on the Plantation of Ulster and a tourist information point. The organ in the Guildhall is absolutely magnificent it was built in 1912 and refurbished in the 2000s.  You can actually rent the main hall here for £1000 pounds for your wedding and get married on the stage where Liam Neeson had his first acting job.

This is a little haven in the centre of Derry, which is a reconstruction of an 18th-century street and square. There is a central canopy in the square and it provides a wonderful arena for local performers and displays. The village itself is full of eclectic little shops and cafes with over 100 crafters operating out of the various stores.

The Derry Peace Bridge has become an integral part of Derry City and has changed the way local people use and view their city with over 3 million people having crossed it so far and many of the locals using it daily. It is a universal symbol of peach that joins the two sides of a once terribly divided city.

The Derry Peace Bridge is a walking bridge over the River Foyle. It was built in 2011 to symbolize the unification of the Protestant Waterside and the Nationalist Bogside. The bridge was designed to symbolize the bridging of the 400-year-old political and physical gap between the two communities of Derry. It stretches from the Guild Hall to Ebrington Square and St Columb’s Park on the far side of the River Foyle. 

The Tower Museum houses two permanent exhibitions.

• “The Story of Derry,” tells the colourful and dramatic history of the city from its earliest prehistory to the present.
• “An Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera,” tells the story of one of the largest ships in the Spanish Armada, La Trinidad Valencera, which sank off the Donegal Coast in 1588 and was rediscovered by divers from the City of Derry Sub-Aqua Club in 1971.

The top of the Tower Museum (level 5) provides the only open-air viewing facility in the heart of the city centre with stunning panoramic views of the inner city and river Foyle.

The gold teapot first appeared in 1866 and it advertised a new grocery business. This striking golden teapot apparently spouts steam every hour on the hour during the day. The teapot, itself weighs 74kg and it was previously hung in the city for over 100 years. It has had an eventful history and the fact that it has survived so long is remarkable

When visiting Derry you have to find some artisanal beer and the Guildhall Taphouse has one of the best. Housed in a wooden-beamed, 19th-century building brightened with fairy lights, the Taphouse is a cosy place to sample an excellent selection of local and international craft beers or a sophisticated cocktail.

There’s regular live music including trad sessions every Wednesday. The Guildhall brews its own artisanal beer in-house and the beers are called Dopey Dick after a rather unique story about a whale in the Foyle River. Oh and by the way the Dopey Dick beers are excellent.

In 1977 golfers, walkers, and those just watching the Foyle river flow by noticed a rather large beast swimming upriver. They could not believe their eyes when they figured out it was a whale that was over 20 feet in length.

The whale was identified as a “killer whale” and Operation Rescue was launched to herd the animal back out to the open water, but apparently, it didn’t want to go. Numerous efforts failed to encourage the whale and eventually Derry folk just got to calling it a “dopey Dick” the name stuck. Eventually, the whale tired of the Foyle and headed back to open waters on its own terms. In 2015 Dopey Dick was spotted off the coast of Scotland alive and well.

This new museum celebrates the role of the 13 apprentice boys who in December 1688 locked the city gates against the approaching Jacobite army. Derry was surrounded and during the 105-day siege, no supplies could reach the city, its starving citizens resorting to eating dogs and rats until English ships brought relief.

This is the last remaining tower of a former gaol, the remainder of which was demolished in 1973. While the original gaol was built in 1791, the towers were an 1824 addition with this one being a hanging tower.

The prison’s most famous inmate was Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the failed 1798 United Irishmen rebellion. Tone was imprisoned here prior to his trial and execution in Dublin. Also held here was, then rebel, Eamon de Valera, later to be President of Southern Ireland.

The tower now houses a small World War I museum, which is only open by appointment.

A worldwide hit TV series Derry Girls this sitcom has been an inspiration for a new generation of Irish folks that grew up during the Troubles. The reality of British Army checkpoints, bomb warnings and peace walls are all exposed in the show along with the Catholic nuns and schools attended. The Derry Girls make us laugh at the absolute absurdity of the past. 

A mural of the show in the tradition of Irish murals in Derry was commissioned by Channel 4 and designed by the Derry-based social enterprise group UV arts. You can find the mural on the side of Badger’s Bar and Restaurant right in the heart of Derry with perfect views from the City walls of Derry. The address is 18 Orchard Street and features the cast of the hit show. 

If you get the opportunity the best place in the world to spend Halloween is in Derry. USA Today voted Derry the Best Halloween Destination in the World and it is the truth. 

Halloween was invented by the Irish and originated in the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain – which is pronounced sow win. This is the time of year when the walls between the worlds are thin and the spirits of the dead come back to walk the earth. Derry is the centre of some phenomenal celebrations like the Awakening of the Walls which is a trail you can walk along the ancient Derry walls full of supernatural installations and some outstanding performances. There are drummers, magicians, giant puppets, and the Return of the Ancients Parade. Everyone in Derry gets dressed up and involved in the celebrations. 

We highly recommend that you stop by the Tourist Information Centre they were incredibly knowledgable and helpful and this was where we got the recommendation to book Adrian as our tour guide and we couldn’t have been happier. They also have a little gift shop there with some really interesting items to pick up and take home with you.

Don’t forget to visit the Glens of Antrim while you are touring N. Ireland – it’s a true don’t miss 

We had a fantastic two days in Derry and would go back again in a heartbeat. We had a brilliant dinner at the Quay West Winebar and because it was a Monday night, it was 30% off. Our total dinner bill with 4 Guinness, 1 cocktail, 2 steak dinners, 2 pasta dinners was a grand total of £44 now that can’t be beaten.

We discovered some lovely little cafes just up the road from our hotel and for breakfast, we paid around £4.50 for a full Irish with tea.

City Hotel Derry

We stayed in the ideally located City Hotel Derry which is very close to the Derry City Centre and we were very pleased with the location it was absolutely perfect for walking around Derry. The hotel has private parking below and we were able to leave our car there for the whole time we were there.

The hotel is a bit run down and in desperate need of some refurbishment, however, the staff were lovely and friendly and the place was immaculately clean. We can’t speak for the food because, to be honest, the reviews on that put us off so we didn’t eat there at all. But, for all of around £70 a night for the two of us it was great value.

Bishops Gate Hotel

If you want the ultimate in luxury take a look at the Bishop’s Gate Hotel the epitome of Edwardian elegance right in the Cathedral quarter. There is a lounge, fitness area, fine dining restaurant, and a Champagne bar.

Derry is a vibrant and historic city that offers visitors a wide range of activities and experiences. From exploring the ancient walls to enjoying traditional Irish music in local pubs, there is something for everyone in this charming town. Whether you’re interested in history, or culture, or simply want to relax and soak up the atmosphere,

Derry has it all. So why not plan your next trip to this beautiful part of Ireland and discover all that Derry has to offer? We guarantee you won’t be disappointed! All in all, it was an experience not to be missed and we can wholeheartedly recommend that you visit Derry – it’s a must-do when visiting Northern Ireland .

Here’s another not-to-be-missed experience – this is your guide to a self-drive Game of Thrones Tour you can even start in Derry.

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Faith was born in Ireland raised in Canada and has lived in over 10 countries in Europe including England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Northern Ireland, Wales, along with Mexico, Antigua, the US and has slow travelled to over 40 countries around the world. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Women's Studies Faith is a student of history, culture, community and food and has written about these topics for over 40 years.

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1 thought on “Things to do in Derry the ultimate guide”

Love this! My aunt is from Derry, so aside from wanting to visit there myself, it’s really lovely to see where she grew up. Definitely got to get there now! 🙂

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https://www.nist.gov/mep/successstories/2024/lean-training-and-implementation-leads-much-better-outcomes-harvey-building

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Lean training and implementation leads to much better outcomes for harvey building products, with the help of: new hampshire manufacturing extension partnership (nhmep).

Harvey Building Products began in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1961, and quickly established itself as one of the most respected building products corporations. Harvey Building Products employs 404 people serving the building and construction industry with the manufacture of high-performing, custom-made windows and doors. In 2006 the company moved to a 380,000-square-foot facility in Londonderry, New Hampshire and remains there today.

The Challenge

“One of the measurables of our KPI’s is called units per person, or UPP,” said Harvey Building Products'  Continuous Improvement Manager  Matt Bouvier. “We were shooting for a KPI of 13, but the UPP was around 8-1/2 to 9. So we weren’t making the money as we hoped. We knew there was a lot of meat on the bone to go after, and looking at the line itself we saw how unorganized it was. All of this contributed to having trouble meeting on-time delivery.”

Bouvier realized quickly, however, these were not acceptable outcomes for sustainability and growth.  Bouvier had previous experience with MassMEP, part of the MEP National Network™. Then, through a colleague at Harvey Building Products, he discovered NH MEP, the New Hampshire MEP and another part of the MEP National Network™.

Harvey Windows and Doors greatly appreciates NH MEP coming out to our facility in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Their eagerness to learn our process and coach us through activities such as value stream mapping, waste reduction and other lean tools helped us achieve our productivity goals fast and effectively. We look forward to partnering up with them on other initiatives in the future. — David St. Jean , Senior Production Manager

MEP's Role

Bouvier reached out to NH MEP, and, with the help of a NH MEP project manager, developed an on-site lean training and implementation program to meet Harvey Building Products' needs. The intent of the lean training was to educate, as well as mentor, employees, in principles of lean, value stream mapping, and the execution of Kaizen events.

The introduction to the principles of lean are the foundation and building blocks for success at the client’s site. Shortly thereafter, a value stream mapping training event targeting a specific product family led to Kaizen training events focused on targeting and eliminating the waste discovered during the value stream mapping process. This hands-on experience, combined with the mentoring role of selected individuals employed by the client, created the workforce skills necessary to recreate and expand the lean, continuous-improvement-focused culture.