Northern Ireland consists of a unique experience for its visitors due to the fact that it has dominant British cultural characteristics, blended with elements of the Irish ones.
Its capital and largest city, Belfast, is located on the eastern coast of the country, in a very close distance to the Irish’s sea coast and the famous.
Before heading towards the city centre, where local transportation could be sufficient, a car hire that will give you the opportunity to explore airport’s surroundings and sites in different direction than Belfast’s downtown, would instantly upgrade the quality of your travel experience. So, upon your arrival, look for the most suitable Belfast airport car hire from Enjoy Travel, get your map and set your adventure mode on!
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Lough Neagh (8 miles)
On the spotlight stands the famous Lough Neagh lake, which is actually the biggest freshwater lake in the whole UK (and Ireland), and is designated as a Special Protection Area and a Ramsar Site.
Home for several and various plants and animals (e.g. eels, perch) while nature reserves and parks around the lake, including Oxford Island National Nature Reserve, give to travellers the opportunity to observe on their own the wildlife.
The towns and villages that are built circumferentially to the lake, such as Antrim Crumlin and Toom, are communities in which the visitor can take some leisure time enriching his perspective about Northern Ireland, through the local museums and historical attractions.
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Crumlin Road Gaol (10 miles)
A very popular and fascinating attraction narrating Northern Ireland’s complex and troubled past giving a great example of its broader political and social context. Before becoming the museum, it is today, the Crumlin Road Gaol, was a former prison, operating from 1845 to 1996 hosting notorious criminals, political and paramilitary prisoners. During the guided tours, visitors can also see significant sections, including the condemned man’s cell and the execution chamber.
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Lisburn City (8 miles)
The history of Northern Ireland’s 3rd biggest city is dated back to the 1600s, a fact that proves the importance of the existing attractions and the city’s contribution to the cultural heritage of the country.
For some chill time, you can choose the Castle Gardens, ideal destination for picnics in the heart of the city. For a glaze into the history and culture of the town, visit the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, which showcases the past of the local linen industry. But, in any case, do not exclude the Lisburn Cathedral, a beautiful landmark of Gothic architecture, the dominant architectural current of the 17th century.
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Antrim Castle Gardens (6 miles)
Treat yourself with some slow-paced time, enjoying the natural beauty of the country, strolling around the parkland of the Antrim Castle. Before its destroy at 1920s, it has been the ancestral home of the Earls of Antrim, originally build at 1610.
Besides a variety of Garden types, you will also encounter pathways, ponds, mazes and a range of formal flower beds.
Exhibitions, events, and concerts that take place all over the year, are the main use of the interior of the castle, constituting a pole of attraction.
