Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland – The 15 Best Things to See

Derry/Londonderry is the second biggest city of Northern Ireland, after Belfast. It’s a walled city, and there is so much history within the city walls.

The question is:

What are the best things to see during your stay in Derry/Londonderry?

Well, that’s exactly what you’re going to see in this guide.

 

 

In this travel guide about the best things to see in Derry/Londonderry, you’ll find in the table of contents below everything that we’ll see. Simply click on the table to expand it, then click on any part you’d like to jump to.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• A little bit about Derry/Londonderry
• Where is Derry/Londonderry?
• The 15 Best Things to See in Derry/Londonderry
• Map of the Best Spots in Derry/Londonderry
• Where to Stay in Derry/Londonderry
• Visit Northern Ireland

A little bit about Derry/Londonderry

First things first, is it Derry or Londonderry?

The city of many names

The city was originally named Derry, from the Irish “Daire“, meaning “oak tree”. It was then anglicized to “Derry”.

In 1613,  the name was changed to Londonderry.

The name of the city is now a topic of dispute between Irish nationalists (using Derry) and unionists (using Londonderry).

The city is often referred to as Derry/Londonderry for inclusion.

Derry/Londonderry is famous for having many names:

• Derry
• Londonderry
• Derry/Londonderry
• The Stroke City (because of the “/” used in the name)
• The Maiden City (the walls of the city have never been breached)
• The Walled City
• The City of Culture (designated UK City of Culture in 2013)
• Legenderry (I swear I’m not making this one up)

Northern Ireland Second Biggest City

With more than 107,000 inhabitants, Derry/Londonderry is the second biggest city in Northern Ireland after Belfast, and one of the best UK city breaks. 

You’ll find below a few interesting facts about Derry/Londonderry and the history of the city:

• the walls of the city have never been breached
• it’s the only medieval city wall still fully intact in Europe
• Derry/Londonderry is where the tragic event of Bloody Sunday took place on 30th January 1972

Where is Derry/Londonderry?

Derry/Londonderry is located on the north west side of Northern Ireland, next to the border with Ireland.

The city is built on the River Foyle, and belongs to the Londonderry County.

The 15 Best Things to See in Derry/Londonderry

I loved exploring Derry/Londonderry, because it’s literally filled with beautiful buildings and interesting things to see. If you have plenty of time, simply go walk in the streets, and you’ll be sure to discover epic places.

If you are spending a weekend in Derry/Londonderry (or even less), and want to know the very best things to see in the city, here’s the full list of the 15 best things to see:

1. The Guildhall
2. Shipquay Gate
3. Derry City Walls
4. The Peace Bridge
5. St Columb’s Cathedral
6. Double Bastion
7. St Eugene’s Cathedral
8. Bloody Sunday Memorial
9. Bogside Murals
10. St Columba’s Church
11. The World Oldest Independent Department Store
12. Hands Across the Divide Monument
13. Old Victorian Train Station
14. St Columb’s Park
15. Burt Castle

Keep reading below for more information about each place, along with photos that will help you decide if you’ll add this place to your list of things to see or just skip it.

1- The Guildhall

The Guildhall is a massive Beaux-Arts style building, built in 1890. I first thought it was in church, but it’s in fact a government building. It’s one of the most iconic construction in Derry/Londonderry.

In addition to seeing the Guildhall from the outside, you can actually visit it; I strongly encourage you to go inside, to see the impressive stained glass windows, and the pipe organ.

The Guildhall and its square are the center of the city, and I will refer to the other places in this list of 15 best places to see with their distance from the Guildhall.

2- Shipquay Gate

All around Derry/Londonderry old town, there is a fortified wall, with several entries: 4 original gates, plus 3 gates that were added later. The main gate is Shipquay Gate, right next to the River Foyle, and in front of the Guildhall.

By crossing the gate, you effectively enter Derry/Londonderry city center. If you go up on the walls, you’ll get a nice view over the Guildhall (this is where I took the Guildhall photo above).

Distance from Guildhall: 1 minute walking time

3- Derry City Walls

Also named the Walled City, Derry/Londonderry is the only walled city in Europe with its surrounding wall still completely intact. Built in 1619, the walls were never breached, and even withstood a 105 days siege (Siege of Derry, 1689).

Image by Sean Mack under CC BY 3.0

You can go up on the walls, and stroll around the city on the 1 mile loop (1.6 km). It’s the perfect way to explore the city, and you’ll have stunning views on all of the major monuments of Derry/Londonderry.

Distance from Guildhall: 2 minutes walking time

4- The Peace Bridge

The Peace Bridge, recently built in 2011, is a beautiful 312 meters long (1000 feet) s-shaped bridge over the River Foyle, the 3rd bridge in the city with the Craigavon Bridge and the Foyle Bridge.

It was built as an attempt to bridge the gap between the 2 sides of the river, between the Protestants on the east bank, and the Catholics on the west bank.

From the east entrance of the bridge, you’ll have a nice view of the Peace Bridge with the Guildhall in between the 2 pillars.

Distance from Guildhall: 3 minutes walking time, and 3 minutes to cross it

5- St Columb’s Cathedral

After the Guildhall tower, the second tower you’ll notice when approaching Derry/Londonderry is the spire of St Columb’s Cathedral. Built in 1633, the Cathedral is named after Saint Columba, a monk from Ireland who created a small village there in the 6th century.

The cathedral is jaw-dropping from the outside; you can view it from the City Walls, or get closer. You can also visit it, and see the work of art inside, with the stained glass windows, coupled with a vast number of historical items stored in the Cathedral.

Find opening times here: St Columb’s Cathedral info

Distance from Guildhall: 8 minutes walking time

6- Double Bastion

The Double Bastion is a stronghold on the City Walls, and the most famous of all the bastions; it was where “Roaring Meg” was, an intimidating cannon used during the siege of Derry, named this way because of the terrifying sound it made when being fired.

From the bastion, you have a panoramic view over all the military barracks in the distance.

Distance from Guildhall: 10 minutes walking time

7- St Eugene’s Cathedral

St Eugene’s Cathedral is another stunning monument in Derry/Londonderry. Its most unique feature is the 78 meters high spire (256 feet).

You can see the Cathedral from the City Walls, and also from the other bank of the River Foyle. If you love stained glass window, you will love visiting the Cathedral.

Distance from Guildhall: 10 minutes walking time

8- Bloody Sunday Memorial

On 30th January 1972, British soldiers shot unarmed people who were only protesting, in Derry/Londonderry. 13 died on the spot, and 1 man died 4 months later. It’s one of the main event of Ireland history, and still pretty vivid in memories today.

Image by Finn Terman Frederiksen under CC BY 2.0

There is now a monument in the same area, the Bloody Sunday Monument, with a memorial to all the victims.

Distance from Guildhall: 6 minutes walking time

9- Bogside Murals

Right next to the Bloody Sunday memorial, in the Bogside area of the city, you’ll find the Bogside Murals.

Image by Giuseppe Milo under CC BY 2.0

Image by Diego Cue under CC BY-SA 3.0

The murals in Derry/Londonderry are more than just graffitis. They are a way to protest the brutality that happened in the city, and also a tribute to all of the victims.

Distance from Guildhall: 5 minutes walking time

10- St Columba’s Church

Situated outside of the City Walls, St Columba’s Church was built in 1783. It’s a complementary experience to St Columba’s Cathedral, where you will learn the history of the funding father of Derry/Londonderry.

Copyright Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Distance from Guildhall: 12 minutes walking time

11- The World Oldest Independent Department Store

In Derry/Londonderry, you will find what used to be the World Oldest Independent Department Store, Austins Department Store. The store lost its status in 2016, when it suddenly closed on 8th March 2016.

The store is still a beautiful building to see, and it’s also the opportunity to see the War Memorial on the same square.

Distance from Guildhall: 5 minutes walking time

12- Hands Across the Divide monument

The Hands Across the Divide monument was erected in 1992, in the same spirit of the Peace Bridge: to bring the 2 communities together. If you enter the city from the south, via the Craigavon Bridge, this is the first thing you’ll see.

Copyright Northern Ireland Tourist Board

While you’re in the area, you’ll also see the Carlisle Road Presbyterian church (in the background on the picture above), and colorful traditional buildings.

Distance from Guildhall: 10 minutes walking time

13- Old Victorian Train Station

Built in 1875, the Victorian Train Station in Derry/Londonderry was the primary connection between the city and the capital, Belfast. It was replaced in 1980 by a regular train station, but the Old Victorian Train Station is still in perfect conservation, and the building is worth seeing.

While you’re on this side of the River Foyle, you’ll have a beautiful view of the city and St Columb’s Cathedral, and their reflection in the river.

Distance from Guildhall: 20 minutes walking time

14- St Columb’s Park

There are many parks and green area around Derry/Londonderry, but St Columb’s Park is my favorite. It’s situated right next to the river, and you can stroll on the banks, along the river, with a view over the city.

Image by Marek Paciorek under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

You can also see the ruins of St Brecan’s Chapel in the park.

Distance from Guildhall: 15 minutes walking time

15- Burt Castle

The last item on this list of 15 things to see in Derry/Londonderry is Burt Castle. It’s also the furthest from the city center.

Image by Greg Clarke under CC BY 2.0

Built in the 16th century in Scottish style, the Burt Castle was the stronghold of Cahir O’Doherty, who had over 100 men in the castle.

Distance from Guildhall: 1h10 walking time / 17 minutes drive

Map of the Best Spots in Derry/Londonderry

To make it easy for you to plan your trip to Derry/Londonderry, and to visit all the best spots, I have created a free custom map with all the 15 locations.

You can find the map below:

Where to Stay in Derry/Londonderry

If you’re visiting Derry/Londonderry, here are the best options for where to stay based on your budget/travel style:

Budget: Serendipity House. No real hostel anymore in Derry, but this one will run you around 45€ per night by person if you get a 2 person room.

Comfy: Walled City B&B Belfast. Comfy double room with private bathroom in the center of Derry/Londonderry (8 minutes walk to the Guildhall). Breakfast is included, for around 58€ per night.

Luxury: Bishop’s Gate Hotel. The best hotel in the area, where I stayed when I was exploring Derry/Londonderry. The ideal location, right in the center. Rated 9.5/10 by 460 visitors on Booking.com, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Rooms for around 126€ per night.

Visit Northern Ireland

Planning a trip to Northern Ireland? I’ve listed below the main destinations to visit, along with travel times (by car) from Derry/Londonderry:

Dunluce Castle: 1h

Belfast: 1h30

Dublin: 3h30

Cliffs of Moher: 5h

I hope you enjoy your trip to Derry/Londonderry and Northern Ireland!

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always reply.