A colorful corner of Great Britain - the sights of Northern Ireland. Traditions and customs of Ireland

Today we will talk about Irish holidays, which, like any other country in the Kingdom, are distinguished by their amazing traditions. In the northwest of Europe, one of the three largest islands in this part of the world is located - the island of Ireland. This piece of land, washed on all sides by the ocean and seas, amazes with the beauty of its nature, which seemed to have absorbed all shades of green. It is for this plant wealth that the island of Ireland was nicknamed the emerald country. Although technically there are two countries on this island, two different states are the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In distant Northern Ireland, holidays and traditions associated with them, like any other nation, are carefully passed down from generation to generation. The name of this process is the cultural heritage of the people, which determines the rules, scenarios of behavior and norms of public life. It is not difficult to guess that on an island where nature is one of the most precious state treasures, many holidays are dedicated to nature or the seasons.

Here, for example, one of the most long-awaited holidays in the spring season in Ireland is "May Holiday", which in Russian means May Holiday. Residents of the "emerald" country celebrate it on the first Monday of May. In addition to him, every year the inhabitants of the country celebrate several more similar holidays.

Ireland is a country where the day of the week like Monday seems to be highly respected. Judge for yourself, on the first Monday of the first month of summer, the Irish have a June holiday. And the very first Monday of August is called the August holiday. And even in the middle of autumn, on the last Monday of the tenth month, the cheerful Irish people celebrate the October holiday. And how can one not mention Easter Monday, which is celebrated on the first Monday after Holy Sunday.

In addition to these "happy Mondays", Irish national holidays include:

December 25 - Christmas
December 26 - St. Stephen's Day
January 1 - New Year
before Easter - Holy Friday
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day.

But considering what a cheerful people the Irish are, they have a lot more holidays than one could describe. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with those that are advised to visit and see all tourists.

How is Christmas celebrated in Northern Ireland?

One of the most fun and beloved winter holidays in Northern Ireland is, of course, the New Year, which the whole world celebrates on January 1st. How is this holiday different in the country from the "Emerald Isle"? Don't they decorate the Christmas tree or give gifts? No, it's all there, of course. But, besides the green beauty, decorated with various toys, Northern Ireland has its own very interesting New Year's customs and traditions.

For example, on December 31 in the evening, the Irish open the front door of their house to "Let out the Old Year and skip the New Year." And everyone who enters the house with him at this time will be the most welcome guest. There is something pagan in this, isn't there? With approximately the same deep meaning on this day, candles are always lit at the window, bells are rung, and loud songs are sung. And after the chimes strike midnight, the inhabitants of Northern Ireland like to gather in big noisy companies and go to celebrate the holiday on the streets and squares of their city.

In truth, there are probably no public holidays in Ireland that the inhabitants of this cheerful country would celebrate in a close family circle at home. And what can we say about pagan festivities, such as Celtic Halloween or Beltane. Parades, dances, jokes and songs, bonfires and firecrackers - all this is an integral part of the holidays of the Emerald Isle.

Irish religious holidays in honor of Saints

The Irish are a very religious people. And therefore, it is not surprising that special days associated with the names of Saints revered in this country have become important national holidays in Ireland.

On the first day of February, the Irish celebrate Saint Brigid's Day with special reverence - it is believed that it was Brigid who helped the Virgin Mary during childbirth. On this day, crosses woven from reeds are hung on the front doors of Irish houses, and ribbons and paper strips are hung on trees and shrubs. The Irish believe that all this brings prosperity to their home.

But the most important among the national holidays of Ireland is, of course, St. Patrick's Day - the patron and defender of Ireland. The celebrations take place all day and night, March 17, in one of the most unusual ways. The Irish believe in the legend that St. Patrick, long before his death, found out the date of his death and commanded to remember him on this day not with crying, but with fun. And the Irish have never violated his request.

Every year, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is celebrated with a noisy parade, in which "both old and young" dress up in world-famous red wigs and funny green caps, arm themselves with a clover pot and have fun to the melodic Irish music. And with the advent of night, hundreds of fireworks are lit in the sky in honor of St. Patrick.

It has an ancient and rich culture, as long as the country exists, and for so long, backgammon has been trying to preserve and preserve the country's culture. The culture of Ireland is rich in a large number of customs and folk traditions.

One of these traditions are fairs, which have been held since ancient times, the manifestation of this tradition has become an excellent occasion for various entertainments. People in Ireland are very fond of dancing, so when the occasion falls, for example, fairs, people dance folk dances, musicians, magicians, acrobats perform in the squares in the city center. Every Irish dance is a work of art. Almost every inhabitant of the country loves to dance. This peculiar feature of the Irish is visible in everything. The fairs also host various competitions, a great example is harlin-on, a form of hockey and Gaelic football.

There is an interesting tradition in Ireland, on New Year's Eve, it is customary to leave the doors of the house open so that anyone who comes can feel welcome. There is an atmosphere of universal trust in Ireland, especially during these holidays. And, indeed, nothing ever happens here, because the inhabitants sacredly honor the holiday traditions of their country.

As in any other country, so in Ireland there is one most important and important holiday, in Ireland such a holiday is considered the day Saint Patrick It is celebrated annually on March 17th. The celebration of this day is a very special event for the Irish. Preparation begins in advance, so that everything goes well on the day of the holiday.
People dress in green clothes on this holiday, and in addition to the parades, it is customary to have parties with music and lots of beer on this day. But back in the old days it was a little different, namely, all the pubs closed because most of the inhabitants went to church for mass. Today, St. Patrick's Day is again music and favorite dances.

The cuisine of Ireland is a little different from the cuisines of other European countries, it does not contain any frills, its basis is ordinary peasant food. Modern kitchen, which is now in Ireland , originated in the second half of the sixteenth century, along with the appearance of potatoes in the country.

Irish stew is considered the most important dish in Ireland, potatoes are its main part. There are an infinite number of recipes for making stew, and it is now almost impossible to determine the first one. But it is assumed that once the stew included all the products that could be found in the kitchen. A modern stew recipe looks like this: onion, swede, potatoes, lamb neck, thyme, salt and spices.
Potatoes are also used to make another important Irish dish, colcannion. It is prepared from chopped cabbage, mashed potatoes, and, of course, onions and seasonings are added.

If an Irishman and a Russian come together in a conversation about food, then they will certainly reach one undeniable opinion, herring will always go well with potatoes. Whether marinated or in a casserole, herring is eaten all year round in Ireland, and this casserole, along with the herring, is called Jensson's Temptation. But it is considered a special delicacy if you managed to catch a small herring from the month of May to September.

In addition to all dishes from Irish cuisine, without any doubt, we can say that the main attraction is Irish whiskey, and Irish coffee has not gone far from it. Hot coffee along with whiskey perfectly warms up in rainy weather, which often happens in the country.

Irish wedding traditions are very beautiful and romantic. The cordiality and hospitality of the people of Ireland have earned her the name "Land of a thousand greetings." Wanting to celebrate the wedding in such a way that it will be remembered for a lifetime, the Irish go to significant financial costs. Couples often use five-star castle hotels for their ceremonies. A wedding like this looks great.

Matchmaking in Ireland starts on January 6th. This tradition is associated with a church decree issued back in 1563, which forbade matchmaking and weddings during Lent. The Irish decided that since it was impossible to get married during the fast, then you need to have time to get married in January and get married no later than Maslenitsa. The tradition of winter matchmaking has survived to this day. In Ireland, March 17 is considered the happiest day of the year - this is St. Patrick's Day, the patron saint of Ireland. A wedding on this day is a great success and happiness.

But " Wedding in April - a joy for a girl and a guy' says an old Irish poem. The Irish also consider Wednesdays of November and the last day of the year to be successful days for a wedding.

Despite the wedding signs associated with good luck in family life, according to which: Monday is for health, Tuesday is for wealth, Wednesday is the best day, Thursday is for losses, Friday is for crosses, and Saturday is not a single day of all!”, a large number of modern weddings in Ireland are celebrated on Saturday.

An Irish wedding is a kind of traditions, rituals, signs that can decorate your holiday and make it original and unlike other weddings. This style is suitable for young people who want to have a wonderfully unique, beautiful and deeply symbolic wedding.

An Irish-style holiday can start with pre-wedding parties. A slightly strange, but very old custom on the eve of a wedding in Ireland is called "Aitin Gusak". The groom comes to the bride's house. A roasted goose is served on the table. Irish expression " His goose is ready!" means that the young man is ready to marry. On this day, everyone who will be present at the wedding ceremony, including the priest, is invited to discuss all the details of the upcoming wedding, including financial matters.

After the Aitin Gusak ceremony, the bride's parents get the right to visit the groom's house at any time, check how hospitable their future relatives are, and whether their daughter will live well in a new family. The tradition, after hundreds of years, has remained completely unchanged.

These rituals can be used for parties. You can end the parties with small celebrations. Remember, there is always a lot going on at an Irish wedding.

When decorating the venue for the wedding ceremony and the banquet, use the traditional colors of Ireland - green, orange and red. Do not forget checkered motifs and, of course, clover. The true spirit of an Irish wedding is the abundance of wildflowers and herbs. Delicate white and pink daisies perfectly coexist with small purple crocuses and juicy green leaves. Be sure to add lavender. In Ireland, it is considered a symbol of love and devotion. Crockery, tablecloths, napkin rings and the napkins themselves can be decorated with floral motifs. Place vases of wild flowers on the table.

Traditional Irish dishes very simple and satisfying - soda bread, meat and potatoes. Recently, salmon, trout, shrimp and oysters have been served on the table. The portions are very large. Guests are offered a large amount of Irish whiskey and Guinness beer. Young people are treated to honey wine "Bunratty Meade" - the oldest drink in Ireland. In the old days, it was believed that wine drunk at a wedding gives masculinity. The birth of a child exactly nine months later was certainly associated with the wine drunk at the wedding.

Perhaps the first month of marriage is called "honey" because the newlyweds drank wedding honey for a month after the wedding, which protected them from fairies who could come for the soul of the bride.

In Irish mythology fairies adore beautiful things and are very fond of "stealing" brides. There are many legends about "spirited away" in the country. In order not to attract the attention of the fairies, the bride should not wear anything green. Young people should not sing at their own wedding. If the bride lifts both feet off the ground while dancing, the fairies will carry her away. In the old days, the bride and groom, protecting themselves from the evil eye, ate three pinches of salt and oatmeal.

The custom of giving bells to the newlyweds and guests at the wedding comes from the depths of centuries. The Irish believe that the ringing of bells keeps evil spirits at bay. According to Irish tradition, instead of clinking glasses, at the wedding you can ring small bells. Young people carry wedding bells through their whole lives. Their ringing reminds the spouses of the vows spoken at the wedding, and helps to avoid quarrels.

Small bells can be attached to wedding invitations. Decorate them with small bonbonnieres filled with gifts for guests invited to the wedding.

In the bride's bouquet as a symbol of a bell, lilies of the valley are good. The bright wedding bouquet of the Irish bride consists of wildflowers. Fragrant hyacinths, bluebells, tiny myrtle flowers, snow-white lilies of the valley, a lot of greenery. And, of course, lavender! Remember that the groom's boutonniere must match the bride's bouquet.

For the Irish, the bride is a wood nymph.. She is dressed in a blue, lilac or white wedding dress, richly decorated with lace. The hair is braided into a beautiful braid, which is often decorated with fresh flowers, lace or ribbons. According to ancient belief, braids symbolize female strength and good luck. Often, instead of a wedding veil, the bride wears a wreath of wildflowers and herbs that make up her bouquet.

The image of the groom tie, cufflinks, headpiece and boutonniere will match the style of the wedding.

What Irish wedding would be complete without Celtic harp, bagpipes and Irish dancing? The Celtic harp is the national emblem of Ireland. Since ancient times, harpists have played at the wedding ceremony and wedding banquet. Bagpipers will greet arriving guests at the entrance with unusually beautiful Irish music. No Irish wedding is complete without the famous Irish tap dance. Over the centuries, it has turned into an incredibly beautiful dance, from which it is impossible to take your eyes off. Invited dancers in national costumes will be a real hit at your holiday.

In Ireland, the marriage ceremony begins with the kidnapping of the bride. Relatives and guests set off in pursuit of the "stolen" bride, groom and his friends, playing the "kidnapping" scene. In the groom's house, his mother breaks oatmeal over the girl's head, symbolizing prosperity and prosperity, hope for friendship and harmony between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Irish wedding is very unusual, original and rich traditions. A horseshoe is considered a good addition to wedding gifts. Irish brides brought a real horseshoe to the wedding. Modern Irish brides use porcelain horseshoes or have a cloth horseshoe tied around the wrist. So that luck would come to the family and not slip away, after the wedding, a horseshoe was attached above the front door, looking up.

Expression " tie a knot” came from an old Celtic custom - tying the hands of newlyweds before the wedding. The bride and groom hold each other's hands just above the wrist. Traditionally, a braid, ribbon or cord is used in three colors: white, blue and red (innocence, fidelity and passion). They are wound around the hands in a figure eight, symbolizing infinity.

Wedding rings in Ireland are made in the form of hands hugging a crown and a heart. The first ring in this design was made in the 17th century in the Irish fishing village of Cladah near Galway. The ring has its own motto: May love and friendship reign". They say bad luck will befall the man who buys the Claddagh ring for himself. Young people give rings to each other.

The groom wishes joy and happiness to his beloved first. According to Irish customs, the man is the first to congratulate the newlyweds on their marriage. He pronounces the main toast of the ceremony: « When mineeFor many years from this day, your memories of this beautiful day will forever remain with you and will belong only to you two. We drink this honey and ask the Lord to bless you and leave no worries in every day of your life.» . All guests pick up this toast with the words: “On this special day of your life, we all wish you to take with you all the good things from the past, and only the best in the new. Lord bless you who drink this honey, and may you never know the need!».

Another adorable custom. Throughout the wedding day, the bride must keep special handkerchief- a symbol of the fertility of the bride. You can wrap a wedding bouquet with a scarf or hide it in a special pocket of a wedding dress. The handkerchief is kept in the family and is used in the rite of baptism of the firstborn.

Very popular at a modern Irish wedding is the performance of a wedding song by two groomsmen at the moment when the newlyweds are cutting the cake.

After the completion of the wedding ceremony, the married men invited to the wedding seat the groom in a chair and carry him, as if he had joined the ranks of the married, three times around the wedding table.

Many more customs and rituals can be used when holding an Irish-style wedding. Here are some of them:

When leaving the church , someone had to throw an old shoe over the bride's head. At this time, the groom throws coins over his shoulder. This ritual is believed to bring good luck to the newlyweds.

What is a bride without a lace garter? The groom must remove her with his teeth from her leg! The garter can be green, white or gold. If you don't want a garter over your wedding stockings, wear a lace veil or drape a lace cape over your shoulders over your dress.

It is believed that those who marry during the waxing moon and high tide will be lucky.

A wedding on the Emerald Isle is peculiar and deeply symbolic, but this is what makes it so amazingly beautiful and memorable.

A country known for its pubs, fiery dances and hospitality, Ireland is amazing and unique.

The Emerald Isle is immersed in greenery, the warm Gulf Stream gives the opportunity for a beach holiday, and local music and dance festivals present an enchanting show - a hospitable country opens up all its riches to tourists, and don't be surprised how diverse they are!

The warm climate near the Gulf Stream allows you to enjoy mild weather in summer (about +25 C), winter is also not characterized by severe frosts, snow is rare here, and the temperature stays around +7 C. Bourne Vincent, Carra and Phoenix nature reserves are the best tell you about the richness of the animal and plant world.

Picturesque villages against the backdrop of endless heather fields, ancient castles, azure fjords, crystal lakes, where it is so pleasant to spend warm summer days.

Seascapes, hills and plains immersed in greenery, sandy beaches and stormy waves of the Atlantic - the landscape changes at every turn, however, like the weather itself - locals say that all four seasons can change in one day.

Beach Ireland (yes, don't be surprised!) is ecologically clean Bray, Danegal, Waterfjord. The beaches of these resort towns have been awarded blue flags, confirming the cleanliness and high level of service. Here you will be offered standard water activities - diving, fishing, surfing, active entertainment and nightlife.

Abandoned castles and fortresses, where legends about leprechauns, fairies and elves seem to come to life, are scattered throughout the country.

One of the religious buildings, the Newgrange burial, is located not far from the capital, by the way, it is believed that it was created more than 3000 BC. e. A huge mound surrounded by stone vertical boulders with inscriptions in the ancient Celtic language, rock carvings and other artifacts.

In glorious Dublin, the capital of Ireland, quiet medieval streets are being actively transformed today, turning into a dynamic metropolis. Now it is the largest European center, filled with modern transport interchanges, clubs and branded boutiques. Take a look at Trinity College, visit the largest church in Ireland, St Patrick's Cathedral and be sure to get lost in the maze of streets around Temple Bar.

The traditions of the Irish people have evolved over the centuries, and music has always occupied a special place, and you can watch world-famous Irish dances at numerous festivals, carnivals and street performers.

Well, you can't visit Ireland and not sit in its legendary bars. Incendiary music, for lovers of stronger drinks - excellent whiskey with fragrant vegetable stew, boxy potato pancakes or pork sausages. Favorite tourist souvenirs are musical instruments, shamrocks in all kinds of performances, Jameson whiskey and Guinness beer.

Cultural Features

The culture of Ireland is incredibly rich and diverse in its customs and traditions. Since ancient times, fairs have been held here, which are accompanied by folk dances, acrobatic performances, performances by magicians and sports competitions.

Another interesting tradition is that in the days leading up to the New Year, the doors of houses are left open so that everyone who comes feels like a long-awaited guest. This custom is supported by the general trust that prevails in the country, especially during the festivities.

They prepare for it long before the start, think over costumes and plan parties. Traditionally, everyone puts on green clothes and gathers for a big colorful parade.

National holidays

January 1 - New Year;
February 1 - St. Brigid's Day, the first day of spring, the feast of Imbolc;
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day, the national holiday of Ireland;
Holy Friday (Good Friday, the last Friday before Easter) is not considered a public holiday, but most Irish banks and companies do not work on this day;
Easter;
May 1 - First day of summer, Beltane holiday;
June 24 - St. John's Day, the longest day of the year;
August 1 - The first day of autumn, harvesting, Lughnasad holiday;
September 29 - St. Michael's Day;
October 31 - Night of Samhain, the eve of "All Saints' Day", the first day of winter;
December 25 - Christmas;
December 26 - St. Stephen's Day.

Kitchen

Irish cuisine does not pursue frills, it adheres to fairly simple to prepare, but no less tasty and satisfying dishes. In this country, meat is in favor, it is a component of many dishes beloved by the locals. One of the most popular "Irish stew", which is made from lamb meat stewed with potatoes, onions, herbs and cumin.

Potato dishes are also held in high esteem, for example, such as soups, various pies, casseroles, pancakes and many mashed potatoes. Due to the fact that Ireland is an island state, seafood is common here: salmon, salmon, flounder, various shellfish, pike, eel, etc.

From non-alcoholic drinks, the Irish prefer tea, and from alcohol, beer, several types of ale and whiskey are popular. Ireland is home to such famous brands as Bushmills and Jameson.

shopping

Shopping in Ireland is an incredible pleasure, and a moderate flow of tourists allows you to go shopping in a comfortable, calm environment, and buy your favorite things at affordable, not inflated prices.

Most of the souvenirs are decorated with the popular symbol of the country - the green shamrock. It is believed that it brings good luck to its owner. You will also find many figurines of leprechauns - men who value gold the most and protect it from treasure hunters.

For more serious souvenirs, look for musical instruments such as bagpipes or flutes, and if the budget is limited, purchase CDs of traditional Irish music. In the cold winter, I will perfectly warm you with cozy merino wool sweaters, decorated with Celtic ornaments.

Real Irish whiskey will be an excellent gift for a man, and Baileys and Sheridan’s sweet liqueurs will surely delight women.

Shops in Ireland are open from 9:00 to 18:00. On Thursdays and Fridays, shopping centers are open until 9:00.

Visa

Validity of a passport for a visa and for entering the country - is there a difference? To obtain a visa to Ireland and to enter the country, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip. Is it possible to enter the country if the current ... Read completely

How to get there?

Direct flights to Ireland from Russia are carried out only by S7, and even then not year-round. Getting to this country is easier, faster, and often cheaper with transfers - for example, flights ...

Northern Ireland- an infrequent guest in tourist booklets, they do not come here for a beach holiday or shopping tours. However, this country has something to surprise and interest a tourist who is tired of ordinary destinations.

about country

According to British customs Northern Ireland is traditionally called a country, although it is not an independent state. Since 1921 it has been part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. After the independence of Ireland from Great Britain, 6 counties of the historical province of Ulster received the right to a referendum on independent separation from the British Empire.

Local residents, mostly Protestants, voted to remain part of Britain.

That's how it was formed administrative part United Kingdom - Northern Ireland.

The population of Northern Ireland is 1 million 800 thousand people and is mixed:

55 % - Protestants British origin, resettled from and Scotland;
45 % - Catholic Irish, the indigenous inhabitants of the island.

Main resort areas and cities

The main resort and tourist areas of Northern Ireland include:

metropolitan city Belfast with numerous historical and resort objects;
City londonderry(local Irish Catholics prefer to call it simply Derry) will suit lovers of the sea coast;
small town Antrim in the county of the same name is considered the center of ecotourism.

Traditions and culture

The culture of Northern Ireland is mixed. On the one hand, this is a traditional British culture with English foundations and customs, on the other hand, it is Irish, originating in the ancient Celtic history of the indigenous inhabitants of the island. For example, in Northern Ireland St. Patrick's Day is considered a public holiday, unlike the UK.

Still in Northern Ireland very fond of Monday, almost every month there is a holiday on this day of the week, for example:

June- on the first Monday of the first summer month;
augustovsky- the first day of the week of the first month of August;
October- on the last Monday of this month;
Easter Monday- is celebrated first after the day of the Holy Resurrection.

Read about the location of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the map of the world and Europe.

In all cities, basically, there are two-storey houses, as residents claim that they feel dizzy above the second floor.

Even if you speak English perfectly well, you can still have problems translating an Irish accent. The inhabitants of the emerald country are very strongly distort words, for example, the name of popular beer bars in English is pronounced "pub", while the Irish have a different opinion about pronunciation - they pronounce "pub".

Attractions - photo with names

Despite its modest size and population, Northern Ireland has retained a bunch of interesting historical sights.

In addition, the country is developing culturally and recently there have been many interesting objects recommended for visiting.

Monuments

In Northern Ireland, the most famous monuments and works made in the framework of contemporary art.

Big fish in Belfast - one of the most famous monuments of the city. Installed in 1999, its author is John Caidness. The 10-meter fish is covered with "scales", which is a tile with texts and images about the history of Belfast.
A striking example of modern art - metal sculpture "Girl on the Ball" located in the center of Belfast on the waterfront of the river Lagan. The monument fell in love with tourists for its eccentricity and impressive size - the height of the "girl" is more than 19 meters.

An unusual historical monument of Belfast are numerous street graffiti painted on the walls of buildings in this city.

Most of the drawings are devoted to political and armed opposition two communities of the city: Irish Catholics and Unionist Protestants. And although the confrontation of the communities ended almost 20 years ago, the walls of Belfast houses are still decorated with more than 2 thousand images dedicated to this sad page in the history of Northern Ireland.

Temples, cathedrals, castles

Northern Ireland is real castle country. A turbulent history with numerous invasions and internal clan strife contributed to the construction and preservation of these defensive buildings.

Architectural buildings

As an integral part of the British Empire, Northern Ireland went through the same path in the development of architecture as Great Britain. Architecture lovers will find a lot of interesting things here.

Museums

In Belfast and other cities in Northern Ireland, you can visit interesting museums, such as:

Titanic Museum, opened only a few years ago, has already managed to gain immense popularity. Housed in an impressive building of modern construction, the museum is the largest exposition on Earth dedicated to the sunken British steamship. The location of this museum in Belfast should not be surprising, because it was in this city that the liner was built and launched in 1911;
Ulster Museum in Belfast is dedicated to the history of Ireland, archaeological finds, jewelry, art and science. In the international department of the museum, the Egyptian Hall with the mummy of Princess Takabuti is of particular interest;
Shilin Irish Lace Museum located in the village of Bellanalek. The museum exhibits more than 700 exhibits of ancient handmade lace, including the 19th century. The museum has a shop where you can buy handmade clothes and lace.

Check out the most famous sights of the planet in, what you see is breathtaking!

Gardens and parks

You can relax from the bustle of the city in local parks, gardens or alleys.

natural attractions

The nature of Northern Ireland is distinguished by the harsh and somewhat monotonous beauty of the moorlands and rocky seashores. At the same time, there are also some very interesting natural objects here.

The most popular natural site in Northern Ireland is Road of the Giants, or the Bridge of the Giants, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a unique natural monument of more than 40 thousand basalt columns formed by a volcanic eruption.

The height of the largest of the columns reaches 12 meters. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are columns with a different number of corners. Connected together, they form a road leading from the edge of the cliff to the cliff. The Road of the Giants is located near the town of Bushmills in the northeast of the island.

On ratlin island the Irish Sea can be reached by ferry from Ballycastle. In this special protected area of Northern Ireland, you can watch birds and seals, explore sea caves or go diving among 40 shipwrecks.

Marble Arch Caverns are under the protection of UNESCO. The tour inside the caves takes more than an hour, part of the way is overcome by boat along the underground river. Marble Arch is also famous for its stalactite over 2 meters in size.

Any visits to the caves are possible only with a specially trained guide, because you can easily get lost there.

Do not confuse Northern Ireland, although they are on the same island, but this is completely different countries.
Summer - best time for a trip to Northern Ireland. There is nothing terrible in the local winter, but rains and strong winds will not add comfort during a winter trip;
If you happen to visit Northern Ireland in the summer, don't miss the annual orange marches Protestants passing on July 12. The spectacle is impressive and practically safe nowadays;
British cuisine is unlikely to surprise you with its exquisite taste, but in the local Irish one it is quite possible to find something interesting, well, at least Irish bread or bacon with cabbage;
Visit borough of bushmills and its oldest distillery in the world, which has been making whiskey for many centuries. A tasting of the distillery's products is included with the tour.

Watch interesting facts about the sights of Northern Ireland in this video: