THINGS TO DO IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland makes for a memorable visit at the best of times from blockbuster attractions and a restaurant boom to international sporting events. You can drive from city to coast to countryside in just a few hours, getting a real taste of Northern Ireland.
Lonely Planet says "The rustling old docklands are now the vibrant Titanic Quarter, home to fancy apartments and a sensational museum." Titanic Belfast, museum and visitor experience is located in the heart of the city that built her. Unearth the story of the famous, fateful ship then explore the Titanic Quarter to learn about Belfast's shipbuilding history. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giant’s Causeway is our most popular attraction, but a stellar line up of natural wonders await for those who go off-the-beaten track. Visit the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, the idyllic Fermanagh Lakelands and the captivating Mourne Mountains, which inspired CS Lewis’s Narnia.
Northern Ireland's epic landscapes have been used as the backdrop for the hit HBO series Game of Thrones®. If you're a fan of the show, embark on a tour of filming locations including Winterfell Castle, Kingsroad and Riverrun. Fill your passport on the Journey of Doors. The forests, mountains and moorlands around Northern Ireland transformed into the scenic backdrops for Game of Thrones® most memorable moments. Nature was definitely smiling on HBO’s location scouts when they found the Dark Hedges, a haunting avenue of serpentine beech trees near Armoy, County Antrim. In County Derry you’ll find Binevenagh Mountain, marking the edge of the Antrim plateau and boasting panoramic views from the summit that stretch for miles. No wonder this is the location chosen for the Dothraki Sea far above the city of Meereen. It’s where Daenerys is rescued by her dragon Drogon and brought to his lair.
Annual events include popular big name music event ‘Belsonic’, Hillsborough based music festival ‘Sunflower Festival’, Belfast International Arts Festival, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Pride festival, and many more. Northern Ireland is renowned for its whiskey, so pay a visit to The Old Bushmills Distillery or Northern Ireland's newest addition "Echlinville". If gin is more your thing, then take a trip to Rademon Estate Distillery where Shortcross gin is produced.
NCUK International Foundation Year
Our IFY is accredited by NCUK and has an unrivalled reputation and track record of success. Programmes like this have been running successfully since 1987 and have helped over 30,000 international students progress onto degree courses.