Ireland's Undiscovered Northwest

Derry~londonderry | Donegal | how to get there |

Derry~Londonderry

Two unique places, one amazing holiday

Derry~Londonderry is one of the only examples of a completely intact walled city left in Europe. Built in the early 1600s to protect the city from invaders, the walls have survived over 400 years, complete with the 22 original cannons. The city walls have never been breached — even when James II appeared before them himself to demand a surrender in 1689. Today, the walls form a stunning walkway with birds'-eye views of the city. It takes around an hour to do a full loop, and well-marked viewpoints frame the city's evolution through the ages. Manicured Georgian townhouses tumble down to the Medieval centre, huge murals pepper the Bogside, and the misty mountains of Donegal soar at every twist and turn.

and Donegal

Derry~ Londonderry

Donegal Town

Malin Head

Glenveagh National Park

Letterkenny

Do a loop of the city's 400-year-old walls

Discover the unique flavours of the city (sausage roll baps, anyone?)

You'll stumble upon live music almost every night of the week

County Donegal is the far-flung wild child of Ireland. It is the country's most northern, most rugged, and least populated region, and boasts the best beaches, the most mountains, and one of the biggest national parks on the island. It is also easier to reach than you might think: the city of Derry~Londonderry is just a few miles away, and you can fly direct from mainland UK in under an hour from around £25 per person, return. Pairing Derry~Londonderry and Donegal for a two-in-one holiday is a no-brainer: it combines a wildly unique city with some of the most unspoilt scenery in all of Ireland. You'll stumble upon live music, sharp wit, cosy pubs, cutting-edge cuisine, secluded beaches, soaring mountains, and the sort of unexpected adventures that are only found when you venture off the beaten path. It's time to explore the undiscovered northwest of Ireland.

The city is full of one-off experiences for foodies. Join a beer masterclass at the Walled City Brewery, go on a Far and Wild cycling tour to explore the thriving slow food scene, or savour a "Derry Girls" Afternoon Tea at the Everglades Hotel. Expect sausage roll baps, cones of chips, towers of Tayto crisp sarnies, and cream horns galore! The higgledy-piggledy Craft Village is the best place for brunch and a browse, and its tiny boutiques are well loved by the locals, too. Toddlers pick out their first dance outfits at the family-run Irish dancing shop, artsy teenagers browse vintage bookstores, and old friends natter over the obligatory tea and buns.

Ireland's wildest county

Welcome to the Ireland of your imagination

Malin Head: so far north you can see the Northern Lights

The beaches are sublime (and you might get one all to yourself)

Head into the mountains that you saw from the city walls of Derry~Londonderry, and you'll find yourself in County Donegal. Just a few miles from the city, you're in a totally different world. This is one of the most sparsely populated counties in Ireland, and the landscape is a time capsule of quiet golden beaches, towering sea cliffs, over 500 named mountains, wild and lyrical countryside, and the most native Irish speakers in all of Ireland. "It's different up here", say the people of Donegal, and we'd have to agree. Take to the open road, feel the wind in your hair, and discover your slice of paradise along the way.

At the head of the Inishowen Peninsula lies Malin Head, the northernmost point in Ireland. The coast is prime road-trip territory, dotted with golden beaches, deep-green rock pools, secret seafood spots, and friendly country pubs. There's a real focus on wild, freshly harvested food here — Nancy's Barn in Ballyliffin serves up traditional seafood chowder with homemade soda bread, tidbits of foraged seafood from local shores, and all the warmth and comfort of traditional fireside cooking from centuries past. Malin Head also has such little light pollution that you can see the Aurora Borealis dance above the crashing waves in the winter months.

The sand stretches for miles in Donegal, with over 100 individual beaches and the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in all of Ireland. There's a wild charm that hits totally different to the beaches in the UK — and there's something for everyone, from secluded coves you can have all to yourself to bustling seaside resorts with mountain views. Kinnagoe Bay is surrounded by forests on every side, so you feel totally cut off from the modern world when you hit the sand; Culdaff Beach is ideal for swimming, and has a host of surf schools; while Five Finger Strand has some of the highest sand dunes in all Europe.

The streets are always abuzz in Derry~Londonderry — it is one of the only small cities in the UK where you can have a big night even on a Tuesday. Waterloo Street is end-to-end with quirky painted pubs, and Peadar O'Donnell's puts on a lively trad session every night. Beyond the folk scene, Bennigans Bar does sultry jazz with bohemian vibes, the Millenium Forum hosts big international acts, and Ebrington Square has regular festivals with soaring views across the city (especially impressive when the lights glitter in the river at night).

Hiking, biking, and truly wild adventures

Attention hikers, bikers, kayakers, climbers, surfers, and swimmers: Donegal has it all. Glenveagh National Park is a primeval, undisturbed wilderness, with cycling paths that weave from upland bogs to glittering sea loughs. Sea kayaking encompasses hidden caves and tiny islands, and wild swimming is practically a national pastime. Even horses love it, especially the rural beaches where riders can gallop right over the horizon. Speaking of wild encounters, you can also see brown bears, grey wolves, lynx, and wild boars in Donegal. Wild Ireland is an immersive sanctuary that rescues animals once native to its ancient Celtic rainforests.

Travel from the South

learn more

Travel from the North

Learn more

Travel from Scotland

learn more

Our deals

Fly direct from Liverpool or Manchester to City of Derry Airport from £25 per person, return Take the ferry from Liverpool-Birkenhead to Belfast, then drive to Derry~Londonderry, from £230 per car

Fly direct from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Derry City Airport from £95 per person, return Take the ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast, then drive around 90 minutes to Derry~Londonderry, from £250 per car

Fly direct from London Stansted to City of Derry Airport from £95 per person, return

Deals

Slieve League Cliffs

Mount Errigal

Blue Stack Mountains

Aran Islands

Inishowen

Killybegs

Getting there

SEE OUR DEALS

BACK TO THE TOP

Donegal,

In partnership with Tourism Ireland, we've put together a selection of the best flight, hotel stays, and tour deals, some of which can get you to Derry~Londonderry and Donegal from as little as £199 per person. All of them are best-in-market prices, checked by real deal experts.

Derry~Londonderry

24 hours in...

Ready to go?

Check out our selection of Derry~Londonderry and Donegal deals

It is easier than you'd think to reach Derry~Londonderry and Donegal. You can fly direct to City of Derry Airport from all across the UK from as little as £25 per person, return. You could also fly to Belfast and catch the regular Airporter coach to Derry~Londonderry for as little as £15, each way. Find out more: