Have you ever wondered how to make the most of a wonderful sunny day in Northern Ireland without going too far from Belfast? I have the solution for you and it involves being close to the sea. A plan for a weekend, or if you have a free day of the week, could be to go and enjoy a trip with friends and sightseeing in Carrickfergus and Whitehead, and getting to these places from Belfast is very easy and doesn't require much money and time, one day is more than enough. Let me tell you what this experience was like for me and see if you get motivated to do it too.

How to get there

To be honest with you, I made this plan with a group of friends and one of them had a car, so we made this trip in his car. However, I did some research and it is very easy to do it by train from any station in the city. You can get return tickets from Belfast-Carrickfergus-Whitehead-Belfast for just £16, and the train journey time from Whitehead station to Lanyon Place in Belfast is no more than 40 minutes. It is a good price and at the same time it will allow you to enjoy beautiful landscapes from the train. Don't miss the opportunity and book in advance your day trip to these places that will surprise you.

Carrickfergus Castle

Carrickfergus is a coastal town, and the sea is certainly part of its landscape. The town has a long promenade next to the beach where you can walk and relax while watching the blue sea and listening to the waves. The beach is small, but if you feel like it you can also spend some time there. Without a doubt the most striking monument in Carrickfergus is its beautiful medieval castle. Carrickfergus Castle is part of the history of the island, visiting it is a must to appreciate the architecture of this place and learn about the history of the country.

At Carrickfergus Castle

The student rate only costs £4 and you can access all the rooms enabled for tourism in the castle. You can also walk on the wall that surrounds the castle and enjoy beautiful views of the coast, the beach, the city and you can even make out Belfast in the distance.

After exploring the castle, you might want to try walking around the town's marina, where you'll see lots of locals taking advantage of the sun to fish. It's really worthwhile and shouldn't be missed.

Explore the town

After visiting the castle, it is 100% worth exploring the town centre. It is a small but very welcoming town, and in ancient times it was surrounded by a large wall that served to protect it from invaders. In the town, there are still ruins of this wall and in my opinion it is very valuable to see them because it allows you to delve deeper into the history of the country.

Within the town, there was a place that I particularly liked because it is full of local businesses and it is possible to learn more about the local culture, it is called The Courtyard and here you can enter shops selling books, arts and even enjoy a delicious dessert with coffee like we did.

View from the castle

Whitehead

After touring Carrickfergus, we had the day ahead of us and decided to visit Whitehead. This is a beautiful town with spectacular views of its seafront and well known for its colourful houses that fill the landscape with life. In addition to walking along the seafront, we decided to walk along the path that takes you to the Blackhead lighthouse. Here we were able to rest and enjoy the rest of the afternoon watching the sea and listening to the sound of the waves before starting our return to Belfast.

Colourful houses in Whitehead

It is a very simple, low-cost plan that will allow you to discover a little of this wonderful island. Go ahead and take advantage of a sunny day so you can enjoy it to the fullest.

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Beyond Belfast

Information for students from Colombia

Why I love studying abroad in Northern Ireland

Isabella Barros De La Rosa Violence, Terrorism and Security | Postgraduate Student | Colombia Hello, my name is Isabella Barros, I am 24 years old and I am from a beautiful city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia called Barranquilla. I am very into running and outdoor activities. That's why Belfast is so amazing to live in, because of the landscapes, and the spaces for this kind of hobby. Besides running and studying, you can find me in any bookstore, wandering around the city, or enjoying a pleasant coffee in a cute cafe!