After having good holidays in summer in our own countries we decided to spend an entire weekend together visiting Belfast and the Gobbins. For most of us, this was the first time we had been to Northern Ireland. Belfast is a beautiful city, well worth visiting.
Without any doubt, what we appreciated most about this city were its murals, which are one of the city’s major touristic attractions and remind the world of the conflict between protestant-loyalist and catholic-nationalist paramilitary groups that lasted for 30 years.
Walking through the streets of West Belfast in the rain, we were fascinated by the quantity and the beauty of these murals depicting political issues, historical events and Irish legends. It was really exciting to plunge into the atmosphere of the district and explore it on foot from the Peace Line. West Belfast certainly remains one of the most interesting places in the city and if in the past it was considered an area at risk, today it is possible to visit it in neutral atmosphere.
However, our trip in Northern Ireland did not end up in Belfast. After a good night’s rest, early in the morning, we went to the Gobbins, one of the most dramatical coastal walks in Europe. Our tour guide, Alan, was very informative and made the whole experience funny and memorable. Walking through a portal in the rock and taking a path by the sea will be a memory of Ireland that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. On a clear day from the Gobbins you might see the coast of Scotland. Fortunately, we were lucky to be able to see it.
It was an amazing trip to Northern Ireland full of unforgettable moments spent together. There are still a lot of things to see and stuff to do in Ireland. We’re looking forward to telling you about our next adventure.
Written by: Alessandro Storchi