According to ehealthfacts, Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart Éireann) is a region on the northern part of the island of Ireland (Europe). Northern Ireland borders only the Republic of Ireland and together with England, Wales and Scotland forms the United Kingdom. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast. A number of major cities in Northern Ireland are: Newtownabbey, Ballymena and Derry (Londonderry).
Northern Ireland is largely a mountainous region. The highest point in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard at 848 metres. Furthermore, the landscape is mostly sloping with green hills. The coastline of Northern Ireland is rocky with several bays. The capital of Northern Ireland in particular attracts many tourists. Belfast is known for its many pubs, impressive murals, historic buildings (including cathedrals and castles) and the construction of the RMS Titanic. Northern Ireland, and especially Belfast, has also been dominated by (armed) conflicts between Catholics and Protestants for years. Northern Ireland is also known for its many bakeries and beer breweries.
Where is Northern Ireland?
Travel information of Northern Ireland
Official name: Northern Ireland
Continent: Europe
Area: 13,843 km²
Capital city: Belfast
Country code: GB, GBR
Population: 1,893,700 inhabitants (2019)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 850 m (Slieve Donard)
Distance (Amsterdam – Belfast): 761 km
Flight time: approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Northern Ireland that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Northern Ireland, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Northern Ireland. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Northern Ireland?
Weather and climate
Northern Ireland has a temperate maritime climate. During the summer months the temperatures are around 15 to 20 degrees and during the winter months around 5 to 10 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Northern Ireland can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Northern Ireland can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July and August are the best months to travel to Northern Ireland. In these months the temperatures are the most pleasant.
Language
English is the official language in Northern Ireland. Irish is also spoken.
Travel documents
You must have a valid passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in the United Kingdom:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch Consulate in the United Kingdom (Consulate Belfast):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
United Kingdom Consulate in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations to visit Northern Ireland.
Money and Currency
In Northern Ireland, payments are made with the British pound (GBP), and the Euro (EUR) is also accepted.
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Northern Ireland can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Northern Ireland are slightly lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -6% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (12% cheaper), food (12% more expensive), imported beer in catering (27% more expensive), cigarettes (85% more expensive) and public transport (29% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Northern Ireland it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
In Northern Ireland it is 1 hour earlier than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Northern Ireland is the same as in the Netherlands.
Find the local time, date and time zone for Northern Ireland on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Northern Ireland you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Northern Ireland.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Northern Ireland.
Electricity
In Northern Ireland you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Northern Ireland can be found on our electricity page (see United Kingdom).
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999 or 112
– Fire brigade: 999 or 112
– Ambulance: 999 or 112
– Non-emergency aid: 0845-6008000
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Northern Ireland can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Northern Ireland can be found at Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Northern Ireland end in.co.uk or.ie.
Official Northern Ireland websites:
northernireland.gov.uk and discovernorthernireland.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Northern Ireland is 0044 or +44.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Northern Ireland? Then use the Dutch country code 01031.
(If you use a country code, you must leave out the first 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Telephone Directory of Northern Ireland.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Northern Ireland.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Northern Ireland.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Northern Ireland.
Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all other public holidays in Northern Ireland can be found on Gov.uk.
An overview of all school holidays in Northern Ireland can be found in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Northern Ireland, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Northern Ireland?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Northern Ireland. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Northern Ireland can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Northern Ireland can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Northern Ireland? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Northern Ireland, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Northern Ireland, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Northern Ireland? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant laws and regulations, which you may encounter during your visit to Northern Ireland.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…The Titanic was built in Northern Ireland?
…About half of the population is under 30 years old?
…Northern Ireland is home to the largest lake in the United Kingdom?
…Northern Ireland is known for its annual Orange March?
…Northern Ireland has been the scene of bloody attacks for a long time?
…Northern Ireland has the largest dry dock in the world?