Located on the northeast coast of Ireland surrounded by the Irish Sea and North Atlantic, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and measures 13,843 km2. Situated just west of the Isle of Man, the country is comprised of six counties which include Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone. The below Northern Ireland map shows these main regions including Antrim, the home of the capital Belfast as well as the famous Giant’s Causeway; Down, home to the spectacular Mourne Moutains as well as Bangor, a popular coastal resort.
Getting around Northern Ireland is actually quite easy and enjoyable, especially if you decide you want to hire a car. The best way to see the countryside, many roads on the North Coast are winding, scenic routes that offer plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view. The Northern Ireland motorway connects from Belfast to Ballymena, Dungannon and Newtownabbey with most cities and large towns well connected. Northern Ireland is also well serviced by taxis if you’d prefer someone else to do the driving and in big cities like Belfast they’re easy to pick up on the street.
There are also some great rail travel options including services from Belfast to Derry and Portrush, Larne and Bangor to Portadown via Belfast.
