Imagine rolling green hills, planning your day around the perfect scone, and somehow becoming part of a community after only a few short days. That was my recent trip to Derry.
I had the opportunity to spend the month of June traveling across different cities in Northern Ireland with my husband for work, and what came from it was a real appreciation for a culture so unique to this corner of the world. Northern Ireland is rich in history.
That history—Northern Ireland’s decades of violence known as “The Troubles”—is still part of the communities, the culture, and the street art, but like a phoenix, Derry has risen from the past and now lives in a vibrant present day.
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I honestly had no idea what to expect. We all hear about the history, but sometimes that can make Northern Ireland feel a little uncharted. Now, on the other side of my travels, I feel fulfilled and excited to share my newfound love for some golden spots, especially in Derry.
Derry can feel off the beaten track, especially for tourists visiting the island of Ireland for the first time. I had been once before, just for the day about 10 years ago, and my only real reference was how gorgeous the rolling hills were.
My next reference was Derry Girls, the TV show adored by all generations, giving a comedic view of a tumultuous time in Irish, British, and Northern Irish history.
My first question when someone mentions the show is always whether they watched it with or without subtitles, because the Derry accent has such a lyrical dialect, ending each sentence on a high.
On the very first day of our trip, we met a local who was bursting with good recommendations. Walk the city walls. Head to The Cottage for a fresh scone and cuppa. Here’s where to eat, here’s where to drink, here’s what not to miss.
They gave us the kind of local recommendations that make a city feel easy to settle into.
For accommodation, we found a gorgeous, newly renovated place called A Wee Sleep in the heart of the city, with free parking included, all for around €100 ($114).
From there, we walked up the street to our first recommendation, a casual Mexican spot called Guapo. The line out the door spoke volumes about the quality and the price of the food. It was fresh, quick, and constantly moving with the pace of the line.
The next morning, we wanted to get some steps in, so we headed to the Bogside for breakfast at the quaint Rustic Coffee and Brunch, then went to see the local murals and the iconic Free Derry gable, the side of a house that has been restored while traffic and life now flow around it.
I love when Ireland’s old meets the new. It is a nod to the past, while still showing life moving ahead….
We took a 10-minute drive up the road to Derry City Cemetery and came across the grave of Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, the brains behind the Good Friday Agreement which ended The Troubles. The cemetery also has unparalleled views across the city walls.
If you love a good scone, then The Cottage was the perfect spot. Homemade scones came in a variety of flavors, like apple and cinnamon, my favorite, served with fresh cream and even a drop of maple syrup. The flavors will live rent free in my brain until my next visit, which very well might be prompted by the need for another scone and a teapot of herbal tea to myself.
The city is bustling with new spots, including the Walled City Hotel, newly opened and gorgeous, where we caught live music by Amy O’Connor. Her voice was smooth, and sultry. While at the hotel’s main bar and restaurant, we met a talented fashion designer who was opening her first pop-up at Foyleside Shopping Centre. Those small encounters kept happening, and each one made the city feel even more full of energy.
One of my favourite parts was how walkable the city felt. We walked across the Peace Bridge to Walled City Brewery for food, with the river beside us and outdoor seating with the city from a different angle. At points, the train comes right along the river, with the scenery unfolding beside you. Just gorgeous.
At night, the city comes alive with pubs, cocktail bars, restaurants, clubs, and trad music spilling into the street. One of our first stops was Blackbird for a cocktail, and it was so good we found ourselves going back again in our spare time throughout the month.
Our time in the city ended with a final breakfast at The Scullery, looking across at Peadar O’Donnell’s, the gorgeous little pub we had visited just a few hours before for trad music. It felt like the perfect full-circle ending: seeing the same street in the quiet of the morning after experiencing it at night.
That is what stayed with me most about Derry. It is scenic, walkable, full of history and great places to eat and drink, but more than anything, it is a city that we came to as tourists/strangers and left feeling like part of the community.
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