Derry

Day 1: The Walled City and voices of witness

Begin with a sense of place on the ramparts and let the city’s layered history come into view. Today brings you from siege cannons to street murals, and into the spaces where stories are made and shared.

• Morning: Walk the Derry Walls clockwise from Bishop’s Gate, pausing at Roaring Meg and the viewpoints over the Bogside and River Foyle; pop into the Guildhall to see its stained glass and reflect on its role in premiering Brian Friel’s Translations. Arrive early to avoid school groups; if it’s wet or windy, swap in extra time at the Guildhall exhibition.
• Midday: Head down to the Bogside and Free Derry Corner; take your time with the murals as public text and read a short excerpt from Seamus Deane’s Reading in the Dark on the spot. Grab a simple café lunch nearby; be sensitive when discussing the past—listening goes a long way here.
• Afternoon: Climb back towards the Verbal Arts Centre on Stable Lane for a Reading Rooms session or exhibition (check the programme in advance). Browse Little Acorns Bookstore on Foyle Street for local authors and playscripts; staff can steer you to Field Day titles or contemporary Derry writers.
• Evening: Settle into Peadar O’Donnell’s on Waterloo Street for traditional music and a storytelling vibe; it’s lively but friendly. If there’s a performance at the Playhouse or in the Guildhall, consider booking ahead and making it a theatre night instead.

Day 2: Language, river, and contemporary scenes

Today explores the city’s linguistic layers—Irish, Ulster Scots, and everyday Derry wit—alongside the river that threads through so much local writing. Expect quieter encounters with bookshops, readings, and the lived city.

• Morning: Start at An Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Great James Street for coffee and a look at the Irish-language bookshop; if a taster class or poetry morning is on, drop in. Even without Irish, staff are welcoming and happy to chat about the city’s Gaelic heritage.
• Midday: Walk the Foyle embankment and cross the Peace Bridge to St Columb’s Park, letting Kerri ní Dochartaigh’s Thin Places guide the mood; the river is a character as much as a backdrop. On blustery days, shorten the loop and linger in riverside cafés with a book.
• Afternoon: View the exterior of St. Columb’s College on Bishop Street (no general tours), then dive into Walled City Books for secondhand and antiquarian finds—ask for Irish-language shelves or Ulster Scots poetry. If research beckons, the Local Heritage Collection at Central Library is a calm, free archive space.
• Evening: Check for a spoken word/open mic (often hosted by the Verbal Arts Centre or local cafés); arrive a little early to put your name down or simply listen. In November, the Foyle Film Festival frequently screens literary adaptations—perfect for dark evenings.

Day 3: Heaney country and homecoming

Make a gentle pilgrimage to Bellaghy to immerse yourself in Seamus Heaney’s world, then return to the city with fresh eyes. It’s a day of attentive looking and listening, from peat and pen to stage and song.

• Morning: Travel to Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy (about 45 minutes by car; by bus, aim for Magherafelt connections—check Ulsterbus timetables and pre-book tickets for the exhibition). Take your time with the recordings and manuscripts; the audio adds real texture to the rooms.
• Midday: Have lunch at the HomePlace café, then stroll the nearby churchyard and lanes that echo through the poems—comfortable shoes are a must. In summer, bring water and a light rain layer; weather turns quickly.
• Afternoon: Return to Derry and circle back to the Guildhall for a final reflection on Field Day, or spend an hour back at Little Acorns to pick up anything you’ve discovered. If you’ve not yet crossed at sunset, make a slow loop over the Peace Bridge—the light is gorgeous on clear evenings.
• Evening: Round off with theatre if the Playhouse has a show; otherwise enjoy a last, unhurried pint and conversation. Note that Sunday trading hours can be shorter; plan dinner and bookshop stops accordingly.

By Air

• City of Derry Airport (LDY): ~15–20 minutes by taxi to the city centre; limited flights to Great Britain. Local buses/taxis available.
• Belfast International (BFS): ~90 minutes by car/coach to Derry.
• Belfast City (BHD): ~1 hour 40 minutes by car/coach to Derry.
• Dublin Airport (DUB): ~3–3.5 hours by car; ~3.5–4 hours by coach.

By Train

• Derry~Londonderry (Waterside) station is the terminus.
• NI Railways runs an hourly service to Belfast (typical journey 2 hr 10–30 min).
• For Dublin, change in Belfast to the Enterprise service (total journey typically 4.5–5.5 hours).

By Bus

• Foyle Street Bus Centre is the main hub.
• Frequent Goldline coaches to Belfast (about 2 hours).
• Direct coaches to Dublin Airport/City (about 3.5–4 hours) operate multiple times daily.
• Regular services to Donegal (e.g., Letterkenny ~40–50 minutes) and the North Coast.

By Car

• From Belfast: A6 dual carriageway most of the way; typically 1 hr 30–45 min.
• From Dublin: via M1/A1 and A5 corridor; typically 3.5–4 hours.
• From Donegal: via N13/N14; Letterkenny ~35–45 minutes.
• Cross-border note: speed limits are in mph (Northern Ireland) and km/h (Republic of Ireland). Parking is widely available in city-centre car parks.