World / Europe / Northern-Ireland

In the dark days of sectarian conflict, few people indeed took holidays in Northern Ireland. But since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, things have changed remarkably quickly. In modern day Northern Ireland tourism is flourishing. The whole region has been a real success story with the local economy growing rapidly, thanks both to the new political stability and the knock-on effect of the ‘Celtic Tiger' phenomenon in the vibrant next-door Republic Of Ireland.

Manufacturing, electronics and engineering are the key industries – and the recent boom is especially visible in the capital Belfast. Take Victoria Square as an example – a vast shopping and residential complex that opened in 2008 at a cost of £400 million. Belfast also has much for tourists – the culture and history of the Ulster Museum, the fascinating flora of the Botanical Gardens, the bars and atmosphere of the Golden Mile and the resurgent waterfront area, the tasty temptation of St George's farmers' market. It is also a short drive (around 40 miles) from Belfast to Northern Ireland's landmark attraction. The Giant's Causeway, a stunning mesh of interlocked basalt columns (spawned by volcanic explosion) that bleeds into the sea, is truly unmissable.