How many days do you need in Derry?

The top 8 places in the centre take about 1 day at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 2 days for the top 13 places within walking distance.

What are the top things to do in Derry?

Highlights: Derry City Walls, Guildhall, St Eugene's Cathedral, St Columb's Cathedral and Free Derry Corner. The map has 13 things to do in total.

How do you get from the airport to Derry city centre?

City of Derry (LDY): Bus ≈ 30 min, taxi ≈ 15-20 min · Belfast International (BFS): Airporter bus ≈ 1.5 h

Restaurants often add 10–12.5% service. No tip is expected at a pub bar.

Things to Do in Derry (2026): Walking Itinerary & Map

Derry travel guide

13 things to do in Derry, where to stay, airport transfers. Pick places on the map and get a day-by-day walking route from your hotel with steps, kilometres and minutes.

All Derry guide sections (9)

Top things to do in Derry

Derry City Walls: Built between 1613 and 1619, the walls run unbroken for about 1.5 km around the old city, and you can walk the whole circuit on top. (visit ≈ 90 min)
Guildhall: A neo-Gothic town hall opened in 1890, with stained-glass windows that tell the city's history. (visit ≈ 45 min)
St Eugene's Cathedral: The Catholic cathedral, opened in 1873, with its spire added in 1903. (visit ≈ 35 min)
St Columb's Cathedral: Completed in 1633, it is counted as the first cathedral built in Britain and Ireland after the Reformation. (visit ≈ 35 min)
Free Derry Corner: The words "You are now entering Free Derry", painted on a house wall in 1969, remain on this lone wall in the Bogside. (visit ≈ 15 min)
Millennium Forum: A theatre and concert hall inside the walls, opened in 2001. (visit ≈ 20 min)
Tower Museum: A museum of the city's history and of the Armada ship La Trinidad Valencera, wrecked in 1588, with views from its tower. (visit ≈ 120 min)
Diamond War Memorial: In the Diamond at the heart of the walled city, a memorial to the dead of the First World War, unveiled in 1927. (visit ≈ 15 min)
Long Tower Church (St Columba's): Built in 1784, the oldest Catholic church still in use in the city. (visit ≈ 30 min)
Museum of Free Derry: A museum in the Bogside on the civil rights movement and the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972. (visit ≈ 120 min)
Brooke Park: A park opened in 1901 on the hill west of the centre, with paths and a playground. (visit ≈ 45 min)
First Derry Presbyterian Church: A Presbyterian church from the late 18th century, inside the walls. (visit ≈ 30 min)
St Augustine's Church: A small church on the walls, said to stand on the site of St Columba's 6th-century monastery. (visit ≈ 30 min)

1-day Derry walking itinerary

Starting point: Inside the walls. The top 8 places at a normal pace (up to ~10 km of walking a day), in this order. Change places or your hotel on the map and the route is recalculated. Distances are estimates with a street allowance.

Day 1 (≈ 2.6 km · 3,510 steps · 35 min on the way): Millennium Forum → Guildhall → Tower Museum → St Eugene's Cathedral → Free Derry Corner → Derry City Walls → St Columb's Cathedral → Diamond War Memorial

Hidden gems and overlooked spots in Derry

Mussenden TempleA round library built on the cliff edge at Downhill Demesne in 1785. Downhill beach below it stood in for the shore of Dragonstone in Game of Thrones.visit ≈ 90 min, 38 km from the centre
Grianan of AileachJust across the border in the Republic of Ireland, a stone ring fort on a hilltop looking over Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle.visit ≈ 60 min, 8 km from the centre
Giant's CausewayA shore of tens of thousands of basalt columns running into the sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site reached along the coast road from Derry.visit ≈ 180 min, 58 km from the centre

Where to stay in Derry

Inside the walls: Most sights are a short walk away, with steps up to the walls from several gates.
Guildhall and Waterloo Place: Bars and restaurants just outside the walls, a few minutes from the bus station.
Waterside: On the east bank near the railway station, with the Peace Bridge as a footpath to the centre.

Getting from the airport to Derry

City of Derry (LDY): Bus ≈ 30 min, taxi ≈ 15-20 min
Belfast International (BFS): Airporter bus ≈ 1.5 h

Getting around

The official name is Londonderry, though most people locally say Derry. A walk around the walls takes about an hour. The Peace Bridge, opened in 2011, joins the two banks of the river for walkers. The train from Belfast takes about two hours, with the last stretch along the shore of Lough Foyle.

Classic places to eat

Browns Bonds Hill: Modern British cooking in the Waterside, listed in the Michelin Guide.

Good to know before visiting Derry

Fine: Carrying pepper spray or certain knives (locking or over 3 inches) is illegal.
Fine: Smoking is banned in pubs, restaurants and enclosed workplaces.
Warning: Traffic drives on the left. Look right first when crossing.
Warning: Any drone of 100 g or more needs a CAA Flyer ID. If that drone has a camera or weighs 250 g or more, you also need an Operator ID. Flying is restricted around airports.
Stand on the right on escalators. People walk on the left.
The drinking age is 18. You'll be asked for ID if you look young.

Emergency: 999
Plugs: G, 230V
Tap water: Tap water is safe to drink.
Tipping: Restaurants often add 10–12.5% service. No tip is expected at a pub bar.

Sources: GOV.UK: Visit the UKopens in a new tab, City of Edinburgh Council: Visitor levyopens in a new tab, Wikivoyage: United Kingdomopens in a new tab, T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı: Türk vatandaşlarının tabi olduğu vize uygulamalarıopens in a new tab · For information only. Rules change, so check official sources before you go. Last checked: 2026-10

Derry travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Derry?: The top 8 places in the centre take about 1 day at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 2 days for the top 13 places within walking distance.
What are the top things to do in Derry?: Highlights: Derry City Walls, Guildhall, St Eugene's Cathedral, St Columb's Cathedral and Free Derry Corner. The map has 13 things to do in total.
Where to stay in Derry?: Inside the walls: Most sights are a short walk away, with steps up to the walls from several gates. Other options: Guildhall and Waterloo Place and Waterside.
How do you get from the airport to Derry city centre?: City of Derry (LDY): Bus ≈ 30 min, taxi ≈ 15-20 min · Belfast International (BFS): Airporter bus ≈ 1.5 h
How do you get around Derry?: The official name is Londonderry, though most people locally say Derry. A walk around the walls takes about an hour. The Peace Bridge, opened in 2011, joins the two banks of the river for walkers. The train from Belfast takes about two hours, with the last stretch along the shore of Lough Foyle.
What is the emergency number in Derry?: Emergency: 999.
Do you tip in Derry?: Restaurants often add 10–12.5% service. No tip is expected at a pub bar.

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