5 Best Sights in Northern Ireland

On the riverbank stands the visitor center of Belleek Pottery Ltd., producers of Parian china; a fine, eggshell-thin, ivory porcelain shaped into dishes, figurines, vases, and baskets. There's a factory, showroom, exhibition, museum, and café. You can watch a 20-minute audiovisual presentation or join a 30-minute tour of the factory, where you can get up close and talk to craftspeople—there's hardly any noise coming from machinery in the workshops. Everything here is made by hand just as workers did back in 1857. The showroom is filled with beautiful but pricey gifts: a shamrock cup-and-saucer set costs about £59, and a Classic Connemara vase at £45. The company has a jewelry portfolio called Belleek Living featuring designs inspired by the Irish landscape. The most recent and somewhat unusual addition, which has found a new niche for a specialist customer in the U.S. market, is the production of a funeral urn. This is a bespoke Irish-themed urn, handcrafted as part of an elaborate process by casting a mold which is then cast in liquid clay, glazed and decorated with a shamrock.

Belfast is blessed with some exceptional pubs, but the Crown is one of the city's glories. Owned by the National Trust (the U.K.'s official conservation organization), it's an ostentatious box of delights and immaculately preserved. Opposite the Europa Hotel, it began life in 1826 as the Railway Tavern and is still lighted by gas; in 1885 the owner asked Italian craftsmen working on churches in Ireland to moonlight on rebuilding it, and its place in Irish architectural pub history was assured. Richly carved woodwork around cozy snugs (cubicles—known to regulars as "confessional boxes"), leather seats, color tile work, and an abundance of mirrors make up the decor. But the pièce de résistance is the embossed ceiling with its swirling arabesques and rosettes of burnished primrose, amber, and gold, as dazzling now as the day it was installed. The Crown claims to serve the perfect pint of Guinness—so no need to ask what anyone's drinking. When you settle down with your glass, note the little gunmetal plates used by the Victorians for lighting their matches as well as the antique push-button bells for ordering another round. Ageless, timeless, and classless—some would say the Crown is even priceless. If you wish to eat, choose the upstairs dining room, which has a much wider and better selection of food.

The rejuvenated Victorian Guildhall is an outstanding example of the city's ornate architecture. It has been refashioned as a visitor center with interactive exhibits telling the story of the Plantation of Ulster and the construction of the walled city, and how these events shaped present-day Derry. Touch-screen displays explain the building's special features, like the elaborate ceilings, baronial wood paneling, and a magnificent organ. For children, hands-on displays include a puzzle of a 1598 map of Ulster, and a wheel they can spin to find out about the different London companies and how land was divided. Kids can also build a bawn, stone house, or castle using wooden blocks, or dress up in the clothes of Planters or Irish people of the period. Look out, too, for the delightful scale model of the city in 1738 showing just a few thatched cabins outside the perimeter wall. A conserved page (a folio) from the Great Parchment Book of 1639 detailing the account of the Plantation is also on display. Other highlights include the 23 superb stained-glass windows in the reception area, up the stairs, and in the first floor main hall reflecting the siege of 1689 and other aspects of the city's history. With the gleaming restoration, one of the most famous of all Derry's local sayings, "You've more faces than the Guildhall clock"—not a compliment—has renewed resonance.

Enjoy an alfresco coffee in the Guild Café at the harbor square entrance overlooking the Foyle, an ideal spot to catch the riverine light and reflect on 400 turbulent years of history.

Just outside Armagh is Ulster's Camelot—the region's ancient capital. Excavations date activity to 700 BC. The fort has strong associations with figures of Irish history. Legend has it that thousands of years ago this was the site of the palace of Queen Macha; subsequent tales call it the barracks of the legendary Ulster warrior Cuchulainn and his Red Branch Knights. Remains dating from 94 BC are particularly intriguing: a great conical structure, 120 feet in diameter, was formed from five concentric circles made of 275 wooden posts, with a 276th, about 12 yards high, situated in the center. In an effort to make the past come alive, in 2020 the center underwent a modern-day rebranding making it a more immersive Iron Age Celtic experience for visitors. On arrival you are welcomed into the clan with a cleansing ceremony and purification involving smoke and fire. Traditional herb bread and mead is offered as stories of Ulster's heroes and warriors are recounted; those who feel the need may connect with the land and energy through some calming Celtic Mindfulness, all served up with music and mythology. Hour-long guided tours are held covering the whole site, while young children can dig into the past in the Archeo Pit, dress up as a Celt, and touch history with "feely boxes." Ecology trails bring the environmental aspects of Navan to life. There's a bug hotel, listening posts, bird boxes, a viewing hide, and Armagh's only "bug and beastie" viewer.

If you are searching for your ancestors, Armagh Ancestry is based at Navan Fort where they provide a comprehensive genealogical service with a computerized database containing millions of records of all the major family history research sources in Ireland. To find out more it is best to contact the office in advance of your visit; call 028/3752–1802 or visit www.armaghrootsireland.ie.

By the riverfront is one of the most appealing churches, Presbyterian Sinclair Seamen's Church. Designed by Charles Lanyon, the architect of Queen's University, it has served the seafaring community since 1857. The pulpit is shaped like a ship's prow; the bell is from HMS Hood, a Royal Navy battleship sunk in Portland Harbor on the south coast of England in 1914; and even the collection plates are shaped like lifeboats. Tours are offered between March and December on Wednesday from 2 to 4:30 pm.