- Let's go, explore Derry.
(bright cheerful music)
Hey, adventurers.
Welcome back to The Planet D on YouTube.
Today, we're taking you to Derry
also known as Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
(bright cheerful music)
Hello, from Northern Ireland.
We've been lucky enough
to visit Northern Ireland several times
and Derry is one of our favorite cities.
Located along the Causeway Coastal Route
which stretches from Belfast to Derry,
this historic city is not to be missed.
(bright cheerful music)
We've driven this spectacular 120 mile long route
that is famous for its stunning coastlines,
massive sea cliffs,
and some of the most renowned attractions
in all of Ireland three times.
It's one of the greatest road trips in the world
with stops including the Giant's Causeway,
the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, the Dark Hedges,
and several beautiful beaches and towns.
You can watch our entire video of the Causeway Coastal Route
in the links below.
(gentle upbeat music)
There are plenty of things to do in Derry.
And when visiting Northern Ireland,
make sure to spend at least two days here.
Nestled along the River Foyle,
Derry is one of the longest continuously inhabited places
in Ireland.
It's a city that steeped in history and culture
with so much to offer.
So let's get started.
(gentle uplifting music)
- One of the first things you should do
is walk along the Derry walls.
Most of the major attractions can be seen along here
and it's a really pleasant stroll
away from all the traffic and crowds.
(gentle uplifting music)
The Derry city walls date back to 1613
and surround the entire old city.
The still intact city walls are one of the finest examples
of a walled city in all of Europe.
It's a 1.5 kilometer walk around the entire inner city
with seven gates in total.
Take a stroll to see its cannons
and beautiful lookout points.
(gentle upbeat music)
A very cool fact is
that the walls of Derry have never been breached
which is astounding with all the troubles the city has seen.
(gentle upbeat music)
I highly recommend walking along the Derry walls
here at Sunset.
It's just such a pleasant feeling.
(gentle upbeat music)
Derry was regularly under siege from 1649 to 1689,
and during the troubles,
these walls were closed to the general public.
Today, visitors can enjoy the 22 restored cannons
and beautiful views of the old city
and surrounding neighborhoods.
(gentle calming music)
The next stop is to take a walk to Free Derry Corner.
The name Free Derry was given to the mainly Catholic areas
of Bogside, Creggan, and Brandywell,
and no visit to Derry is complete
without a tour of this historic neighborhood.
(gentle calming music)
It's very sobering walking through Free Derry.
All of these people were so young
fighting for something they believed in.
It's just so sad.
And I'm glad that we're remembering them.
(gentle calming music)
Bogside was the center of the troubles that began in 1969
during the three-day Battle of the Bogside
and continued until 1972.
One of the most famous monuments you'll see here
is the Bloody Sunday Monument.
If you ever wondered what the famous "U2" song was about,
this is it.
Bloody Sunday took place on January 30th, 1972
when British Paratroopers opened fired on protestors.
14 civilians were killed that day
and many more were injured.
This monument is dedicated to those who died here
where you can pay your respects.
(gentle uplifting music)
As you continue,
you'll see several murals known as the Bogside Murals.
These murals take you on a visual journey
recounting the conflicts and injustices
that took place during the troubles.
One of the most significant murals
depicts a young school girl Annette McGavigan,
who was only 14 years old when she was gunned down.
These murals not only pay tribute
to the people of the city of Derry,
but other human rights activists like Nelson Mandela,
Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa.
You can take a walking tour here with people
who actually survived the area
'cause it's really a very recent history.
And what we're learning from recent events now
is that anything could happen again.
So it's really important, I think, to take tours like this
to remember what can actually happen
and to learn from our mistakes.
As you walk further, there's another monument
dedicated to the hunger strike victims
where 10 prisoners starved themselves to death in 1981
during a showdown with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
One of the victims was Bobby Sands
who was elected as a Member of Parliament during the strike.
To read the stories from these times is truly astounding.
And a visit to the memorials and seeing the murals in Derry
puts faces to those who suffered.
(gentle upbeat music)
- We're here at the oldest building in the city,
which is St. Columb's Church.
- [Deb] No tour of any Irish city would be complete
without mentioning its cathedrals.
We sauntered into the grounds of St. Columb's Cathedral.
And when inside,
we had volunteers welcoming us with open arms
as they told us the story of the cathedral
and pointing out interesting pieces.
It's a must see as it was the first Protestant church
built in Britain following the Reformation.
It's one of Derry's oldest buildings dating back to 1633
which is saying a lot
because it survived the siege of Derry and the troubles.
(gentle upbeat music)
- Cross the River Foyle on the Peace Bridge.
(gentle upbeat music)
- Opened in 2011, the Peace Bridge is a pedestrian link
spanning the River Foyle
that connects Ebrington Square and the waterside area
to the city center.
This has brought Derry together,
helping to connect the two sides
both geographically and symbolically.
(gentle upbeat music)
There's a lovely waterfront trail that you can walk along
and it crosses the bridge so you can go to either side
and take in views of the city
and just enjoy the park and the outdoors.
On a sunny day like today, it's amazing.
We had a beautiful view of the Peace Bridge
and the River Foyle from our hotel room.
We stayed at the Maldrom Hotel right in the city center
at Butcher's Gate by the Derry City walls.
(gentle upbeat music)
This was an excellent place to make a base
with all the attractions within easy walking distance.
(gentle upbeat music)
- It took us a little while to find it,
but we finally found the Craft Village here in Derry.
I think it's worth it.
(gentle upbeat music)
- [Deb] The Craft Village is a lovely alleyway
filled with gift shops and boutiques
leading to the Village Square in its center.
The Village Square is covered
and it's a great place to pull up a seat and have a pint.
There's also an unmissable batched roof cottage
in the village that's very picturesque
and perfect for your Instagram moments.
(gentle upbeat music)
(gentle uplifting music)
Our next stop is Guildhall.
This stunning building is an absolute must visit
when you're in the city.
Completed in 1890,
the neo-Gothic building serves as a civic building
housing the offices of Derry City
and the Strabane District Council.
One of the standout features of Guildhall
is the array of stained-glass windows.
These beautiful windows depict various events
from Derry's history, including the siege of Derry.
The main hall is beautiful with its vaulted ceiling
and grand pipe organ.
(gentle calming music)
Guildhall was also where the Bloody Sunday hearings
took place from 2000 to 2004, and you can learn all about it
at the display on the second floor.
(gentle calming music)
Another one of the more popular things to do in Derry
is to take the Derry Girls walking tour.
This popular TV show is about growing up in Derry
in the 1990s, which were the final years of the troubles.
While most of the show was shot in Belfast,
many of the exterior scenes were shot in Derry.
And don't miss seeing the Derry Girls mural.
Once you have seen the main attractions in Derry,
there are plenty of museums to visit
including the Siege Museum, The Museum of Free Derry,
and the Tower Museum.
With so much history, it's worth going inside
to learn more about this fascinating destination.
- Cheers.
- [Deb] And these are the best things to do in Londonderry.
If you enjoyed our video, make sure to subscribe
and click on that bell for notifications
because we put up new travel videos each week.
See you next time.
(calm music)