City history on the Derry Walls
The Derry Walls offer a striking introduction to Londonderry’s history: The Honourable the Irish Society built the fortifications between 1613 and 1618 for settlers from England and Scotland in the early 17th century. The Derry Walls also form a walking route around the city centre. They measure approximately 1.5 kilometres in circumference.
From the promenade, you can view the layout of the original city. The Renaissance-style street plan, which has been preserved to this day, makes the city’s structure a feature of the walk in its own right: you can see not only the fortifications, but also take in the shape of the original city.
Museums and cultural perspectives
The Museum of Free Derry offers a self-guided tour that typically takes up to 90 minutes. If you’re fitting your visit into a tight schedule, check the latest visitor information for the estimated duration. This way, the time remains a guide rather than a fixed promise for every visit.
The full museum narrative is available on the Museum of Free Derry website in Irish, Italian, Catalan, French, Spanish, German and Basque. If a particular language is important for your plans, check the options directly on the website.
At the Tower Museum, the Derry Girls Experience includes original memorabilia from the television series. A DNA Preview Space offers a glimpse of collections due to be displayed at the new DNA (Derry on the North Atlantic) Museum. The museum is scheduled to open at Ebrington Square in late 2027. The La Trinidad Valencera Spanish Armada and Story of Derry exhibitions are closed due to ongoing restoration work. Check the latest exhibition information before your visit, especially if you’re planning to see either of these exhibitions.
The Guildhall is a neo-Gothic building originally constructed in 1887. Its stained-glass windows depict subjects ranging from fishmongers to musicians; a dedicated exhibition explores how the Plantation shaped the city’s history. The Saint Columba Heritage Centre takes a different historical perspective, presenting 1,500 years of history and culture under one roof.
An audio tour of St Columba’s Church Long Tower is available in Irish and Italian. As the availability of this offering should be checked again, it’s worth reviewing the latest visitor information before your visit.
The People’s Gallery of Murals in the Bogside consists of twelve large-scale murals. They represent the turbulent history of the Bogside and its people. The focus here is on the history of a neighbourhood and its people, told through a connected group of images.
Bridge, public space and riverside landscape
The Peace Bridge is a 235-metre cycle and pedestrian bridge connecting both sides of the River Foyle. It leads to Ebrington Square, a former military barracks converted into a public space for open-air events, art exhibitions and music events. If you’d like to plan your visit around a particular event, check its date separately.
Bay Road Nature Reserve on the banks of the River Foyle offers a different focus. The 20-hectare site is a former landfill and includes woodland, grassland, salt marshes and mudflats. Waders and wintering birds found there include six Northern Ireland priority species: redshank, herring gull, song thrush, mistle thrush, starling and chaffinch. Bird populations can vary seasonally.
This helps you base your decision on the experiences that actually interest you, rather than combining the different themes into a single catch-all list.
Discover more destinations: Eglinton
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