Carrickfergus

Ireland

Carrickfergus sits 18 kilometers northeast of Belfast on the A2 coastal road, making it a handy 25-minute drive from the city. The town claims to be one of Ireland's oldest, with Norman roots stretching back to the 12th century. The compact center features St Nicholas' Church and the Andrew Jackson Cottage, celebrating the ancestral home of America's seventh president. Rail connections run regularly to Belfast in 20 minutes, while drivers often use it as a base for trips to Portrush, Downpatrick, and Ballymena. The star attraction is Carrickfergus Castle, built in the 1180s by John de Courcy right on the water's edge, which served as the only major English stronghold in Ulster for four centuries.