Derry (Londonderry)
Derry is a small city on the River Foyle in Northern Ireland. Most visitors walk the city walls, then cross the river to see the Bogside murals and the Peace Bridge.
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Derry, also called Londonderry, is a small city in Northern Ireland on the River Foyle, near the border with the Republic of Ireland. The old center sits inside city walls built between 1613 and 1618. The circuit is roughly a mile long, and you can walk the full ring on top of them. Inside the walls are the cathedral and narrow streets. Across the river, the Bogside has large murals about the Troubles and the civil rights campaign of the 1960s. The Peace Bridge, opened in 2011 for pedestrians and cyclists, links the two sides.
Derry suits a short break or a stop on a wider Northern Ireland trip. One full day covers the walls, the Bogside and the bridge. An overnight adds time for evenings in the pubs and for live music. Where you stay, inside the walls or across the river, sets how much you walk each day. The city holds a Halloween festival each late October. For the walls, late spring and summer have the longest days.
Derry (Londonderry) in five
- Walk the Walls before anything elseThe ramparts circle the old city for about 1.6 km, and Visit Derry lists them as free and open from dusk to dawn. Walk them first to learn the layout, then drop down to the Bogside.Derry in one day
- Book rooms early for Derry HalloweenThe festival runs 28 October to 1 November 2026, its 40th year, and fills the Walled City with crowds and street events. Reserve a base before you commit to flights.Where to stay in Derry
- Price the Visit Derry Pass before you buyThe official sightseeing pass covers ten attractions over one or two days. It pays off only if you plan several paid visits, since the Walls and the streets cost nothing to walk.Visit Derry Pass
- Visit the Museum of Free Derry in the BogsideIt tells the civil rights era, Free Derry and Bloody Sunday through local accounts. Check its site for opening hours and booking, and pair it with the People's Gallery murals outside.Museum of Free Derry
- Crossing from Donegal? Hold your ETA firstDerry is close to the Irish border. Visa-exempt visitors who do not live in Ireland need a UK ETA when they enter from Ireland, so apply before you drive or ride across.UK ETA explained
Things to do in Derry (Londonderry)
See all attractions in Derry (Londonderry)
Need to know
- Airport
- City of Derry (LDY), about 10 km north-east of the center
- Getting there
- Belfast by train or bus, about 2 hours; Dublin by coach, 3 hr 45 min or more
- Getting around
- On foot; the Walls circuit is about 1.6 km
- Best base
- Inside the Walls, or Ebrington across the Peace Bridge
- Time needed
- 1 day; 2 with Inishowen or the north coast
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain17 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low3°Wet, darkJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, dark
- FebruaryRain17 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Cold, wetFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, wet
- MarchRain16 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Quiet streetsMarchRain
Good
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 90 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet streets
- AprilRain15 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°ShowersAprilRain
Good
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Showers
- MayRain15 rainy daysHigh15°Low7°Long daysMayRain
Best
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JuneRain17 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 93 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyRain19 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°Mildest, busyJulyRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mildest, busy
- AugustRain20 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°Mild, busyAugustRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 116 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, busy
- SeptemberRain18 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Calmer, clearSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calmer, clear
- OctoberRain18 rainy daysHigh13°Low8°HalloweenOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Halloween
- NovemberRain17 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Wet, darkNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, dark
- DecemberRain18 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Short daysDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Short days
Average daily high and low in Derry, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Derry (Londonderry)
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
6
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 97%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Derry (Londonderry)
09:18 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°5°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue10°4°0%Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed10°2°0%Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 10°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu10°1°2%Thursday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Fri10°7°10%Friday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Sat10°3°14%Saturday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Sun9°3°4%Sunday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 4%.
Updated 08:24 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
What's on in Derry (Londonderry)
Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city
Events calendarEvery year
- AugFéile an PhobailBelfast, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Inishowen Peninsulaacross the border into DonegalSea cliffs, beaches and Malin Head, best by car.Read the guide
- Causeway Coastalong the Causeway Coastal RouteDownhill and Mussenden Temple on the way to the Giant's Causeway.Read the guide
- Belfastabout 2 hours by train or busTitanic Quarter, murals and the bigger city's evenings.Read the guide
Before you go to Derry (Londonderry)
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Rules for Derry (Londonderry), checked
- The city walls are free to walk and open from dusk to dawn, per Visit Derry. Guided tours and museums inside charge separately.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
- Derry Halloween 2026 runs 28 October to 1 November, the festival's 40th year; check the program before you book.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
- Entering Derry from Donegal: visa-exempt visitors not living in Ireland need a UK ETA (£20); residents of Ireland arriving from Ireland are exempt.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
Derry (Londonderry) FAQ
Is it Derry or Londonderry?
Both names are in use. Tourism NI and Visit Derry write Derry~Londonderry, and signs, tickets and booking sites may show either one, so recognize both when you search for trains, coaches or rooms.
How long do you need in Derry?
One full day covers the Walls, the Bogside and a museum or two. Stay a night if you want an evening on the Walls or plan to add Inishowen or the north coast the next day.
Can you walk Derry's city walls for free?
Yes. Visit Derry lists the Walls as free and open from dusk to dawn. Guided tours and museums inside and around them charge separately, so check each one before you plan the day.
How do you get from Belfast to Derry?
Tourism NI describes a train from Lanyon Place and a bus from the Europa Bus Centre, each about 2 hours. Check Translink for the current timetable, or drive the longer Causeway Coastal Route.
Is Derry or Belfast better for a short trip?
Belfast has more to fill two or three days; Derry rewards one day on foot with the Walls and the Bogside. With a car and a week, do both and take the coast road between them.