Top 10 Kid Friendly Things To Do and Attractions in Londonderry

"The hidden jewel in Derry City is most certainly Derry Craft Village. Like something straight out of a Dickens’ novel, it is a cultural oasis in the heart of a vibrant city. A reconstruction of an 18th Century Street and 19th Century Square, the Craft Village provides an eclectic mix of artisan craft shops, balconied apartments, licensed restaurant and coffee shops."

"Describing itself as the “hidden jewel in Derry’s crown”, the Craft Village is located in the heart of Derry City Centre. It is the first of our top things to do in the city. It is a reconstruction of an 18th-century street and 19th-century square and is lined with craft shops, balconied apartments, and coffee shops to stop and refuel."

"A handful of craft shops sell Derry crystal, handwoven cloth, ceramics, jewellery and other local craft items in this renovated courtyard. One of the best is Derry Designer Makers, a collective of 15 artists and..."

"Back in the Bogside neighbourhood there’s a monument at the junction of Rossville Street, Lecky Road and Fahan Street. The message “You Are Now Entering Free Derry” was painted in 1969 by a local activist and marks the entrance to what was a self-declared autonomous Nationalist part of the city in the early stages of the Troubles. Initially this was part of a row of terrace houses, but those have been demolished, leaving a single standing wall in the central reservation of Lecky Road, which is today a dual carriageway."

"The Free Derry Corner is one of the most popular landmarks in the city. It is based at the foot of the famous Bogside community. It is a freestanding wall that commemorates ‘Free Derry’, the self-proclaimed nationalist independence area during 1968 – 1972 and often celebrates modern-day resistance movements."

"We thoroughly enjoyed our two night stay at the Bishop's Gate Hotel, which is conveniently located just inside the city walls, within easy walking distance to the central sights of Derry/Londonderry. Stephanie at reception, who checked us in, was charming, gracious, cheerful, friendly, full of smiles and very helpful. We liked her very much. Our luxury king room was very quiet and comfortable. We slept well. Although the room was a little small, preventing it from having a dresser to unpack into, our overall comfort was unaffected. We remain very pleased with our choice. The Gown restaurant was superb for both dinner and breakfast. The wait staff made sure that everything was to our satisfaction. Our Sirloin steaks for dinner were perfectly done, the accompanying sauces (we chose the garlic butter and green peppercorn cream) were very tasty, as were the chunky chips and tossed salad. The Apple Tart Tatin and Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding were the perfect finish to a delicious dinner. Breakfast was a continental buffet of cereals, fruits, meats and cheeses, breads and pastries, but also included freshly cooked items made to order. Choices included a spinach, tomato and Brie crêpe, which was phenomenal, as were the pancakes, eggs, porridge, mushrooms, sausage and crispy bacon. Like dinner, these were all perfectly prepared. We were able to indulge ourselves completely in preparation to walk the city walls and tour the sights of Derry/Londonderry.""This is an excellent hotel, right in the heart of the city centre. The excellent service started as soon as we arrived. we were met at the door, bags taken immediately and valet parking was taken care off. At check in we were greeted by name, taken to our room and shown around. After a walk we spent a couple of very pleasant hours in the bar with friends over coffee and a bottle of wine. Breakfast was also excellent with lovely food cooked to order. We are already looking to return with the whole family.""We booked Bishops gate 10 minutes before arriving, as our other accommodation had to suddenly close, and the staff at bishops gate went out of their ways to make us feel welcome. We had just got engaged and on hearing this, the hotel upgraded us to the penthouse suite, which was fab! The dinner (which was apart of the package) was exceptional, the service was amazing and everyone was so friendly! Although not planned, our stay at bishops gate was perfect and made our day even more special... we will be back :) "

"Bishop’s Gate Hotel is just across from the Derry Walls, where visitors can explore the intact 17th-century enclosure of the city, featuring 24 restored cannons and seven gates. The listed Edwardian-style hotel has plenty of history of its own, having once been the headquarters of a club of local gentry who had served in the Crimean War, with Winston Churchill and W.B. Yeats among the visitors."

"This four-star hotel is surrounded by the historic Derry City Walls and is next to The Siege Museum. You won’t need to walk far to discover the rich history Derry has to offer its guests. It is situated in Derry City Centre, and as it is surrounded by bars, nightlife, shopping and much more, you will not get bored in this amazing city."

"We had to stop at Hidden City Cafe before leaving Derry because it was a brand new restaurant in the city that served vegan options. Hidden City had some cute signage pointing you in the direction of the cafe. Well, sorry Hidden City, it’s not a secret anymore!"

"Welcome to Mekong Street Food.Do you have any issues a s regards your eating diets?. This is not a problem in this place. Indeed here there are also alternatives as gluten free options.You can appreciate and loosen up for your dinner."

"The Scullery, is an artisan bakery & coffee house at the bottom of Waterloo Street, & they sure know how to make a damn good cheesecake. The ideal place to kick back, relax & watch the world go by. Also home to two cafes at Magee Campus."

"One of the most recent additions to Derry’s dining scene, Walled City Brewery – a brewery and restaurant in one and the first of its kind in Northern Ireland – opened its doors in May 2015 with veteran brewer James Huey and his wife Louise at the helm. Small pinxho-style eats, such as mini Thai pork cakes or Donegal smoked salmon blinis are served alongside bigger dishes like house-smoked, beer-braised pulled pork with gherkin and slaw in a brioche bun. Naturally, Walled City’s craft brews make the perfect accompaniment to its eclectic eats – try the flagship pale ale Boom or its refreshing pilsner, Kicks."

"Granny Annie's is a popular local pub with a welcoming attitude to locals and visitors alike. Party vibes are on every night, beer flows endlessly and live bands make frequent appearances. The interior is tastefully crafted, and table service is attentive."

"This chilled place is one of the best locations in Derry to grab lunch. They have a daily ‘lunch box’ deal which you can either eat in or take out. But it’s also a great evening spot that serves yummy cocktails and has fab live music."

"If you're a tourist or visitor to the city, The Pickled Duck Cafe is the ideal place to stop off for a coffee break during your walk around the city. The cafe looks right out onto the Guildhall, the Guildhall Square and the Derry Walls. So although you're having a break, you can still sit down and look out at some of the most popular tourist attractions in our city."

"Since opening their doors on the Guildhall Square they have fast become a popular spot to grab breakfast or lunch in the city. Also opening the doors to a SECOND cafe on Greenhaw Road, serving quality homemade food, their famous 'brown ding' & lots of delicious cakes including cheesecakes you'll be drooling over!"

"This place isn’t anything fancy but it does an absolutely cracking and reasonably priced full Irish breakfast. In fact everything on the menu is reasonably priced. They have two locations but the one close to Guildhall Square is the most central."