6 reasons to experience Derry Halloween!

Remember, this is a carnival. And what do we do at carnivals? We get dressed up. From the classics (witch, vampire, etc) to the more nuanced (Mona Lisa including frame or Edward Scissorhands) if you’re not dressed up, you’ll be the only one.

FACT: the city is a gem and the locals are friendly to a fault BUT, the scares at Derry Halloween are intense. Get ready for a full-on fear factor with haunted houses, haunted walks and costumes so good, they’re scary.

3. See where it all began...

Did you know? Halloween is an ancient Irish festival. Originally celebrated as "Samhain" (meaning "end of summer"), our pagan ancestors considered 31 October to be the final day of the year, the night on which the dead would mingle with the living and return to their old homes.

Turn the chill up to 11 with haunted historic tours and trails in the city, or walk Derry~Londonderry’s looming 400-year-old walls with the Awakening The Walls performances and installations for creepy company.

You may have the stuffing scared out of you at Derry Halloween, but you definitely won’t go hungry. Enjoy a hearty meal in a 19th century boathouse in the Quaywest Wine Bar & Restaurant, and delicious Asian fusion flavours in Mekong’s cosy, casual setting. For a spot of comfort food, head for The Exchange and try the marinated chilli chicken and ribs. Over at the Browns in Town restaurant, the risotto is so good it’s scary, while special mention goes to the house smoked pork belly at the Walled City Brewery.

It’s no surprise that the biggest event in the city’s calendar brings with it an electric atmosphere. Sample the best of it at the likes of the Guildhall Taphouse where top musicians come from all over the island of Ireland to perform in this live music hub, check out Sandinos for dancing and a funky interior, and head to the aforementioned award-winning Walled City Brewery to sample signature brews.

If it’s a traditional pub you’re after, make for Peadar O’Donnell’s, home to three different bars (including the Gweedore Bar and Gweedore upstairs). The home of trad music in the city, O’Donnell’s boasts an epic whiskey collection and the interiors hit the vintage mark beautifully.

Pre or post-carnival, you’ve chosen a stunning location to visit. Derry~Londonderry is where the Wild Atlantic Way meets the Causeway Coastal Route. To the west is the Inishowen Peninsula, a collection of coastal cliffs, beaches and stunning seafood and the start of the Wild Atlantic Way.

To the east is the Causeway Coastal Route, a resplendent slow-drive journey taking in a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Giant’s Causeway), the oldest distillery on the island (Bushmills) and a remarkable cliff walk (The Gobbins).

Push a little further west, via Belfast and its Titanic experience, and you’re in Game of Thrones® Territory, with the Kingsroad, Winterfell, the Iron Islands and more on the touring menu.