From Belfast, take a leisurely drive along the inland route to the Giant's Causeway, one of Northern Ireland's most iconic landmarks and its only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along the way, stop to snap photos at the ruins of the Medieval Dunluce Castle, which stands like a sentinel overlooking the sea from its perch on the dramatic cliffs of County Antrim. The castle has a tumultuous history. Many legends are associated with it, including one involving a banshee (this being Ireland) and another regarding a stormy night in 1639 that culminated in the castle kitchens falling into the raging sea. On far more solid footing, the awe-inspiring Giant's Causeway is a distinctive volcanic and geological formation of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the island's northeast coast. About 50-60 million years ago, during a period of powerful volcanic activity, liquid basalt infiltrated chalk beds, forming a plateau of lava, which then contracted, and turned to pillars. The impressive rocks draw tourists from all over the world, to marvel at the mysterious forces of nature. A short panoramic tour through Belfast City rounds out a day spent contemplating nature's majesty and the architecture of a bygone era.