Northern Ireland has had an unfortunate history, but beneath that reputation lies a country whose beauty and charms should be far more famous throughout the world. For within this small piece of land in the North Sea is a country whose beauty is second to none, whose cultural life has given the world some of its finest writers, and whose natural landscape takes away the breath of anyone lucky enough to see it firsthand.

Though Northern Ireland was the site of one of the most complicated, intractable disputes in the world, recent years have seen the reduction of tensions and the return of a real sense of normalcy to the country. As a result, tourists and students can once again take full advantage of this beautiful and enriching part of their world.

Physically, Northern Ireland is a country of ruggedly beautiful landscapes. The combination of the regularly rainy weather, the relatively moderate temperatures, and the rolling pastures that Northern Ireland is famous for have "resulted in much of the region being covered in rich green grassland" (www.en.wikipedia.org). One look at these rolling fields and you'll quickly understand why Ireland is referred to as The Emerand Isle.

But Northern Ireland has much more to offer than natural beauty: The importance of the cultural contributions its people have made to the world are impossible to overstate. In literature, the Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Irteland, as was the poet Paul Muldoon. Liam Neeson and Kenneth Branagh are both from Northern Ireland, as is musician Van Morrison. The world as we know it today would be a very different place without the benefit of the contributions of the Northern Irish.

Tourists and students can both take advantage of the local culture that is accessible to all who visit and live in Northern Ireland. Some of the most beautiful castles in the United Kingdom are found here, including the famous Harry Avery's Castle. You can spend hours wandering the halls and galleries of the Ulster Museum, which features a "visual feast of fine and decorative arts from Irish, British, and international paintings and sculptures to stunning displays of glass and ceramics as well as international touring shows. Discover the richness of the heritage in the unfolding story of the north of Ireland and its people from as far back as the end of the Ice Age" (www.discovernorthernireland.com). Or simply wander around the streets of Belfast, the largest city in Northern Ireland and home to some of the country's best restaurants, pubs, and urban culture.