DERRY lies at the foot of Lough Foyle, immediately before the border with the Republic. It's a crossroads city in more ways than one; roads from all cardinal points arrive here, but it was also a major point of emigration from the eighteenth century onwards, an exodus which reached tumultuous proportions during the Great Famine. Derry is the fourth-largest town in Ireland and the second-biggest in the North, but it has a markedly different atmosphere from Belfast, being two-thirds Catholic . While entrances to the city are now marked by signs in Irish welcoming visitors to Derry, the city still appears as " Londonderry " on many road maps and signs, a preference adhered to by the British government, Unionists and television news bulletins, Indeed, it has also acquired the nickname " Stroke City " - a reference to the tactful placating of both Nationalist and Unionist traditions by entitling it "Londonderry/Derry" on signs and in radio and television broadcasts. Whatever, the case, locals of both persuasions now generally refer to their city as "Derry". Within Ireland, Derry is highly regarded for both its characteristically caustic humour - best caught in the busier bars and at the football matches at the Brandywell - and its musical pedigree, having produced names as diverse as Dana, Dáithí Sproule (of Altan), Phil Coulter, The Undertones, and many less famous.

Approached from the east in winter twilight or under a strong summer sun, the city presents a beguiling picture, with the spread of the River Foyle and the rise of the city's two hillsides, terraced with pastel-shaded houses from which rise the hueless stone spires of the ever-present Church Orders. This scenic appeal apart, at first sight Derry might appear to offer little cause to linger, for all the richness of its history. Yet there are several real attractions, mostly enclosed within the seventeenth-century walls , themselves the most significant reminder of the city's past. And four miles or so west of the centre, across the border on the Letterkenny Road, is the unmissable Grianán Ailigh , a stone fort and the oldest habitation left standing in Ireland.

Outside Ireland, the name of Derry recalls the Troubles of recent years and savage events like the Bloody Sunday massacre. Nonetheless, under no circumstances be deterred from visiting, for, unlike Belfast, the cutting edge of violence had receded considerably here even before the ceasefires, and the city is still imbued with a real sense of optimism, despite losing much trade to nearby Letterkenny thanks to the declining value of the punt against sterling.

Although eating out in the city has improved dramatically over recent years, you still won't be faced with a bewildering choice. The Galley , within the walls at 12a Shipquay St, is a good daytime choice with quality pizzas and home baking. Otherwise, try bustling and good-value Anne's Hot Bread Shop, 8 William St, open until 2am Mon-Sat, or the very sociable Leprechaun Café on the Strand Road. As ever, you can also get lunch in many of the pubs: Badgers , in Orchard Street, has recently won awards, but the Metro in Bank Place, the Linenhall in Linenhall Street and the Monico Lounge opposite the main post office are also worth checking out.

All of Derry's more formal restaurants require booking at weekends year-round, and on weekdays as well during the summer. The best modern food is to be found at central Fitzroys , 2-4 Bridge St (tel 028/7126 6211); Brown's , 1 Bond's Hill on the east bank (tel 028/7134 5180); or in the southern suburbs of the Waterside at Schooner's , 59 Victoria Rd (tel 028/7131 1500). Carlisle Road, just south of the walls, has a cosmopolitan selection: India House at no. 51 (tel 028/7126 0532), is an excellent Indian with main courses for around £7; La Sosta at no. 45a (tel 028/7137 4817) is the city's best Italian; and, despite its name, Gravy at no. 32 (tel 028/7136 0300), is one of the few Derry restaurants offering vegetarian specials. North of the centre is Piemonte Pizzeria (tel 028/7126 6828) on Clarendon Street, the best pizza place in town, while further north McGilloway's , 145 Strand Rd (tel 028/7126 2050), whose decor deliberately replicates an old-fashioned chip shop, has quality seafood and an especially good chowder.

Bars and music
What Derry lacks in restaurants, it makes up for, inevitably, in pubs . Congenial and conversational places include The Clarendon Bar , 44 Strand Rd; The Anchor Bar , 38 Ferryquay St; Badgers , 18 Orchard St...
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Arts and other entertainment
Classical music thrives in the city through the Londonderry Arts Association (tel 028/7126 4481), with around a dozen concerts a year held in the Great Hall of Magee University College. Orchestral concerts by the Ulster Orchestra are held much less...
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