Days Out NI
Riverside Walk · Landmark Derry/Londonderry

The Peace Bridge

A graceful, curving footbridge sweeping across the River Foyle — a free, easy walk with glorious city views, and a genuine symbol of a city coming together.

3 photos
Open all the timeDay or night, no gates
FreeJust walk on and enjoy
Derry/LondonderryGuildhall ↔ Ebrington
Get directions
30–60 minHow long
All agesBest for
OutdoorsRiverside
Car parks nearbyParking
FreePrice

A single, sweeping S-curve of white steel and cable, arcing right across the River Foyle from the heart of the old walled city to the far bank. The Peace Bridge is Derry's best free stroll — and its proudest landmark.

  • What it is — a striking, gently curving footbridge and cycleway across the River Foyle, opened in June 2011. Two sweeping halves lean in from each bank and meet in the middle — designed as a "handshake" over the water.
  • What it means — built as a symbol of reconciliation, it links the mainly-nationalist Cityside with the mainly-unionist Waterside, bringing the two sides of the city together. It's become the image of a hopeful, modern Derry.
  • The walk — short, level and easy at about 235m across, with wide open views up and down the Foyle and back to the Guildhall. Step-free and gently sloped, so it's pram- and wheelchair-friendly. Perfect for a gentle there-and-back with the kids.
  • Cost — free, open always — no ticket, no gates, no closing time. Just walk on whenever you like, day or night.
  • What's each side — on one bank the Guildhall and the historic 17th-century walled city; on the other, Ebrington Square — a huge public events space and former parade ground — plus riverside cafés and St Columb's Park.
  • Getting there — right in the middle of Derry, spanning the Foyle between the Guildhall and Ebrington. Several city car parks sit within a few minutes' walk on either side.
Plan your visit

Turn up any time — it's free, open and easy

There's nothing to book and nothing to pay — the Peace Bridge is free and open at all times, so you can simply walk on whenever it suits. It's a short, level crossing of around 235 metres, wide enough for walkers and cyclists side by side, with gentle slopes rather than steps — comfortable with a buggy or wheelchair. Most people cross, take a few photos and wander back in half an hour to an hour, but it's best made part of a bigger day: pair it with a lap of the famous City Walls and the Guildhall on the Cityside, then cross over to Ebrington Square and its cafés on the Waterside. Time it for late afternoon and you'll catch the low sun on the water; stay till dusk and the bridge and Guildhall light up beautifully.

Open 24/7 · free Step-free · level walk Pram & wheelchair friendly Walkers & cyclists City car parks nearby
Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📷Your camera or phoneThe curving bridge, the Guildhall and the river make one of NI's best photos — golden hour and the lit-up night shot are the stars.
  • 🧥A coat or layersYou're out over open water, so it can catch a fresh breeze — grand on a bright day, and the light after rain on the Foyle is gorgeous.
  • 🚼The buggy, no problemIt's level and step-free the whole way across, so prams and wheelchairs roll straight over with ease.
  • ☕An appetiteCafés and restaurants sit at both ends — the Guildhall side and around Ebrington — so build in a coffee or a bite.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Completely free — no ticket, no charge. Parking in the nearby city car parks may cost, so check the signage on the day.
Opening
Open at all times — there are no gates or opening hours. Walk it in daylight, or come at dusk and after dark when the bridge and Guildhall are lit.
The walk
A short, easy crossing of about 235 metres, roughly 30–60 minutes there-and-back with photo stops. It's level with gentle slopes, not steps.
Accessibility
Step-free and gently sloped across its full length, and wide (about 4 metres), so it's comfortable for wheelchairs, prams and buggies. Confirm any temporary works on the day.
Cityside end
Comes out beside the Guildhall and the 17th-century walled city — perfect for pairing with a walk of Derry's Walls.
Waterside end
Leads to Ebrington Square, a large public events space and former army parade ground, plus riverside cafés and restaurants and St Columb's Park.
Best for
All ages — an easy, rewarding stroll for families, couples and photographers alike.
Food
No café on the bridge itself, but cafés and restaurants sit close by on both banks, so grab a coffee before or after.
Best time
Late afternoon into sunset for the low light on the water, and after dark for the illuminated bridge — both are stunning for photos.
Parking
Several city-centre car parks within a few minutes' walk on either side. Confirm current charges on the day.
Getting there
Right in the centre of Derry, spanning the Foyle between Guildhall Street on the Cityside and Ebrington Square on the Waterside.
Questions

Before you go

Is the Peace Bridge free to walk?
Yes — it's completely free and open at all times, with no ticket and no gates. Just walk on whenever you like, day or night. Only nearby car parking may carry a charge.
Is it suitable for prams and wheelchairs?
Yes. It's step-free and gently sloped along its full length, and wide enough (about 4 metres) for walkers and cyclists side by side — so buggies and wheelchairs roll straight across with ease.
How long does it take to cross?
The bridge is about 235 metres, so a there-and-back with a few photos is roughly 30 minutes to an hour. Add more if you explore the Guildhall, the walls or Ebrington on either side.
What's at each end?
On the Cityside you come out by the Guildhall and the historic walled city; on the Waterside you reach Ebrington Square, a big public events space and former parade ground, with riverside cafés and St Columb's Park nearby.
When's the best time to visit?
Late afternoon into sunset is magic for the light on the Foyle, and after dark the bridge and the Guildhall are lit up beautifully — both make for lovely photos. On a bright day the whole riverfront is grand for a stroll.
Where do I park?
Several city-centre car parks sit within a few minutes' walk on either bank. Charges may apply, so check the signage when you arrive.
Getting there

The Peace Bridge spans the River Foyle in the centre of Derry/Londonderry, linking Guildhall Street on the Cityside with Ebrington Square on the Waterside. City-centre car parks sit close by on both banks.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

Derry's WallsHistoric city walls · Cityside The GuildhallLandmark building · a step away Ebrington SquareEvents space · Waterside The Bogside & muralsFamous murals · nearby
The story

A handshake built across a river

For most of its history, Derry's two banks lived largely apart — the Cityside on the west, the Waterside on the east, and a river between them that meant more than water. When plans came together in the late 2000s to build a new footbridge across the Foyle, it was always about more than getting people from one side to the other. It was funded through the European Union's PEACE III programme alongside the region's own departments, and the brief was as much symbolic as practical: bring the two communities closer.

The Peace Bridge opened on 25 June 2011. The architects designed it as two identical halves, each leaning in from its own bank on a single sloping mast, overlapping in the middle of the river — a "structural handshake" over the Foyle. At around 235 metres it curves and snakes rather than running straight, so the walk gives you the whole city as you cross: the Guildhall and the old walls behind you one way, the open river and Ebrington ahead the other.

On the Waterside it links to Ebrington Square, a former military parade ground reborn as one of the city's big public spaces for concerts and events. Since it opened, the bridge has carried millions of crossings and become the picture people take home from Derry — a curving white line over the water, glowing at night, standing for a city that chose to build a way across. Get out and walk it, and feel why.