Newtownabbey

united kingdom

Newtownabbey stretches along Belfast Lough's northern shore, a sprawling suburban town that grew rapidly in the 20th century by absorbing older villages. The M2 motorway runs straight into town from Belfast city center, just 10 kilometers south, while the M5 heads west toward Antrim. It's a handy base for exploring Northern Ireland, with Ballymena 37 kilometers away, Larne 26 kilometers northeast along the coast, and longer trips to places like Omagh at 107 kilometers. The Abbey Centre, with its distinctive glass roof, anchors the town as one of Northern Ireland's largest shopping complexes.