Finally! I get to write about one of my most exciting adventures from 2023: a day in Belfast, Northern Ireland!
If you haven’t been following along, I spent a long weekend on the Emerald Isle in October with one of my favorite travel buddies, Sarah. While most of our time was spent in Dublin, Ireland, we delegated one day to venture beyond the city’s borders and see what the next country over had to offer.
Because we didn’t have a car (there was no way I was going to test my driving skills on the opposite side of the road!), we opted to take a full-day tour through Viator. The particular one we chose included all-day transportation, a knowledgeable guide, and multiple stops at some of the biggest highlights around Belfast.
Today, I want to tell you about this incredible tour and why it should be on your bucket list.
*Note: This post does include affiliate links to Viator. If you choose to book a trip through this link, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. It’s just an easy way you can help support the blog and enjoy great experiences! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] or check out my privacy policy page.
Why We Chose This Tour to Belfast
Before I dive into the particulars of the tour, I want to talk a little bit about why we chose to go to Northern Ireland instead of hitting some of Ireland’s highlights. Several people have asked me why we didn’t visit the Cliffs of Moher, the Blarney Stone, etc. And those are valid questions!
I put a lot of planning into every trip to ensure that we not only hit the highlights but also things that non-locals often miss. I try to find that sweet spot between what’s popular and the hidden gems. So obviously, the Cliffs of Moher were at the top of my list because they’re supposed to be epic! And although they’re on the other side of Ireland from Dublin, the island is small enough to drive across it in a few hours to see those big attractions. So why didn’t I go?
Well, I did my research and discovered that most tourists never see the Cliffs of Moher at their prime during a day trip from Dublin! Unfortunately, the timing is usually off, and the buses arrive when the sun is in your eyes or there’s fog. So you don’t get those epic, sweeping views you think of from the pictures.
Since I wanted to visit a landmark with epic, sweeping views, my research led me to the Giant’s Causeway in Belfast instead. I found several articles that recommended a day trip to Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway because the timing is better, and the landscape is just as gorgeous as the Cliffs of Moher, although in a somewhat different way.
If you don’t know the Giant’s Causeway, it’s an area of land covered in a whacky series of basalt columns. Lava caused this rock to cool down and break into hexagonal shapes. The result looks more like an intense game board than a real place! The columns vary in size and height, creating a series of hills and flat land that almost don’t seem real.
Obviously, I can’t directly compare the two, but I have to agree that Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway were fantastic alternatives. The time frame and costs were comparable to other day trips around Ireland, and we did not have to take any extra steps to cross the border into Northern Ireland.
However, I definitely plan to return to Ireland and visit some of those epic landmarks–just on a better schedule.
What is Viator?
If you haven’t used Viator before, it’s a third-party website that connects travelers with locally hosted tours and experiences around the world. We’ve used it a few times, and I’ve always been pleased with the service and their customer policies. I particularly like that you can cancel up to 24 hours before the excursion for a full refund. In many cases, you will pay a bit more to book through Viator rather than directly through the tour company’s website. But I like the peace of mind and ability to earn reward points for discounts on future tours through the Viator platform.
FAQs About Our Dublin to Belfast Tour
- What company ran your tour? Our Dublin tour was hosted by a local company called Finn McCool Tours. They run various tours throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, each with an experienced bus driver and guide.
- How much did the tour cost? We paid $88 per person through Viator. If you book directly through the Finn McCool website, it’s €74 ($81.32) before taxes. So the price is pretty comparable either way.
- How long was the tour? Our full-day adventure lasted for 13 hours.
- What places did you visit with your tour? This tour stopped at Dunluce Castle, the Giant’s Causeway, the Dark Hedges, Carrick-o-Rede Rope Bridge, and Belfast.
- Can I change up the stops on my tour? The stop schedule is set for this tour and cannot be changed. However, if you’d rather visit some different things in the Belfast area, there are several other tours on Viator you can choose from for a similar price.
Quick Summary of Our Tour to the Belfast Area
Starting Our Adventure
6:30 AM–Our trip officially began at 6:30 Sunday morning, when we met up with the rest of our group for a 6:45 AM departure. Mark and Noshan (our guide and driver) got us all settled in and gave us a quick rundown of what to expect before shutting off the lights on the bus so we could all catch some rest.
The initial drive took a couple of hours, and since it was still dark outside, we took that opportunity to get some extra sleep before the long day ahead. I managed to catch some of the sunrise and beautiful countryside between catnaps.
8:30 AM–Our first stop was a short rest break at a nice travel center in Northern Ireland. While Noshan gassed up the bus, we had the opportunity to use the restrooms and grab breakfast (and lunch items) from one of the restaurants inside. We stocked up on fresh pastries, coffee, snacks, and Subway sandwiches.
After this, Mark started a running commentary while we traveled, filling us in on the political situation between Ireland and Northern Ireland, sharing fun facts about towns we passed, and telling us the legend of Finn McCool and the Giant’s Causeway.
Dunluce Castle
10:15 AM–The first sightseeing stop on our list was Dunluce Castle. This gorgeous cliffside castle is the quintessential ruin you probably picture in storybooks and movies. For that reason, it’s been featured in a few filming scenarios (including the popular Game of Thrones series) and supposedly inspired Cair Paravel in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
Guests can visit the ruins for a small fee; however, we only had time for a quick photo stop from the nearby cliffside before heading to our next stop.
The Giant’s Causeway
10:30 AM–Just a few minutes down the road, we finally arrived at the main attraction: The Giant’s Causeway! Despite some rather cloudy weather, I’m happy to say it was just as stunning as I’d hoped. This stop was about 2 hours long, and we spent every second exploring.
We started with a hike along the cliff tops, which offered breathtaking views of the Giant’s Causeway, the surrounding cliffs, and the ocean. Eventually, we went down to sea level to take in the columns up close. They really are fascinating, and I’ve never seen anything like them before! We had a great time climbing the stacks and finding little perches to enjoy the view and take pictures. We could have spent another hour here, but we had to return to the bus for our next stop.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
1:15 PM–Our next stop was another photo opportunity at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Although visitors can pay to cross the bridge and visit the island, we didn’t have the time in our itinerary. However, the scenic viewpoint was absolutely beautiful, and I’m glad we made the quick stop.
Mark also told us some fun facts about the bridge during this stop. The bridge hangs almost 100 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, and the first bridge was erected in 1755!
The Dark Hedges
1:30 PM–After taking our fill of pictures, we loaded back onto the bus and headed down the road to the famous Dark Hedges. It took about 15 minutes to get there on the bus, and we had 35 minutes to explore once we parked.
These twisted beech trees have made their way into a couple of movies and TV shows and are often featured in photos of Northern Ireland. According to legend, they’re haunted by the Grey Lady. (insert scary music)
In all honesty, the hedges weren’t as impressive as I hoped they would be. I’m sure the several dozen people running down the road didn’t help. But the trees seemed much further apart than they appear in most photos, and I didn’t get that spooky feel I hoped for. However, it was still an interesting stop, and now I can say I’ve been!
Belfast
2:20 PM–Our last and final stop was Belfast. It took about an hour from the Dark Hedges to reach Northern Ireland’s capital city, where we had about 2 hours to explore at our leisure.
I thoroughly enjoyed wandering the streets and taking in all the gorgeous architecture. We visited the Dirty Onion, which is the oldest building in Belfast and had live music playing. We also stopped by the waterfront to see some of the city’s bridges and eventually made our way to the Victoria Square shopping center.
I would have preferred to visit some of the local castles and shop at the local stores. However, since we visited on a Sunday, just about everything besides the mall, churches, and pubs were closed! It was such a bummer, and I wish I’d known to plan around that.
But on the plus side, the mall has a fantastic observation center on the top story, which is free to visit! So we took the elevator to the top and got some beautiful views of the city from there.
We wrapped up our time in Belfast with a cup of coffee and a cute pink dessert from Dilly & Dally’s by the mall before slowly making our way back to the bus.
The Journey Back to Dublin
5:00 PM–After everyone got back to the bus, we headed straight back to Dublin with no stops. The journey took about 2 and a half hours, and despite the coffee, we were exhausted, so we slept a bit more on the way back.
Noshan got us to our drop-off point safe and sound and a few minutes ahead of schedule, which we really appreciated since we were also very hungry! The drop-off point was right in the center of Dublin, so thankfully, we had plenty of options close by for dinner before we headed back to our hotel.
Closing Thoughts on Our All-Day Tour to Belfast
If you couldn’t tell, I had an incredible time on this tour! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a day trip from Dublin with natural beauty. If you have a car and want to save some money, you can easily follow this itinerary on your own and spend extra time at your favorite spots. However, I would recommend an overnight stay in Belfast, so you have more time to fit everything in and don’t have to add several hours of driving to the itinerary.
But if you don’t have a car (or don’t want to bother), this tour was worth every penny. Noshan was a fantastic driver, and Mark’s commentary added so much! We learned a lot along the way that we might have missed on our own. If you want to book this same tour, you can access it here on Viator.
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to save it for future inspiration and give it a like before you go! You can also read about more of our Ireland adventures on the Carried Away Travels blog.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog if you haven’t already so you can join me for the next adventure in the US and beyond!
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And last but not least, be sure to check out my YouTube video about this tour! I have so much gorgeous footage that I know you’ll enjoy and will give you an even better idea of this area’s beauty.
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Thanks so much for being here, and I wish you many happy travels!
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