Best Belfast Tours
From guided walking and sightseeing tours to self-guided excursions and day trips, find your perfect adventure in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Belfast is a fascinating city to discover, no matter what your interests are.
As there are so many things to see and do in Belfast, the city is one of the staples on every Ireland itinerary.
It's no wonder a city with a rich history, vibrant culture, fantastic location, and beautiful architecture is so fun to explore.
While you can easily see Belfast's highlights on your own, there are plenty of reasons to opt for one of the excellent guided tours this city has to offer.
Believe us, there's plenty to choose from, no matter if you like history, food, culture, or nature.
So, here is a list of what we think are the best tours in Belfast.
Black Taxi Tour
This top-rated tour takes you through the city in a traditional black taxi with a local guide/taxi driver while you learn more about The Troubles.
In a nutshell, the Troubles was a 30-year conflict between Catholic nationalists (republicans) and Protestant unionists (loyalists).
Without any doubt, the Black Taxi Tours are among the most popular activities in Belfast.
This is a must-do if you're interested in Belfast's dark past.
You will see some fascinating murals, learn about the background of the political conflict, and visit some of the most important locations, such as Falls Road and Shankill.
The main draw of Belfast's Black Taxi Tour is a knowledgeable guide who will show you the sights and share stories about Belfast's history and culture from a local perspective.
Giant's Causeway Tour
This top-rated Giant's Causeway Tour takes you to one of the most famous natural wonders in Northern Ireland.
Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with rugged cliffs, several coastal walks, amazing Atlantic views, and more than 40.000 basalt columns.
We believe that this is Northern Ireland at its best. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and easily accessible to all travelers.
Our biggest gripe with guided tours is that you usually don't have enough time to see it. All the most beautiful spots are too far away. Not here, though.
The basalt columns are just a 10-minute walk or a short shuttle bus ride from the main entrance. And the cliff-top walks offer amazing views even with a limited time.
One of the main advantages of Giant's Causeway day trips is that they include other scenic spots along Antrim's coast.
The best part is that many of these sites were used as filming locations in the acclaimed Game of Thrones TV series.
Just be prepared to spend the whole day on the road, but it's totally worth it.
Game of Thrones Tour
Okay, this Game of Thrones and Giant's Causeway Tour is a must-do if you're a die-hard Game of Thrones fan.
While it also includes Giant's Causeway (there is probably no tour to Antrim's coast that would skip this place), it's very different.
Unlike the traditional Giant's Causeway tours, this one focuses way more on the Game of Thrones.
Therefore, you will be able to see even more filming locations and also meet same-minded travelers.
The tour is led by guides who have appeared in the show as extras, so you can be sure the commentary will be entertaining.
You will be able to see and compare the real-life locations with the scenes from the show on a tablet, and they even bring Iron Born costumes, swords, shields, and Greyjoy banners.
As we said, this is not a typical Giant's Causeway day trip.
The tour includes a stop at Carnlough Harbour, where Arya climbs out of a Braavos canal and is stabbed by the Waif.
Caves of Cushendun witnessed the battle of Jamie Lannister with Euron Greyjoy and the birth of Melisandre's shadow assassin.
Ballintoy Harbour was a location of the Iron Islands, while The Dark Hedges were featured as King's Road.
While Giant's Causeway was not used as a filming location on Game of Thrones, it's one of the crown jewels of Northern Ireland's coast.
Alternatively, you can join this popular Game of Thrones - Winterfell Tour from Belfast.
This tour features Inch Abbey (Robb became King in the North), Castle Ward (Winterfell and other locations), and Tollymore Forest Park (Night's Watch's first encounter with the White Walkers).
Belfast City Walking Tour
While we're big fans of independent travel, we can't deny that walking tours are a great introduction to any new destination, Belfast included.
The most popular Belfast guided walking tours take you through the city's historic streets, with stops at landmarks such as Belfast City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, and the Peace Walls.
While these Belfast City Walking Tours are a bit more general (heritage, architecture, culture, food, daily life, etc.), you will also learn about the city's history, the story of Titanic, and the Troubles.
That said, some of the best walking tours in Belfast are the ones that revolve around the political conflict known as the Troubles.
Apart from the mode of transport, these Belfast - Political Conflict Walking Tours offer a very similar experience to the Black Taxi Tours we mentioned earlier.
Either way, walking tours offer a perfect way to kick-start your trip to Belfast.
Whiskey Tasting Tour
If you're a fan of whiskey, there are several great distilleries to visit in Ireland.
Located in Northern Ireland's County Antrim, Old Bushmills Distillery is one of the most famous of the bunch.
If you're in Belfast, you don't have to drive that far to taste whiskey, though, as you will also find a great distillery there.
In fact, Titanic Distillers is the first Belfast's working distillery in almost 90 years.
It's located at Thompson Dock and Pumphouse in Titanic Quarter, and the tours are available between 10 AM and 7 PM.
Tours range from signature whisky-tasting tours to behind-the-scenes premium tours and include all essential information on how the distillery works and how the whiskey is made, as well as the fascinating story of the Irish whiskey resurgence.
On our first trip to Ireland, we did a whiskey tour in Dublin, and it was a great experience.
Some of the Giant's Causeway Tours such as this one also include Old Bushmills Distillery in their itinerary.
No matter which distillery you visit, it's one of the must-do activities while in Ireland.
Belfast Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Sometimes, the most basic tours are the most practical. If you're not sure where to start your day in Belfast, consider booking a Hop-On Hop-Off Belfast Bus Tour.
While these tours are often viewed as too touristy, they offer a great way to see some of the finest landmarks and attractions Belfast has to offer in a stress-free way.
The main advantage is that you can get on and off at any of the 20 stops featuring the city's top attractions, so you can easily create your own itinerary.
Another reason Belfast's hop-on hop-off tours are worth it is that you get a chance to see the city from a traditional double-decker bus.
As you don't have to worry about transportation, the sightseeing tour is ideal for first-time visitors short on time.
Self-Guided Belfast Tours
While we created this post with the intention to introduce you to some of the best Belfast guided tours, you should know that there are several fascinating places you can explore on self-guided tours as well.
Crumlin Road Gaol Experience is Belfast's infamous prison that is definitely worth seeing.
The only remaining Victorian-era jail with more than 150 years of history is one of Belfast's true gems.
The highlight of every visit to the capital city of Northern Ireland is the famous Titanic Belfast Experience.
This world's largest Titanic museum tells the story of the legendary ocean liner, from its construction to its fateful journey from Southampton to New York City.
The ticket includes SS Nomadic, one of Titanic's tender ships that is located only a short walk from the main museum.
Both museums offer an incredible experience, and we can only recommend a visit.
While Crumlin Road Gaol and Titanic Belfast can be easily explored without a guide, both places also offer regular guided tours if you're interested in even more stories and history.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
