Excursions from Belfast

Plan your visit to Belfast and find excursions taking you to some of Northern Ireland's most scenic and interesting places. Use our car hire form to receive a quote and hire a car to take you there.

Londonderry – A two hour drive from Belfast heading east along the picturesque Glenshane Pass route will take you to the historic walled city of Londonderry. Go on the open top bus tour and look at further political murals and the Free Derry Wall (the site of the Bloody Sunday shootings) or take a cruise along the River Foyle.

The Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland’s most famous treasure; consisting of over 40,000 interlocking rocks caused by volcanic eruption. Head for the A2 and along the beautiful coastal route which will take you to the Giants Causeway. The causeway got its name from the famous legend that the Irish giant Fionn McCool built it to walk to across to Scotland to fight his Scottish enemy Benandonner. Whilst there, also cross the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and make a visit to Dunluce Castle.

Bushmills Distillery – Again, out on the A2, head for Bushmills and take a tour of this famous whiskey distillery. En-route, drop in to the welcoming towns of Cushendall, Cushendun and Ballycastle.

Bangor – A quaint seaside town which boasts some of Northern Ireland’s best fish and chip shops. Bangor is only half an hour’s drive from Belfast and makes for a relaxing day by the coast - the perfect alternative to city living.

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If only spending a short amount of time in Belfast; take the open-top sightseeing tour from the city centre which takes in important monuments in central Belfast as well as the shipyards, new Waterfront developments and significant areas involved during the Troubles.

For those looking to avoid the usual retail outlets and high street stores; head to St. George’s Market near Belfast Central Station, which sells a range of locally produced foods, clothes and crafts, Smithfield Market (behind Castle Court shopping centre), which offers independent retail stores and No Alibis on Botanic Avenue; regarded as Northern Ireland’s finest bookstore.

Although the worst of the Troubles are behind Belfast, certain areas of the city such as the Loyalist Sandy Row and the Republican Falls Road still require caution from visitors, when regarding political statements and items of clothing that may be deemed offensive to locals whilst in their neighbourhood. Visitors are encouraged to keep political views to themselves and to avoid wearing football shirts which may be considered as politically opposing.

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