[9.30am] This morning is our big exploration of Belfast.

After a fine breakfast (perhaps you’ll try the traditional ‘Ulster Fry’) we will experience an in-depth city tour of Belfast, beginning inside the majestic Belfast City Hall. We'll check out the 'Belfast entries' which are famous Victorian side-alleys. We'll take in the 360 degree vista over Belfast from the glass dome at Victoria Square. 

We'll tour the divided neighbourhoods of West Belfast. Learn of ‘the Troubles’, our 1969-1998 conflict which tore Northern Ireland apart, you’ll see the ‘Peace Wall’, the impactive political art and murals and all areas of political/historic interest.

[12.30pm]: Free time for lunch in the leafy University area of South Belfast.

1pm:  Visit Queens University Belfast, the Botanic Gardens (and its simply marvellous 150 year old Victorian palm-house) and the award-winning, fascinating and wonderfully eclectic Ulster Museum.

[3pm]: Free time for shopping in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Avenue or sightseeing in the gardens of  City Hall, a short stroll from our hotel.

[7pm]: A free-evening to enjoy Belfast’s unique nightlife and meeting the lively locals.

 [9.30am]: After another tasty breakfast we’ll bid farewell to Belfast and take the scenic drive to the world-famous Antrim Coast, famed in song and story long before it hit the headlines as location for hit TV series ‘Game of Thrones’.

11.30am]: Photostop at the carrick-a-rede rope bridge before we visit the masterpiece - the Giants Causeway, a UNESCO world heritage site and beautiful geological marvel. 60,000 Basalt pillars carved into hexagons by violent volcanic eruptions, though we’ll be happy to also share the story of how it was really built by Celtic Giant Finn McCool! Time to hike, explore and enjoy the epic scenery.

[1pm]: Free for lunch at the Giants Causeway

[2pm]: Tour Dunluce Castle, ancestral home of the McDonnell clan and one of the most haunting ruins anywhere in Europe. Glorious scenery.

[4pm ish]: Arrive in historic Derry (founded 546 AD by St. Columba), aka Londonderry (1613). A walking tour around the city walls is the perfect introduction to Ireland’s most historic city.

[early evening] Check into our city-centre hotel and enjoy free time in Historic Derry. 

Evening free for dinner. Many tour guests will enjoy an evening of Irish music in Peadar O’Donnells historic pub (note: Derry pub music sessions start late), which  Tour-Guests enjoy immensely, a great chance to meet the locals.

We’ll depart on the coach for our fun, relaxing day trip to beautiful Donegal. A short drive over the border.

[12noon] Visit Glenveagh National Park. Truly epic scenery. We’ll tour the castle and you’ll have free time to roam its lakeside lush gardens carved from this rugged Irish valley.

[3pm] A scenic drive through the highlands of Donegal back to the city of Derry.

Visit the famous Tower Museum in Derry.

[6pm] Free for dinner in historic Derry.

Our daily offering of authentic Irish experiences and activities begins with a free morning for you to visit unique cultural sites like the 'Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall' and/or the 'Museum of Free Derry'. We highly recommended Derry’s ornate city hall that resembles a Cathedral, complete with the largest organ in Ireland.

[11am] Then it's farewell to the North-west. We shall enjoy a scenic drive through the rolling farmland of County Tyrone.

Visit the Cathedral city of Armagh, found by St. Patrick in the 5th century and it has 2 Cathedral’s, both named in his honour, are now the HQ for both the Catholic Church and Church of Ireland (Protestant). We'll be able to visit the epic St. Patricks Catholic Cathedral.

[3.30pm approx] Arrive back in Dublins fair city, where we will say our goodbyes and drop you back to the exact same spot that we departed from.

Go n-éirí an bóthar leat / may the road rise to meet you.

* we can only drop off at the point that we departed from in central Dublin (for 2025 this is the Leonardo Hotel at Christchurch Cathedral).  Due to understandably strict driver-hour legislation, under no circumstances can we drop tour-guests off anywhere else in Dublin city-centre and/or Dublin Airport hotels and/or Dublin airport. Occasionally a few tour-guests still ask if we can drop them off somewhere other than the designated drop-off point, but the answer will always have to be a polite 'no'. Taxis are easy to hire from the drop-off point. 

Many thanks for your understanding. :)