Belfast is such an underrated UK city break destination with loads of arts and culture, plenty of attractions, beautiful hotels plus great food and drink too.
But Northern Ireland is also famous for its stunning Causeway Coast and if you’re planning a short trip to Belfast, you might be wondering how to squeeze a Giant’s Causeway tour from Belfast into your trip.
So if you’re looking for the best Giant’s Causeway tour from Belfast, here are our favourites to make sure you get to experience this stunning natural wonder on your Northern Ireland trip.
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What is the Giant’s Causeway?
The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on the northern coast of the country called the Causeway Coast.
The site is made up of over 40,000 interlocking basalt rock columns which were formed from volcanic activity over 50 million years ago.
There’s also a local myth about how the Causeway formed that tells of Northern Irish giant Finn McCool who was threatened across the Irish sea by Scottish giant, Benandonner. So they forged the Causeway to be a bridge across the sea so the two giants could fight. Benadonner then tore up the causeway as he retreated back to Scotland so Finn couldn’t reach him again.
How far is it from Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway?
If you’re wondering how far it is from Belfast to Giant’s Causeway, the drive from Belfast to the Giant’s Causeway takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes.
You can easily do a Giant’s Causeway day trip if you have your own vehicle or hire a car. The route is pretty straightforward and well-signposted once you get nearer to the site.
Or alternatively if you’re visiting Belfast or Northern Ireland more generally for a short trip, then there are countless options to choose from for a Belfast to Giants Causeway tour or coach trip.
The best Giant’s Causeway tours from Belfast
This article shares the best Giant Causeway tour from Belfast based on personal experience, however we’ll also share several other tours to Giant’s Causeway so you can choose the best option for you and have alternatives in case your chosen Giant’s Causeway tour from Belfast is already booked.
Review: Best Giant’s Causeway tour, Belfast departure
The reason why we think this Belfast Giant’s Causeway tour is the best is because of the value for money.
£25 per person gets you a full day (10 hour!) coach tour with pick up and drop off in Belfast and it not only includes the Giant’s Causeway itself, but you’ll also get to see and make stops at all of these places too:
- Carrickfergus Castle
- Cushendun Caves
- Carnlough
- Ballintoy
- Dunluce Castle
- The Dark Hedges
That’s 7 stops including the Giant’s Causeway, all for just £25!
Yes, some of these (Carrickfergus and Dunluce Castles) are just quick photo stops, but it’s still a chance for you to experience more of the Causeway Coast on this Giant’s Causeway tour than most!
Your tour also includes a local guide commentary on the coach. Patrick was super knowledgeable and friendly and shared loads of details about Belfast, the Causeway and surrounding area.
There is a stop at Ballintoy for lunch at a cute pub but the food price is not included so you’ll need to buy your own lunch if you’re planning to eat, or bring a packed lunch!
We also liked this tour because we aren’t huge Game of Thrones fans (blasphemy, we know) but we didn’t want one of the Causeway Coast tours that really heavily featured filming locations from the series.
Of course there’s a few mentions of the show, the Cushendun Caves make an appearance in the show apparently, but the overall experience wasn’t too heavy on the GoT details!
Of course, seeing the Giant’s Causeway is absolutely spectacular. Make sure you’re prepared for the weather though as there’s a walk down and the site is very open to the elements so on a cold or wet day it can be very biting!
We did this tour in the summer but it is a long day so I imagine doing the tour in the autumn or winter may mean you’re losing light at the end of the day thanks to the shorter days.
Purely for the value for money and the amount of things you see, plus a very informative tour guide, this is probably the best tour to Giant’s Causeway from Belfast.
The best Giant’s Causeway tour from Belfast for Game of Thrones fans
If you’re looking for a similar tour to the one above but you’re a Game of Thrones fan looking for a Game of Thrones tour more focused on the series and filming locations, then this Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones day tour is for you.
Again, for a brilliantly low price, this tour includes stops at:
- Carrickfergus Castle
- Giant’s Causeway
- Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge viewpoint
- Carnlough Harbour
- Magheramorne Quarry (Castle Black)
- Dark Hedges
Note that this tour doesn’t include Dunluce Castle for some reason (House of Greyjoy) so if you want to visit it, the next tour on this list might be better suited to you.
This tour does fit a lot into a short time (just 7 hours) so don’t expect to hang around at the locations for too long. But it’s another great option if you’re only in Belfast for a short time and want to see more of the Causeway Coast.
Alternative Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones locations tour from Belfast
This is another Belfast Causeway tour option for Game of Thrones fans, it’s a bit more expensive but does also include Dunluce Castle in its 8 stops of the day.
You’ll also visit a Game of Thrones themed pub in Ballintoy!
It’s also important to mention that it stops at Carrick-a-rede rope bridge which is unfortunately closed for repairs until some time in 2022. Check if it’s open here.
This tour is really positively reviewed with great comments about the knowledgeable and entertaining tour guides.
Of course, still be aware that this is an action-packed full Giants Causeway day tour from Belfast so time at each stop is relatively short.
Best Northern Ireland Giant’s Causeway tour for whiskey fans and Carrick-a-Rede bridge entry
This is still a super long 10-hour day trip to Giant’s Causeway from Belfast, however with more ‘drive-by sights’ it allows you to spend longer at the 3 main stops on the tour. It includes tickets for entry to all these places to:
- Giant’s Causeway walking tour
- Carrick-a-rede rope bridge walk
- Bushmills Whiskey Distillery Visitors Centre
The Distillery is the oldest working distillery in Ireland and although you don’t get a full distillery tour, there is the chance to learn about the history of the Irish whiskey brand.
Note that the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge has been closed for improvements and is due to open sometime in 2022. So please check with the tour operator first if that’s the main part of this tour you’re wanting to see.
Best tour combining entry to Giants Causeway, Belfast Titanic Museum and sightseeing stops on the way
This tour with admissions included is a great option if you’re only in Belfast for one day and want to visit the Titanic Museum and see the famous Giant’s Causeway.
This tour includes entry to the Museum where you’ll spend 1.5 hours at the start of the day exploring the exhibits, then take you to Giant’s Causeway with sights along the way including Dunluce Castle and a stop at the Dark Hedges.
The tour is guided so you have informative commentary and they also offer luggage storage if you are just transiting through the city for one day.
If you prefer to get all your tickets in one place, this tour is a great option for you.
Summary: the best Giant’s Causeway tour from Belfast
Whether you’re passing through Belfast for a day or spending a week based in the city, hopefully this summary of some of the best tours to the Giant’s Causeway from Belfast will give you some inspiration for your trip.
The prices on all these Causeway tours from Belfast are surprisingly affordable for such full-on day trips. A lot of people are often shocked at how fast-paced these tours are, but they often have to be to pack in all the stops and allow for travel time.
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