Travellers who want to cover a difficult route without hiring a car.
day trips IrelandMe tour notes
Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin
Discover the spectacular highlights of Northern Ireland on this popular 12 hour tour from Dublin. Along the way you'll enjoy wonderful visits to UNESCO ...
From €80 starting price · live price may vary
Check dates & prices ↗ Free cancellation on most dates · Booked securely with Viator
Duration13 hours
PriceFrom €80
Rating4.5 from 910 reviews
BookingSecurely via Viator
The IrelandMe take
What stands out about this one
Our practical read of the published itinerary, traveller feedback and local context—not the operator’s sales description.
This tour has been running for over 20 years and consistently ranks as one of the most popular ways to see Northern Ireland from Dublin. In 13 hours you'll cover the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, the Dark Hedges and Belfast - the most comprehensive single-day route possible from the capital, with live commentary throughout.
The Giant's Causeway is the headline act - a landscape of perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt columns built, depending on who you ask, either by volcanic activity 60 million years ago or by the Irish giant Fionn and his Scottish rival Angus. Your guide will tell you the full story and let you make up your own mind. You'll have 90 minutes here to walk, hike, explore and take photos. For those with walking difficulties, there's a mobility bus that runs from the visitor centre down to the causeway stones for a small fare.
At 13 hours, this is a long travel day. Book it for the complete route, not if you want an unhurried stop-by-stop pace.
One practical detail
Arrive at the Causeway before the coaches. This tour manages the timing well, but once you're at the visitor centre it's worth walking briskly down to the stones. The path is about ten minutes from the visitor centre - the columns themselves are free to walk on, and earlier in your Causeway slot you'll have more room to find your footing on the basalt. The 90 minutes here goes quickly.
How the experience works
Dunluce Castle comes next - a dramatic ruin clinging to the edge of the cliffs, with your entrance fee included. Part of the castle fell into the sea in the 1600s, and it's been said to be haunted by the servants who didn't survive. You'll have 60 minutes to explore and take photos before heading to Belfast.
The Dark Hedges, planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century to impress guests arriving at their house, is a genuine natural spectacle - and yes, Game of Thrones fans will recognise it as the King's Road. Belfast is the final stop, with about 60 minutes near City Hall for a walk, some fresh air and something to eat before the drive back.
The coach has WiFi and USB charging points at every seat, so you can keep your devices topped up throughout the day.
What the price covers
- USB charging points at every seat
- WiFi on board
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Dunluce Castle entrance fee
- All taxes, road tolls and handling charges
- Live commentary on board
- Access to the UNESCO Giant's Causeway (public admission to the national monument is free of charge)
- Gratuities
- Lunch
The published itinerary
Use this to judge the pace and where your time actually goes. Operators can adjust stop order for traffic, weather or opening times.
- Depart Dublin - Head north, crossing the border into Northern Ireland. A comfort stop on the way gets you there refreshed. (pass by)
- Dark Hedges - The famous tree-lined avenue planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family. Recognised worldwide as the King's Road from Game of Thrones - a great photo stop and a genuinely atmospheric place. (20 min)
- Glens of Antrim - A scenic drive through one of Ireland's designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, with lovely valleys and countryside. (pass by)
- Causeway Coast - Views of Rathlin Island and, on a clear day, the Scottish coast just 13 miles away. One of the most visited stretches of coastline in Europe. (pass by)
- Giant's Causeway - The highlight for most people. Over 40,000 perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt columns, 90 minutes to explore at your own pace. The path to the stones is about 10 minutes' walk from the visitor centre; a mobility bus is also available for a small fare. (90 min)
- Dunluce Castle - One of the most dramatic castle ruins in the world, entrance included. Part of the structure fell into the sea in the 1600s. Sixty minutes to explore and take photos. (60 min)
- Belfast - A stop near City Hall with 60 minutes of free time in the city centre for a walk and some food. Note: this is a brief taste of Belfast - if you want to explore the city properly, it deserves at least a full day on its own. (60 min)
- Return to Dublin - Back on the motorway, returning to Dublin at approximately 8:00-8:30pm. (pass by)
Meeting point: Tourist Office, Suffolk Street (Molly Malone Statue) - 7:00am.
Local tips that make the day better
Your Belfast hour near City Hall. Sixty minutes isn't long enough to see Belfast properly, but it's enough to walk through the Cathedral Quarter, pick up something to eat, and understand why the city deserves a return visit on its own. St George's Market on May Street runs Fridays 8am-2pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm if your timing lines up - a covered Victorian market from the 1890s with a proper Saturday food crowd. Otherwise the streets around City Hall are walkable and the pubs are honest.
Dunluce Castle is on the way. It's already in the itinerary, but note that Bushmills village is three kilometres east of the Causeway along the same coast road. The coach passes through the heart of this distillery village, so the approach to the stones gives you a real sense of where the Causeway fits in the landscape.
What to pack. The Antrim coast is exposed. Even on a fine day the wind off the sea at the Causeway is significant. Bring a layer you can zip up and shoes that won't slide on wet basalt. The visitor centre has a café if you want something hot before or after the stones.
Good to know before booking
- Specialised infant seats available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transport available nearby
- Suitable for all fitness levels
- The tour returns to Dublin at approximately 8:00-8:30pm
- Maximum group size of 50
- Conducted in English
- Book at least 24 hours in advance to avoid missing out - this tour sells out regularly
Make more of the area
- Bushmills - Three kilometres from the Causeway, with Ireland's oldest distillery licence (1608) and the narrow-gauge heritage railway that runs to the stones from the village.
- Belfast - Your final stop on the day, built on linen and shipyards - the Titanic left from here and the Victorian gin palaces on Great Victoria Street never closed.
Questions before you book
How long is Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin?
The published duration is 13 hours. Allow extra time to reach the meeting point and for your onward plans.
How much does Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin cost?
The listed starting price is From €80. Live prices can change by date, group size and availability.
What should I know before booking?
At 13 hours, this is a long travel day. Book it for the complete route, not if you want an unhurried stopbystop pace.
Ready to decide?
Check the live times before building the rest of your day.
From €80 · 13 hours Check dates & prices ↗
