Northern Ireland is closer from Dublin than most people expect - you cross no border check, and the journey into County Antrim takes roughly two hours by coach. This 12-hour day trip covers four of the north’s most distinctive stops: Dunluce Castle on its sea cliff, the Giant’s Causeway basalt columns, the beech-tree canopy of the Dark Hedges, and the Titanic Belfast museum, with your entrance to the Titanic Experience already included in the price.
A professional guide rides with you throughout, keeping up live commentary on the landscape, history, and stories as the route unfolds. Rated 4.9 from over 2,300 reviews.
What’s Included
Air-conditioned coach
Professional guide with live commentary throughout
Entrance fee to the Titanic Experience in Belfast
Visits to Dunluce Castle, the Giant’s Causeway, the Dark Hedges, and Belfast city centre
What’s Not Included
Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Itinerary
Meeting point: Outside Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square N, Dublin 1. Arrive by 6:40am for a 6:45am departure.
Return: Same location, between 7:30pm and 8:30pm.
Dunluce Castle (20 min) - A medieval fortress on a basalt stack above the north Atlantic, seat of Clan MacDonnell since the 13th century. One wing reportedly collapsed into the sea one night, cooks included. On a clear day you can see Scotland from the walls.
Giant’s Causeway (120 min) - Around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, most of them hexagonal, formed when ancient lava cooled over millions of years. Two hours here lets you walk down to the stones, stand at the water’s edge, and take the clifftop path back up for the view.
The Dark Hedges (20 min) - An avenue of beech trees planted around 1775 for Gracehill House, now forming a complete canopy over the road. Made famous by Game of Thrones as the King’s Road.
Titanic Belfast (90 min) - On the site of the Harland & Wolff shipyard where RMS Titanic was built. The museum covers construction, the maiden voyage, and the sinking - and it doubles as the story of Belfast as an industrial city.
Belfast City Centre (15 min) - A short stop near City Hall. Time for food and a look at the Victorian streetscape before heading south.
Good to Know
Infants can ride in a pram or stroller; public transport near the meeting point
Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, pregnant travellers, or poor cardiovascular health
Maximum group size: 53; tours in English; free cancellation
Local Tips
Arrive by 6:40am. The bus leaves at 6:45am sharp from outside the Hugh Lane Gallery. There’s a Spar on Parnell Square for coffee before departure.
Wear sturdy shoes at the Causeway. The basalt columns are uneven and get slippery when wet. With 120 minutes you can do the columns at water level and the clifftop return path - the view looking back over the stones from above is worth the extra walk.
At the Dark Hedges, move early. Twenty minutes goes fast. Walk straight into the tree tunnel and get your shot before the group closes in, then take a slower look on the way out.
At Titanic Belfast, go straight for the shipyard ride. It’s the centrepiece of the early galleries. Queue for it first and your remaining time is free for the later sections covering the sinking.
Nearby on IrelandMe
Belfast - The Titanic was launched here on 31 May 1911. The Harland & Wolff cranes still mark the skyline, the peace walls are still standing, and the city rewards far more time than a 15-minute coach stop allows.
Causeway Coast via Belfast - The cliff road between Bushmills and Ballycastle is some of the most dramatic coastline in Ireland. Worth a return trip at your own pace.
