If you are looking for the quickest and more relaxing way to drive by many of the Belfast sights…read more The Belfast City SIghtseeing Hop On/Off option is a great option. Highlights: + Current pick up was right across from the City Hall (Donegall Square West Departure Point) + £18.00 for a day pass- a really good budget friendly option. +/- The back of the bus on the top level is open air, which on nice weather days is great, but on not so great days, there is a portion of the bus covered on the top deck, as well as the main level is similar to a normal bus. The main deck allows for those with mobility issue to enjoy as well, as getting to the upper level mean traversing some stairs + The full loop consists of 19 stops and was about 1 hour and 10 minutes (+/-) due to traffic +The live commentary, while a canned script the delivery of the punch lines made it entertaining. Tips: * If you need to use the restrooms prior to the start loop, go into the City Hall for free toilets and to admire the glass panels and mini exhibit inside. * At the time of visit(early July '22) - there was construction at stop 14 - The Peace Wall, so you had to get off a stop early and walk to visit if you choose to do so. * You can pre-purchase tickets via their website; however, if you are unsure of the weather, you can hold off and purchase onsite using a credit card.

Went in this bus tour on Saturday 2nd April 2022…read more the driver/tour guide, Alan, was more than happy to have a little chat with me and my family and gave us some good tips for places to visit around the city. Alan was a brilliant tour guide, throwing in loads of jokes to keep us entertained along the way. This bus tour (and I've done a lot of these city sight-seeing tours), was one of the best and without a doubt, the best value for money too. thanks Alan - we're back for day 2 today and I do hope we get you again.

Oh, Allen's Tours - you son of a bitch. Where do I even begin?…read moreIf I could give you negative bajillion stars, I would. And even THAT would be generous of me. Sadly, the lowest Yelp will allow me is one star. I guess I'll settle. It all started one freezing March day with a 'freak' snow storm (*cue fuzzy, warped screen and Twilight Zone music*). We booked a £16 tour through our hotel (Ibis hotel) which was supposed to include a trip to Carrickfergus Castle, Giant's Causeway and the Bushmill's distillery. Now, I know what you're thinking - if there was a freak snowstorm, why would these stupid American tourists even get on the bus? I'll tell you - we were thinking that if the company didn't cancel the tour, then it would be okay! But no. They were only interested in making a quick buck and not the safety of any of the parties involved. Here's how it went down. Conditions on the road were HORRENDOUS. The bus driver was told by several people to turn back around but he decided to ignore them and keep going. On top of that, he had called the Giant's Causeway to see if they were open but no one picked up. I'm pretty sure that in itself was not a good sign to continue on.... As the day went on, the weather got worse. The bus stopped at around 2 p.m. My friends had just woken up and thought we were at one of the destinations. Little did we know that instead, we would be stuck on the bus (no heat, no food, no bathroom) for 6 HOURS. YES, I SAID 6 HOURS! After about 2 hours, help finally arrived and tractors were plowing the snow around the bus. It wasn't for another 3 hours did MOUNTAIN RESCUERS (after all, we were stuck on a mountain in bumblefuck Ballycastle) and Northern Ireland police come and shuttle people (four at a time) to the nearest bar, so that another bus can pick us up from there to bring us back to Belfast (which was an hour and a half away). Because of this whole ordeal, Allen's Tours made us miss our 8 p.m. train back to Dublin (where we had already booked a hotel). So we ended up having to take a £130 CAB from Belfast to Dublin. (which of course they did not want to reimburse us for. We only finally got reimbursed for the tour tickets after about a month of pestering them. Was like pulling fuckin' teeth) I realize that this review is slightly biased considering that the last time a storm like this happened in Northern Ireland was 50 years ago. But it's really hard to be impartial when a whole day of my vacation was wasted and we are now out about 200 USD. So thanks, Allen's Tours! You've ruined my view of Northern Ireland forever. I will be coming back NEVER. I now wish horrible, explosive diarrhea on you! OVER AND OUT!

Helpful guide who knew what he was talking about and knew a lot of stories as well. He did suggest…read morethe Nook for food, saying that the service is quick, but it was not, as I will write about in that review. I thought we spent a good amount of time at each place, and feel like they gave realistic expectations of what will happen on the tour, because I asked how much time would be spent at Bushmills and they said not enough for a tasting but you can buy one or if its not busy they might give you a free one. I was not interested in castle tours, but you can spend more to go and do those if you like--the first one was also when the driver went to go get gas so time for a tour would have been possible--but the people working there didn't say how much, just kind of yelled saying 'you have to pay to go further'. We do get a group rate at the rope bridge, but its only 0.60 less than normal. For me it would have been better to skip the castles and stop somewhere around lunch time for a real meal, not Spar. I really enjoyed the coastal drive, especially since we had nice weather the whole way.

I didn't know much about Belfast but I certainly knew that it was home of Game Of Thrones…read moreproduction. This Game Of Thrones Tour offers two routes from Belfast. South route(Winterfell) and North route(Ironisland). Since north route sounded more scenic as it goes along Northern Irish coast, we chose the latter. It was £50 per person and whole day affair. So, make sure to leave your entire day open for this. We rendezvoused at Jury's hotel at 7:45am and boarded on the bus. And our guide Richard was an extra in the show himself. His red long beard once made me think that he was a Tormond's stunt double.(but he wasn't) Entire way through he was talking but NEVER ONCE I wanted him to be quiet. Because he was very informative and HILARIOUS! They are also equipped with plenty of House of Greyjoy costume and weapons(swords and axes) for photo shoot. Although we were tourists, we became the attraction ourselves when people saw us in the group wearing those, carrying weapon at the House of Greyjoy site. Every stop was breathtakingly scenic. I honestly think that you can still enjoy even if you don't watch the show. Definitely check this tour out and ask for Richard. He's really a fun guy.

This is my second GOT tour. I was supposed to do two tours from Belfast: Winterfell, and Iron…read moreIslands. But due to storm Erik, one had to be cancelled. The communication was clear and they allowed me to choose which tour to do instead, and I chose Iron Islands. The pick-up time was exactly what was stated on the itinerary...actually, the bus was already parked at the meeting point 10 minutes early. The guide I got was Richard and I automatically thought in my head: "he must be a Wildling...maybe, even Tormund". A few minutes later, I saw a guy that look like Ser Davos who parked right in front of our tour bus! The tour was informative without being boring. And in true GOT fashion, there were curse words...yeah!!! We went to several filming locations in the northeastern part of Northern Ireland. Oh my, were the sites amazingly beautiful! We had a lunch stop at a GOT-themed bar in Ballintoy. We had a reasonable amount of stops to see sites, stretch our legs, grab a quick snack/ drink, and bathroom break. The bus has a USB power outlet which I didn't discover until we were almost back to Belfast. This was one of the most memorable parts of my European vacation. And whatever I did and wherever I went prior to doing this tour, I had forgotten about already. I'd have to come back to Belfast to do the Winterfell tour and meet the Direwolves as well.

The newest fad to hit Belfast...bus tours. They've suddenly popped up everywhere, being publicised…read moreon every street corner, with ads in every local magazine you read. Ulster Bus are the latest to join this craze, so we thought we'd check them out. My brother purchased three tickets online for £8 (I'll let you do the maths), which is a good few quid cheaper than the other tour companies charge. Off to a good start in my books! With five bus tours running a day, we chose the 11:30am one (there's also 10am, 1pm, 2:30pm and 4pm) and set off for the Europa Bus Centre. The bus driver was a "jolly happy soul", and did remind me of Santa in his younger years, so this doubly pleased me. The Ulster Bus tours are quite different from the other tours in that the buses are not open top, which does restrict your photograph taking, but does keep you dry. Which is usually quite necessary in Northern Ireland. However, today the sun had decided to put its hat on, and the bus was decidedly warm. Continuous complaints of "oh my word, I'm gonna pass out" and "flip sake, I'm soooo warm" ensued from my sister. But she was right...it was a bit too hot, even with the air con. We're never happy, are we? Anyway, back to Mr Jolly Happy bus driver. He gave us some earphones - the comfy kind - and went on his merry way. Off we set, joined by an Aussie who was firing out questions left, right and centre. More than happy to oblige, we answered them all, and provided a few nuggets of information that the commentary didn't. Which brings me to my main complaint. The commentary wasn't long enough, nor detailed enough. The Aussie guy was getting his moneys worth, but if I had known nothing about Belfast before the tour, that knowledge would only have increased half of what it should have been. The route could have been extended a bit, but we got round all the major parts - right into the heart of West Belfast, up the University Quarter in the South, and towards the Titanic Quarter in the East. I wasn't hugely disappointed, but then neither was I hugely satisfied. The fact that the bus driver was so lovely, and 'the price was nice' does throw some positivity on things though, and if you're off for a bus tour on a wet day, Ulster Bus will sort you out nicely.

Booked the wee toast tour for a birthday surprise for a friend having seen the bike/bar pass…read morethrough the town numerous times and had a recommendation from a friend. Having checked the weather forecast numerous times before picking the 530pm time online I thought we'd miss the rain. Boy was I wrong...but the rain made this venture on an 8/10 man boozy bike even better. The heavens opened as we settled into our seats and by the time we took of it was torrential rain to say the least. Ron the owner and his assistant George were brilliant and came prepared with ponchos for all ( it was so bad even the boys wore one), ice and plastic cups for our byo booze and a music system to plug in our own phones. We cycled around the city centre loop stopping firstly at Kellys cellars, as we pulled up we had 'singing in the rain blasting' those crazy outdoor drinkers were loving the entertainment as they sang along and cheered us on. We had the option to purchase a special offer drink or use the facilities but chose to sit in the dry comfort of the canopy of the bike. We moved on again and stopped at bootleggers where this time we did get a few trays of shots to keep the energy levels up. The craic was great I laughed flat out for the full hour, however it was hard work and YOU REALLY HAVE TO CYCLE lol. Ron used his bell to let us know when to slow down to a stop for lights and when to start cycling again. We got chatting after and Ron let us know that he can organise for kegs to be fitted to the taps on the bar if you preorder. The BYO is great too as George serves you and refills the glass as it gets lower plus you really don't drink as much as expected. P.s. Big shout out to George for helping cycle:)

The best way to end your trip to Belfast on the most belligerent note!…read more Be mindful going solo, as you may be lumped with an endangered species known as "woo girls." They come out every bachelorette party or so. With techno blasting and shots all around, I've come to realize how fist pumping is acceptable in all cultures. This Jersey boy felt right at home.

Easy pick up and nice relief to see a small bus rather than a huge one. We had seats right in the…read morefront which meant first off for the sights. Each stop had enough time to walk around, soak it in, and take pictures. Ample time at the Giants Causeway to walk down and enjoy it without a rush. *you will be walking at the stops so bring comfy shoes* Lunch was timed well and Wilson already had a system to pre order food to prevent any wasted time. Wilson was knowledgeable and funny with stories and information. Learned quite a bit more than I expected!

The Giant's Causeway Tour was amazing & had several stops along the way! We had the perfect amount…read moreof time to explore each stop. Our tour guide, Karl, was very knowledgeable & entertaining. Definitely recommend this tour!

Ulsterbus is the element of Translink which is responsible for bus transportation all around…read moreNorthern Ireland, except the centre of Belfast. The buses are instantly recognisable by their light blue and white design, and come in two different sizes. The regular buses are those which transport people between two different towns / cities, for example Belfast and Bangor, Bangor and Newtownards. The smaller, 'easybus' style buses are town service buses, and usually transport people around a single town, such as Newtownards or Comber. Some towns (such as Bangor) use the larger buses. You will now see why, for a good few years, my dad used to 'rake' (make fun of in Northern Irish speak) me about my knowledge of buses. I was, on occasion referred to as a 'walking timetable', and if any enquiry in relation to buses should arise, the 'raking' was taken further, with my dad insisting that I be asked. Being the fount of bus knowledge, you see. Ok, so it wasn't entirely unwarranted, and I did take an interest in buses (only mildly...I'm certainly no equivalent to those strange trainspotters, honest), but this was only because I did enjoy a good bus journey. And I still do. Sad I know, but since I do not drive, I have become heavily reliant on these wonderful modes of transportation. No really, they're not all that bad! I know buses have are reputed for being late, but Ulsterbus is usually a very reliable service, and the prices are still pretty decent despite having risen twice the past couple of years. Despite this, a good tip is to by a Smartlink card (available at the main bus stations - Laganside, Europa and the like), and top it up with a certain number of journeys (10, 20 or 40). They work out a whole lot cheaper than buying an actual bus journey on the day, and you simply place your card on the reader above the ticket machine each time you hop on the bus, and that's you done. Simples (to quote the infamous and most wonderful Aleksandr the Meerkat). Eh, I reckon that'll do. Before I start looking like a super nerd. Though it's quite possibly far too late for that...

I took the Goldline Service from Dublin Airport to the Buscentre. It had a camera so you could see…read morethe bus' view of the road on an overhead monitor but it looked like a tour bus. The cost was a little over 11 pounds one way. This transportation service operates in the major towns of Northern Ireland. You have to wait at a stand then show your ticket.

Surely the best way to see the city and learn about the history. We loved taking this bus tour the…read moreother day and the commentary from Brian was excellent - and often very funny. We saw all the important and interesting areas of the city, including the Titanic Shipyards, Stormont, the university, Cathedral Quarter, City Hall, Crumlin Jail, the Peace Wall, Shankhill Road and the Falls Road. My only (small) criticism is that notice could be given in advance at the places where you can get off (to see something more thoroughly and hop back on a later tour bus). We had intended to get off at the Botanic Gardens but went past before we realised we were there. Best to keep a close eye on the free map and ask to get off in time. Otherwise a really superb tour.

For the love...post signs where people are supposed to be to 'hop on and hop off'! We had the…read morehardest time finding these stops and speak English, can't imagine the luck people who don't would have.

Just finished a Rick Steves 14 day trip around Ireland (Sept-Oct 2024). Pascal was our guide and he…read morewas fantastic. His knowledge of Ireland and Northern Ireland along with his Irish storytelling was the highlight of our tour. Paul (works for Fitzpatrick Coaches) was our driver and a long time friend of Pascal's, which made it even more fun. Paul's driving expertise made me believe he could thread the needle with that huge coach on Ireland's historic roads. I had been to Ireland on other occasions and drove myself, but I have to say there's no comparison to watching the beautiful countryside roll by while being entertained and educated by Pascal. This was our first Rick Steves tour and it was fantastic. The coach was clean and comfortable too. All in all-a great trip! Thanks and sla

My husband and I hired a Fitzpatrick car and driver for our two week trip to Ireland in May…read more Everything, from the initial contact to our final day on the road, was excellent. The staff stayed in touch with us during the planning stages and were very prompt in returning our emails. Dave, our driver, was professional, accommodating, and fun. It's a great way to see Ireland without the worry of traffic. Marcy and Bob

We took the City Tours Belfast to move between a couple of key attractions and in the end did the…read morewhole tour. City Sightseeing is the other main tour, but is smaller. City Tour Belfast goes past key attractions but also some main areas affected by the Troubles. The commentary on board is very informative.

What a convenient, great way to see all of the Major City Sites in order to determine where you'd…read morelike to spend more time exploring. Reasonably priced. The Driver provided an entertaining and very informative overview of each of the sites as well as history of "The Troubles". Some of the stops included the Titanic Museum, a drive through the Peace Wall, the Wall Murals etc... Well worth the time!