If you only have one day for the north coast and no car, this is the tour to book. It leaves from beside Belfast City Hall at 8:45am and spends about eight hours following one of the most scenic drives in Europe, the Antrim Coast Road, with a live English-speaking guide on a comfortable coach. The stops combine the coast’s natural wonders with the places that played parts of Westeros. You pass Carrickfergus Castle, the Norman fortress on Belfast Lough, then follow the glens and the sea north to Carnlough Harbour, which fans will know as a corner of Braavos, and the sea caves at Cushendun, where a memorable shadow scene was filmed. Next comes the viewing point over the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, then the centrepiece, the Giant’s Causeway, with entry to the National Trust visitor centre included. The tour also takes in Dunluce Castle, the ruined clifftop stronghold that stood in for the Greyjoy lands, and ends at the Dark Hedges, the beech avenue that became the Kingsroad. This page links to the Tiqets ticket for the full day.
How it works: check in at 8:30am on Donegall Square West, beside City Hall and facing Caffè Nero, and show your smartphone ticket at the Irish Tour Tickets shop about fifteen minutes before departure. The tour runs for eight to eight and a half hours, so you are back in Belfast in the early evening. Food and drink are not included, so bring snacks or buy lunch at the Causeway, where the stop is long enough to eat and walk. The ticket can be cancelled for a full refund, or rescheduled, up to seventy-two hours before the tour date.
What to expect: a long but well-paced day with short photo stops and a longer break at the Giant’s Causeway. The Carrick-a-Rede stop is the viewpoint only, so you do not cross the rope bridge itself. At the Causeway, wear shoes with good grip, as the basalt columns are uneven and slippery when wet, and expect wind and rain off the Atlantic in November. Storms have thinned the Dark Hedges in recent years, so the avenue is less complete than in older photographs, but it remains atmospheric, especially in low winter light.
Making the most of it: sit on the left of the coach heading north for the best sea views along the coast road. Read up on the Finn McCool legend before you go, as guides love to tell it, and keep your camera handy at Dunluce, where the ruins on the cliff edge are the most dramatic shot of the day.
What to expect
The experience
A guided coach day trip of about eight hours along the Antrim Coast Road, with photo stops at castles, harbours and caves, a longer stop at the Giant’s Causeway and a finish at the Dark Hedges.
Best time
Any day of the year, though a dry forecast makes the Causeway and the clifftop stops far more enjoyable.
How long
Eight to eight and a half hours, leaving Belfast at 8:45am and returning in the early evening.
Tips
Check in at 8:30am beside City Hall, pack lunch money, waterproofs and grippy shoes, and remember the rope bridge stop is a viewpoint only.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Visitors without a car who want the Causeway and the best of the coast in a single organised day.
- Families
- Fine for school-age children who can manage a long coach day, with the Causeway stones the highlight for climbing.
- Couples
- A romantic sweep of cliffs, castles and sea views, best on a clear winter day with low golden light.
- Pair with
- The Game of Thrones Studio Tour on another day, or a quiet evening in the Cathedral Quarter after you return.
- Time needed
- A full day.
Good questions
Where does the Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones tour leave from?+
It departs at 8:45am from Donegall Square West, beside Belfast City Hall, with check-in from 8:30am. Show your smartphone ticket at the Irish Tour Tickets shop about fifteen minutes before departure.
Is entry to the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre included?+
Yes, the tour includes the Giant’s Causeway with the National Trust visitor centre. Lunch, food and drinks are not included.
Do you cross the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge on this tour?+
No, the tour stops at the Carrick-a-Rede viewing point only. You see the bridge and the island from the clifftop path.
Which Game of Thrones locations does the tour visit?+
It visits Carnlough Harbour, Cushendun Caves, Dunluce Castle and the Dark Hedges, which played the Kingsroad. The guide explains the scenes filmed at each spot.
Can I cancel the Giant’s Causeway tour?+
Yes, the Tiqets ticket offers free cancellation with a full refund up to seventy-two hours before the tour. You can also reschedule within the same window.
