Best of Ireland Tour - Belfast question

We took the tour about 6 years ago. On the last day of our tour, (when only breakfast is on the itinerary) we took a Black cab tour, then had the cab drop us off at the train station for our return to Dublin.

Hopefully the tour includes the Titanic Museum.

You might add a visit to St Stephens Market, Crumlin Road Goal and depending on your fitness level Cave Hill Country Park.

Visit the Peace Wall. Any cabbie worth his or her salt knows where it is.

Craic at Kelly Cellars pub. Mournes adjacent.

Linen Hall Library was a pleasant surprise.

If you desire a pint the teeny Spaniard Pub is worth a stop.

I’d definitely have the sea food chowder at Mournes and then wander about. I still dream of that seafood chowder.

While not on that tour we did the best of tour last year we did do a one day tour of NI. A highlight was our black cab tour. Highly recommend it.
Very informative. The cab driver was amazing.

Took this RS tour a few years ago. I thought The Troubles were thoroughly covered on the tour in both Derry and Belfast. While a Black Taxi Tour may add to your experience, we enjoyed the RS tour visit to Titanic exhibit and a tour of Belfast City Hall on our own.

Thanks all for the responses! This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate your time.

Last May we added days to the RS Best of Ireland tour for more activities including a visit to the Ulster Museum. We were also able to attend a Van Morrison concert in the Botanic Gardens!

I am also just planning things for my last day on this tour and was wondering the same thing. I am traveling solo so I would have to pay the black cab price for two people regardless whether it is one or two so I was hesitant to book in case it was all thoroughly covered on the RS tour. After reading these responses I am going to book the Crumlin Road Goal tour instead.

@Autumn ...I'm on the Best of Ireland starting on March 30th...which date are you booked on?

We did this RS tour in 2019 and had a local guide in Derry that joined us on the bus and took us thru a history of the Troubles, the bus drove us past the famous Derry political murals and we signed a peace wall. After our tour ended there were several tour members that did the Black Cab tour in Belfast and reported back that it was very good.

Looking at the itinerary, they’ve changed it and you now sleep in Belfast two nights, we were there one night. Hopefully, you will still get to walk across the peace bridge.

@lynn3374 I'm traveling in September. I'm torn between extending in Belfast or heading back to Dublin for a couple of days before I fly home. I don't want to miss out on the Troubles history but agree it seems like the RS adequately covers it. I am going to get that seafood chowder that @Claudia recommended!

I'm also going solo and would love to hear about your experience after the tour. This is my first solo RS tour and although I know I am going to have an amazing time, I'm a little nervous. Safe travels to you!

I don't know how much of the County Antrim coast the tour covers. And there was a MNT on!y quite recently about the County Down coast, down from Bangor to Portaferry taking in Strangford Lough. All missing from the RS guide and the tour, but as the MNT admitted totally worthy of exploration.
I also agree with what was said on the programme- the area can be explored by public transport (I've done so) but is an awful lot easier with a car.

@Autumn. You’ll have a fantastic time. I took my first RS tour solo in 2018 and now I’m on tour number 9! They are addictive and you’ll start solo but have many new friends very fast!

I’m from England but live in California and have never been to Ireland. Really looking forward to it.
I’m vegetarian so no chowder for me but definitely Guinness! Lol
Enjoy planning and have a wonderful time!

I took this tour last summer (July 2024), it was wonderful! It was pouring down rain when we got to Derry, so the local guide got on the bus and we drove by the murals while she talked about the history of the Troubles. Then at the City Hall we got out and walked in the rain around the top of the castle walls while she provide more insight into the city. We probably only stayed in Derry about 2-3 hours total.

When we arrived in Belfast, we drove thru the Northern area on the bus but did not stop or get off the bus. The next day, we did the Titanic museum, which is fantastic and one of the best museums I've been to. Then there was a walking tour of Belfast and free time before the farewell dinner. The guide mentioned the Troubles but it wasn't the focus of the tour so if you're wanting a deeper dive you would need to do it on your own. Side note - If you have Hulu, there's a great show called Say Nothing that focuses on the Troubles in Belfast. I wish I had seen it before I was in Belfast since it would have provided a lot more context for the city's history.

Enjoy your trip!

@tammy I will definitely check out that show on Hulu. Thank you for your reply!

Thanks to everyone who has replied. This has been very helpful!