Causeway Coastal Route Tour

Depart the UK for your flight to Dublin. Arrive in Dublin and pick up your hired car at the airport. Spend the remainder of the day soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city or visit some of its many attractions such as the Guinnes Storehouse, Trinity College or Old Jamieson Distillery. Spend the night at the 3* Maldron Newlands Cross Hotel or similar with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

Depart Dublin this morning and travel northwards towards Belfast. From Newry, travel east through the scenic Mourne Region and on to Downpatrick where you can visit the Saint Patrick Centre. Following the visit, you can also visit Down Cathedral, in whose churchyard St. Patrick is reputed to be buried. Continuing on from Downpatrick, you arrive at Castle Ward, a beautiful 300-ha (750-acre) walled estate in a stunning location overlooking Strangford Lough. Your next stop is Belfast where you can wander around the city centre and admire some exquisite examples of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, dominated by the magnificently domed City Hall. Spend the night at the 3* Ramada Plaza Hotel or similar with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

Your Causeway Coastal Route adventure begins in the city of Belfast. Heading north from Belfast on the M2 motorway, Belfast Lough will glisten to your right as you join the Causeway Coastal Route at Newtonabbey and cruise towards the seaside town of Carrickfergus. Glorious coastal scenes are a taster for what is to come as you reach Islandmagee, where the impressive Gobbins Cliff Path awaits. After braving the elements on the Gobbins Path, continue to Larne. Larne is known locally as the gateway to the nine Glens of Antrim: glacier-gouged valleys of seaside villages and higlands of coniferous forests. Continue north along the crumbling coast and you'll reach Ballygally where you could enjoy walks along its beautiful golden beach. Swing west and inland now to reach the town of Ballymena. With plenty of shops, restaurants and local attractions Ballymena is the perfect place to end the first day of your Causeway Coastal Route journey. Spend the night at the 4* Galgorm Manor Resort & Spa or similer with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

Fully refreshed, strike out for the Causeway Coastal Route again. You’re in the heart of the Glens of Antrim now, and there’s no better way to experience the majesty of the area than with a visit to Glenariff Forest Park. Other highlights of the area include the Vanishing Lake and the Ballypatrick Forest Park. With the Dark Hedges explored, continue to the one of the superstars of the Causeway Coastal Route: Carrick-a-Rede rope-bridge. A gravelled-step path brings you on a 1.0 kilometer walk to the bridge, which connects the mainland to the tiny island of Carrick-a-Rede. With your heart still pounding, head west and into another heavyhitter of the Causeway Coastal Route: the Giant’s Causeway. Here, some 40,000 hexagonal columns blanket the landscape and peer out into the ocean. An official UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant’s Causeway even featured on the cover sleeve of a Led Zeppelin album. The Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre elaborates on both the scientific and mythic explanations, and has plenty more fascinating information. Head back to the coast and discover Dunluce Castle, be sure to have your camera batteries charged as this remarkable castle at sunset is one of the most striking sights you will see anywhere in the world. The day ends in Portrush, famed for its golden beaches, brilliant surf and world-class golf course - Royal Portrush. Spend the night in the Portrush area with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

With Portrush in your rearview mirror, take a short drive to the seaside town of neighboring Portstewart. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful Portrush Whiterocks Beach, which has recently been awarded a Blue Flag Beach title. Out of the water, a variety of caves, arches and headlands are great for scenic walks. Back on the coast and heading west, a stop at Mussenden Temple near Castlerock is a must. Looking like a relic from ancient Rome, this one-time library is perched precariously on a cliff top with commanding views over the panoramic coast. After you’ve explored Limavady, head towards the Binevenagh Mountain. As an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can expect breathtaking views from the summit. Your final destination today is the historic walled City of Derry. As you approach, don’t be alarmed by the cannons on top of the huge city walls; they’re purely decorative. Inside, a warren of side streets, main streets, pubs, shops, theatres, restaurants and attractions of all sorts make Derry one of Ireland’s most compelling cultural cities. So ends your coastal odyssey along the Causeway Coastal Route.  Spend the night in Derry with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

This morning head north towards the Inishowen peninsula. The Inishowen Peninsula with Lough Foyle to the east and Lough Swilly to the west reaches out into the Atlantic, where commences the “Wild Atlantic Way” and extends to Ireland’s northernmost point: Malin Head. After your tour of this amazing part of Ireland start your route towards Ennikskillen. On the way pass by Donegal Town and keep on heading south to County Fermanagh. The beautiful County of Fermanagh is a visitor’s paradise with wide stretches of island dotted waterway and secluded bays. Situated in the Northwest of Ireland, Fermanagh boasts one of the most uncongested lakes in Europe – Lough Erne. Lough Erne is made up of two channels, the lower and the upper Loughs. Where the two Loughs meet stands the island town of Enniskillen, also known as the county town.  Spend the night in the 4* Killyhevlin Hotel with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

This morning commence your journey back to Dublin, perhaps travelling through the Boyne Valley region whose banks are lined with landmarks from almost every phase of Ireland’s past - from the prehistoric passage tombs at Newgrange, to the legendary Hill of Tara, seat of the Irish High Kings as well as monuments from the early days of Christianity. Spend the night in Dublin with full Irish breakfast in the morning.

After a final full Irish breakfast at your hotel, enjoy some free time to explore Dublin City for one last time, or travel to Dublin Airport for your return flight home.