This
private Belfast shore trip visits the magnificent 18th century Mount Stewart House and Gardens plus explore Belfast's main sites, making it the most popular tour for first time visitors who have a full day available.
After meeting your guide you immediately start with the city tour where you see sites such as the leaning Albert Memorial Clock Tower (Ireland's answer to the Tower of Pisa) and the Opera House, which is one of Belfast's great landmarks. Also seen are the City Hall with the Titanic Memorial, The Crown Bar (dates from 1885) and Queens University, which is one of the most fruitful buildings in the city.
Depending on your interest you may see the Harland and Wolfe Shipyard where the Titanic was built and launched in 1912, or possibly you prefer the Shankill and Falls Road which gives you an indication of how life was during Belfast's past times of trouble.
Next you enjoy a visit to the Botanic Gardens which were once privately owned and date from 1827. The centerpiece is the fine cast-iron and curvilinear glass Palm House that houses palms and other hothouse flora. You also see the Tropical Ravine which was designed by Charles McKimm and features a jungle of tropical plants growing in a sunken glen.
After your morning city tour you have free time to enjoy lunch (meal not included). Your guide will be happy to recommend a typical pub.
This afternoon you enjoy a drive through the countryside en route to the Mount Stewart House and Gardens. This wonderful 18th century house and gardens were the home of the marquees of Londonderry. The house is in excellent condition and has retained most of its original plaster work, marble nudes, and valuable paintings.
You will be enthralled by the 85 acres of gardens which were landscaped in the early 1900s by Lady Edith, the wife of the 7th marquees. There is an unrivaled collection of rare and unusual plants. In the late spring the Sunken Garden is a blaze of vivid orange and yellow when the Azaleas reach their peak. The scarlet blooms of the Red Hand of Ulster in the Shamrock Garden are equally splendid. In high summer the Italian garden comes into its own with its magnificent array of roses and herbaceous plants in symmetrical beds. Other attractions include the amazing Dodo Terrace with its extraordinary concoction of concrete animal statues, the beautiful lake and the Temple of the Winds designed by James Athenian Stuart in 1785.
After visiting this beautiful site which is on the National Trust, you return to the pier in Belfast.
Mobility: Folding wheelchair OK, some sites may be inaccessible (advance notice required)
If you cannot find what you are looking for, our
private Belfast excursions can also be customized to fit your needs. If you have a larger group, we can offer you a
private Belfast tour using a mid-size bus or full size coach. Please
contact us with any questions or to receive a customized quote.
