Belfast Political Tour-Conflicting Stories Walking Tour
Recommended by 94% of travelers
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Belfast, Northern Ireland
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore Belfast with local guides during this half-day walking tour. Join ex-political prisoners, who served time in jail for standing up for their beliefs, to learn about the political history of Belfast. Hear stories about the two opposing views of The Troubles and visit city landmarks including the Peace Wall and the murals along Shankill Road.
- Learn about the political history of Belfast
- Explore the city on foot with local guides
- See the political murals along Shankill Road
- Meet ex-political prisoners who share their personal stories
What's Included
- Two Tours Guides one each side of the Peace Wall
- Two local tour guides — one from each side of the conflict
- Personal stories and historical commentary
- Free admission to the sites visited along the route
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup/drop-off (you meet at Divis Tower)
- Gratuities/tips
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Divis TowerBelfast BT12 4QA, UK
Meet the guide outside Divis Tower (tall red and white apartment building)
End point
- 154 Shankill Rd, Belfast BT13 2BE, UK
Tour ends at the Lower Shankill Road which is a 8 minute walk back to the start and 15 minutes back to city centre. Guide will assist in directions or obtaining a taxi for the guest.
Itinerary
Peace Wall (Pass By)
1
Bobby Sands Mural
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Shankill Road
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 562 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
I will confess that this tour was not what I expected and I was disappointed. Yes you get 2 perspectives, one from each side, with personal experiences of growing up in West Belfast during the height of the troubles. It tells of the atrocities carried out by both sides. However it did not give very much information on the history, the reason for the troubles or the peace process and I came away feeling like it was a tour that glorified the dead on each side and left me very pessimistic about the future.
Our first guide, Patricia, was outstanding! If you want stories of firsthand, lived experiences this is your tour! Unfortunately the 2nd guide didn’t show up. Ian filled in and did a great job as well!
This was an amazing tour, but the time from 11 to 2 pm means you need to eat a hearty breakfast and pack some protein snacks with you as there's not a stop for lunch
I’ve never been on a tour which told both sides of the story so authentically. We learned about The Troubles from a former member of the IRA who identified as Irish and a resident of the loyalist side who viewed themselves as not Irish but as “Ulster Scott”. It was so thoughtfully presented and gives the audience a chance to think through the conflict for days and years afterwords, wrestling with the challenging conflict in our own minds. We could ask questions and have a dialogue along the way. I would do this tour over and over again. Thank you so much.
As a solo traveller interested in learning more about the history of Northern Ireland it was much too costly for me alone to book a black taxi. I was delighted when I discovered this gem of a walking tour which was not only three hours but unlike any other tour featured personal stories and history lessons from a Nationalist and Unionist. The wealth of information was overwhelming and left me wanting only to learn more more more. It is an excellent segue into learning more about the history of the Troubles and the people on either side.
There are earpieces provided so that you can hear the presenters over the traffic. Both presenters are personable and engaging. There is also a short break between the two presenters where you can get refreshments and/or use the bathroom. The tour was very interesting and I highly recommend it.
Meeting place on Falls Road. Finished on Shankhill Road crossing the Peace wall. Some of our group spotted the First Minister of Northern Ireland as she went into the sinn fein headquarters en route.
The two presenters put across their respective arguments in different ways.
There are 2 sides to every story of course .
The Republican presenter offered a more empathetic hope for the future .
The loyalist guy killed any good will he had built with an unnecessary biased personal rant about Socialism that undid any credibility he had tried to build for the Loyalist cause and their past actions and future prospects
Having a political tour from both sides is really interesting. We were a little surprised by the second part, we found that the guy spoke too much about Hamas instead of the troubles.
Very interesting and informative. Both tour guides very knowledgeable. Cafe visit half way round for brew and loo.
Extremely informative presentation about the Troubles by activists on both sides. Walked through the neighborhoods where the battles took place. The dramatic and huge amount of visual displays from each side show that there still exists strong emotions and separation of the 2 sides.
It was great to hear both sides of a very complex story. Both told by people that have been through experiences growing up in their respected areas. Highly recommended and a great end to the tour was a couple of pints in Rex bar on the Shankill rd.
This was a sensitive and informative tour to learn more about the political situation in Northern Ireland and its impact upon the communities and individuals most affected.
In choosing this tour, I wanted to learn more about the troubles but was concerned that a bus or other tour might be disrespectful and voyeuristic. I ended up choosing this one and was so glad I did. The two tour guides, one from each community, shared their experiences of growing up during the troubles with huge generosity and grace. There was also respect for the existence of alternative points of view. They were also very knowledgeable and explained the history and context, leading up to the start of the “troubles”. They shared their hopes for the future of peace and for healing the individuals and communities that have been so impacted. Three days on and I am still thinking about all that I saw and heard.
Although, deeply moving and uncomfortable at times (bad things happened to good people) my overall takeaway was a message of resilience and hope. And that humour and lightness and small acts of kindness can prevail even in the darkest of times.
Overall, I thought it was great. And good value.
In a practical note. Finding the start point was easy. Finding the guide was easy. Communication prior to the tour was good. I felt very safe, accompanied by the tour guides. There is the opportunity for a quick “tea and wee” half way around. It takes about 2 hours. Processing all that I saw and heard may take a bit longer!
This had to have been one of the most fascinating tours we did this trip. The 2 unique perspectives blew my mind. We had no idea that the walls were still very much in place and the gates still used. If you only have one time for a Troubles tour then it should be this one. Thank you very much to both guides. So interesting and educational.
As we live in the UK & remember very well the troubles of N.I. it was good seeing the areas that we saw consistently in the news. It was extremely interesting to hear about this era from both sides of the preach wall.
If you want to know about the history do this tour. We had 2 guides both were excellent. Very passionate about their country.
We really enjoyed this political tour of West Belfast. It provided valuable insight into the history and perspectives of both the nationalist/republican and loyalist communities, and our guides were knowledgeable and engaging throughout. It was fascinating to hear from guides who had lived through the conflict and were willing to share their personal experiences and stories with us.
I especially enjoyed the part of the tour in the nationalist/Irish area and could easily have spent more time there, simply because I found it so interesting and our guide Paul did such a great job. This is simply a reflection of my personal interest rather than a criticism of the loyalist section, which was also informative and important for understanding the broader context. Overall, it was valuable to hear both perspectives, and to me the tour provided a mostly balanced introduction to Belfast's complex history. Both guides were respectful about the other guide and their stories.
The guide also warned us that an Orange Order march would be taking place after the tour. Seeing it in person, immediately after everything we'd learned, was quite a surreal experience. It wasn't part of the tour itself, but it really highlighted how the area's history continues to be part of daily life. I found it a bit unsettling to be honest.
Overall, I'd still highly recommend this tour to anyone!
Using their personal stories was an interesting way to learn about the history of the Troubles. Both tour guides were knowledgeable. It was a solid three hours with a break halfway through for about 10 minutes. if you can’t walk for three hours, pick a different tour. At times, it was a little hard to hear because you’re on the streets of Belfast and there is a lot of traffic and noise. Both tour guides were open to questions.
A great 3 and a bit hours.
Def a tour of two halves, the first was very factual with lots of important dates and events that shaped the society of NI.
The second half was very much an emotional roller coaster of events told first hand that drew heavily on personal experience whilst growing up through 80s and 90s.
A very informative tour highly recommende
Because of the personal experiences of both guides, the tour was not only full of facts but real and authentic
Patricia and the second guide were both great
Divided into two different halves, completely different views from each side. A bit of history knowledge before you go would help.
Very heavy tour with so much information. Hard to see a solution for peace. If you want both sides of the story, this is it.
The Nationalist part of the tour was better than the Union side. Not enough information on Union side just moving from one memorial to the dead to another.
Interestingly insights on the divided truths regarding the recent past conflict in Northern Ireland. Recommend entering the tour with an open mind to understand both sides. The first guide, Paul, was fantastic and very well prepared.
I enjoyed this tour, and especially learning about the different sides of the Troubles from guided with ties to the Nationalist and Unionist communities, respectively. The conversations humanized the Troubles, and gave me a lot to think about going forward.
Well worth doing this tour you learn so much from both sides, it’s three hours well spent just make sure you can walk a good distance.
This was a 3 hour walking tour. The group was large. The tour split for Irish interpretation first we found better. The guide spoke loudly, personal stories through the troubles and on way introduced us to important figure in IRA. The second portion unfortunately the man was soft spoken and with a large crowd made it difficult to hear. Thus making us wish it was shorter not taking away the English version he might benefit from a microphone.
We got a lot out of the tour and so much history.
This is an excellent structure for a tour about the history and current political environment of West Belfast. Both guides were passionate and informative and it made for a very worthwhile walk. I would highly recommend it.
This tour is an absolute must for all to understand the cultural differences in NI. Our guides were brilliant and presented in a constructive way the impacts on communities. This devastating period was explained and certainly leaves food for thought. Well done.
To bring an umbrella and a raincoat. Also, that you have to be close to the guide otherwise, it’s difficult to hear what he has to say because of the traffic noise. I suggest that guides wear a microphone to make it easier to hear them.
Really interesting tour with guides from both sides of the troubles, both of whom had lived through it and had their own personal experiences to share.
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