Your Ultimate Week in Northern Ireland
Seven days is the sweet spot for a Northern Ireland road trip. It gives you enough time to explore Belfast properly, drive the legendary Causeway Coastal Route, venture into the lakeland of Fermanagh, hike the Mourne Mountains and even squeeze in a day trip to Dublin. With a hire car collected from Belfast airport on arrival, you have complete freedom to set your own schedule and discover places that tour buses simply cannot reach. This itinerary covers the highlights while leaving room for spontaneous detours and lazy pub lunches.
Day 1: Arrive and Explore Belfast
Pick up your hire car at Belfast International Airport or Belfast City Airport and drive into the city centre. Spend the afternoon getting your bearings with a stroll through the Cathedral Quarter, packed with street art, independent shops and excellent coffee. Visit Titanic Belfast, the award-winning museum on the site where the famous ship was built, and explore the surrounding Titanic Quarter with its historic dry dock and slipways. In the evening, head to one of the many restaurants on the Ormeau Road or around St George's Market for dinner. Stay overnight in Belfast.
Day 2: The Causeway Coastal Route
Set off early for a full day on the Causeway Coastal Route. Drive north from Belfast along the Antrim coast, stopping at Carrickfergus Castle, the Glens of Antrim and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Spend the afternoon at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site, then continue to the ruins of Dunluce Castle and the seaside town of Portrush. Stay overnight in Portrush, Bushmills or Ballycastle.
Day 3: Derry and a Taste of Donegal
Drive west along the coast to Derry~Londonderry. Walk the complete circuit of the historic city walls, the only remaining fully intact city walls in Ireland. Explore the Bogside murals, visit the Tower Museum and take a break in one of the cafes on Shipquay Street. In the afternoon, cross the border into County Donegal for a drive around the wild Inishowen Peninsula or visit the beach at Malin Head, the northernmost point of the island of Ireland. Return to Derry for the evening and enjoy the city's growing food scene. Stay overnight in Derry.
Day 4: Fermanagh Lakeland
Head south from Derry through the Sperrins to County Fermanagh, a region of lakes, islands and underground caves. Enniskillen is the main town and sits on an island between Upper and Lower Lough Erne. Visit Enniskillen Castle, then take a boat trip to Devenish Island to see the medieval monastic ruins and round tower. In the afternoon, explore the Marble Arch Caves, a spectacular show cave system with underground rivers and stalactites, followed by a drive through the Cuilcagh Boardwalk trail if time allows. Stay overnight in Enniskillen or nearby.
Day 5: The Mourne Mountains
Drive east from Fermanagh to the Mourne Mountains in County Down, a journey of about two hours through rolling drumlin countryside. Base yourself in Newcastle, the gateway town at the foot of the mountains. Spend the day hiking Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland at 850 metres, or choose a gentler walk through Tollymore Forest Park at the base of the range. Reward yourself with fish and chips on the Newcastle seafront and enjoy views of the mountains glowing in the evening light. Stay overnight in Newcastle.
Day 6: Dublin Day Trip
From Newcastle, drive south to Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, roughly a two-hour drive via Newry and the M1 motorway. Spend the day exploring the city centre: visit Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, walk through St Stephen's Green, browse the shops on Grafton Street and visit the Guinness Storehouse or Kilmainham Gaol if history is your thing. Dublin is a compact city so you can see a lot in a day. Drive back to Belfast in the evening, about 100 miles up the M1, and stay overnight in the city.
Day 7: Belfast and Departure
Use your final morning to catch anything you missed in Belfast. Visit St George's Market if it is a weekend, wander the Botanic Gardens and the Ulster Museum, or take a Black Cab tour of the political murals in West Belfast for a powerful insight into the city's recent history. If your flight is in the afternoon, you have time for a leisurely lunch before returning your hire car at the airport.
Practical Tips for Your 7-Day Road Trip
- Car hire: Book in advance for the best rates. Compact or mid-size cars are ideal for narrow rural roads. Automatic transmission is available but costs more.
- Budget: Allow for fuel, parking, admission fees and accommodation. B&Bs and guesthouses offer excellent value compared to hotels.
- Driving: Northern Ireland drives on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour. The Republic of Ireland uses kilometres per hour, so watch for the change at the border.
- Border crossing: There is no border infrastructure between Northern Ireland and the Republic. You simply drive across. However, check your hire car insurance covers travel in both jurisdictions.
- Best time: May to September offers the best weather and longest evenings. Attractions are busier in July and August.
- Flexibility: This itinerary works in either direction. You could equally start with the Mournes and finish on the Causeway Coast.