Peacewalls, prisons, murals, and secret talks—packed into one black cab ride. This is a private Belfast black cab tour focused on the political story behind The Troubles, with stops you can’t really reach by public transit and a schedule you can actually plan around. I like that you get round-trip pickup from Belfast city center and that the route hits the street-level details people remember, from burnt-out homes to hunger-strike murals.

Two big things I especially like: you’ll see more than 15 Game of Thrones filming locations in a single day, and you also get the “why this mattered” context as you move between areas split by generations of conflict. One possible drawback: the experience leans on fast storytelling from the driver/guide, and if you have trouble with accents or want slower pacing, you may need to ask for repeats.

Key things to know before you ride

• Private black cab format for your group (up to 2), not a crowded bus route
• More than 15 Game of Thrones filming locations folded into a Troubles-focused itinerary
• Peacewalls and murals across multiple neighborhoods, with short photo stops built in
• Prison sites and transfer history, including places tied to the Maze/H blocks story
• Flexible start times with multiple pickup options spread through the morning
• Round-trip pickup from Belfast city center, plus a restroom on board

Getting the most out of a Belfast Troubles taxi tour

Belfast has a habit of making you ask questions fast. Why is that wall here? Why is that street name different? Why are there murals everywhere? This tour is built for that exact moment, using short drives and tight stops to connect the dots between neighborhoods, institutions, and the ongoing memorial culture in the streets.

The private cab setup matters. You’re not stuck watching the same five stops while everyone filters in and out. Instead, you can move quickly from Peacewall viewpoints to iconic mural gables, then shift to the serious side—courtrooms, tunnels, and the prison system. If your goal is to understand the era (not just photograph it), the format helps.

Also, the “filming locations” angle is useful even if you don’t treat Game of Thrones as the main event. It’s a shortcut for orientation. You arrive at streets and walls you recognize from the show, then you get real-world context for what you’re seeing.

Price and logistics: what you’re paying for

The price is $245.48 per group (up to 2). For Belfast, that’s not cheap, but it’s also not random pricing. You’re paying for a guide, the black cab transport, and the ability to reach places that are hard to string together yourself on public transit—especially around the Peacewalls corridor and the prison-area sites.

Duration is roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, so expect an efficient day segment rather than an all-day excursion. It’s designed to fit into a morning or midday plan.

Pickup is a strong point. You get pickup and drop-in around Belfast city center, with recommended pickup times ranging from 6:30AM up through 11:00AM. You can request pickup outside the free zone (within 1 km of Belfast City Hall), but there’s a cash surcharge added on the day if you go beyond that.

If you’re coming by cruise ship, there’s a separate note: £25 each way per group and the cabs can hold up to 6 people. So if you’re in a small group, it still may be worth it, just plan for the extra line-item.

One practical tip: bring a good attitude for hearing the guide in a moving cab. One review mentioned a cab setup that made hearing harder because of loud rattling and a fast delivery. Your “best move” is to choose a seat where you can clearly face the driver/guide, and don’t be shy about asking for something to be repeated.

Stop-by-stop: what you’ll see and why it matters

This route works like a timeline you can walk through with your eyes. Some stops are brief, but they’re chosen because the location itself explains the story.

Peacewalls and Bombay Street beginnings

The tour kicks off in Belfast, cutting through the Peacewalls into the Republican areas around Bombay Street. This is where you’ll see what’s remembered as the beginning of The Troubles, including homes burnt out in 1969.

Why this stop works: it’s not just a history lesson. You’re viewing the built environment—the scars and the rebuilding decisions. The Peacewalls act like a “visual spine,” so you can understand how physical barriers became part of everyday life.

Time on the ground is about 10 minutes, with free admission noted for this stop.

Crumlin Road Courthouse and the tunnel story

Next comes Crumlin Road Courthouse, a striking place because it faces the gaol and includes the key detail: a tunnel under the main road. That’s where people were sentenced and then transferred on to the H blocks or Maze prison.

This stop is where the emotional tone shifts. The story is heavier, but it’s also precise. You’re connecting the courtroom process with the prison system, which helps the whole era make more sense.

Then you move into the broader prison context: this area includes a Victorian jail and hanging jail, built in the 1800s, and used up through the 1960s. It also housed IRA and UVF/UFF prisoners on remand.

Time is short—about 10 to 20 minutes total for the courthouse/jail segment, depending on how questions and photo stops land.

Peacewall Taxi Tours: Belfast’s Berlin Wall comparison

Now for the “you’ll notice it instantly” part: Peacewall Taxi Tours covers Belfast’s Peacewalls, sometimes described as Belfast’s version of the Berlin Walls. The walls stretch across the city for over 50 years and are said to be about 10 times higher in some references.

This isn’t just a wall viewing. You’ll have an opportunity to sign your name beside presidents and film stars, with quotes of peace along the way.

This stop is about two things:

1) how separation becomes permanent, and

2) how murals and messages turn that separation into a public record.

Time is around 30 minutes, and admission is included.

Shankill Road murals and loyalist history

Shankill Road is next, a key loyalist area with over 500 years of history. The story here centers on loyalism groups, including the UVF, the UFF, and the UDA.

The tour also points you toward annual ritual and memory. If you’re there in July, you’ll be shown bonfire sites, which helps explain how public commemoration keeps the political story alive.

Then you get the classic Belfast photo moment: murals on gable walls of local homes. The stop includes time to have photos taken with these artworks—especially helpful if you want the “where exactly was that?” clarity before you leave.

Time is about 30 minutes, with admission included.

One caution: because this is an active residential area and the murals are part of neighborhood life, keep your voice low, treat it like a community space (not a theme park), and be mindful around doors and driveways.

Clonard Monastery and the peace talks that were bugged

After the street murals, you shift to a quieter, more historic site: Clonard Monastery, built in the 1800s. This is where secret peace talks took place with Gerry Adams and John Hume.

Then comes the detail that hits hard: later, it was discovered that M15 had bugged the talks. That information matters because it shows how even moments meant for resolution were still shaped by intelligence, surveillance, and control.

Time here is about 10 minutes, admission included.

Divis Street International Mural Wall

You’ll then reach the International Mural Wall on Divis Street, described as a famous international-style wall painted by local republicans. The themes aren’t limited to one conflict—there are references to other struggles and support movements, including the Amazon rainforest.

Why it’s valuable: it expands the Troubles narrative beyond a single city. You start to see that murals were used to connect Belfast’s situation to global ideas of conflict, solidarity, and consequence.

This stop is about 10 minutes, and admission is included.

Bobby Sands murals and Hunger Strike context

The tour includes two Bobby Sands mural stops, both tied to the Republican memory of the hunger strikes.

First, you’ll visit the birthplace of the Provisional Irish Republican Army as the area connected with early Provisional history and Falls Road footage. The guide’s framing here is direct: if you’ve seen newer Troubles footage, it’s often connected to Falls Road imagery.

Time is about 10 minutes, admission included.

Then you’ll move to the most famous Bobby Sands mural in the world. This stop connects the mural to the 1981 hunger strike, and how it helped lead to the truce in 1994.

Time is also about 10 minutes, admission included.

These two mural stops work best if you let them do their job. Don’t rush your photos. Read the messages if you can, and note how the art compresses years of political events into a few images. That’s part of why the streets feel so loud even when they’re quiet.

Game of Thrones filming locations: how they fit the story

You’ll get more than 15 Game of Thrones filming locations during the experience. The key is not treating the show like the explanation. It’s more like a map overlay.

When you connect filming spots with the real locations—especially Peacewalls, murals, and the prison/courthouse environment—you get a stronger sense of scale and atmosphere. You stop wondering why a location looks the way it does and start asking what it was doing for the community at the time.

If you’re a fan of the show, this tour makes the locations meaningful faster than wandering on your own. If you’re not, the show connection still helps you remember streets and walls without needing a textbook on your lap.

Who this tour suits best (and who should think twice)

This fits best if you want:

• Political and historical context for the visible sites of The Troubles
• A tight route that uses the black cab’s ability to get close to key areas
• A mix of mural art and serious institutional history
• A day plan that includes both Game of Thrones filming locations and real-world background

It may be less ideal if:

• You strongly prefer quiet, slow pacing and lots of time at each stop
• You need to avoid fast, spoken narration (accents and speed can affect comprehension)
• You expect a classic tourist-bus format with frequent seating breaks and long stops

Small comfort details that matter

A few practical touches make a difference in real life:

• There’s a restroom on board, useful for a route where stops are short.
• The tour is private, so only your group participates.
• It’s suitable for children, and child seats can be provided if you inform the operator before your tour.
• Service animals are allowed.
• The tour is offered in English.
• Confirmation is received at booking time, so you know what you’re walking into.

Should you book this Belfast black cab tour?

If you want a Belfast day that mixes iconic streets with real context, I’d say this is a strong choice. The Peacewalls and murals give you the visual anchors, while the courthouse, tunnel, and prison history keep the story grounded. Add in the more than 15 Game of Thrones filming locations, and you get a fast route through places you’ll remember.

Book it if you:

• like guided interpretation rather than solo wandering
• want pickup and drop-off without hassle
• are okay with short stops and a driver who explains as you go

Think twice if you:

• need a very slow pace
• are sensitive to audio clarity and fast speaking
• want lots of time outside the cab at each location

If you do book, go in with one simple goal: look at each stop and ask how it connects to the next one. This tour is built for that chain reaction, and once you get it, Belfast starts to make sense fast.

FAQ

How long is the Belfast black cab Irish and British mural tour?

It runs about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

What is the price for the tour?

The price is $245.48 per group (up to 2).

Does the tour include pickup and drop-off?

Yes. There is pickup and drop-in from Belfast city center accommodation, with pickup recommended from specific times starting 6:30AM and running up through 11:00AM. Pickup is free within a 1 km zone of Belfast City Hall; outside that zone may require a cash surcharge.

What’s included in the tour?

You get a guide, pickup and drop-off, a mobile ticket, a restroom on board, and admission is included for multiple stops. The tour is offered in English.

Is food or drink included?

No. Food and drink are not included.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. It’s a private tour/activity, and only your group participates. Child seats can be provided if you request them in advance.