Belfast Black Cab Tour: Troubles history with local drivers

Your guide spent decades driving through a war zone to keep the city moving.

A private 2-hour black cab tour of Belfast with a local guide who lived through the Troubles, traveling the Falls Road and Shankill Road, past murals, the Peace Wall, and Crumlin Road Gaol. The guides were taxi drivers on the front lines throughout the conflict, offering firsthand perspective on 800 years of Irish history and the sectarian divide that shaped the city. Hotel or port pickup is included. Children from age 9 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Falls Road Belfast30m
2. Crumlin Road Gaolpassing by
3. Shankill20m
4. Belfast Peace Wall15m

Belfast City Centre Black Cab Tour

• Visit Divis flats British army base
• Explore Falls Road murals and history
• Pass by Crumlin Road Gaol
• See murals on various international themes
• Tour Shankill Road loyalist murals
• Visit gothic monastery with peace talks history
• View Belfast Peace Walls and quotes

The experience

What makes this tour different is who's driving. These guides weren't historians who studied the conflict. They were taxi drivers operating black cabs through the Troubles, ferrying people across a divided city when few others would. They know the Falls Road and Shankill not from a textbook but from decades of navigating both communities, watching the murals change, and understanding why the Peace Wall exists. You travel in one of the original London cabs or a luxury Mercedes, picking up from your hotel or the port.

The route moves through the neighborhoods that defined the conflict. You start at Divis Flats, where the British Army occupied the top two floors for over 25 years, then drive the Falls Road: several miles long, the birthplace of the Provisional IRA, lined with murals painted by locals explaining the Catholic experience. Crumlin Road Gaol, built in the 1800s as a hanging prison, held IRA, UVF, UFF and INLA members until the Good Friday Agreement led to prisoner releases in the 1990s. Your guide walks you through what each building meant and why it mattered. The Peace Wall itself, built in 1969 to separate loyalist and Republican communities, carries messages from visitors including President Clinton, Tiger Woods and Morgan Freeman, and your guide explains why it's still there.

The Shankill Road shows the other side: the heart of loyalism, birthplace of the UDA and UVF, with over 40 murals that change monthly to reflect global causes. Palestine, Cuba, Kurdish independence. A gothic monastery where secret peace talks between Gerry Adams and John Hume took place sits nearby. The whole tour runs two hours with WiFi on board, air conditioning, and a professional English-speaking guide who lived through what you're seeing. Children from age 9 can join. Younger children can ride in a stroller.

What’s included

• Hotel or port pickup and drop-off.
• private vehicle transport in an air-conditioned black cab or luxury Mercedes.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• WiFi on board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (9 to 13 years) · Under 9: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 27 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Is this one for you?Travel with someone who drove through the Troubles on Falls Road and Shankill Road: their firsthand account transforms the murals, peace walls, and neighborhoods into a lived history you won't find in books.

Traveler reviews

4.73★★★★★★★★★★

183 verified traveler reviews

5 ★154

4 ★17

3 ★7

2 ★1

1 ★4

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (9 to 13 years). Children under 9 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Falls Road and why is it famous?

The Falls Road is a several-mile stretch in west Belfast and the birthplace of the Provisional IRA. It's lined with murals painted by locals depicting the Catholic community's experience during the Troubles, and your guide, who lived through the conflict, explains the history and meaning behind each one.

Will I actually see the Peace Wall on this tour?

Yes. The Belfast Peace Wall is one of the stops, and your guide explains when it was built in 1969 to separate loyalist and Republican communities, and why it remains part of the city today. You'll see messages left by visitors from around the world.

What is Crumlin Road Gaol and why does it matter?

Crumlin Road Gaol is a prison built in the 1800s that housed IRA, UVF, UFF and INLA members throughout the conflict until it closed in the 1990s following the Good Friday Agreement. Your guide explains its role in the history of the Troubles.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the starting point?

No. Hotel or port pickup is included, so your driver collects you and brings you back after the tour ends.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs 2 hours, covering the Falls Road, Shankill Road, the Peace Wall, Crumlin Road Gaol, and other key sites related to the conflict and the city's history.