Belfast Black Taxi Tour: Political History & Peace Wall

Two communities, one cab, the full story of the Troubles

A guided black taxi tour of Belfast covering the Shankill Road, Belfast Peace Wall, and Falls Road with a driver who explains the political history from 1690 through the 1998 peace agreement. The tour runs 1 to 1.5 hours and includes pickup at Donegall Square East in the city center; hotel pickup is available for an extra charge. You walk around the Shankill to see loyalist murals, visit the Clonard Martyrs Memorial garden on Bombay Street, see the Bobby Sands mural at the Sinn Féin press office, and finish at the International Wall.

Step-by-step itinerary

Belfast Black Taxi Murals Tour

• Begin tour in Shankill Road area
• Listen to history of Shankill Road
• Walk and view loyalist murals
• See west Belfast murals and peace wall
• Visit Clonard Martyrs Memorial garden
• Stop at Sinn Fein press office and Bobby Sands mural
• End at International Wall murals

The Experience

The tour starts at Donegall Square East in Belfast city center and runs between 1 and 1.5 hours. Your driver explains the history in sequence: beginning with 1690 and the Battle of the Boyne, then moving through the outbreak of violence in 1969 and the peace agreement signed in 1998. The company is owned by both a Catholic and a Protestant, and the tour is built to give a non-biased account of the Troubles across both communities.

The first stop is the Shankill Road area, where you walk around to photograph the loyalist murals and hear what they represent. Then you visit the Belfast Peace Wall, which was erected in 1969 as a temporary structure meant to last six months but became permanent because of its effectiveness. The walls separate Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods and are now covered with art and messages from visitors. You'll see the Clonard Martyrs Memorial garden on Bombay Street, where the tour explains the significance of the site — Bombay Street is where some say the modern troubles began when Catholics were burnt out of their homes, and it's also where the Provisional IRA was formed. The next stop is the Sinn Féin press office on Falls Road, home to the iconic Bobby Sands mural; your driver covers the history of the 1981 hunger strike in the Maze Prison. The final stop is the International Wall, where murals highlight themes of oppression from the 1969 race riots in America to current events.

All cabs are cleaned before and after each tour, and hand sanitizers are available. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller. Pickup is at the city center; if you need pickup at your hotel, an extra charge applies.

What’s included

• Guided tour in a black taxi cab.
• visits to the Shankill Road, Belfast Peace Wall, Clonard Martyrs Memorial garden, Bobby Sands mural at the Sinn Féin press office, and the International Wall.
• expert commentary on Belfast's political history from 1690 to 1998.
• pickup and drop-off at Donegall Square East in Belfast city center.
• small group experience.
• hand sanitizers available in the cab.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cab tours belfast

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand both sides of Belfast's political history without a sanitized version — the driver's background as a Catholic-Protestant partnership means you get the full context of the Shankill and Falls Road in a single trip, which is what makes the contradictions and the peace agreement itself make sense.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the Shankill and Falls Road stops on this tour?

The Shankill Road is the Protestant/British area where you see loyalist murals and learn the history from the perspective of that community. The Falls Road is the Catholic/Nationalist area where you visit the Clonard Martyrs Memorial garden and see the Bobby Sands mural at the Sinn Féin press office, covering the history of the Irish hunger strike and nationalist history.

How long does the tour actually take?

The tour runs between 1 and 1.5 hours from start to finish, including the walking sections around the Shankill and the stops at each memorial and mural site.

What exactly is the Belfast Peace Wall?

The Peace Wall was built in 1969 as a temporary barrier to separate Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods after violence broke out. It was meant to last six months but became permanent because it was effective. Today it stands higher and longer than originally built, and visitors have covered it with art and messages of hope.

Do I need to book hotel pickup separately, or is it included?

Pickup at Donegall Square East in the city center is included. If you need pickup at your hotel instead, an extra charge applies and you can arrange it at checkout.

Who is the guide, and what language is the tour in?

Your guide is the black taxi cab driver, who provides expert commentary on Belfast's political history. The tour is conducted in English.

What happens at the International Wall, the final stop?

The International Wall features a variety of murals with a general theme of highlighting oppression — from the 1969 race riots in America to current events in Palestine and beyond. Your driver explains the stories behind the different murals.