Belfast's political tours are usually popular throughout the year, giving visitors an insight into the city's troubled past. But if you cannot get there in person, DC Tours' online experience is a great alternative.
This news item and page contain affiliate links and I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
The 2-hour online tour hosted on Zoom promises to be a personal experience that is limited to a maximum of 10 guests and the chance to ask questions through the platform's chat feature.
The virtual tour titled The History of the Troubles is led by Paul Donnelly, a Belfast native and an Irish history and politics lecturer who was awarded “Top UK Guide” in 2019 from the Wanderlust World Guide Awards.
Participants on the Zoom video call, which takes place every Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m. GMT, noon Eastern Standard Time, learn the reasons and events that led to the violence, how it ended, and the fragile peace that is currently being maintained.
The event includes the historical portion of the tour followed by a Q&A session.
The cost per person is £20 (about $26, €22). You can register here.
Choose from 7 hostels in Belfast
Walking Tour: “A History of Terror”
Donnelly also leads a walking tour of the city called “A History of Terror,” which takes in seven locations in the city center associated with some of the most brutal incidents of The Troubles.
They include the site of one of the most lethal bombs to go off in Belfast on what has become known as “Bloody Friday.”
The aim of the tour, which begins at Belfast City Hall, is to show people how much Belfast has changed since those dark days.
It is not in any way meant to be macabre, the organizers say, but instead, aims to tell the story of violence in more objective ways.
Take a Private Black Taxi Tour of Belfast
The tour, which is available in both English and Spanish, tells the story of the people involved in The Troubles, their place in the conflict, and the effect it had on them.
The perspective of Belfast’s civilians, security forces, as well as Loyalists and Republicans are all taken into account.
The 2-hour, 15-minute-long tour is led by Donnelly, using a rich storytelling narrative that will make you feel that you are back in the time period even though today, Belfast is a vibrant, safe city.
Don’t expect to visit the peace line or the murals in East or West Belfast.
Those places are covered by other tourism providers in the city, he says.
Tickets for the walking tour, which are suitable for participants ages 12 and up, can be booked here.
The tour is available every day at 10:30 a.m.
The cost per person is £18, in addition to a small online booking fee.
If you want to do a self-guided tour of West Belfast, DC Tours has released an app that will guide you through various neighborhoods in the city.
Self-guided tours include West Belfast: Peacewalls, Murals and More, The Best of Belfast City Trail, The Queens Quarter Walking Trail, Your Belfast, The Titanic Quarter Trail on the Maritime Mile, The Line of Duty Locations Trail, as well some free tours.
Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play (search for ‘DC Tours Belfast’) and then choose and download the tour you'd like to take.
The company offers a number of private, bespoke, and group tours as well.