There’s something almost mythical about Northern Ireland. And my favourite thing of all? Discovering the BEST castles in Northern Ireland!

Castles dot the coastline, forests whisper secrets, and cliffside ruins hold stories of the past.

Here’s how to spend seven unforgettable days in Northern Ireland.

Discovering the best castles in Northern Ireland, exploring the Giant’s Causeway, sipping coffee by the sea, spending the night in a lighthouse and some of the best hotels in Northern Ireland, all while soaking in the Irish charm!

Naturally upon our most recent visit, I planned a full-blown fairytale road trip.

Ps don’t forget you can also explore more Ireland castle adventures with my Wild Atlantic Way road trip guide as well as Ireland’s Ancient East travel guide – both VERY castle heavy!

Now, let’s head on a magical adventure to find the best castles in Northern Ireland!

7 Day Road Trip + 8 Castles in Northern Ireland You Need to See

DAY ONE: Forest Escapes & a Fairytale Welcome

✈️ Fly into Belfast

Only an hour flight from GB, Belfast is such an easy spot to get to. Equally if you’re travelling from Dublin it’s only a 2 hour drive north to get your Northern Ireland adventure started!

Pick up your rental car, blast an epic road trip playlist and set your GPS toward the Mourne Mountains.

🌲 Tollymore Forest Park

Tollymore is a total fantasy forest.

It welcomes you with gothic gates, crumbling follies, and ancient redwoods. This was Northern Ireland’s first state forest park, established in 1955, but its history stretches back centuries.

The stone bridges and grottos date from the 18th century. Fans of Game of Thrones might recognise it as Winterfell Forest and surrounding The Wall in the north.

And they even filmed some of the Dungeons and Dragons film here too.

Don’t miss the Stepping Stones, Hermitage and Old Foley Bridge!

🏰 Check in: Slieve Donard Resort and Spa

Set at the foot of the Mournes with incredible views of the Irish Sea, this Victorian-era hotel opened in 1898.

It was named after the nearby mountain and built to serve first-class railway passengers. Now? It’s a luxe escape with plush rooms and a gorgeous spa.

It’s very dark academia by the sea vibes and I LOVED it.

🍽️ Dinner at JJ Farrell’s

Unwind with some hearty Northern Irish cuisine.

The menu is incredibly local and the atmosphere is chef’s kiss! Don’t miss out on the cheese soufflé, it’s a DREAM!

DAY TWO: Royal Residences & a Stay in a Mini Castle

🏰 Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

This 18th-century Georgian mansion is the official royal residence in Northern Ireland.

It’s still used by the Royal Family and visiting dignitaries (King Charles and many US presidents have all passed through these halls). Benjamin Franklin even came here! The cool thing about your visit here is that you can actually go inside the state rooms.

And YES there is a tiara that is a replica you can try on! It is what Queen Elizabeth II wore here, her Queen Mary’s Girls of Britain and Ireland tiara.

Don’t miss a visit to the gardens, of course. This is one of the most beautiful properties you could visit. The gardens are over 100 acres of perfectly-manicured tranquility, don’t skip the lake or Lady Alice’s Temple!

Tickets are £20.80 for adults! Your ticket includes:

• Entry to the stunning Castle State Rooms, with their fascinating royal and political history and spectacular art collections
  
• All-day entry to 100 acres of world-famous historic gardens
  
• Free car parking and full access to the castle shop, café, wifi and onsite visitor facilities.

Also, Hillsborough Castle is not technically a castle BUT the actual castle does stand today across the street from this royal residence. If you pop behind The Plough Inn, it’s only a short walk to the old fort grounds.

🥗 Lunch at The Plough Inn

This historic coaching inn has been serving travellers since the 18th century and is right across the way from Hillsborough Castle.

It’s a friendly spot to stop and fuel up before heading onto your next adventure of the day.

🏰 Belfast Castle

Perched high up on Cave Hill, you can actually see the castle pretty far out along the motorway, if you’re ever driving in Belfast, keep an eye out. This is one of the coolest intact castles in Northern Ireland!

The current castle was built in the 1860s by the 3rd Marquess of Donegall in a Scottish Baronial style. But the site has had a castle on it since the 12th century!

The Walled Garden below is home to the “Cat Garden,” featuring nine cat sculptures!

It’s actually free to wander the gardens, so park on up and go forth!

🌉 Overnight at Barbican Gate

Looking for castle stays in Northern Ireland? How about a MINI CASTLE?!

This gothic mini-castle was once gatehouse to the larger Glenarm Castle estate.

I actually have seen this spot ALL over social media and did not realise you can actually STAY inside!!

It’s been lovingly restored by the Irish Landmark Trust. Yes, you really can to sleep in a mini-castle!

Entering into this little castle does require going up plenty of steps on a spiraling stone staircase.

There is one bedroom and then up another flight, the living room and kitchen… and the last flight takes you up to the rooftop where there is a table and benches to enjoy.

We LOVED the fireplace and lit one immediately (and also opened a nice bottle of red that we picked up on the way).

The nice thing about staying in self catered spots is picking up whatever you like for dinner and just enjoying staying in at night on the property. We made a cheeseboard, had pasta and it was the loveliest evening.

Truly add staying overnight in a castle to Northern Ireland to your bucketlist!

DAY THREE: Manor Houses, Waterfalls & Coastal Charm

☕️ Coffee from Cove Coffee

Just down the street is Cove Coffee. I’d definitely recommend grabbing a latte and something sweet from here, you’ll need fuel for a day packed with adventure!

🏰 Glenarm Castle and Walled Garden

This private estate has been home to the McDonnell family, Earls of Antrim, since the 17th century, and they still live here today!

The only reason I am stood outside is due to staying at the Barbican Gate Lodge where you have access to pathways along the front of the castle.

Otherwise, visitors are able to get tickets to go into to The Walled Garden which is equally very beautiful. We were catching it just on the cusp of full bloom, so I daresay, May throughout the summer would be the perfect time for a visit here.

The Walled Garden is one of Ireland’s oldest and most beautiful, with flower borders and fruit trees.

Tickets to the walled garden are £10 per adult.

💦 Gleno Waterfall

Tucked away in a hidden glen, this picturesque cascade was once a popular picnic spot during the Victorian era.

It’s now managed by the National Trust, and feels like a secret passage to another world. And luckily is VERY easy to access. Park your car and it’s less than a five minute walk to the waterfall.

🍔 Lunch at The Dairy

A cosy café with farm-fresh fare and excellent vibes, perfect for a break in your countryside wandering. They serve up some seriously hearty dishes here and the portions were HUGE.

It’s also about a minute drive from Gleno Waterfall.

💍 Gobbins Crafts

Book a session with Heather from Gobbins Crafts while you’re in the area. This part of the coast has a strong heritage of handcrafting, from wool spinning to traditional pottery.

We’ve never made jewellery before and it was such a lovely experience! Joe and I both chose to create these knot rings. It’s a really relaxing way to spend a few hours and Heather is lovely company!

Make sure to call to book ahead as her class schedule is quite busy!

🕯️ Stay overnight: Blackhead Lightkeeper’s House

Originally built in 1902 to guide ships into Belfast Lough, this lighthouse keeper’s home is perched right on the cliffs!

Staying here was such a cool experience!

They have three places on the property to choose from. We stayed in the Lightkeeper’s House 1. It has plenty of space so these stays would be perfect for a group – or be bougie with a night away for two like we did!

I LOVED the fact that it has a fireplace, we lit a roaring fire and had a glass of red to enjoy.

A bonus cool thing? It really is an active lighthouse, so you can see the light going throughout the evening! We got super lucky with gorgeous weather but I think even a stormy sea day here would be perfect.

DAY FOUR: Hidden History & Grand Estates

🏰 Antrim Castle Gardens + Clotworthy House

Antrim Castle itself was sadly destroyed by fire in 1922 and then demolished in the 1970s. There are however, castle ruin remains and it’s very fascinating to explore the entire area!

The stunning site features includes the magnificent 17th Century Anglo Dutch style canals, ponds and avenues, a 12th Century motte which is the oldest feature; Victorian Pleasure Garden, Large Parterre Gardens and the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden.

I’d really recommend going along one of the Ranger Led tours, there’s so much history to cover and they know the absolute best spots to visit!

Clotworthy House is now hosts art exhibitions and events – and it’s the perfect spot to grab a delicious oat milk latte and a treat!

⛵️ Lunch at The Boathouse

A bright riverside restaurant with a killer seafood chowder. Bonus: the views of the Six Mile Water River.

🌕 Killymoon Castle

A Gothic Revival masterpiece, Killymoon was built in 1803 by architect John Nash (who also designed Buckingham Palace!).

It’s privately owned today, but you can visit the castle for afternoon tea by booking in advance.

🏰 Stay at Ardtara Country House

This Victorian mansion is a historic country house turned into a an elegant country retreat, known for its roaring fireplaces, antique-filled rooms, and fine dining.

It’s one of the friendliest places we’ve ever stayed! We loved chatting with the staff there, everyone was so kind and knows all of the guests by name, which I don’t think is an easy feat!

And the food was incredible. Make sure to dine with them upon your stay!

DAY FIVE: Clifftop Castles in Northern Ireland & Coastal Charm

🌊 Lunch at Shanty Portrush

Contemporary seafood right on the Causeway Coast, Shanty Portrush is a fun little spot full of charm.

The food here is delicious, so I’d 10000% recommend a visit while you’re in the area. Order the shrimp scampi and a glass of white wine and thank me later!

🏰 Kinbane Castle – A favourite castle ruin in Northern Ireland

Built in the 1500s by Colla MacDonnell, Kinbane (meaning “white head”) sits on a limestone outcrop that juts into the Atlantic.

It’s remote, rugged, and romantic. It’s also 140 steps down to the castle from the car park. The way down is much easier than the walk back up… but it’s worth every step!

I’d love to come back here again someday, this is definitely one of my new favourite castles in Northern Ireland!

🏰 Dunseverick Castle – Another iconic castle ruin in Northern Ireland

It’s said that this was once visited by Saint Patrick! This now-ruined fortress dates back to the 5th century.

It’s also a very easy one to visit, there’s a car park nearby and it’s typically known as a great spot to start a hike along the coast.

😴 Stay at The Bushmills Inn Hotel

This is one of our favourite hotels to stay at in Northern Ireland. And this was our THIRD visit to The Bushmills Inn. It’s a cosy spot, a 17th-century coaching inn that’s been transformed into a cosy hotel.

Snug cosy corners and roaring fires give it all the historic character you could dream of. And the food is delicious. We truly always have the best time at Bushmills Inn.

DAY SIX: More Dramatic Northern Ireland Castle Ruins & Natural Wonders

🏰 Dunluce Castle

Clinging to the cliffs above the sea, Dunluce is one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic ruins.

Built around 1500 legend says the castle’s kitchen once fell into the sea during a storm… dinner plates and all!

🪨 Giant’s Causeway

This UNESCO World Heritage site was formed by volcanic activity 60 million years ago.

Or if you prefer, legend has it that it was formed by the giant Finn McCool, building a path to Scotland. Either way, it’s breathtaking!

The Giant’s Causeway is looked after by the National Trust and when you buy Visitor Experience tickets you are helping look after Northern Ireland’s first World Heritage Site.

I’d really recommend booking tickets if you are visiting during the day time as the Visitor Experience tickets include guided tours with a member of their story-telling team AND access to the Visitor Centre exhibition area, cafe, shop, use of audio guides. AND they include parking and use of all restrooms!

Top tip: Make sure to pre-book your tickets online, especially at busy times as this is a very popular destination!

🍽️ Dinner at Bushmills Inn

You earned it after a big week! Tuck into a hearty meal by the fire and raise a toast to the castles you’ve conquered.

DAY SEVEN: Sunrise Farewell & Final Feels

🌅 Magheracross Viewing Point

Wake up early and catch the sunrise here. You’ll see sweeping views of the coastline and sea arches — maybe even a glimpse of Dunluce in the golden light.

🏰 One last look: Dunluce Castle

Because some views deserve a second glance!

🍳 Breakfast in Bushmills

Wrap up your fairytale with a full Irish breakfast and a slow stroll through this historic whiskey village.

✨ The End (Or the Beginning?)

There’s something special about Northern Ireland! Exploring eight castles in Northern Ireland on a seven day trip was a truly magical escape.

Save this for your next adventure, or better yet… start planning now! Because honestly? The only thing better than this road trip guide… is actually living it.

Kelly xoxo