Explore Northern Ireland's Only World Heritage Site
The Giant's Causeway Guide
About 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns, stretching down to the sea — where science and the legend of Fionn McCool meet on Northern Ireland's north Antrim coast.
Welcome
Explore the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north coast of Northern Ireland, in County Antrim. It features about 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns stretching down to the sea. Legends intertwine with science here: some say these formations are the handiwork of underwater volcanic activity; others recount tales of the giant Fionn McCool, whose exploits shaped the north Antrim coast during a battle with a Scottish giant.
Visitors can use the Dundarave Car Park as a Park and Ride facility inBushmills, enjoying amenities in the village and taking advantage of ticket savings.
The stones and coastline are free to walk at any time; the Visitor Centre, run by the National Trust, is what you pay for. This site is independent of both — we're not the National Trust, just a guide built to help you plan the visit properly, from guided tours to where to stay nearby.
"You are standing on, or are about to visit, one of my favorite places. The jewel in the crown of the fabulous coast of Antrim. A site of World Heritage and therefore ranked alongside Mount Everest and the Giant Redwoods of California for its importance to humankind. Volcanic activity helped Finn McCool forge this wonder of the World some 60 million years ago. It is today the habitat of rare plants and animals. Please treat their home with the pride and the care it deserves."
Explore
Everything you need to plan your visit — pick a section below.
About
The Giant's Causeway itself — geology, history, myths and legends, getting there, and where to eat and stay nearby.
Tours
Guided tours of the Giant's Causeway, in English and translated for German, Polish, Italian, and Spanish-speaking visitors.
To Do
Things to see nearby — Bushmills, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and the Giant's Causeway & Bushmills Railway.
Places to Stay
Hotels and guesthouses near the Giant's Causeway, from Bushmills to Portstewart.
Go Deeper
The science, the stories, and the honest answers to the questions most visitors actually have.
History
From its 1692 rediscovery by Bishop William King to the Neptunist-Plutonist debate that shaped modern geology.
Geology
The volcanic science behind roughly 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns.
Myths & Legends
Fionn McCool, the Scottish giant Benandonner, and the stories told long before the geology was.
Flora & Fauna
Nesting seabirds, rare cliff-top plants, and why the coast is a protected Special Area of Conservation in its own right.
Similar Structures
Fingal's Cave and the other basalt column formations around the world that share the same volcanic origin.
Photo Gallery
Real photos of the Visitor Centre, the coast road, and the nearby attractions worth building into your visit.