Belfast Troubles Murals Street Art And Peace Wall Walking Tour

Really good and informative tour, Marty was very knowledgeable and a perfect guide. This is a must do tour

I enjoyed this tour through Belfast. The guide is passionate for peace. When a (bit drunk) older local approached us nearly to to end we experienced in real life what all the time he was saying: brainwashing, making equality issues of the past about identity... This encounter proved our guides message for me. We got into some very interesting neigbourshoods. I liked the fact that Marti took our remarks into consideration and make it relevant to the tour. Such as my Hugenot decent and the other couples Canadian nationality. It sparked my interest for the troubles and efforts of those who stand for peace.

Marti was an excellent guide. The experience was very enlightening and he did a great job of explaining a very complex situation. He certainly stimulated our interest in following up and further unpacking the story.

Wonderful guide. Great tour and good value forbruge price. Can only recommend this tour with this guide.

Marti was very friendly and knowledgable, we had a really great experience.

A sense of place, time and the past all build into this conversation (a tour just doesn't feel like the right work). Marti's passion and care for his fellow countryman, the difficulties that they have faced and the slow progress to a peaceful future, introduced me to a deeper understanding of the conflicted history of greater ireland and how it played out in West Belfast. Like all history it is messy murky and written by the victors to provide a justification of the why. To walk through the peace walls and see the barrier and divisions, it shows a side of Belfast (and a history of greater Ireland) that I did not know. Thank you Marti, for your time, care, presence and desire for peace to heal the suffering. John

Marti was briliiant. Patient, fair, informative, balanced and engaging. He has wealth of experience with the peace process over many years, at the community level, working to bring people together for a "shared" island of Ireland. Its a long tour, but you won't notice, because you will get excited and involved - and hear that change is coming.

Excellent tour with Marti today! The best and most detailed and enjoyable experience learning about Belfast's history, it's people , past and present as Marti made all of this come alive as we walked through the streets of Belfast! We learned so much in 3 hours!! An incredible tour led by an incredible tour guide!

What a truly unique experience, spending the afternoon with Marti. We experienced Belfast and its history with someone who knows and loves this city and will make you love it to. His knowledge of Irish history and Belfast history is unparalleled. We were the only people on the tour and we explored neighborhoods and places that would otherwise be inaccessible to us. His commitment to peace and community is the spirit of what will continue to move this place in the direction it so badly wants to go. If you want to experience the real Belfast, this is the person to do it with.

What a truly unique experience, spending the afternoon with Marti. We experienced Belfast and its history with someone who knows and loves this city and will make you love it to. His knowledge of Irish history and Belfast history is unparalleled. We were the only people on the tour and we explored neighborhoods and places that would otherwise be inaccessible to us. His commitment to peace and community is the spirit of what will continue to move this place in the direction it so badly wants to go. If you want to experience the real Belfast, this is the person to do it with.

A unique way to experience the centre of Belfast in just three hours. Highly recommended. Tour guide knew a lot.

A fantastic insight to Belfast going to áreas we have heard of but would never have gone to. Marti the guide was so interesting and knowledgeble. We thoroughly enjoyed this 3 hour walking tour.

Marti is an amazing tour guide. The tour was incredibly insightful and gave us a deeper understanding of both the past and present politics of Northern Ireland. He shared real stories from real people, which made the experience powerful and personal. After the tour, he even followed up with an email full of resources to help us learn more about Belfast and Northern Ireland. Highly recommended.

An informative and insightful trip around the murals of Belfast. We learned much about the communities today and during the Troubles. Thanks Marti We’ll be reflecting on our trip for some time to come.

Marti is a great guide. He is balanced and interesting and has life experiences very few people will have. He is passionate about the peace process and optimistic which is great. There is a fair amount of walking but there is a lot to see! Really enjoyed it, thanks Marti.

Marty was such a brilliant guide for our Belfast peace walking tour. He started with a thorough background of history building to the more recent ‘Troubles’ before guiding us through Belfast to see beautiful & interesting street art, key landmarks and sights. Then into west Belfast for a up close and personal look at the still existing divides between communities and attempts to bring peace and unity. He gave us great insight & detail, answering our questions as well as pointing us to more places to visit, things to watch and read to learn more. I’d more than recommend this tour to learn more, and see the hope being embraced in this fascinating city! Thanks Marty 😊

We had a great tour with Marti! He is a great character, with lots of experience and knowledge of the area!! He has a unique style which we really appreciated and it made it a very memorable and special experience! Thanks Marti!

Marti was very informative and very knowledgeable about the history of the troubles from both communities. And the artworks inspiring them and how they have evolved in the year since the end of the troubles. He also adds his own insights and natural wit into the narrative. His tour was well worth the fee.

Marti started the tour with a potted history of Ireland, stretching back many centuries, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of the region's complex past. What set this tour apart was Marti's emphasis on the ongoing efforts to secure peace in Northern Ireland. He eloquently explained how communities continue to work tirelessly to maintain the “fragile” peace, highlighting the positive initiatives happening in Belfast that foster reconciliation. Marti's extensive experience and his dedication to building rapport with various communities, many still grappling with the scars of conflict, allowed him to provide a fair, balanced, and unbiased perspective on a city still healing from its traumatic history. The walking portion of the tour took us through iconic areas like the Shankill and Falls Roads, and Marti is apparently the only guide who leads tours on foot through some of these sensitive spots, which added an intimate and authentic feel. He didn’t shy away from discussing Belfast’s current challenges, including issues with drugs and racism, but always framed them within a context of progress and hope. Throughout, Marti maintained a politically neutral stance, stressing the importance of peace and reconciliation. His memorable phrase, “Two eyes on the past is to be blind,” perfectly encapsulated the tour’s message: acknowledge history, but look forward to build a better future. If you’re visiting Belfast and want an honest, engaging, and eye-opening experience, book with Marti.

Very knowledgeable guide and taken to the more troubled areas of Belfast The information about how the troubles started was very insightful

An informative, well researched and personal tour in which Marti showed just how the communities still have to keep working to secure the peace in Northern Ireland. Fascinating to see how the murals were being repurposed to remember the past whilst not letting the trauma damage another generation Highly recommend!

We were fortunate to be partnered with our tour guide Marty who has so much knowledge and passion for Belfast he made our tour really interesting- we would definitely recommend this tour if you want to hear about not only the troubles but how Belfast is leading the way with some fantastic community projects - definitely wear comfy shoes though as there is a lot of walking but well worth it!

Marti provided a very informative walking tour offering, along with a comprehensive insight into The Troubles, comments on and connections to, Northern Ireland’s long term history, international politics, Women’s Rights and climate change. Most importantly he talked of managing peace and the many things happening in Belfast that are working that. Marti also gave lots of recommendations for other things to see and do in Belfast. He is a passionate ambassador for the city. Book Marti’s tour and enjoy a fast-paced, comprehensive and insightful story of Belfast.

Marti knows much and has done a lot to build rapport with the various communities who still live in conflict. This allows him to bring a fair and balanced perspective on a city that is still living with the trauma of conflict. He took us through parts of the city that I would not be comfortable going through on my own. Highly informative and emotional tour.

The tour guide is very knowledgeable but also opinionated. Had the annoying and awkward habit of challenging the group with, “What do you know about…” acting like we were imbeciles. If I knew everything about the Troubles I wouldn’t be taking the tour!

Highly informative tour of the murals with lots of stories and recommendations. It was only meant to last 3 hours but lasted 3 hours 40. You get a good view of both sides of the argument and how they are trying to reconcile. If you want an insider view and you are happy walking I would thoroughly recommend this tour.

Absolutely fantastic tour of Belfast's past, present, and hopes for the future. Marti was so informative and passionate about the city (and Northern Ireland in general) and that shone throughout with the attention to historical detail and context provided to everything we saw. This tour brings you to the heart of the communities recovering from the Troubles, and Marti provides a balanced perspective and with respect for all those affected. The ability to walk through the Shankill Road and Falls Road and see the murals up-close is a unique aspect of this walking tour. You really get a sense of the troubled history as well as the precious efforts to manage peace. Marti also took time to recommend places to eat and listen to local trad music, which we did later in our stay! Thanks so much Marti for taking the time to share a little snippet of Belfast with us, we'll be back!

This tour was the highlight of our trip. Marti was incredibly knowledgeable and gave great insight into everything we saw. He was very objective and fair, and his passion for the area really shone through. You can always tell the difference between a tour guide who does it for a job and one who does it because he loves what he does and Marti is the definition of the latter! If you want to really get a feel for the area and the people that live there, I would pick this trip as I think a taxi tour would only achieve 20% of what Marti did. The tour is great value for money based off the knowledge and experience as a whole. He rounded off the trip with great recommendations for places to eat and has really made us want to return to Northern Ireland soon. When we do return we will definitely be looking to do another one of his tours. Just a small warning, in order to cover what he does there is quite a bit of walking involved but it is 100% worth it and we would recommend to everyone!!

My wife and I were looking for tours that would give us an understanding the Belfast’s rich history. There were many suggestions for the black cab tours, which seem fine, but we wanted something more intimate and unique. We booked the walking tour for the afternoon of a beautiful weekday. We met our guide at the MAC and he proceeded to give us a brief history of Ireland before we were on our way throughout the city. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, and took great care to be as objective as possible. Through him we were able gain a deeper understanding of the city and connect on a level that would not have been possible had we chosen a cab tour. 5 stars, a terrific way to see Belfast.

very insightful tour of Belfast’s past, present, and future with Marti! he gave great context to how the Troubles began and took us through both loyalist and republican areas and provided a balanced perspective of both. Highlight for me was all the street murals we went to and the explanations he gave to understand their meaning. Covered lots of different areas that would have been difficult to get to without a guide.

This was an excellent tour which gave a very real insight into the past history of Belfast and Northern Ireland as well first hand experiences of the Troubles. A really uplifting and inspiring element was the references to a future of peace and further projects to promote this.

Very informative tour of key locations, including areas of West Belfast we wouldn’t have discovered ourselves. An interesting historical perspective punctuated by personal stories from the guide and interaction with local people, including street artists.

The theme of this 3 hours’ walking tour is peace and reconciliation, well delivered by Marti, our incredibly knowledgeable and seasoned tour guide. One unique advantage of this zero emission tour is that it gives you the opportunity to walk around on both sides of the divide, something most locals would be hesitant to try three decades ago. Marti did a brilliant job helping us understand the complex history in this part of the world with his humour and charm. In addition to explaining the murals to us, Marti engages with local people during the tour which you can catch a glimpse of their life nowadays. If you are interested in local events, pubs or cafes, ask Marti and he knows. Highly recommended!

Great knowledge from host Marty He gave us an insight into current moods in the city whilst showing us the street art from both sides of the divide. One drawback it did last almost an hour more than advertised and we were rushing at the end

On a quiet Monday afternoon we were fortunate to be the only couple on the tour. Marti is an excellent guide, very friendly and knowledgeable. We walked around town then headed up to the Shankill road then over to the Falls road. He is also considerate of his audience as my partner had trouble walking and he stopped to let him rest. We found the tour very interesting and would definitely recommend this tour. He also does other tours which we will book on our next visit.

Excellent tour. Informative but with humour and no little charm. We were a small group of 6 and other tours we saw had from 20 to 50 people. Will definitely go to another of Marty's tours next time we are in Belfast. Highly recommended.

We spent a very nice afternoon with Marti! The history of Belfast and Northern Ireland is, of course, very complex, and thanks to Marti's valuable perspective, we now have a better understanding of the city's past and present. Marti guided us through this history, taking us off the beaten path and using street art as a testament to the struggles the communities have endured, but also highlighting its role as a symbol of healing and hope for the future.

Very informative tour with lots of important stops to it. Thanks a lot, would reccomend for anyone who wants a balanced view.

I spent the day with Marti doing a double day of tours. I’ll start by saying I’ve done many tours in many cities in many parts of the world, and can definitively say that Marti is the most knowledgeable tour guide of his city that I have ever had. Hands down. I was amazed that after 7 hours he still had plenty of new knowledge and there was zero overlap between tours (& he offers additional tours to those I took). As a professor and closet historian I am always looking for deeper knowledge and Marti did not disappoint. He clearly has a passion for his subject and has spent a lifetime preparing to give you your next tour. I’m no stranger to Belfast having visited many times and taken a variety of tours, including but not limited to the political tours. Marti’s tour tied so many ends together and provided such a rich context and new perspectives to help provide a deeper meaning. He takes the time to explain the people and meanings in the political and non-political murals and understands the deeper purpose they serve much more thoroughly than any of the previous political tours I’ve taken (at least 6, given my interest in the topic and my fathers leaving Belfast for America in 1968). He’s aware of the past, the present and efforts being made to reach forward and drag the future of Belfast into the present. The thing that differentiates Marti’s tour from other political tours is his optimistic view of the future and the explicit examples he provides about how people are working together across communities to build bridges and inspire hope. He doesn’t withhold or smooth over the past, but this man lives in the future. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

I spent a fabulous few hours with Marti! He was very knowledgeable about the local area, especially the murals. His quirky sense of humour made for an entertaining tour. Recommend!!

Best guided tour I've done in a while. Marty is very kind and knowledgeable. We've had a great time with my friends.

Marti walked us though the city, telling us interesting stories about the past, present, and future of Belfast citizens. He approached the social affairs from a hopeful perspective, and he came across as a warm, respectful, and peculiar guide. We'd definitely take another tour with him next time.

Great tour, very interesting and insightful, would highly recommend! Would also advise taking the music and street art tour as well Our guide Marti was available at short notice and made us feel safe throughout Very passionate about the topic as well as peace and climate change in general, which was amazing, Marti got his messages through very well! Focused on peace and maintaining peace without forgetting past events Objective and lovely guide, thorough and impressive knowledge, lots of information and key points about the history of Northern Ireland Good amount of walking, covered a lot of ground and history through street murals. Very informative and interesting! Breath of fresh air Very interesting artwork, food for thought! Lots of useful local recommendations for drinks/dinner/live music after the tour

The explanation of the complex history of the Island of Ireland, with multiple groups forming and unforming. Descriptions of the most recent events in the last 60 years. The tour leader appeared a bit reluctant to engage with questions. More interaction with the group would have been better. We left before the end of the tour so I can’t comment on the elements we missed.

Really enjoyed this tour. My husband and I arrived a bit late but the tour guide sent us a message and waited for us. The tour guide covered an incredible amount of information and took us to some very interesting places. He was very knowledgeable

Tour – This is a 3 hour guided walking tour which starts from MAC building in St. Anne’s Square – it is a lot cheaper than taking the Black Taxi tour that appears at many of the stops on this tour There was a lot of walking – different underfoot surfaces - some uphill - often at speed – across busy roads – through housing estates – through security gates with views of the walls separating the communities Many views of the murals on the Peace Wall – some disturbing - others controversial especially referring to the fallen from the Troubles as well as those reflecting a pro-Palestine agenda – we had a comfort break after about 2 hours – we ended close to Kelly’s Cellars pub and the community centre next door Guide - Marti - good to start with a detailed explanation of the history of Ireland as background to the tour – but he often talks with his back to you whilst walking at pace - at different volumes - strident to a whisper - lost my attention at the Falls Road – for me he mixed messages and opinions amongst a smatterings of fact – as well as seeming to think he could be a target for assignation - overly theatrical - seemed to think that Belfast invented Peace and could export the process to anywhere in our troubled world – didn’t impress a couple from Israel who were faced with some very graphic pro-Palestine murals – the walls told a different story. Despite Marti - this tour route was interesting and instructive – clearly wounds haven’t fully healed and the divide is still being enforced by gates – being in a guided group gave the feeling of security in areas we would have been reluctant to visit on our own – so despite my reservations this tour is a must when visiting Belfast – thank you.

An amazing tour where you learned so much as an outsider gazing in on a complex issue. Thanks for a fascinating insight. A fabulous thought provoking three hours.

Marti is an encyclopedia of his beloved Belfast. A historian who lived it and walks the very thin line that is needed to preserve the peace. To win the peace. Such amazing insights to a complicated situation. You will not regret it.

I took this tour last week. It was really interesting and I learnt a lot. But.... the amazing bit is how much I have thought about it afterwards. My mind keeps coming back to the tour... not really the pieces of information, but the memory of the nature of Belfast... the awful troubles but, more importantly, the sense of moving forwards, with one eye on the past (but not two). I have tried to tell people about it, but I really can't capture the sense that Marti gave through his words and the murals and places he showed us. It is a detailed tour.... not an easy listen... but worth it.