Carrickfergus Castle

Fantastic Anglo-Norman castle. It is very intact so you can explore inside and out. Great value entry at just £6.00! Good views over the North Sea. Well worth a visit. Easy to get to get to by train from Belfast. The journey itself is very nice, with lovely scenery and sea views along the route.

Nice and good place for kids. Carrickfergus Castle is well maintained and has a lot of history to explore. The stone walls, towers, and views of the sea make it very interesting. They had a special education center–type setup which was helpful and engaging for children. Overall, a good experience for families and anyone who likes historical places.

Enjoyable visit with two grandchildren, 5 year old twins. Some restoration being carried out on perimeter tower so part of the lower area closed. Interesting displays and interactive area in keep and great Hall on top floor has great views over the harbour.

This place is amazing. Really worth a visit. I went with my 6 year old daughter as we love discovering castles and this truly did not disappoint. What looked at first like a simple castle just ended up with more and more discoveries. There's even a giant chess set you can play at the top of the tower. A really interesting place.

Toured the Castle in October 2025 and as an American, was blown away by the history. Incredibly well-appointed castle, perfect for the self-guided tour experience. Had the experience of seeing it from the water on the ferry back to Scotland and that was also a really great vantage point. Definitely a must see!

This was a quick stop on our tour we didn't have time to go inside but the outside was impressive. Loved the statute of King William III and the castle tower. Definitely will stop next time but we were on a Rabbie’s Tour of Northern Ireland.

Military medieval castle, which has been renovated slightly, to keep up its appearance. The thing I found very wonderful, is it actually had large figures of soldiers, monks, and even a lady posing in place to show, what things/ buildings were used as. I had not found this, at most of the castles, I found it refreshing. They were preparing for Halloween, so in some of my pictures there was a theme.

Beautiful wee castle and walking trails with food vans, toilets, plenty of parking and plenty of history. We were driving down the scenic coastal drive towards Giant Causeway and stopped here to look around and grab something to eat. It turned to be a nice place to spend 1.5 hrs despite not going into the castle which is ticketed at £6 approx.

I visited this castle when I was vacationing in Ireland earlier this year. We were driving on the main road and this castle was right next to the road, so getting here and was really convenient, as well as parking. There are public restrooms outside of the castle, which is definitely a plus! The castle was really cool and so fascinating that it is still standing. The exhibits inside were really interesting too. The employees at the entrance were really nice and friendly. I would definitely visit this castle again.

Gord and I took a train to Carrickfergus and spent a few hours wondering around Carrickfergus Castle. Carrickfergus Castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177 as his headquarters, after he conquered eastern Ulster and ruled as a petty king until 1204, when he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy. It was an interesting spot to spend a couple of hours!

Worth a stop on the way up the coastal road in N. I. The scenery is beautiful and you can see Scotland across 12 miles of the Irish Sea. Castle was originally built by De Courcy a Norman in ~1100AD. Many others have taken ownership since but the original limestone masonry is still standing. Mark & Nancy

I absolutely LOVE that this is just hanging out in the middle of the city. Ok, on the water's edge, but, still. We accidentally stumbled on this long-standing castle. Of course, it was already closed when we arrived. That's ok, I prefer to slink about the empty grounds and soak up the architecture and history. I don't care for the mannequins scattered around. I feel like they cheapen the experience, as opposed to enhancing it. The skies were stormy, adding to the vibe. Absolutely lovely land. I can hardly wait to get back! (See ya next month...)

First stop on a Game of Throne's tour, this medieval castle is located just on the outskirts of Belfast city. It's a lovely spot, surrounded by the sea, so I can see why the castle was originally built here. So it actually costs £5 to tour inside the castle and it promontory but it's free to walk around on the outside which is pretty grand. As our tour only stopped here for 20min, I didn't go on in, so no comment about the inside but the outside was magnificent. It definitely helped that enroute here, the tour guide had provide historical info about the original builder (John de Courcy) and his being ousted by Hugh de Lacy with support from King John by means that would put GoT storylines to shame. This meant that when walking around, I could imagine those castle walls bring besieged by the Scottish, Irish, English and French armies and the terror of the folks inside. Really beautiful preserved piece of medieval history and well worth a visit even if you don't go inside. Note: #212 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016

First stop on a Game of Throne's tour

Carrickfergus Castle was built about 850 years ago and is one of the best preserved Norman structures in all of Ireland. Being from the area, it is a sight I am well used to seeing, however shockingly up until the summer, I had only ever been inside the castle once, on a school trip in Primary School. This summer there was a family fun day on in Carrick, and they were permitting entrance to the castle FOC, so we decided to go along for a look. Despite it being free, it wasn't overly busy, so we were able to stroll around the castle at our leisure. It doesn't take that long to get around the castle - the castle is large however there are only certain areas where visitors are permitted, and it can easily be done in a leisurely hour. There are a collection of cannons from the 17th century inside the castle, and there are statues/figures inside the castle to bring the history to life to help envisage what it was like back when the castle was in use. It was a gorgeous day when we visited and we had amazing views over Belfast Lough and beyond!

Been here a couple of times now. As it's not far from where I live. It's such a cool wee castle and soaked in history. Its proximity to the marina makes it a lovely place to just walk around, or sit having a coffee and watch the ships go up and down Belfast lough.

"Have fun storming the castle!" You won't be able to help yourself repeating that famous line from the Princess Bride while visiting Carrickfergus Castle. This castle, originally built in 1066... let me say that again, 1066!!!!, is still in remarkable condition! For only 5 and change, you gain entrance to this amazing piece of history and can even have a FREE guided tour (which I would almost insistently recommend). Easily the best venti latte worth I've ever spent. Our guide traced the history through 1066 up until the 1920s (I think - ask on the tour) when it was finally turned over for preservation. All that time, the castle has served in some capacity or another, which is why it's been so well maintained. You literally can walked through over 1000 years of history in one building and SEE it all pretty much as it was (and in many places, still is.) I learned so much from my visit there about the castle and history in the region... it truly exceeded every single expectation 10 fold. My favorite tidbits where the innovative "indoor plumbing" and the bit about how to invade the castle (but you don't have to worry about that... just give them a few quid and they let you walk on in.) You can explore on you own but I honestly think you'd be missing out on just how amazing this structure is historically, architecturally, and archeologically if you passed up the guided tour. IT'S FREE with the price of admission. You will also be able to capture some stunning photos of Carrickfergus and it's outlying countryside from the castle walls. Extra tip - If the tide is out, make a trip down onto the beach and walk the outside of the castle along the sea. Gives you another perspective of just how imposing the castle is/was plus you may find some unexpected visual treasures, especially if you're into photography.

Carrickfergus castle is one of my favourite places to go on a lazy weekend! Its right on the East Coast overlooking the Ocean and Carrick marina, so it really has a picturesque setting. I love all things historical, especially visiting castles, museums and other places of historical interest. The Castle is really fab! It's over a thousand years old and full of history and interesting artifacts. It was also used as a prison during the 18th century which is really interesting! It's great walking around the rooms and the stone staircase imagining you were actually there. (no? just me?) It's a really cheap day out at only £3 for an adult and they also do a family price (2 adults, 2 children) for £8. Once you've stepped back into history you can go for a walk around Carrickfergus itself, boasting plenty of fine eateries, shops and, of course, the Marina!

This was a short pitstop and photo opportunity on a full day tour. This stone castle is grand. The front entrance is beautiful. My tour guide married his wife at this castle. I wish we had more time to explore this gem of a place. It is right on the water along the coast, so views are quite pretty.

It doesn't matter which direction you approach the town of Carrickfergus the dominant feature on the sky line is the famous Castle built by John DeCourcy in the 13th century. Standing on the coastline overlooking the old harbour and very close to the modern marina. The castle is open to visitors and for the historians among you there a number of sites where the original fortress walls of the ancient town of Carrickfergus can be viewed. Plus you should visit St Nicolas's Church built ,again by Decourcy, arounnd the same period as the castle and still in use today.

This is must do when in Carrickfergus!! It is situated right by the sea, and is along the waterfront walk. Entrance isn't very much, and you get a great view on sunny days. There is a sweet marina right next to it, and is not far from the town center. It is nearly a thousand years old, and most certainly worth a visit when you are walking around it's beautiful surroundings.

I love going here on a sunny weekend for the day. I've some very fond Memories of my childhood of going here for a day of adventure and fun with my family and once or twice with school. We never got sick of it though! It's a very imposing Norman Castle, rugged and eternal looking, like it's been there forever - and comparatively with most of the small town of Carrickfergus surrounding it, it more or less has. It's got some great areas to explore, and there is a really medieval feel to it, they haven't tainted it or altered it much, and it's very historical throughout, and walking in the main entrance under the portcullis is very interesting. There are lots of bits and pieces for the kids to do and its interesting for parents and adults too. There are great views of the lough from the castle on a good day too.

Definitely a place worth visiting, Carrickfergus Castle is a medieval castle on the Antrim Coast that's open to the public. The scenery is beautiful in the area, so make sure you go for a nice walk through the Marina while you're there as well. As for the Castle itself, it's a great place to go on a Sunday afternoon. There is lots to entertain the kids, but the history of the Castle is interesting enough to keep adults entertained too! Being medieval, it's full of small corridors, twisty stairs and slender windows, all of which have been well maintained or restored to show you exactly what the castle was like in its day. There's also information on it's later days (it was used as an army garrison as late as 1928 and was used during WW2 as well), so there's loads of Irish history to be learned. For those us who aren't so interested in the names and dates, you can always go outside and play soldiers with the canons (equally fun)! It gets cold there, so if you go in the winter months - wrap up warm! They also do kid's parties in the banquet hall. My sister is threatening to have my nephew's party there this year. Is it wrong that I'm giddy with excitement....?

I took my two daughters to the Castle today. We didn't go in but walked round as much as we could. The tide was out so we got right down to shoreside.Superb for pictures and backdrop.

I love the castle and have been going for years. The view from the ramparts of the lough and town are stunning. On a clear day you can see the Harland and Wolf cranes in Belfast. A nice gift shop and cafe has been built inside and you can wander around the walls for hours. A small room with a TV showing the history of the castle can be easily missed in the keep as can the spiral staircase with the trick step. I love the statue of King John sitting on the toilet as he looks like the Burger King guy.

we spent a couple of hours looking around the castle one saturday last september, & didn't think it was worth the entrance fee there's a small number of points of interest, & you are hanged a leaflet on entrance telling you about key points it is very well maintained, & the staff on reception were very friendly as there was 6 in our group, we did manage to negotiate a small discount on the entrance fee

It's a stunning sight I see daily and I guess we locals may take it for granted. Have to remember though that this castle, built by the Normans, has been a well known sight here for nearly a millenia and will be here for a long time to come. A fantastic taste of history

I grew up in Carrickfergus and love the castle. It's educational, reasonably priced and has great views over the lough. It doesn't take all day to get around, so good for those with children. Best visited during the summer.