Discover Hillsborough: Castle, Gardens and Forest

Hillsborough combines royal history, Georgian architecture and varied green spaces. At its heart is Hillsborough Castle and Gardens: the grand Georgian estate is a royal residence in Northern Ireland. There is also historic church architecture, a former market and courthouse, as well as activities in Hillsborough Forest. When looking for suitable accommodation, you can therefore consider whether culture, gardens or nature experiences should be the focus of your trip.

Hillsborough Castle and its royal history

Hillsborough Castle offers guided tours of the state rooms, which are still used by the royal family today. The guided visit lasts around 45 minutes, making it easy to include as a clearly defined stop in a day focused on culture. Hillsborough Castle is also historically significant as the setting for talks that contributed to the creation of the Good Friday Agreement. A visit therefore combines seeing a grand estate with an important chapter in Northern Ireland’s recent history.

The gardens also deserve time of their own. They were developed from the 1760s onwards and combine formal gardens, woodland and meadows. The grounds of Hillsborough Castle also contain an 18th-century kitchen garden. Those travelling with children can therefore complement their visit to the castle with a range of outdoor experiences, rather than focusing exclusively on indoor spaces.

Georgian townscape and church architecture

Royal Hillsborough is a planned Georgian town shaped largely by the Hill family in the early 18th century. The townscape offers a distinctive way to explore the history of the destination. St. Malachy's Parish Church stands on a site where religious services have been held since the early 17th century. The church is a notable example of 18th-century Gothic Revival church architecture and has a remarkably well-preserved, almost unaltered interior. Visitors interested in architectural history and sacred spaces will therefore find a different focus here than when visiting the castle.

Forest, fort and practical information

Hillsborough Forest is home to a digital sculpture trail that is almost two kilometres long. Another family-friendly option is the forest play area, which was created for children with different abilities as part of the redevelopment of Hillsborough Forest. Hillsborough Fort recalls the region’s historic transport links: it was built to protect the road from Carrickfergus to Dublin. The green space surrounding the fort is open, while the interior of the fort remains closed. The experiences therefore differ considerably: in the forest, movement and art are the focus, while at the fort, the historic site and its exterior take centre stage.

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens can be reached by car or bus. For visitors arriving by public transport, the pedestrian entrance is at The Square at the upper end of Main Street. From the free car park and ticket office, the footpath through the gardens to the castle takes 20 minutes. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, you can take your preferred daily rhythm into account: for a cultural stay featuring the castle, local history and forest activities, Hillsborough itself is the obvious area to search, while the way you travel will influence how you plan your visit to the castle.

Those wishing to compare other places in addition to Hillsborough can also look at Stonyford, Aghalee, Moira, Ravernet, Upper Ballinderry, Lisburn and Annahilt.

Back to the main travel overview: Lisburn.