Comber

Comber, pronouned Cum-ber, dubbed locally as the 'home of great taste', is located on the west of the Borough. The town is renowned for coffee, cycling, craft and fine cuisine.

A captivating, beautiful place to explore

Between Comber and Killinchy, you will find a number of places worth exploring, for their settings if not for the centuries deep stories they have to tell. Mahee Island is a short distance from Lisbane and hosts breathtaking views of Strangford Lough. Places of considerable interest on the island include the ruins of Mahee Castle and Nendrum Monastery.

Mahee castle is a small ruined tower house that is positioned at the north end of the Island. The tower house is thought to have been built in 1570 by an English soldier called Captain Browne; however, it was abandoned in the 17th century. To preserve the castle, conservation work took place in 1923 and again more recently.

Nendrum Monastery was founded in the 5th century by St Machaoi. Some remains of this Christian Monastery can still be seen, and it is believed to be the best example of a pre-Norman monastic site in Northern Ireland. It is a tranquil and atmospheric place, reached by crossing causeways from island to island along narrow country roads with stunning views of Strangford Lough.

Comber Attractions

Places to visit in the town centre include the beautiful St Mary's Church. The church dates back to 1840s and has many interesting memorials within it, as well as some beautiful examples of stained glass. Some of the stained glass depicts scenes from the history of Comber and surrounding area. The 15th century Comber Stones, believed to be remnants from a Cistercian Abbey at Comber, are on display.

Also situated in Comber square is a large statue of local hero, Major General Rollo Gillespie. It was erected to commemorate his heroic exploits in India during the 19th century.

Thomas Andrews, designer of the RMS Titanic was born in Comber and a Titanic memorial in the pretty town square was unveiled in 2014 on the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  Signage in the town indicates places connected to the Andrews family.

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Castle Espie is situated three miles south of Comber. The three-time award winning wetland provides an early wintering site for almost the entire East Canadian High Arctic population of Brent geese. The reserve has the largest collection of ducks, geese and swans in Ireland. Nature walks around the centre allow visitors to get close to the wild birds while taking in the beautiful scenery.

Comber Greenway

Comber can be accessed via the Comber Greenway, a seven mile, traffic free section of the National Cycle Network. The cycle path starts in Belfast and finishes in Comber, providing views of Stormont Estate and Scrabo Tower along the way. The current path of the Greenway was originally used as the route for the Belfast and County Down Railway. The railway was in use from the 1850s to 1950.

A Foodies Haven

As referred to above, Comber is renowned, amongst other things, for it's coffee culture and fine cuisine. Tantalise your tastebuds in award-winning No.14 at The Georgian House restaurant; the craic (fun) is mighty in McBrides on the Square, and coffee shops such as Sugarcane Cafe Bistro.

Then there is Indie Füde, an shop dedicated to the provision of artisan cheeses, food and drink from all over the island of Ireland, bespoke gift ideas and visitor experiences.

Find out more about Food and Drink in the Borough

Comber Farmers' Market

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries Comber grew as a market town with many family run businesses. The town holds an award winning Farmers Market on the first Thursday of every month. The market has built up a strong reputation for selling fresh, seasonal, award winning food and plant products. With 26 artisan food stalls regularly taking part, you will certainly want to visit. Find out more about the market.

Comber Earlies

After achieving EU Protected Geographical Indication status in 2012, the Comber potato (Comber Earlies) became a global brand.  The humble spud is now celebrated annually at the Comber Earlies Food Festival in June, together with the Comber Earlies Growers. 

Visitors can enjoy a day long programme of activity ranging from cookery demonstrations featuring local and celebrity chefs, kids entertainment, live music, plenty of food and drink to indulge in, plus some. It's a great day out. Find out more about the event which forms part of our Taste Summer season.

Crafty Comber

What makes Comber renowned for it's crafts is the rich variety of artists and makers in and around the town. Local creations are showcased in shops such as the Doghouse Gallery.

You will also find regular craft markets at WWT Castle Espie, such as North Down Craft Collective.

Ulster-Scots in Comber

Explore the influence of the Ulster-Scots in the town.

Self Guided Town and Village Walking Trails

Learn more about the area through our Walking Trail guides which help you discover the rich history of this place, by walking in the footsteps of Normans, Vikings and Saints amongst others.

Comber | Newtownards | Donaghadee

Other Walking Trail guides include:

• Bangor | Crawfordsburn and Helen's Bay | Holywood 
• Village Trails of the Ards Peninsula

Click for detailed Maps and Guides.

Tour Comber

Explore Comber through the Virtual Visit Tours lens; as Comber Chamber of Commerce launch a 360-degree virtual reality tour of the town!

Homegrown talent

Comber is famous for being the birthplace of Thomas Andrews, the designer of the RMS Titanic. He died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

Make more of your stay

Discover ways to enrich your stay in our place, immersing yourself in the warmth of our people amongst the landscapes where the countryside meets the seashore with events, experiences and things to do.

Start planning your trip to Comber and beyond.

Visitor Information Centres

Our Visitor Information Centres in Bangor and Newtownards have a knowledgeable team who would be delighted to help offer tips and suggestions for how to make the most of your time in the city and the wider borough.

Each of our centres has a gift shop - pick up a memento of your trip from a range of items including souvenirs, locally crafted jewellery, ornaments, books of local interest and so much more.

Bangor Visitor Information Centre | Ards Visitor Information Centre

Getting to Comber

Easy to get to 
Travel to us by land, sea or air with major airports and seaports close by. Sail into our ports via Liverpool and Cairnryan, Scotland. From George Best Belfast City Airport and Belfast Docks, you can reach Comber in under 40 minutes, and Belfast International Airport is just 35km away from gateway to Ards and North Down, Holywood.

Short travel times direct from major cities 
We are located only 2 hours from Dublin by road and 90 minutes from London and Amsterdam by air. With great public transport links, getting here is straight forward. Or, hire a car for the freedom to explore the stunning landscapes, coastal walks and even more of our towns and villages that surround Comber.

Best accessed by road and by using Translink public transport (bus only).

See Sat Nav details and Distance Guide at the bottom of the page.

Plan your trip

Sat Nav details

Latitude: 54.5494 Longitude: -5.7438

Driving distances (approx, depending on route):
Belfast - Comber | 30 minutes
Bangor - Comber | 20 - 25 minutes
Newtownards - Comber | 10 minutes
Portaferry - Comber | 1 hour 10 minutes (via Strangford Lough), or 40 minutes (via the east coast of the Lough)