billy scott belfast tour guide

A private, black cab tour of The Troubles – Belfast, Northern Ireland

Feb 27, 2017 | Gallery , Posts , Travel , United Kingdom |

These are photos from the phenomenal Blackcab political tour of The Troubles with the legendary Billy Scott. This guy is a pro. All of the testimonials on his website are exactly how I experienced his tour.

He told me the tour was going to be about 1 ½-2 hours. It took 3 hours and 40 minutes! He really took his time with me. All for only £30! I wanted to give him a £5 tip, but he didn’t have a £5 note, so I told him he could give me his €5 note because I was going to Europe soon. He was happy that I helped him get the Euro out of his hands!

This was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thanks for your interest in my photos and stories from The Troubles.

Click on any photo below to enlarge.

Notice it says “abortion rights now” behind that black box. This is another example of one of the political battles between the Protestants and the Catholics in Northern Ireland.

In the middle of our black taxi cab tour, we drove past The Kremlin, a gay bar. It has a statue of Vladamir Lenin, a man who executed tens of thousands of people, took hostages, sent tens of thousands to concentration camps, deported countless people, and much, much more. Lenin laid the foundation for Stalin, a man who killed up to 61 million people by some estimates. I don’t understand why so many people in Europe look up to people like Lenin, Stalin, Marx, Trotsky, and others. Can you imagine what people would say if a business opened called “Auschwitz” and had a statue of Hitler giving his famous Nazi Salute? Certainly, not many would patronize a business like that, so why do so many go to Communist-themed establishments? “Insensitive” is a far too generous a label for these businesses.

This mural is extremely well-known. Stevie “Top Gun” McKeag was a Commander in the Ulster Defence Association, a Protestant, pro-Union paramilitary/vigilante group. To UDA supporters, he was a hero. To others, he was a murderer responsible for at least 12 killings, as well as a womanizer (apparently, he had four kids with four different women). According to my tour guide, he became too popular with supporters, won too many awards, and was getting too much recognition. So, the leadership killed him because they didn’t want him to take over the UDA. There’s something else of great importance here. On the left side, there are two, masked gunman pointing rifles at your face. As you walk from right to left, or left to right, you’ll notice an optical illusion of the barrels of the guns following you – showing you that there’s no escape from the UDA.

This is another picture that looks completely harmless, but has a story. This street divides the two sides. Notice the walls on either side of the road. My tour guide said that people used to throw pipe bombs, molotov cocktails, and other projectiles over the road. I made a comment like, “I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like.” My guide paused, hesitated, and said, “well, sometimes you’ll still see people throwing things over the street even now.”

There’s a story of corruption here. Please excuse me for not remembering the exact story. I believe this building was run down and condemned, then homeless people started sleeping there, then the city sold the building to a developer for £1, then a “mysterious” fire destroyed the building, which gave the developer a big insurance settlement. Now the developer wants to destroy the building and put something else in its place.

The men on this mural were originally painted wearing black masks. Over the years, people complained and said likes along the lines of “only terrorists hide behind masks, show us your real faces”. So, the artist went back to the mural and painted over the masks, showing smiling, happy, friendly terrorists, instead of the masked men.

We’ve all gone to the ATM before, but probably not one quite like this before. To the right of the ATM is a dedication to the lives that were lost from a terrorist attack next to the ATM. There are many of these dedications all over Belfast.

Another example of a community that’s still not quite ready to feel safe. Every night, these gates are closed and re-opened in the morning. To the right is one of several Peace Walls that divide Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists.

One of several Peace Walls separating the Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists.

Pro-war neocon, David Haass, went to Belfast in 2013 to broker peace talks. They were not fans of Haass. This graffiti reads “stick haass up your ass”. The Haass-chaired peace talks broke with no resolution.

A private, black cab tour of The Troubles – Belfast, Northern Ireland | VincePerfetto.com

My tour guide pulled over to let me make a contribution to one of the Peace Walls. I wrote “Do your best to produce a peaceful, nonviolent society -NH, USA”.

This picture is crucial to understanding Belfast. To the left, you can see one of the Peace Walls that divide Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists. To the right, apartments. In the middle are cages that protect the apartments from projectiles that were thrown over the wall in the past. As you can see, the resident of the nearest apartment had their cage removed as a show of trust. However, as you can also see, their neighbor hasn’t followed their lead… yet.

These people were part of a larger tour of The Troubles. This is a memorial to Catholic Nationalists who were killed by Protest Unionists.

Probably the most famous mural of them all.

This is another crucial photo. On the right, you can see probably the most famous mural of one of the most famous casualties of The Troubles, Bobby Sands, a volunteer for the Catholic Nationalist IRA. He died from a hunger strike while he was in prison. On the left, you can see that this mural is painted, not on an ordinary building, but on the headquarters for Sinn Fein, currently the second strongest political party in Northern Ireland. It’s commonly known that Sinn Fein is the political wing of the IRA.

A commentary on capitalism, imperialism, wars, refugees, the US military, NATO, and the EU.

A Catholic Nationalist group memorial to communist Fidel Castro.

Not all murals are negative. Some have a more positive, hopeful tone.

A mural promoting the idea of man-made global warming stands next to one showing solidarity between Catholic Nationalists and Palestinians.

On the left is a mural featuring Patrick Douglas, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Bob Marley, and others. On the right, an example of some of the more modern murals, which include the URLs of their websites and social media.

Another example of a gate along a Peace Wall that closes at night and re-opens in the morning.

On the left, “Equality can’t wait #BuildHomesNow”, with links to their social media. On the right, a mural advertising the Worker’s Party (a Communist party).

On the left, a mural showing solidarity with, Abdullah Ocalan, a communist political leader from Kurdistan who’s imprisoned in Turkey. In the middle, a mural about language rights. On the right, another dedication to communist, Fidel Castro.

Another communist mural from Catholic Nationalists.

More communist murals from Catholic Nationalists.

On the left, a mural that says Nelson Mandela is a “freedom lover”. In the middle, a call to free Tony Taylor, a political prison who’s being held on weapons charges. On the right, a dedication to those who died in the Orlando gay night club terrorist attack.

“It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquer”, a quote from Terence MacSwiney, a political prisoner who died from a hunger strike during the 1920 Irish War for Independence.

Like many parts of Europe, some people in Northern Ireland have an appreciation for communism.

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A travel guide to Belfast & the Antrim Coast

Blokarting was specifically invented in Tauranga, a city located in another “ Places to Love ” location – North Island, New Zealand !

Blokart World 46 Rathmore Heights Ballymena, Co Antrim, BT43 6NQ, UK

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The Perfect Northern Ireland Road Trip

I can’t express how much I love Northern Ireland , every time I have been there I am blown away by just how lovely it is. How welcoming the people are, how interesting it is and its incredible natural beauty. One of the best ways to experience all this is on a Northern Ireland road trip, visiting the stunning coastline, vibrant cities and independent food and drink producers and tour operators. Read on, for what I think is the perfect Northern Ireland itinerary below.

Hayley writing on the peace wall in Belfast

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Flying into Belfast , I picked up a hire car and headed straight out of the city. My route would take me through all six of the Northern Ireland counties over five days.

Hire a car in Northern Ireland.

Belfast to County Armagh – Day 1

Long meadow.

Armagh is also known as the Orchard of Ireland, due to the volume of apples grown there. More than 4000 acres are covered by orchards! My first stop was Long Meadow Farm, a family-run orchard that has been growing apples for three generations and recently made the move into cider production. Pat McKeever and his son Peter produce 3 different ciders, as well as juices and apple vinegar. Pat offers tours through the farm where you can learn the cider-making process and then sample some of the delicious cider!

Pat showed me around the farm and explained how cider is produced. As I was driving I wasn’t able to try the cider on-site – but Pat gave me some to try later that day and it was delicious!

Close to Long Meadow is the city of Armagh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland. I stopped off here for a little wander around. Armagh has a number of museums and the beautiful Palace Demense Park, which is a great spot to stretch your legs before the drive to the next county on the Northern Ireland road trip!

County Armagh to County Fermanagh – Day 1

Lough erne (sleep here).

Bordering Armagh is county Fermanagh, home to Lough Erne (pronounced ‘lokh airn’). Lough Erne is made up of two lakes (upper and lower), which are technically part of the river Erne and flow into the Atlantic. The town of Enniskillen separates the lakes and they contain hundreds of tiny islands.

a-lovely-planet-devenish-island-monastic-site

On the upper lake is Lough Erne Resort , one of Northern Ireland’s most well-known hotels. The resort has two impressive golf courses and is set in stunning grounds overlooking the Lough. If you’re looking for somewhere a little more budget-friendly, try Slieve Rushen or Silverhill House Apartment .

Even if you don’t stay at Lough Erne Resort, it’s worth stopping by for a meal at the restaurant – Catalina. Head chef Noel McMeel is a bit of a local celebrity, having appeared on Masterchef, as well as cooking the wedding banquet for Sir Paul McCartney. The food is all locally sourced and incredibly tasty.

A great way to explore the lough is by boat. I took a tour with Erne Water Taxi . The tour, run by Barry Flanagan, stops at a number of islands to explore ancient castles and monastic sites and also includes an impressive picnic. Barry sources all the food from local suppliers and this changes depending on the season, but mine included black pudding, bacon, steak, cheese, 3 different kinds of bread and beer. It was delicious!

County Fermanagh to County Derry – Day 2

From here I drove up along the border through County Tyrone to the walled city of Derry, the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland. Derry has a complicated history but is now a thriving city with a great food scene. To understand what the people have been through, it’s worth taking a city tour , which will give you an overview of the last 1500 years. To learn even more about the city, head to the Tower Museum, which contains two exhibitions; The Story of Derry and the Armada shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera, which sunk in Kinnego Bay, Donegal in 1588. Close to the museum is the Guildhall , which is free to enter and contains some spectacular stained glass windows.

Derry has plenty of great places for lunch, including Pyke’n’Pommes . It’s also home to the Walled City Brewery , a bar, restaurant (and brewery) on the Waterside of the River Foyle, and offers tours and beer of course! Even if you don’t stop for a drink, it’s worth heading over the bridge as the views of the old walled city are wonderful.

Causeway Coast

Next on the route was the Causeway Coast. This was one of my favourite parts of the trip, and the drive is incredibly picturesque. I headed to Downhill, a tiny village with a spectacular beach known as Downhill Strand. It was one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones and is recognisable from Mussenden Temple on the hills to the east. You can visit the temple for free, along with Downhill Demense, which was once an impressive mansion and is now in ruins on the clifftop.

a-lovely-planet-downhill-strand-northern-ireland

Inland and uphill from Downhill is Gortmore Viewpoint, which offers incredible views along the coast. On a clear day, you can even see Scotland! A sculpture of Manannan Mac Lir, (an Irish sea God) marks the lookout.

Portstewart (Sleep Here)

I spent the night in the town of Portstewart, which also has an impressive beach and is a popular place for surfers. On the beach is a seafood restaurant Harry’s Shack – which I would definitely recommend. All the seafood is locally caught and expertly cooked. Watching the sunset on the beach from the shack with a delicious dinner was a lovely way to spend an evening!

There are some beautiful B&Bs in Portstewart, such as Cul-Erg House and Me & Mrs Jones , or you could rent an apartment such as Portstewart Central Loft Apartment .

Find accommodation in Portstewart

County Derry to County Antrim – Day 3

The next day, I was up early and headed to Portrush for a ‘Catch and Sea’ boat trip with Causeway Coast Foodie Tours . We sailed out of the harbour on the Causeway Lass and watched the sunrise over the coast, stopping to fish along the way.

We caught Whiting, Mackerel and Coalfish while enjoying some locally made bread as an early morning snack. Once back on land, we went to local café Babuska , to eat our catch. Chef George Nelson cooked the fish and served them on toast with a poached egg, bacon, smoked salt and smoked dulse (seaweed). All the products were locally sourced and it was delicious.

Bushmills Distillery

Not far from Portrush is Bushmills, home to the famous Bushmills Whiskey Distillery . Bushmills is thought to be the oldest distillery in the world and has been making Whiskey since 1608. I took a tour of the distillery, which explains how Whiskey is made and ends with some Whiskey tasting.

Giant’s Causeway

One of Northern Ireland’s most well-known attractions is the Giant’s Causeway. This World Heritage Site is a short drive from Bushmills and a must-stop on a Northern Ireland road trip. It’s very popular, so expect lots of people and coaches full of tourists. Wear shoes with a good grip as the rocks can be slippery, especially in wet weather.

Ballintoy is next on the coastal route and is the filming location of the Iron Islands from Game of Thrones. It’s a quick stop for a wander around the harbour and some pretty rock pools.

Another iconic landmark is the Carrick–a–Rede Bridge . A rope bridge dating back to 1755! It’s a beautiful spot, especially on a sunny day. Unfortunately, both times I’ve visited it’s been very windy with torrential rain, making it slightly more wobbly when crossing the bridge!

From here you have two choices, follow the coast back round to Belfast, or head inland. I chose the latter and drove to the Dark Hedges, a tree-lined street that has become one of the most photographed spots in Northern Ireland and has also been used as a filming location in Game of Thrones.

County Antrim to Belfast – Day 3

Belfast (sleep here).

I was looking forward to spending some more time in Belfast, as I had enjoyed it so much the first time around. This time I stayed in the famous Europa Hotel – the most bombed hotel in Europe! It’s a gorgeous hotel and I was lucky enough to be staying in a suite. The hotel has had some famous guests over the years including Sir Bob Geldof, Bill Clinton and Lionel Richie.

For something more budget-friendly try Vagabonds or ibis Belfast City Centre . Two other really beautiful hotels in the city are the 5-Star Merchant Hotel (go for the cocktails even if you don’t stay) and Titanic Hotel Belfast.

Find accommodation in Belfast

Belfast has some excellent restaurants and plenty of things to do, which you can read about in my city guide here . This was to be a fairly short stay in the city for me, and I headed out for dinner to Ox .

Ox is one of two Michelin star restaurants in Belfast and has an incredible tasting menu with wine pairing which I was very excited to try. The food is seasonal and all locally sourced and I have to say it one was of the best meals I’ve had. The food combinations were unusual and delicious and the wines to match were wonderful.

Belfast to County Down – Day 4

Strandford lough.

I left Belfast early the next morning for the final destination of the Northern Ireland road trip: County Down. The scenery here is incredibly beautiful and I drove along the gorgeous Strandford Lough to meet Tracey – the owner of Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen . Tracey runs a variety of tours across the county, working with local producers and suppliers. I spent the morning at her house learning to make bread with Irish bread expert Fred. He taught me how to make potato bread, soda bread and pancakes.

Then we headed into Killyleagh, a lovely little town on the lough to try some cider. Kilmegan Cider is brewed by a husband and wife team in the beautiful Mournes Mountains of County Down. Tracey offers tours to the brewery, but I was sampling the cider in The Dufferin Arms , along with some delicious local cheese. Killyleagh is also home to the annual Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival, which happened to be on the weekend I was there, held in the grounds of Killyleagh Castle.

Killough Bay

The next stop of the Northern Ireland road trip was Killough Bay. Here we met French oyster farmer Patrice Bonnargent and his son Luc, who own Killough Oyster Ltd. Patrice took us on his tractor to see where the oysters are farmed and then back to his small factory where the oysters are treated (to kill off any bacteria). Patrice supplies oysters and mussels to restaurants across Europe.

You have the option of spending the night in Country Down , or you can head back to Belfast as I did.

County Down to Belfast – Day 4 / Day 5

Spend a full day in Belfast before you leave Northern Ireland (or more if you have time!). There is plenty to do here, including a visit to Titanic Belfast and a Black Taxi Tour . Read the full Belfast city guide here .

Hayley and Billy Scott in his black cab in Belfast

It was a great five day Northern Ireland road trip with some amazing food and gorgeous scenery. If you have the time, I would recommend taking a week to drive the route for a more relaxed trip. The second time around I love Northern Ireland even more than the first and will definitely be back.

a-lovely-planet-county-down-northern-ireland

Thanks to Tourism Ireland for hosting A Lovely Planet on the perfect Northern Ireland road trip.

Travelling to Northern Ireland? Check out our guide to Belfast.

The Underrated Irish City You Should Have On Your Radar

a four poster bed in a highly decorated room

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Belfast : city of riveters, inventors, linen mill girls, boxers, pamphleteers, revolutionaries, Lambeg drummers, Irish bagpipers, mission hall preachers, and mustachioed burghers with pocket watches. Some of these can still be seen, here and there, usually in ghostly form. Now you are more likely to find cocktail creators, urban farmers , NGO officials, tech specialists, muralists, political tour guides, ravers, and Irish-language teachers.

Chefs preparing for service in the Muddlers Club Restaurant kitchen.

The city takes its name from the Irish Béal, or mouth, and Feirste, referring to the confluence of the rivers Farset and Lagan, which flow into Belfast Lough and out into the Irish Sea . It’s flat like a coin. Intensely green hills rise around it. One of them, Cavehill, is said to have appeared as a recumbent giant to Jonathan Swift.

Belfast boomed spectacularly in the 19th century. Great fortunes were made from linen spinning, distilling, printing, rope making, and shipbuilding. Its face was inclined to be dour and imposing, a Victorian riposte to rose-bricked, frivolous, Georgian Dublin . Tight neighborhoods of half doors, street songs, and factory horns grew roots around mills and shipyards: Sailortown, Tiger’s Bay, Sandy Row, The Hammer, the Pound Loney, the Kashmir. Consonant-rich words such as gurn, glyp, stumer, and skite were coined. It might be like any number of British industrial cities, except that it is on a different island and experienced 30 years of violent conflict.

the dome and classical style architecture of the exterior of Belfast City Hall

The front façade of Belfast City Hall.

I first saw it in 1982. It was a monochrome scene. The center was caged and checkpointed. Shops were bombsites, and pods of soldiers moved along the Falls Road with rifles. Watchtowers loomed. Saracens sped. Helicopters panted above. The Europa had the distinction of being the most bombed hotel in Europe. Tourism was minimal to nonexistent. A taxi driver in a battered Ford Cortina hopefully handed me his card: “Tours – Scenic and Political.”

Then, in 1998, came the Good Friday Agreement. The British Army stepped back and eventually left. Loyalists and the IRA ceased their campaigns. Union Jacks and Irish tricolors were waved. Van Morrison sang, “My mama told me there’ll be days like this.” The city seemed to exhale collectively, to begin to talk more openly, to be curious about those it had shunned, like a family—suddenly relieved of a rancorous secret.

a curved red brick building with the entrance to a bar at the base of it

The front entrance of Bittles Bar.

I’ve been to Belfast many times, but always fleetingly. I came back for the Agreement’s 25th anniversary, over bright early April days, in the role of a tourist. It surprised me. Many presuppositions were upended. I hadn’t expected the abundance of music, the sumptuousness and originality of the hotels, the cross-community meetings of minds. I hadn’t known about the narrow laneways of the Cathedral Quarter, with their allusive, witty, and movingly beautiful murals; tanneries and printing works; little bars and world-class restaurants smartly fashioned from whiskey storerooms. It feels like London ’s Shoreditch, Edinburgh 's West End, or Dublin’s Temple Bar before the invasions. Block by block, the city is reclaiming itself from dereliction.

a waiter crosses the floor in a large room opulently decorated in gold green and red.

The bar of the Great Room at The Merchant Hotel.

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Much of this is being done by Irish entrepreneurs—variations of their Victorian forebears but without the pocket watches. Bill Wolsey, owner of The Merchant Hotel, Belfast’s most splendid stay, also has four engaging pubs and a hip hotel, Bullitt , with an elevator which announces its floors not with a robotic GPS voice but with the Belfastian, “This is the second floor, so it is.” Willie Jack has the legendary Duke of York, along with three other bars in the vicinity and a private whiskey museum . He prefers the old name of Half Bap to the Cathedral Quarter, calls himself a street cleaner and barman, and wants to cover the walls of the city with art.

Anthony Kieran, who was nearly blown to pieces in South Armagh, came back from the US when the Good Friday Agreement was signed, sold used cars, and, with the money he made, turned a derelict terrace into the exquisite apartment hotel The Regency. Melanie Harrison likewise returned from elsewhere to open The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, a cornucopia of irreverent art, literature, and communal chat.

a large Georgian sitting room furnished with a chaise lounge and a glass vase full of flowers sitting on a polished table

The Yeats suite at The Harrison Chambers of Distinction.

This is an entrepreneurialism untainted by the boardroom or design studio. It is local, individualistic, committed, and often, witty. From Féile an Phobail (the West Belfast Festival) in the Falls to Banana Block, with its raves and mushroom-growing, in the east, there’s the sense of a city discovering itself in a new reality. The conflict was a strain and left grief, but it is also stitched into this awakening. You can have a very good and very unusual time here. A taxi driver enthused to me about what a great place it is to raise children .

The bedroom of the Victorian suite at The Merchant Hotel.

Where to stay

The Merchant Hotel , which was restored from an Ulster Bank building, stands out for its opulence and attention to detail. Comprising art deco and Victorian wings, it’s a world in itself, with three restaurants, a cocktail bar, a hot tub on the roof, and Bert’s Jazz Bar. At The Regency House , Anthony Kieran and his wife, Andrea, have created five beautiful residences full of surprising personal touches (a vinyl collection, musical instruments, etc.), with a concierge service. Eight new suites, a wellness center, and a members’ club are due to open later this fall.

a bedroom decorated with floral wallpaper

A bedroom at The Harrison Chambers of Distinction.

The luxurious and serene Culloden Estate and Spa sits in 12 acres surrounding a converted bishop’s palace on the shores of Belfast Lough. The Harrison Chambers of Distinction , an act of flamboyant self-expression by owner Melanie Harrison, is possibly the most entertaining hotel I’ve stayed in. Each room is different and named after an Irish writer, artist, or musician. The talk flows, and Harrison’s presence is inimitable.

plate of food decorated with herbs and edible flowers

A plate at Ox restaurant.

Where to eat

Belfast once featured the chip butty and the Ulster fry, which included sausages known locally as “mystery bags”. Now it has a San Sebastian-like density of Michelin-starred restaurants. One is the very fine and popular Ox, set on the River Lagan and created by Breton restaurateur Alain Kerloc’h and Irish chef Stephen Toman. In the Cathedral Quarter is Niall McKenna’s Waterman House, which has its own cooking school, and the much-lauded Muddlers Club, established by Gareth McCaughey from County Tyrone and named after a secret society within the 18th-century United Irishmen movement. Michael Deane, who earned his first Michelin star in 1997 and has several restaurants, including Deanes Love Fish and Deanes Meat Locker, is perhaps the dominating force in Belfast fine dining.

chef picking a cut of fish out from an ice display tray

Fish being prepped for display at the Mourne Seafood Bar.

I’ve always had a great time at Mourne Seafood Bar, and—though I could only stop for oysters with shallot and apple dressing at Danny Millar’s Stock Kitchen and Bar—several people I spoke with nominated it as their favorite spot. The set menus at Blank, near Queen’s University, are a rich journey of Northern Irish provenance, Tyrone oxtail and all. Political tourists might find it interesting to have lunch at Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, an Irish-language gallery, bookshop, and performance venue in a decommissioned Protestant church in the Falls Road, or the Felons Club, set up by Republican ex-prisoners in an old Methodist meeting house.

the yellow painted exterior of The Crown

A crowd gathering outside the Crown Liquor Saloon.

Where to drink

As well as The Duke of York, Willie Jack owns The Harp Bar and The Dark Horse nearby. Don’t miss the murals in the latter’s courtyard: no Irish personage is spared the satirical lash. Maddens is the premier pub for traditional Irish music; the Sunflower has nightly live bands and retains its redundant security cage around the front door as an example of postmodern political wit. Kelly’s Cellars, dating from 1720, is always vibrant. I find The Spaniard, just across the road from The Merchant Hotel, an intimate and intriguing pub; The Crown Liquor Saloon, with its snugs and mosaics, is globally famous; and Bullhouse East and Boundary Brewing are among the best of the city’s many microbreweries.

A tympanum decorating the gate at St Anne’s Cathedral.

The most surprising and memorable thing I did on my last trip to Belfast, along with seeing Van Morrison at the Ulster Hall, was to enter the Irish Sea near dawn at Helen’s Bay under the tutelage of Ciaran May from Natural Resilience—an utterly invigorating small parable of moving through things one normally resists. The Maritime Mile offers a number of nautical and shipbuilding-related experiences, the main one being Titanic Belfast , a museum devoted to the fated liner, with a tear-jerking ending involving a single glass-encased violin. Down at the end, in an old pumphouse, is Titanic Distillers, the creation of a former bus driver from Short Strand named Peter Lavery, who won the lottery, and, instead of blowing it in Las Vegas , did something traditional and enhancing for his city. You can have lunch at the old shipyard Drawing Office in what is now the Titanic Hotel.

A bouillabaisse from Mourne Seafood Bar.

Concierge William McIlroy gives excellent tours. The political tourism tentatively offered to me by that taxi driver decades ago is now a thriving industry, often operated by ex-prisoners. Visitors see not only the recent history of political struggle in the last war zone of Western Europe, but a still-evolving story. Visit West Belfast offers great walking, bus, and taxi tours, and I had two outstanding Blue Badge guides in Touring Around Belfast’s Billy Scott and Dee Morgan of DeeTours Ireland—both entertaining storytellers. They gave rich context to the Crumlin Road Gaol museum and the peace walls; the Milltown cemetery and hunger strikers’ graves; the Irish Republican History Museum in Conway Mill; and the murals in the Shankill and Falls roads.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK .

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2 Days in Belfast: A 48 Hour Belfast Itinerary

Last updated: June 23, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 6 Comments

Heading to Belfast? The capital of Northern Ireland impressed us on a recent trip here, and we wanted to share some of our findings with you. Our first post on Belfast is a guide to spending 2 days in Belfast, although we spent a few more days than that here, and were far from running out of things to do.

Whilst it is hard to fit all the highlights of Belfast into 2 days, we know that many visitors will likely want to explore more of the Emerald Isle, perhaps either along the Causeway Coastal route , or down south into the Republic of Ireland. So with that in mind we’ve put together this itinerary to help you make the most of your time here.

We think this itinerary for two days in Belfast will give you an excellent overview of what this city has to offer, from ancient pubs to modern day art and culture. We think it works well in conjunction with our guide to things to do in Belfast . We also have a guide to the best day trips from Belfast , if you plan on using the city as a base and exploring the area.

Table of Contents:

2 Days in Belfast, An Itinerary

Day 1: Belfast Itinerary

The Waterfront Area

The majority of Belfast’s attractions don’t open until 10 am, which is great news if you want a lie in, but not great if you’re an early bird. So you have two options – a leisurely breakfast, or a bit of time spent sightseeing at some of the outdoor locations.

2 Days in Belfast: Big Fish Salmon of Knowledge Belfast

One good option is along the waterfront, where you can take a leisurely stroll from the actual Belfast Waterfront building (an event space), northwards past a number of art installations including the Beacon of Hope and the Big Fish.

The former is a massive stainless steel and bronze sculpture of a lady holding a large ring, which is meant to symbolise thanksgiving. She also has a globe at her feet which celebrates peace and harmony, and is marked with the cities where the people and goods of Belfast have migrated and been exported to respectively.

The Big Fish, also known as the Salmon of Knowledge, is a large sculpture of, as you would imagine, a Salmon. This is covered in ceramic tiles, and each one tells a different story of the city, meaning you can spend quite a while here looking at all the different tiles. It’s also located at the meeting point of Belfast’s two major rivers, the River Farset (from where Belfast gets its name) and the River Lagan.

First on our list of indoor attraction is the MAC , Belfast’s Metropolitan Arts Centre. This opens at 10 am, and there are three major art galleries on site, with exhibitions varying depending on when you visit. Most of these are also free, which is nice. You can see what’s on by visiting the art exhibition page .

When we visited the Mac, we toured the exhibitions and we were impressed by the variety of what was on offer, so we definitely recommend you check out their listings and add this to your itinerary.

As well as the exhibition space, the venue plays host to numerous events, including family focused events, art shows and performances. We didn’t have time to take in one of the events, but they did seem to have some excellent options. You can see the full event listing here , although obviously you’ll need to tweak this itinerary if something is coming up that interests you.

If you have time, just near the MAC is the Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum . This is quite a small museum that covers the history of World War II in Northern Ireland, and particularly the damage inflicted on Belfast by a number of air raids which targeted the docks here.

Belfast was initially believed to be out of range of the German bombers, so was quite badly prepared for the attacks when they did come, resulting in significant damage and loss of life. This is a free museum that is open from 10 am, just a two minute walk from the MAC.

Crumlin Road Gaol

Our next stop in Belfast is the Crumlin Road Gaol . This was, for over 150 years, one of Northern Ireland’s main prisons, and is today the only surviving Victorian era prison in Northern Ireland.

Opened in 1846, the prison was one of the most advanced of its time, and was originally built to house around 500 prisoners, although in its later years, and especially during the Troubles, it held many more than this. It closed in 1996 as a prison, and following an extensive restoration project, was opened as a visitor attraction in 2012.

Visits, which are by tour only, take you to all the major parts of the prison. This includes a visit to the tunnel under the road which linked the prison with the courthouse over the road (now derelict, but slated to become a luxury hotel), as well as to a cell wing and the execution chamber – seventeen prisoners were executed on site by hanging, with the last execution taking place in 1961.

The tour shares lots of information about the history of the prison, its design and notable inmates, and the tour takes around 70 – 90 minutes. It’s definitely worth booking your tour in advance as it is slightly cheaper than booking in person. You can do that online here.

For our itinerary we’d recommend booking a tour between 12 pm & 1 pm, which will give you time for your afternoon activities. There’s a café on site where you can get some food too.

As a side note, in 2024 a new distillery opened in one of the wings of Crumlin Road gaol. McConnell’s Distillery opened it’s doors to tours in 2024, and if you like whiskey or just want to learn more about how it’s made, this would make a logical stop at this part of your visit. You can find out more and book tours here . Note, there is another new whiskey distillery in the Titanic Quarter as well if you can’t find time on your first day in Belfast!

McConnells distillery Belfast by Laurence Norah

Tours of Belfast

For your afternoon in Belfast we recommend taking a tour. We took three different tours in Belfast during our time in the city, which included a street art walking tour with Seedhead Arts , a Black Cab Tour with Belfast local blue badge guide Billy Scott, and a gin tasting tour with Taste & Tour .

Naturally, the tour you want to take will very much depend on your interests! Here’s a quick overview of each tour we took so you can see which is right for you. You can also see more Belfast tour options here .

Belfast Street Art Tour

The Street Art walking tour of Belfast that we took was put together and is run by local Belfast street artists. The tour lasts around ninety minutes, and in that time you’ll learn all about the history of the Belfast street art scene, as well as see a lot of different pieces of street art.

Note that this is a bit different to the tours that cover the Belfast murals, such as the Black Cab tour we mention below. Those primarily focus on the political art, while this one focuses more on everyday street art and the local & international artists who have visited and worked in the city.

We really enjoyed this tour, and particularly getting an insight into the various pieces of art and street artists from our tour leader Tim, a Belfast Street Artist who works under the artist name Verz. Whilst you can of course walk around Belfast and spot street art on your own, a tour is a great way to really get an understanding of each piece, and the thinking behind it.

Currently tours run weekly and start at noon, so if this is a tour you want to take you will have to check it’s on the right day for you, and also you’ll need to slightly juggle this itinerary to fit it in. We’d suggest doing it in place of your Crumlin Road Goal tour, and scheduling that for a bit later – around 3pm perhaps. Alternatively, you can contact Seedhead Arts about a tour outside of their usual times. See their website for more information. We also have a post with lots more Belfast street art for you to check out!

Belfast Black Cab Tour

If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the political history of Belfast, then a Blackcab tour is a great option. This tour, which takes place in an iconic Black Cab vehicle, will take you around various parts of Belfast, many of which are synonymous with the years of conflict that the city went through during the time known as The Troubles.

Parts of the city are still separated by the Peace walls, massive barriers that literally divide the Republican / Catholic neighbourhoods from the Loyalist / Protestant neighbourhoods. The Black cab tour we took was run by Belfast local Billy Scott.

Billy knows a great deal about the local history of the city, and seemed to know hundreds of people – often waving out the cab window to wish hello to folks passing by. He’s also a registered Blue Badge guide, which is the highest level of qualification awarded to tour guides in the UK, meaning he has to really know his stuff. Which, he did.

We were able to tailor the tour as we wished based on our interests. We saw several different quarters of the city and learnt a lot about the history of the city and its people and struggles over the years from Billy. The tour was at times moving and at times funny. We also had the opportunity to write our own message on the Peacewall, which has been covered in murals, as well as signed by people including the Dalai Lama and US President Bill Clinton.

Tours run on demand, visit the official website for booking and pricing information. You can also book a similar tour here .

Gin Tasting Tour of Belfast

If you’re looking for something a bit more, well, alcohol focused, then the Gin tasting tour of Belfast might be for you. Gin has experienced a surge in popularity around the world, and Northern Ireland is no stranger to this trend.

A number of local gin distilleries have started creating their own gins, and this gin tour is a great way to both sample a number of these as well as learn about the history of this drink and visit some of Belfast’s iconic drinking venues.

The tour we took lasted around four hours and included seven generous gin drinks! Our tip is definitely to have prepared yourself with a good meal beforehand, as this is a fair amount of gin to drink. The drinks came in a variety of ways, from straight up gin shots through to gin martinis and the classic gin and tonic.

As well as gin, the tour included some nibbles, and in total we stopped at five different pubs and bars. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun, and we particularly enjoyed chatting with the other folks on the tour, many of whom were Belfast locals out for a fun afternoon exploring their own city.

The Gin Jaunt is currently offered on weekends, but the company who runs the tours also runs other food and drink based tours, so you should be able to find something to suit whenever you visit. See all their tours, prices and details here .

Visit The Crown Bar

Belfast has no shortage of watering holes (see the section later on in the post on where to drink in Belfast), but one location that deserves its own entry is the Crown Liquor Saloon, also known as the Crown Bar.

This is actually owned by the National Trust, and is probably the most famous pub in Belfast. It dates from at least 1826, and features an incredible ornate interior of tiles, original gas lamp fixtures and a beautiful carved ceiling. There’s even a heated footrest under the granite bar.

This was the place to be in Victorian times, when it was a gin palace of unparalleled design. Appropriately, the gin tour we took started here, with a gin and tonic. Today you can enjoy a wide range of drinks as you admire the incredible interior, and we think this is the perfect place to end your first day in Belfast!

Day 2: Belfast Itinerary

Our second day in Belfast has you visiting one of Belfast’s most popular attractions – the Titanic Museum.

However, there’s a lot more to do here than this museum, so we think you should allocate around half a day to visiting this quarter, known as the Titanic Quarter, and we’ll go through some of our favourite attractions in this area which will easily fill your time.

This part of Belfast is also home to the “Maritime Mile”, which is a mile long walkable stretch which focuses on the maritime history of the city. It’s also here where the Titanic Studios are found, one of the key filming locations of the popular Game of Thrones TV show.

There’s a nod to the show in the form of six giant stained glass windows depicting scenes from the show, which are found along the Maritime Mile. See our guide to Game of Thrones locations in Ireland for more information. We also have a full review of the Game of Thrones studio tour here .

Glass of Thrones Northern Ireland Laurence by Laurence Norah

Titanic Museum

First on our list for this area is the Titanic Belfast Experience itself. For those of you who weren’t aware, the RMS Titanic was built in Belfast’s dockyards, by shipbuilders Harland and Wolff. Harland and Wolff were responsible for the majority of the ships of the White Star Line, including the Titanic, and are still operating today – although they have since diversified into other products including offshore wind turbines.

The most recognisable feature of the present day Harland and Wolff facility are the massive Samson and Goliath cranes, huge yellow gantry cranes which dominate the Belfast skyline, and which you’ll definitely spot when you visit the Titanic Quarter.

Back to the Titanic Belfast experience. This visitor attraction, which opened in 2012 (100 years after the Titanic sank), is found on the site of the original Harland & Wolff shipyard. Here, both the RMS Titanic and her sister ship, the RMS Olympic were built and launched.

The museum, whose four corners are shaped like the prow of a ship, takes you on a fascinating journey into the history of the shipyard, the building of the RMS Titanic itself, the people who worked on her and, her first voyage and, of course, an overview of the tragic events that resulted in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, with a loss of over 1,500 lives.

The museum goes further than that, and covers events up to the current day, including the discovery of the wreck and stories about how popular culture has portrayed the events. Yes, you will even hear that famous Celine Dion song. Overall, this museum is a fascinating attraction, and well worth two or three hours of your time.

The Titanic Museum operates a timed ticketing system, with entrances every 15 minutes from opening time. These varies depending on the time of year, and are currently from 9 am April – September, and 10 am October – March. It’s always a good idea to check the official website for opening times first though to be sure.

We definitely recommend you get your ticket in advance here to save queuing and coming early to avoid the crowds. Tickets bought online include your entrance to the SS Nomadic, which is just next to the Titanic Museum.

Note that the Titanic Museum also has a full shop, on-site paid parking and dining options. Find out more about visiting in our comprehensive guide to the Titanic Belfast here .

The SS Nomadic is the last surviving White Star Line ship in the world. Built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, she was originally designed to serve as a tender to both the Titanic and the Olympic.

Due to the massive size of the Titanic and Olympic, not every harbor could accommodate them. In particular for the Titanic, the SS Nomadic ferried first and second class passengers and their luggage from Cherbourg Harbour in France onto the Titanic. Third class passengers primarily travelled on the SS Traffic, Nomadic’s running mate.

Following her role as tender to the Titanic and other White Star Ocean Liners, the SS Nomadic had a varied existence, from minesweeper and troop transport during World War One, through to troop evacuation in World War Two. Between and after the wars she continued to work as a tender, including to vessels such as the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Finally, she wound up as a restaurant ship on the Seine in Paris, where she spent almost thirty years – a function which likely saved her from being scrapped. Following the failure of the restaurant business, her fate hung in the balance, before she was saved by the Northern Ireland government and returned to her original port of Belfast, a rather sorry version of her former self.

Following extensive restoration, including work by Harland & Wolff, the SS Nomadic was opened to visitors in June 2013. Today, you can tour the wonderfully recreated ship and learn everything there is to know about her past and association with the Titanic. We’d recommend visiting this in conjunction with the Titanic Museum, as you can purchase an entry ticket that will get you access to both attractions. Alternatively, you can just pay a lower entry fee for only visiting the SS Nomadic, and you can buy this on site.

Titanic Dock & Pump House

If you want to get a feel for the massive scale of the Titanic, the best option is to visit the Titanic Dock and Pump House. This is about a ten minute walk from the Titanic Museum in the opposite direction to the SS Nomadic, which you can do along the waterfront.

The Titanic Dock, officially called the Thompson Graving Dock, was where the Titanic was fitted out, after the superstructure had been completed and her engines and other major components were fitted.

In terms of a timeline, from her original point of construction (marked out outside the Titanic Museum), the hull was first floated to the Thompson deep water dock where things like engines, boilers, anchors and so on were fitted.

She was then put in the Thompson Graving Dock in February 1912. This dry dock was where all the final parts of the Titanic was completed, including fitting her propellors, painting of the hill, and all the finishing she needed prior to her sea trials and maiden voyage.

At the time it was opened, the Titanic dry dock was the largest of its kind in the world. It was specially designed to accommodate the Titanic and Olympic, and at 850 feet in length, was the same size as the Titanic herself. So a visit here really gives you an impression of the incredible size of these vessels.

You can walk all around the dry dock as well as down inside it, where you can see the keel blocks where vessels rested. You can also visit the pump house, which was responsible for moving water out of the dry dock. As of 2023, this has been turned into a new Irish whiskey distillery, Titanic Distillers. You can take a tour which just focuses on the pump house, and there are also tours which include the whisky distillery with tastings.

Titanic Distillery Belfast by Laurence Norah

We have done both. We actually visited the Pump House before it became a distillery, and then took a whisky distillery tour in 2024. If you enjoy whisky, the tour is definitely worth doing, the staff are excellent and the tour is very interesting. You can book tickets for the tour in advance here .

If you’re interested in naval history, you can also visit the HMS Caroline , which is a world war one light cruiser and last survivor of the Battle of Jutland. This is parked in the dry dock right next to the Pump House, and as well as the ship itself you can visit the small museum on shore about the vessel. We really enjoyed exploring the ship and learning about its history.

Belfast’s City Hall is a fantastic piece of Victorian engineering, built in the late 19th century following Belfast being awarded city status by Queen Victoria in recognition of its rapid growth.

Spread over an area of an acre and a half, the Baroque Revival style building is a beautiful centrepiece to the city, and the park area around it is a popular place in summer for people to visit. While we were in Belfast, part of this grassy area was being used an outdoor cinema screening venue, which appeared to be a popular event given the large number of people in attendance.

It’s also possible to visit City Hall. As well as an exhibition space that features stories of the city itself, you can take a free guided tour of the main areas of the building, including the main rooms used by the council.

Tours last around 45 minutes, and run at various times throughout the day, depending on the time of year. You can see the tour times on the official website here . Tours are free and are on a first come first served basis – if you want to join one, we’d advise turning up 15 – 30 minutes before the tour to register for spaces. You can then spend the time before the tour looking at the free exhibition.

Based on our 2 day itinerary layout, we’d advice aiming for the 2pm tour, which will give you time to go to the next attraction on our itinerary.

Ulster Museum & Botanic Gardens

Now, we think it’s time to head to another part of the city. You can either grab some food around the Titanic Quarter (the Titanic Hotel is an excellent spot), near City Hall, or wait until you get to the Ulster Museum area of town, depending on time and your hunger levels.

Game of Thrones tapestry Ulster Museum Belfast

The Ulster Museum is found in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens, with both attractions featuring free entry (although donations are of course welcomed). It’s a large building spanning multiple floors, and has a little bit of everything from natural history through to archaeology, art and culture.

When we visited the museum, a highlight for us was the massive Game of Thrones tapestry. This is a 77 metre long linen tapestry which features a scene from every episode of the show up to the current season – with room for the final season.

This is a fun way to celebrate Belfast’s rich linen history, and the detail of the tapestry is quite wonderful. Unfortunately this was a temporary exhibit, but it gives you an idea as to the quality of the exhibits on offer!

In case you are wondering why a Game of Thrones tapestry was on display in the Ulster Museum, this is because Game of Thrones is filmed in Northern Ireland , at such iconic sites as the Dark Hedges as well as at the Titanic Studios . This is one of Europe’s largest film studios, which is found right next to the Titanic Museum. When we walked past this, we saw the massive green screens inside, as well as a set featuring a ruined castle. Pretty cool!

Ulster Museum is open 10am – 5pm every day except Monday, when it is closed. If this is something you want to do, and this day falls on a Monday, feel free to switch the days around, or the locations you visit on each day, so you can see everything you want.

Drink in the Cathedral Quarter

Last on our list of activities for your 2 days in Belfast is to have a drink in the Cathedral Quarter. This is a region of Belfast that is famous for its bars and restaurants, and is the perfect location to end your trip.

For some suggestions of where to go, take a look at our where to drink in Belfast section below. You can also take a beer bike tour , which sees you pedalling around the city and enjoying a beverage as you go.

Map of 2 Day Belfast Itinerary

To give you an idea of where the various attractions in this Belfast itinerary are we’ve put together this map, which should help you with planning your trip to Belfast. You can also see this on Google Maps here .

2 Day Belfast Itinerary Overview

Here’s a summary of this 2 day Belfast itinerary for quick reference:

Day 1: The Waterfront Area, The MAC, Crumlin Road Gaol, Tour of Belfast, The Crown Bar
Day 2: Titanic Museum, SS Nomadic, Titanic Dock & Pump House, City Hall, Ulster Museum & Botanic Gardens, Drink in the Cathedral Quarter

Where to Drink in Belfast

As mentioned throughout this post, there’s no shortage of fantastic venues to drink in in Belfast. To help you put a shortlist together for your Belfast visit, here’s a few options to choose from that we visited.

The Crown : A Victorian era gin palace that is a must for any visit to Belfast
Muriel’s Cafe bar : Famous for cocktails, but you can get everything from a traditional pint to a range of craft gins
John Hewitt Bar: A more traditional style bar with live music and a full range of drinks
The Duke of York: A staple of the Cathedral Quarter, this bar was blown up in 1972 during the Troubles, and has since been restored as a tribute to the city. The cobbled streets and hanging flower baskets mean this is a very photogenic pub!
The Dirty Onion: On warmer days the outdoor seating in this Cathedral Quarter bar makes it hugely popular. There’s also a massive indoor seating area, plus the restaurant upstairs, Yardbird, serve really good chicken wings and ribs.
Babel Bar: If you’re after a rooftop bar, the Babel Bar in the Bullitt Hotel (just next door to Muriel’s) is an excellent choice
Whites Tavern : Down a series of winding alleys, Whites Tavern isn’t obvious, but it has been serving drinks since 1630, so is worth finding. Good pub food too!

Where to Stay in Belfast

Belfast has been growing quickly as a tourism and business destination, and as such, there is a huge choice of hotels to stay in, with multiple new hotels opening every year! At most times of the year, it is easy to find a good value deal here.

The first time we visited Belfast we stayed at the Bullitt Hotel . This was fantastically central, within easy walking distance of the Cathedral Quarter and the majority of the sights on this itinerary.

It also has an excellent on site restaurant, as well as three bars to choose from – including the previously mentioned Babel Bar. Staff were friendly and very knowledgeable about the area, and we have no hesitation in recommending this as a central Belfast option. See prices and book online here .

Of course, there are lots more options to choose from in Belfast when it comes to accommodation. As always, we recommend booking.com for planning your accommodation – they offer a range of properties from hotels to hostels and apartments, meaning you can usually find what you need. Some options to consider include the following:

Belfast International Youth Hostel – One of the best centrally located hostels in Belfast in our opinion. It offers private shared and private dormitory rooms, an on-site cafe, linens, a communal kitchen, a breakfast menu, self-service laundry, and even free parking (rare in Belfast!).
easyHotel – This well-rated budget hotel offers no-frills but comfortable rooms and a 24 hour staffed desk. A great central option for those on a tighter budget.
Jurys Inn – This 4-star hotel offers spacious rooms, breakfast buffet, bar, and restaurant. We have stayed in a number of Jury’s Inns and have always found that they provide good value for money.
The Titanic Hotel – on a subsequent visit to Belfast where we were focusing on the sights in the Titanic Quarter, we stayed at this hotel. It’s found opposite the Titanic Belfast attraction, and is actually in the original buildings where the Titanic was designed. We enjoyed our stay here.
The Merchant Hotel – A beautiful 5-star historic luxury hotel in the heart of Belfast. Found in a beautiful 1860 building, the hotel offers all the luxury amenities you would expect, including a restaurant, bar and lounge, spa, hot tub, and a rooftop gymnasium.

You can see all the listings available in Belfast here .

Getting To and From Belfast

Belfast is an easy city to reach from multiple locations around the world.

From Ireland, there’s a direct rail link between Dublin and Belfast which takes just over two hours. From the rest of the Republic of Ireland you’ll probably want to take the train to Dublin and then continue on to Belfast.

There are also multiple bus options from Dublin, including direct from Dublin Airport. Journey time is around two hours, depending on traffic. It’s also easy to drive yourself of course.

From the UK, you can either fly or take the ferry. Ferries to Belfast depart from Liverpool, Cairnryan (Scotland) and the Isle of Man. We travelled with Stena Line and enjoyed the crossing from Cairnryan in Scotland. You can book your ferry here .

Numerous flights service Northern Ireland’s three major airports, with service from the UK, continental Europe and North America. There are even more options available if you include Dublin Airport as an option. We recommend checking prices on flights using Kiwi.com for the best deals.

Saving Money in Belfast

Belfast has a visitor pass which offers free public transport around the city and discounted admission on a number of attractions as well as food.

It’s probably going to be the easiest way to manage your public transport around the city if you plan on using it, plus the discounts can quickly pay for the cost of the card, which is very reasonably priced.

You can buy the Belfast Visitor Pass for 1, 2 or 3 days, either from the tourist office in the city, or online from the Visit Belfast website here .

When to visit Belfast

The Emerald Isle, as Ireland is often referred to, did not get its lush green colour as a result of being a dry and sunny hotspot. As such, similarly to Scotland, the weather in Belfast and Northern Ireland is best described as changeable, although we had our share of sunny weather.

Rain is a possibility year round, but if you want a chance at better weather, then May through September are your best options. The city is a popular destination year round, and there are plenty of indoor attractions to keep you busy regardless of the weather outside.

Belfast also plays host to events throughout the year, so if you are interested in attending one of these, check the Visit Belfast events page for ideas on what’s on that you might want to see.

How to Get around Belfast

Belfast is an easy city to get around on foot, and many of the attractions on this list are a short walk apart.

The city also has an excellent public transport system which includes buses as well as local trains. The aforementioned Belfast Visitor Pass makes it affordable to get everywhere you need to go, including to and from the airport.

In particular, of the attractions on this list, you might want to take a bus to the Crumlin Road Gaol, Ulster Museum, and perhaps from the Titanic Quarter to central Belfast.

There’s also a hop on hop off bus tour of Belfast you can take, which visits all the attractions covered in the article.

There are also taxis available, which can be quite cost effective for shorter journeys, especially if you are in a group. You can either hail these on the street, or book in advance – we recommend a taxi booking service called minicabit, book them for Belfast here .

There are 6 comments on this post

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Geraldine Moran says

24th February 2022 at 9:37 am

Thanks for all that info – a group of us are going to Belfast next month on a 2-trip , this article will help us confirm our choices. Best wishes

Laurence Norah says

24th February 2022 at 11:13 am

My pleasure Geraldine, have a great trip!

24th February 2020 at 2:22 am

You guys are just amazing. What a well written experience. It is helping me plan so much of my trip

24th February 2020 at 12:38 pm

Thanks very much Udit, that’s very kind of you. Have a great trip, and if you have any questions just let us know!

Melissa says

26th September 2018 at 4:14 pm

Me and my boyfriend are planning a trip to Ireland and I would love to share this 2 days itinerary Belfast Google Maps with him but I can’t because of the permissions. can you please change from “Private” to “Public on the web” ? I really enjoyed all of your itineraries and we are going to follow them soon!

27th September 2018 at 12:38 am

Hey Melissa!

Sure thing, that should be working now 🙂

Let us know if you have any questions!

How to spend a long weekend in Belfast

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With a host of world-class historic attractions, a dynamic food scene and a brilliant museum dedicated to the Titanic, Northern Ireland’s captivating capital makes a strong case for being your next city break.

History seems to pervade every corner of Belfast. It’s in the canary-yellow cranes which loom over the former Haarland & Wolff shipyards, the political murals which line the streets and the Victorian grandeur of its bustling market and botanic gardens.

As the city which witnessed the horrors of the Troubles mere decades ago, as well as the location for the construction and launch of the ill-fated Titanic, Belfast has seen its fair share of tragedy. Yet in the 24 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, the Northern Irish capital has well and truly emerged from the shadow of its past.

Today, you’ll find a vibrant city centre whose cobbled streets are packed with bars and restaurants, a brilliant selection of galleries and museums, and a dynamic waterfront region which is undergoing one of Europe's largest regeneration projects .

Intrigued? Here’s our suggested itinerary for a long weekend in Belfast.

Check in at: Titanic Hotel Belfast . Located in the Maritime Mile, once the heart of Belfast’s shipbuilding industry, this historic hotel is housed inside the former Harland & Wolff headquarters (the firm which built the Titanic). The red-brick Victorian building stands in stark contrast to the modern aluminium façade of the Titanic Belfast museum just opposite, a pleasing demonstration of the mix of old and new that characterises this dynamic city.

It's been carefully renovated to allow its late 19th-century grandeur to shine through. From wooden floors to marble hallways, lofty arched ceilings and preserved windows, there are plenty of original touches, while White Star Line memorabilia adorns the walls. Bedrooms, which start from £109 a night for midweek stays, are cosy and spacious with nautical touches such as hanging ship's lanterns.

READ MORE: All aboard Tennessee's ship-shape Titanic museum

Get your bearings with: a black cab tour . Anything that guide Billy Scott, who’s been running tours of the city for 25 years, doesn’t know about Belfast, probably isn’t worth knowing. With a steady stream of anecdotes, local lore and historical facts he paints a colourful picture of the city’s past, present and future. You’ll get to see the main neighbourhoods – north, east, south and west, as well as the historic centre – and learn the stories behind prominent attractions. Tours can be booked from £50 for two.

Eat lunch at: EDŌ . Tucked in the lively Queen's Quarter, this modern tapas restaurant serves small plates which sing with flavours from sunnier climes – though there’s a distinct focus on local ingredients. Sit at the bar for a front-row seat to the busy open kitchen, feasting on padron peppers, salt-cod croquettes and tortillas while you watch.

Wander through: Belfast Botanic Gardens . This compact green oasis showcases an array of plants from all over the world, housed in two stunning 19th-century glasshouses and set in a 28-acre public park. It's the perfect spot for a leisurely afternoon stroll – and better yet, it’s free to visit. You’ll also find the Ulster Museum , which has a brilliant exhibition telling the history of the Troubles in the picturesque grounds.

Stop for a Guinness at: The Jeggy Nettle . No visit to Ireland would be complete without a pint of the black stuff, so pop into this charming Queen’s Quarter pub for a pre-dinner tipple. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to cosy into, plus a roaring fire to warm up next to.

Have dinner at: Home . Awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for serving great food at reasonable prices, this cosy resaturant combines modern European flavours and local produce. On the menu at the time of visiting were pumpkin ravioli served with parmesan and crispy sage; herb-roasted chicken supreme with pomme purée and thyme jus; and hake fillet with saffron and potato gnocchi.

Stroll around: St George's Market . This Victorian-era covered market becomes a glorious cacophony from Friday to Sunday, when an eclectic mix of traders gather to sell their wares. You’ll find everything from antique furniture and second-hand books to fresh oysters and traditional Irish breads. We’d recommend heading down at mid-morning to see it at its bustling best.

Get to the heart of the city at: Belfast City Hall . It’s hard not to be wowed by this imposing Baroque Revival building. Completed in 1906, when Belfast’s linen, rope and shipbuilding industries made it one of the fastest-growing metropolises in the British isles, its opulent marble staircases and stained-glass windows are a reminder of this prosperity. Don’t miss the superb free public tours, which take place three times a day, seven days a week ( check the website for timings ).

Indulge your 32 senses with: a Sensorium interactive cocktail drinks experience . You read that right: we’ve got 32 senses, not five, as the mixology experts at Taste & Tour will tell you. It’s just one of many surprising things you’ll learn during this two-and-a-half-hour tasting session, which includes several experiments to understand how our senses, memories and experiences shape the way we taste. We guarantee you’ll leave wanting to be more adventurous and open-minded with your drink choices.

Head for dinner at: Coppi . This family-run restaurant in St. Anne’s Square offers modern Italian food with plenty of veggie, vegan and low-gluten options. Start with a few cicchetti (Venetian bar snacks) and pizzette (small 6" pizzas) before moving onto hearty mains which include mediterranean vegetable lasagne, chicken parmigiana raviolini and duck ragu.

Explore: The Cathedral Quarter. If you’ve got the energy to keep going into the night, this lively pocket of the city centre is the best spot for a post-dinner drink. White's Tavern , The Dirty Onion and the Duke of York should be top of your list, if it’s a historic pub you’re after. Otherwise Berts Jazz Bar at the 5-star Merchant Hotel serves up some of Belfast’s best cocktails (and live jazz, naturally) in an Art Deco-inspired setting.

READ MORE: Liverpool's best music venues

Discover the city’s most famous ship at: Titanic Belfast . As the location for the design and launch of the iconic White Star liner, Belfast played a key role in the story of the ill-fated vessel. Opened in 2012 for the 100-year anniversary of the tragedy, this futuristic-looking aluminium building – whose design references the shapes of ice crystals – houses an incredible museum detailing the ship’s history.

In a series of immersive exhibits, you’ll learn why Belfast became a shipbuilding hub, how the Titanic was designed, and the events which led up to that fateful night in 1912. Stories of survivors, told through voice recordings, along with footage of the ship’s discovery, are among the most poignant elements. Allow at least a couple of hours to do the museum justice, plus extra time for exploring the restored SS Nomadic, the ship which was used to transport passengers onto the Titanic.

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Stop for lunch at: Drawing Office Two . Finish your trip with a bite to eat in this stylish bar and bistro, which is part of the Titanic Hotel. You’ll find classic pub fare alongside lighter options and sandwiches, served in a lofty, three-storey room in which the Titanic was once designed. Fittingly, there’s plenty of the ship’s memorabilia on the walls, as well as artworks by local artist Colin H Davidson.

To plan your trip to Belfast, head to Ireland.com and Tourism NI . Flights from London to Belfast start from £50 for a return with easyJet , while a ferry journey between Liverpool and Belfast starts at £129 for a single passenger and car with Stena Line .

READ MORE: On the Titanic trail in Southampton

Lead image: Roger Bradley/Alamy Stock Photo

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Savvy Travel Advice

Belfast Travel Guide: Top 40 Things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland

Last updated: May 21, 2024 - Written by Jessica Norah 16 Comments

Belfast is the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland, and there are so many things to do in Belfast! Belfast is probably best known for being where the RMS Titanic was built as well as for the violence and suffering here during The Troubles in the later part of the 20th century.

However, today the city offers a lively historic city center, the famous Titanic Quarter, fun pubs, excellent museums, hundreds of street murals, beautiful gardens and green spaces, Victorian architecture, and a growing tourism industry. Belfast is perhaps not as well-known as Dublin to international travelers, but the reward of visiting here is a less crowded city where experiences feel more authentic.

We’ll share our guide to Belfast attractions, highlighting all the top things to do in Belfast, from central Belfast to the surrounding area. We’ll also share information about how to get there, when to go, public transport options, where to stay, day trip ideas, and other travel information.

Cathedral Quarter Duke of York things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Table of Contents:

Basic Info on Visiting Belfast

Before we share all the things to do and see in Belfast, we wanted to give you all the basic information you’ll need to plan your trip including how to get to Belfast, best times of year to visit, and where to stay.

Where is Belfast?

Belfast is the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. It is situated alongside the River Lagan on the northeast coast of the island of Ireland.

Note that politically the island of Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom whereas the Republic of Ireland is not and is a separate country.

Getting to Belfast

There are multiple options for getting to Belfast.

By Plane. Belfast has two airports, Belfast International Airport and George Best City Airport , both of which have flights from a number of domestic and international destinations, primarily within the UK and western Europe. If there is no direct flight, you can get connecting flights from other cities in the UK such as London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or Glasgow.

If you fly into Belfast International Airport, the airport is a short shuttle bus ( Airport 300 service ), taxi ride , Uber, or private transfer from Belfast.

If you fly into George Best City Airport, you can take a short shuttle bus ( Airport Express 600 Service ), train ride (it is about a 12 minute walk to the station or you can take the airport shuttle to Sydenham train station), taxi ride , Uber, or private transfer into the city.

Alternatively, you can fly into Dublin Airport which has a lot more international connections and then get a bus or train or drive to Belfast. It takes about 2 hours by car or 2.5 hours by bus from the airport. If you are in Dublin, you can also take a train from Dublin to Belfast which takes about 2 hours 15 minutes.

By Train. Belfast can be reached by train from within the island of Ireland, including the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Galway. You can save money on fares by booking train tickets in advance. Check routes, fares, and schedules on Irish Rail .

By Bus. If you are in the UK or Ireland, there are daily coach connections to Belfast from a number of cities. Routes from England, Scotland, and Wales all include ferry transport. You can check Translink and National Express for coach connections.

By Car. For drivers, Belfast is about 70 miles from Derry/Londonderry (about 1 hour, 30 minutes), 105 miles from Dublin (about 2 hours), 260 miles from Cork (about 4 hours, 15 minutes). If you are coming from England, Scotland, Wales, or continental Europe, you’ll need to get a ferry to reach Belfast.

By Ferry. Ferries to Belfast regularly depart from Liverpool (England), Cairnryan (Scotland), and the Isle of Man. The main ferry company we recommend is Stena Line . Check out their ferry routes and schedules here .

Getting around Belfast

Belfast has a good public bus transport system run by Translink . Metro is the name of the main bus service for all of Belfast.

Driving in and around the city is also fairly easy although finding parking in the central area can be difficult at times although there are several paid public parking structures. Walking or using a bus is recommended for reaching central locations.

There are also, of course, taxis and Uber (mostly operates to and from airport). Taxi tours are also very popular ways to see the city with a driver guide.

Bikes are available to rent through the city’s bike share program , and kiosks are available in many popular tourist areas.

There’s also the City Sightseeing Bus which is a hop-on, hop-off bus that will take you to all the highlights in the city and provides commentary so you can learn a bit more about the city and the sites you see. It stops near most of Belfast’s major attractions including the Titanic Belfast museum, St. George’s Market, Botanic Gardens, and the Shankill Road wall murals.

Belfast Street Mural street art things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Currency Used in Belfast?

Belfast is part of the United Kingdom so the pound sterling (GBP) is the legal currency. This is the same currency used throughout the rest of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland).

Note that if you travel south and visit the Republic of Ireland (e.g., Dublin), you will need to get euros as the euro is the official currency of the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom whereas the Republic of Ireland is not.

Best time of year to visit Belfast?

The best time of year to visit depends a lot on what you want to do. If you are looking for the warmest weather, you’ll want to travel in summer between June and August. April is often the month with the least chance of rain, humidity, and crowds.

Our favorite times of year to travel in Northern Ireland are May, June, and September. The weather is generally decent, the days are long, and the attractions are not too crowded.

Although note that most attractions in Belfast are rarely that crowded. The exception is the attractions in the Titanic Quarter which can be pretty crowded in summer and during holidays and school breaks. Other popular sites in Northern Ireland like the Giant’s Causeway are also very busy in the summer months.

If you want to go to a certain event or festival (e.g., concert, Christmas markets, Belfast International Arts Festival ), then we’d recommend you can check the events calendar and plan around those dates!

However, any time of the year is a good time to visit Belfast as most attractions are open year round. Generally, it will be warmer in summer and colder in winter, but predicting the weather is impossible as it can be sunny in January or cool and raining in August.

We’d suggest just checking the weather forecast before you visit, and be prepared for variable weather by bringing plenty of layers and rain gear no matter when you plan to visit.

things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

How many Days should I Spend in Belfast?

This depends primarily on how much time you have and what you want to do. But I would recommend spending at least 2 full days and nights in Belfast to get a good taste of the city. You can see our 2 day Belfast itinerary for ideas.

If you just have a day, you’ll still be able to see a few of the city’s highlights. Just be sure to plan your time ahead or join a tour to mae the most of your time.

If you are visiting Belfast because of an interest in the RMS Titanic , then we recommend checking our Belfast Titanic attractions guide . This article includes a suggested 2 day itinerary that includes all the city’s main Titanic and maritime attractions.

For those who have more than a couple of days, there are also several excellent day trips you can take from Belfast as well and we’ll highlight a few of these at the end of the article. If you have longer than a couple of days, you can easily spend a week here and not run out of things to do.

To figure out how many days to spend in Belfast, I would suggest using this post which lists all the main highlights and things do in Belfast to create a list of places you want to visit. I would then figure out how many days it will take you to see all the Belfast attractions you want (e.g. 3-5 attractions per day), and that should give you a good answer.

Discount Passes in Belfast?

There is no must-have pass for Belfast but there are a couple of discount passes that may help you save money, depending on what you want to do and how you plan to get around Belfast.

Belfast Visitor Pass

Belfast does have a city Visitor Pass which offers free public transport around the city, which includes unlimited travel on all Metro buses, NI Railways, and Ulsterbus services. It also includes the Airport Express 600 services to and from George Best Belfast City Airport (but not the Airport 300 service to Belfast International Airport). You can buy a pass valid for 1, 2, or 3 days.

The pass also includes discount offers on a number of restaurants, attractions, and shops in Belfast. Currently with the pass you can discounts on entry to Titanic Belfast, Crumlin Road Goal, Ulster Folk Museum, Ulster Transport Museum, Titanic Distillers tours, Belfast Zoo, and Belfast City Tours. You can check out the latest discount offers here to decide if it is a good pass for you.

You can purchase the Belfast Visitor Pass in person from Visit Belfast Welcome Centre (9 Donegall Square North), Belfast airport tourist information desk (at both airports), or at any Translink station in Belfast. Or you can purchase it online before your trip.

National Trust Touring Pass

If you plan to travel throughout the UK and visit several historical or cultural attractions, you might save money with a National Trust Touring Pass which allows for free entry to over 300 stately homes, gardens, castles, and historical attractions in the UK. The pass is good for a select amount of days and includes sites across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

A few of the most popular sites covered by the pass in Northern Ireland are Carrick-a-Rede, Castle Ward, the Giant’s Causeway, and Downhill Demesne and Hezlett House.

Accessibility in Belfast

If you or a travel companion has reduced mobility or is traveling in a wheelchair or mobility scooter, check out the accessibility page on the Visit Belfast website. It provides information on accessible public transport, attractions with step-free access and wheelchair accessibility, wheelchair hire, locations of accessible public toilets, etc.

Safety Issues in Belfast?

Northern Ireland is generally considered a safe place to travel, and we haven’t had any safety concerns during our visits.

However, it is no secret that not too long ago, Belfast resembled a bit of a war zone and was not a place many tourists had on the top of their list from the 1960’s to the end of the 1990’s. The Troubles brought a lot of division, hardship, and violence to Belfast and much of the rest of Northern Ireland. Those scars remain today and there are still divisions, but sectarian violence is now rare.

However, rioting does occasionally break out over political and religious issues as it has recently in March and April 2021 . Although most marches and protests are peaceful, we recommend just avoiding any protests, gatherings, or marches if you see them taking place.

As with any place, we always recommend protecting your valuables, protecting yourself against pickpockets, and being aware of your surroundings at all times. Take the normal precautions you would in any other city.

Where to Stay in Belfast?

Belfast has many lodging options, ranging from budget to upscale, and you should not have a problem finding an option that suits your style and budget. Belfast’s tourism industry is also growing rapidly and there are several new hotels planned to open in the next year or two, and lots of good deals.

If you are looking for lodging, then we’d recommend you check out the Belfast accommodation listings on Booking.com which lists a large variety of hotels , apartments , guesthouses , and hostels .

We recommend staying in a central location, especially if you have limited time in the city, so you are within walking distance (or a short bus ride) from the city center.

Alternatively, if the Belfast Titanic museum and other Titanic Quarter sites are your prime reason for visiting, then you might want to stay in the Titanic Quarter so you can easily walk to all the sites in this area. Although you can walk to the Titanic Quarter from central Belfast, it can take 25 to 35 minutes depending on where you are located.

If you don’t mind staying a little bit out of the city center and are looking for a nice bed and breakfast, we can recommend the highly-rated James Clow B&B along the waterfront. it is about a 25 minute walk to the Belfast city center and a 35 minute walk to the Belfast Titanic.

Here are some specific hotel recommendations:

Accommodation in City Centre / Cathedral Quarter Area

Bullitt Hotel – This lively centrally-located 4-star hotel offers 3 room types to suit almost any budget. The hotel also has a bar, a cafe, a restaurant, a popular rooftop bar area, and 24-hour desk service. It is a 2 minute walk to the Cathedral Quarter and about a 8 minute walk to St. Georges market or the Belfast City Hall. We spent 4 nights here and can definitely recommend it if you are looking for a central hotel!
The Merchant Hotel – If you are looking for a 5-star historical luxury hotel, The Merchant, located in a beautiful 1860 building, should definitely be high on your list. Centrally located in the Cathedral Quarter, the hotel offers all the luxury amenities you would expect, including a restaurant, bar and lounge, spa, hot tub, and a rooftop gymnasium.
Fitzwilliam Hotel – This 5-star hotel is a more modern one (built in 2009) with understated contemporary decor and all the modern amenities. Offers a restaurant, cocktail bar, 24-hour front desk, fitness center, and valet parking. Located next to the Grand Opera House and a 5 minute walk from Ulster Hall.
Leonardo Hotel (formerly the Jurys Inn) – This 4-star hotel offers spacious rooms, breakfast buffet, bar, and restaurant. This hotel chain usually provides good value for the money. Located near Belfast City Hall and the Opera House, it is just a 5 minute walk from the Great Victoria Street rail station.
Ramada – This well-rated 3-star hotel is located in the Cathedral Quarter. The budget hotel offers an informal restaurant and bar, 24-hour front desk, and free Wifi. Located near Belfast Cathedral and The MAC.
Belfast International Youth Hostel – This hostel offers the best location if you are looking for a centrally located hostel. Hostel offers both private shared and private dormitory rooms, an on-site cafe, linens, a communal kitchen, a breakfast menu, self-service laundry, and even free parking.

Accommodation in Titanic Quarter

Titanic Hotel – This 4-star hotel sits within a historical building that was once the Harland and Wolff headquarters and drawing offices (the company that designed and built the RMS Titanic !). A beautiful historical property that offers Art Deco themed rooms, Titanic memorabilia, bar, restaurant, and room service. We’ve had a lovely 3-night stay here. Only a 2 minute walk to the Titanic Belfast museum.
Premier Inn – This 3-star hotel offers king sized beds and an on-site bar and grill. It is a 7 minute walk to the Titanic Belfast museum. This no-frills budget chain also offers two other Belfast locations around the city center.
CK Serviced Apartments – These well-reviewed serviced apartments are great for those looking for a self-catering option in the Titanic Quarter. There is an on-site restaurant, grocery store, cafe, and private parking available. They are only a 7 minute walk away from the Titanic Belfast.
The Bullitt Hotel , AC Hotel , and the Hilton (next to the waterfront) are across the river but are both within a 25 minute walk (or 12 minute bus ride) of Titanic Belfast. These can be good hotels for reaching both the city center and Titanic Quarter if you don’t mind the walk.

We’ve also stayed in an apartment in Belfast during our first visit to Belfast which was great value for money. You can see the local listings on Vrbo here .

You can also take a look at this list of Airbnb alternatives for more apartment rental options.

Bullitt Hotel things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Where to find more Information?

If you are looking for a good sample Belfast itinerary, check out our 48 hour Belfast itinerary which should help give you a good starting point. We also have a suggested 2 day Belfast Titanic itinerary for those interested primarily in Titanic and maritime-related attractions.

Belfast makes an excellent base for exploring Northern Ireland, and you can see our guide to the best day trips from Belfast for some inspiration. If you are looking for a drive along the coast, see our guide to a suggested Causeway coastal route road trip .

Game of Thrones fans will love exploring the filming locations for the show in Northern Ireland. You can read about many more filming locations in our guide to Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland here . We also have a detailed guide to visiting the Dark Hedges .

If you are looking for a printed (or digital) guidebook, there are few that just focus on Belfast and Northern Ireland, such as this one by Rick Steves and this one by Lonely Planet , but most cover the whole island of Ireland, such as these ones . Just be sure to get a recent edition.

If you are also heading to Dublin, you can check out our 2 Day itinerary and 3 Day Dublin itinerary as well as our Dublin street art guide and Dublin Pass review .

Once in Belfast, you can get information from local experts, pick up maps and brochures, and make bookings at the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre located at 9 Donegall Square North. This is also a visitor center for Northern Ireland so has information for Belfast as well as the rest of the country. You can also call them at +44(0)28 9024 6609 or email them at [email protected].

If you are looking for additional information about planning your trip to Belfast, you can check out the official Belfast city’s tourism website and the Discover Northern Ireland tourism website . If your travels are taking you further afield into Ireland, we also recommend the official Ireland tourism website which covers the entire island of Ireland.

Titanic Belfast RMS Titanic Museum things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Top Things to do in Belfast: Central Belfast

There are many things to do in Belfast and many are conveniently located within central Belfast. We are roughly categorizing central Belfast as encompassing the areas that are often referred to as Belfast City Centre, the Cathedral Quarter, and the Linen Quarter. Once here, you can reach anything within this general area within a 20 minute walk or less.

The Belfast City Hall is the center point of the city and nearby is the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, which is a great place to start your tour of the city. The Cathedral Quarter, named for St. Anne’s Cathedral, is the city’s historic trading quarter and is packed with Victorian architecture, cobbled streets, and quirky pubs and restaurants. The Linen Quarter is the area south of Belfast City Hall and was an area once dominated by the linen industry in the 19th century and includes a lot of old architecture, restaurants, and the Grand Opera House.

We are also including the Titanic Quarter, the former shipbuilding area formerly known as Queen’s Island where the RMS Titanic was built, within this section since most visitors plan to visit the Titanic Belfast museum. The Titanic Belfast can be reached by walking via a 30 minute walk across the bridge from the Belfast city center area. All of the attractions in the Titanic Quarter can be reached within a 45 minute walk, a 20 minute public bus ride, or by the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses.

All the attractions in this first section are located within a 25 minute public bus ride from Belfast City Hall (Donegall Square) although most are within a 10 to 20 minute walk.

Use this list of things to do in Belfast to choose the attractions of interest to you and put together your own personalized Belfast itinerary!

Belfast City Hall Donegall Square things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Sightseeing Bus or Walking Tour

A walking tour or sightseeing bus is always a good way to get a feel for a city and see some of its highlights. We often like to do these on our first day in a new city. Most of these start from the city center area.

Walking tours are a great way to explore a certain area of the city or focus on a specific topic. Available tours focus on highlights, the Titanic Quarter, architecture, whiskey, Queen’s University, the Troubles, and other topics. You can see a list of walking tours here and more walking tours here .

Bike tours around the city are also possible, such as these ones , and even these beer bike tours where you can bring your own alcoholic drinks to enjoy while pedaling a 16-set bike and listing to guide.

For food and drink tours also see Taste and Tour which offers gin, whiskey, beer, and food walking tours around central Belfast.

There are two hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses in Belfast, the City Sightseeing buses and the City Tours buses. These buses each stop at 20 to 30 different places and make it easy to reach and visit many of the city’s most popular attractions.

In Belfast, you also have Black Cab tours which are a popular way to see the city and most of these tours focus on the political history of Belfast and its street murals. We cover these tours in greater detail later in the article.

If you prefer boat tours, you might consider this boat sightseeing tour which takes you past the Titanic Quarter.

Belfast City sightseeing bus things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Belfast City Hall

Belfast’s City Hall was built after Queen Victoria granted Belfast city status in 1888 to reflect its growth in terms of population, economy, and industry. The building, which sits in the center of Donegall Square, was designed by Irish architect Alfred Brumwell Thomas in the Baroque Revival Style and it was completed in 1906. The City Hall is a great centerpiece for the city as well as a functioning government building that serves as the headquarters of the Belfast City Council.

Inside the building, there is a free public exhibition space that you can visit. The exhibition was much larger than we expected and currently encompasses 16 different rooms! It tells the history of Belfast through information, photos, and artifacts, and it explores the city’s government, people, famous events, industries, diversity, festivities, and much more.

It is also possible to take a free guided tour of City Hall. A guided tour includes information about the history and government of Belfast and visits to many of the grandest and most important areas and rooms in the building, including the Grand Staircase, Principal Rooms, the Reception Room, and the Chamber. One of the interesting features of the building is the large number of stained glass windows, most of which are original to the building and date to 1906.

Tours are given on a first come, first serve basis and you need to register for them at least 10 to 15 minutes before the stated tour time. So we’d recommend going at least 20 to 30 minutes before the tour time to get a spot. The guided tours of City Hall last around 1 hour, and run at various times throughout the day, depending on the time of year. You can see the tour times on the official website here .

Outside, there is a large park and gardens area around the building that is a popular place for people to meet and gather. During our last visit, it was being used for a family event and outdoor cinema screenings.

There are also a number of statues and memorials worth seeing around the City Hall building, including the grand 11-foot statue of Queen Victoria, the Belfast Cenotaph , and a 9/11 plaque. You’ll also find the Titanic Memorial Gardens here, which includes a memorial statue as well as a list of all those who perished in the disaster.

Belfast City Hall chamber things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

St. Anne’s Cathedral

St Anne’s Cathedral , also known as Belfast Cathedral, is an Episcopalian (Anglican) cathedral and one of the best known churches in Belfast. It was consecrated in 1904 and serves two separate dioceses with two Bishop’s Seats.

A former smaller church, consecrated in 1776, was also called St. Anne’s and stood here until the new and much larger cathedral was built. The old St. Anne’s had become too small to accommodate the large number of people moving to Belfast during the Industrial Revolution and a second Anglican church, St. George’s Church (located on High Street), was completed in 1816. It too was not enough and so a new St. Anne’s was built.

The church’s foundation stone was laid in 1899, but the church was rebuilt and expanded a number of times over the next 100 years to reach its present day form. The most interesting recent development was the addition of a stainless steel spire, called the Spire of Hope, to the church in 2007. A church spire was not originally added to the church because the church could not support the weight. The spire is usually illuminated at night.

Inside the church there are a number of elements you can check out if you decide to explore the church. These include the Good Samaritan Window (the only remaining piece of the 1776 St. Anne’s Church), mosaics on the roof of the baptistery and Chapel of the Holy Spirit (St. Patrick is depicted), and the Titanic funeral pall.

There is only one tomb in the cathedral, which is the tomb of Lord Edward Carson , an important 20th century unionist political leader in Ireland. He is one of only a few non-royal people to ever receive a British state funeral.

There is a small fee to visit as a tourist. Visits are self-guided but guided tours can be arranged in advance. Belfast Cathedral is an active church and there are regular worship services and events.

St. Anne's Cathedral Belfast Cathedral things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

St. George’s Market

St. George’s Market is one of Belfast’s oldest attractions, and it is believed that a weekly market has been held in this location since 1604. The current Victorian building was built between 1890 and 1896, and today it holds markets each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Since its refurbishment in 1997, it has won a number of awards in the UK and Ireland.

The market vendors include fresh produce and food stuff, arts and crafts, souvenirs, spices, clothing, books, jewelry, and more. The market is particularly well-known for its number of fish and seafood vendors. The market also has food stalls selling prepared food, sandwiches, coffee, and snacks. On most days, there is live music from local artists and bands. The market is a popular and lively place to go on weekends.

Markets are held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You can find the latest hours here . A free market shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes, 11am – 3pm, to and from the market from locations in central Belfast (Friday and Saturday only).

The market changes each day it is open with different vendors, although some are there all three days. The venue is also used to host a range of events throughout the year, including musical performances and charity events.

St. Georges Market covered market things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Grand Opera House

The Grand Opera House was built in 1895 by famous English theater architect Frank Matcham . The Grand Opera House has become a city landmark and is well-known for its beautiful interior. It is the only Victorian theater still remaining in Northern Ireland.

Originally, the theatre could seat over 2,500 guests and it hosted a number of operas, plays, musicals, and pantomimes. It was later used for variety shows throughout the early 20th century. In the 1950’s it was converted into a cinema and then in 1972, it closed. The building was almost demolished in the 1970’s during The Troubles, but was saved and reopened as a theater in 1980.

Today, the Grand Opera House is still running as a theater although today it only seats 1,000 people. Current performances include musicals, plays, dances, family shows, recitals, ballets, pantomimes, operas, and educational talks.

You can also book a theatre tour of the Grand Opera House. Guided tours include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Grand Opera House to learn about the history, day-to-day life of the staff and actors, and to tour the various rooms and areas of the theatre. Tours last about 1 hour, and are normally given on weekends about twice a month.

If you book an opera tour, it is a good idea to show up a little early to explore the self-guided Heritage Exhibition that can be accessed by tour participants.

You can check the performance schedule, check tour times, and book tickets here .

Grand Opera House Belfast things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Albert Memorial Clock

The Albert Memorial Clock is a sandstone clock tower that was built as a memorial to Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. It is located at Queen’s Square in the center of Belfast and was built by Irish architect W.J. Barre and completed in 1869. Today, the Albert Memorial Clock is a popular local landmark in Belfast

The clock tower is 113 feet high and includes a number of intricate carvings. The main feature is a statue of Prince Albert wearing his Knight of the Garter robes. The clock’s bell weighs 2 tonnes. The clock tower has sustained damage by both German WW2 bombs and IRA bombs.

It is Belfast’s own “leaning tower of Pisa” as the tower leans due to being built on reclaimed marshy land. The clock tower started to lean soon after it was built and the tilt has worsened over time. In 2002, a restoration project was undertaken by the city to try to strengthen the foundation and to clean and restore the leaning monument.

Albert Memorial Tower things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Metropolitan Arts Centre (The MAC)

The MAC, Belfast’s Metropolitan Arts Centre, was opened in 2012 and is a public art center that includes three major art galleries. The exhibitions vary throughout the year and most are free to visit, but some do have a fee.

The focus of the art is generally modern, contemporary, and experimental pieces and performances. You can see what’s on during your visit by visiting the art exhibition page .

The MAC also regularly has events and workshops, including art classes, art shows, performances, talks, and family-friendly activities. You can see the full event listing here .

The MAC has a café bar serving coffee, tea, snacks, hot meals, and alcoholic drinks.

The MAC Metropolitan Arts Centre things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

North Ireland War Memorial Museum

The Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum is a small museum that covers Northern Ireland’s involvement in World War II. The informational exhibits cover the Belfast Blitz, the roles of women during the war, the Ulster Home Guard, and the presence of a large number of American forces in the area. There are uniforms and medals on display as well as a memorial screen.

It is a small museum fit into one large room, but it is thoughtfully done and well-organized and primarily run by local volunteers. We really enjoyed our visit. Highlights were listening to some of the recordings by people who lived during the war, the lovely stained glass window, and learning more about the Belfast Blitz of 1941.

Belfast was initially thought to be out of the range of Nazi bombers so the military and residents were unprepared for air attacks when they first started happening, resulting in a lot of damage and deaths.

The Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum is free to visit although donations are greatly appreciated. It is centrally located in the Cathedral Quarter near St. Anne’s Cathedral.

The Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Crown Liquor Saloon

The Crown Liquor Saloon, better known as the Crown Bar, is the most famous pub in Belfast. The pub was opened around 1826 by Felix O’Hanlon as The Railway Tavern but it would be its renovation and renaming in 1885 by the Flanagan family that would turn it into the pub we know today. It was known as one of the most beautiful Victorian era gin palaces in the world.

It is ornately decorated and still retains many of its original fixtures and decorations (most of which have been restored) including tiled mosaics, original gas lamp features, stained glass, a granite bar top, snugs, heated footrests behind bar, and carved wooden ceiling. It is now owned by the National Trust who helps protect it but it is run as a pub by Mitchells & Butlers.

The place is a very popular stop for tourists and the bar attracts a number of famous visitors. Famous visitors have included Brad Pitt, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and most of the cast of Game of Thrones .

The pub has a full bar menu and serves both lunch and dinner. There is also an upstairs dining area. It is a popular place so if you plan to stop and eat here, I’d recommend booking a table in advance. You can see the menus and contact info here .

Crown Liquor Saloon Crown Bar things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Belfast Black Cab Tours

The Black Cab tours of Belfast are one of the most popular things to do in Belfast for tourists. The use of taxis in Belfast grew during The Troubles when the cabs were used to transport locals and visitors during the Troubles as they were considered much safer than city buses which were sometimes bombed or attacked by snipers. Also many buses were stolen, burned, and used for barricades in certain parts of the city, resulting in limited public transit.

So more taxi drivers were needed during this period. Many drove defunct bus routes and most drivers operated only in Loyalist/Unionist/Protestant neighborhoods or only in Republican/Nationalist/Catholic areas. For the most part, Protestant drivers picked up Protestant passengers and Catholic drivers picked up Catholic passengers. Both used the same London black taxi models. Following the Good Friday agreement in 1998, the need for taxi services by locals decreased as public transit became safer and more available.

Today, many of the now iconic black taxis are still used to give visitors tours of the city. Most of the cab tours focus on the political history, the Troubles, and the political murals so this is one of the best ways to find out more about the political struggles in Belfast. However, you can also do tours that also include general neighborhood tours and those that focus on general history and culture.

Some of the Troubles focused tours may also stop at places like the Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum and/or the Shankill Bombing Memorial, which are both located not far from the Peace Wall. If these are sites of interest, let your driver know.

Most drivers were also drivers during the Troubles and can share stories about what it was like during that time. Drivers try to provide objective and neutral information; however, as you can imagine this is a difficult thing since many were on one side or the other of the struggle. Most people in Belfast lost family and/or friends during the Troubles. There are many “versions of the truth” about certain events out there.

We did a black cab tour with Touring Around Belfast and had the pleasure of having one of the best known Belfast black cab drivers Billy Scott as our driver guide. Billy is a Blue Badge guide (highest qualification in UK) and was friendly, informative, and made the tour fun. He would stop often and join us in the back seat to give us history and information about places and share relevant stories. He knows so much about Belfast, the Troubles, and the city’s attractions, and is a man that is always up for some great craic.

We had a 2 hour tour scheduled with Billy, and he let us decide what parts of the city we wanted to visit and what we wanted to see and learn about. We asked for a tour that was equally focused on politics as well as general history/culture. We also didn’t know the city well so asked to see some of the highlights of the main city neighborhoods.

It was a great introduction to Belfast, its main neighborhood and attractions, and the Troubles. We saw parts of several neighborhoods including Cathedral Quarter, Queen’s Quarter, the Linen Quarter, Sailortown, and the Titanic Quarter. We also visited the Peace Wall and saw a large number of political murals in both traditionally Loyalist and Republican neighborhoods, including along Falls and Shankill Roads. Most of the tour was in the cab but we were also given the opportunity to get out and walk around a bit at a few of the stops.

We definitely recommend considering a black taxi tour if this is your first time to Belfast or if you want to learn more about the Troubles. It is best to book a cab tour in advance.

We booked with Touring Around Belfast , but there are also several other options including this tour focused on the political murals and these cab tours .

Black cab taxi tour Billy Scott things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Victoria Square Shopping Centre

Victoria Square is a centrally located public square and the area is a popular place for shopping and dining. The Victoria Square Shopping Centre is a 4-storey shopping mall and leisure complex opened in 2008. It contains a number of stores, restaurants, a spa, and a cinema. There is also a viewing platform within the central glass dome that offers a good panoramic view of the city.

Outside on Victoria Square is the Jaffe Memorial Fountain that was erected in 1874 by Otto Jaffe as a memorial to his father Daniel Joseph Jaffe. Otto Jaffe was Belfast’s first Jewish Lord Mayor and his father had been a local linen merchant who had helped fund the building of Belfast’s first synagogue at Great Victoria Street.

Victoria Square Shopping Centre dome viewing platform things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Explore the Waterfront Area

The waterfront area is located along the River Lagan. Here you’ll find a number of sculptures, bridges, Sinclair Seaman’s Church, the old Customs House, the Barge Museum, and Waterfront Hall (a large entertainment venue).

If you have some time to explore this area, we’d suggest walking the Maritime Mile, which is an outdoor trail that is about 1 mile long, connecting a number of maritime sites. There are information panels along the way. It starts at the City Quays and then continues along across the river to the Titanic Quarter, ending at the HMS Caroline and Titanic Dock . You can find out more about it here .

A pedestrian footbridge, built in 2015, crosses the River Lagan and connects the Waterfront area to the Titanic Quarter.

At the Belfast Harbour offices in Corporation Square, you can stop to visit the Heritage Room exhibition at the Belfast Harbour offices in Corporation Square. The exhibition focuses on Belfast’s maritime history and includes artifacts and artwork.

Outside the AC Hotel is the first of the six Games of Thrones large stained glass windows that were placed here in 2019 to celebrate 10 years of the show’s filming. Each depicts an iconic scene from the show. You can see all 6 by following the Maritime Mile trail along the waterfront.

If you just have a short time, two of our favorite things to stop and see here are the Salmon of Knowledge and the Beacon of Hope.

Salmon of Knowledge

The Salmon of Knowledge, better known as the Big Fish, is a large sculpture of a salmon along the waterfront. It was made by local artists John Kindness. It is located at the meeting point of Belfast’s two major rivers, the River Farset (from which Belfast gets its name) and the River Lagan.

The Salmon of Knowledge is a mythical creature figuring in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. It is said that the Salmon of Knowledge gained all the world’s knowledge after it ate hazelnuts from a holy tree. If caught it could grant universal knowledge to whoever eats it. In one story, it is eaten by Fionn mac Cumhaill who gains universal wisdom.

The Big Fish sculpture is covered in printed ceramic tiles, and each one tells a different story related to the city’s history. Tiles include all types of information and images, from historical images to drawings from local school children.

Salmon of Knowledge Big Fish Belfast waterfront things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Beacon of Hope

The Beacon of Hope, or Thanksgiving Square Beacon, is a large stainless steel and bronze sculpture of a lady holding a large ring, which is meant to symbolize thanksgiving. The woman has a globe at her feet which celebrates peace and harmony, and which is marked with the global cities that have been significantly associated with the people and industries of Belfast.

It sits within Thanksgiving Square near the entrance to the Victorian era Queen’s Bridge. It was made by artist Andy Scott in 2006.

The Beacon of Hope Thanksgiving Square Beacon things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Belfast Barge Museum

The Belfast Barge Museum is a small museum set on a barge that tells the story of Belfast’s industrial heritage and maritime history.

The MV Confiance is a former cargo barge that was purchased in 2006 and sailed to Belfast, and turned into a museum, event space, and a café. It is moored in the River Lagan in Belfast’s waterfront area.

There is a small fee to visit the Belfast Barge Museum. You can find out more information here .

Belfast Barge Museum things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Titanic Belfast Museum

The Titanic Belfast is the most popular attraction in Belfast and a must-see for most visitors. It is a huge attraction where visitors are self-guided through a series of galleries to learn the history of the RMS Titanic .

Belfast was chosen as the site for the Titanic visitor attraction because the RMS Titanic was built in Belfast’s dockyards by local shipbuilding firm Harland & Wolff . Other famous ships built here include the RMS Olympic and HMS Belfast (currently docked as a museum ship in London). The shipyard continued to build ships until 2003 and today is focused on making offshore wind turbines.

When you visit the museum, you follow a self-guided path (audioguides are available to rent for a small fee) that begins with information about Belfast in the 20th century. Then you continue to follow a path that takes you through a series of galleries that tells you about shipbuilding in Belfast, the building of the RMS Titanic , the launch of the Titanic , its maiden voyage, its sinking, and the aftermath of the tragedy.

There are lots of informational panels, models, photographs, replica interiors of the Titanic , artifacts, and interactive exhibits to enhance the experience. One of the galleries is explored while on a mini-car ride. There are of course references to James Cameron’s famous 1997 film Titanic as well. The final room allows visitors to see video footage and photographs of the Titanic as she now lies at the bottom of the ocean.

If you have any interest in the RMS Titanic or shipbuilding, we highly recommend a visit here. Visitors often spend 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the museum, but leave more time if you are a huge Titanic fan and/or if you plan to eat here.

There is a large gift shop, a grab-and-go cafe, and a restaurant on site. There is also the Hickson’s Point pub located just outside the building.

The Belfast Titanic museum operates a timed ticketing system, with entrances every 15 minutes from opening time. At last check, pre-booked timed tickets were required due to the COVID-19 pandemic safety precautions.

Of all the things to do in Belfast, this is the most popular attraction so we recommend you get your ticket in advance here to avoid standing in and line, and coming early to avoid the crowds. Tickets bought online also include your entrance to the SS Nomadic , which is located next to the Titanic Museum.

If you are planning to visit here, we recommend checking out our Titanic sites in Belfast guide as it covers visiting the Titanic Belfast and several other attractions in and near Belfast.

We also recommend leaving some time to explore the area just outside of the Titanic Belfast building. You can see the Titanic and Olympic slipways and the Titanic sculpture by Rowan Gillespie, both are located next to the building. Also next door is the Titanic Hotel which occupies the former Harland & Wolff Headquarters and Drawing Offices where the designs for Titanic were completed.

The SS Nomadic was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast as a tender boat to serve White Star Line passenger ships such as the RMS Titanic and the RMS Olympic in places where the ships were too large to dock. The ship launched in April 1911, and the SS Nomadic is now the last surviving White Star Line ship in the world.

On April 10, 1912, the SS Nomadic was used to ferry first and second class passengers, their luggage, and ship supplies onto the RMS Titanic from Cherbourg Harbor in France. Many of the most famous passengers sailed on the SS Nomadic to reach the Titanic, included John Jacob Astor IV and his wife, Margaret Brown, and Benjamin Guggenheim.

The SS Nomadic was also used as a passenger ship tender for the RMS Olympic and later for Cunard ocean liners. During WWI and WW2, the ship was used as a minesweeper and troop transport ship. She was retired from service in 1968, and later was used as a floating restaurant ship on the Seine River in Paris for almost 30 years.

In 2006, the Northern Ireland government purchased the SS Nomadic and brought the ship back to Belfast to be restored and turned into a ship museum. Following extensive restoration, the SS Nomadic was opened to visitors in June 2013.

Today, you can tour the beautifully restored ship and learn all about its construction, uses, restoration, and history. The SS Nomadic was built by the same company at the same time as the Titanic so is the closest you can get to having a sense of what it was like on the grand ill-fated ship.

We’d recommend visiting this in conjunction with the Belfast Titanic museum, as you can purchase an entry ticket that will get you access to both the Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic on the same day. The two attractions are only a short walk apart.

If you plan to only visit the SS Nomadic , you can normally also book a ticket online on their website or purchase one in person at the ship. However, these individual tickets have not been available since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is unclear when and if they will be sold again. So for the time being you need to purchase a combination ticket if you want to visit.

SS Nomadic Belfast Titanic Quarter things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

W5 Science & Discovery Centre

The W5 Science & Discovery Centre is an interactive science center that is designed to inform and entertain children and families. It contains over 250 interactive exhibits spread across four exhibition areas that are designed for children to be able to be active and engage in hands-on learning and discovery. There is also a daily program of live science demonstrations, talks, and shows.

There is a coffee shop on-site serving sandwiches, soup, snacks, coffee, and drinks.

There is a fee to enter the W5 Science and Discovery Centre. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online in advance.

The W5 is located within the larger Odyssey Pavillion within the Titanic Quarter. There is parking on-site, or you can get here via public bus or the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses. The W5 is about a 25 minute walk from Belfast city center or a 10 minute walk away from the Titanic Belfast museum.

In addition to the W5, the Odyssey Pavillion is also home to the SSE Arena which is home to the Belfast Giants (ice hockey team), a multi-plex cinema, a bowling alley, a sports bar, a pizza place, a Segway company, and a coffee shop.

W5 Odyssey Pavillion Belfast Titanic Quarter things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

HMS Caroline

The HMS Caroline was a light cruiser built in Birkenhead, England in 1914 for the British Royal Navy. She served during WWI, including during the Battle of Jutland , which was the largest naval battle of the war, and is now the sole survivor from that battle.

In 1924, the HMS Caroline was moved to Belfast Docks to form the headquarters for the Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. She would serve as a depot ship and strategic operations base for convoy protection during WWII.

The HMS Caroline would serve as part of the Ulster Division of the Royal Navy reserve until 2009 and was decommissioned in 2011. The ship was restored and opened as a ship museum in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter in 2016.

Today, you can do a self-guided tour of the HMS Caroline and learn about her construction, history, and the living and working conditions on board through exhibits, films, recreated historic spaces, and interactive touch screen displays. Start at the Dockside Museum (small museum next to the ship) to learn about the people who served on the ship and then board the ship. There are also nice views of the harbor from the decks of the ship.

There is a small café and a gift shop on the ship. You can purchase tickets on-site or in advance online. You can save a little money by booking your tickets in advance .

The HMS Caroline sits in the Alexandra Graving Dock right next to the Titanic Pump House. It is about a 15 minute walk away from the Titanic Belfast museum. There is parking located here for visitors, and you can also reach it via public bus or the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses.

HMS Caroline light cruiser things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Samson & Goliath Cranes

Samson and Goliath are two large shipbuilding cranes owned by Harland and Wolff, and they are situated within the Titanic Quarter in the Harland & Wolff shipyard. They were built in 1969 and 1974 at a time when Harland & Wolff was still one of the largest shipbuilders in the world. They were named after the Biblical figures of the same name.

These were obviously not used in the construction of the Titanic. However, an enormous steel gantry, called the Arrol Gantry, was created in 1908 over the slipways for the Olympic and Titanic. It was also a dominant feature in the Belfast skyline for decades and was in use until the 1960’s.

You can’t get too close to the cranes as they are in an active and private industrial area, but they are easy to spot. The two yellow cranes with the H&W logo dominate the skyline and can be seen from many parts of the city.

Although Harland & Wolff are not much involved in shipbuilding and the two cranes are rarely used today, they have remained as they have become popular symbols of the city of Belfast. They are now sort of protected by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and it is hoped they will continue to remain in Belfast.

Samson and Goliath gantry cranes H & W things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Titanic Walkway

The Titanic Walkway is a 500 meter (0.3 mile) walkway on Victoria Wharf which connects the Titanic Slipways to the HMS Caroline . The maritime walkway was first opened in 2018 as a way to make it easier for pedestrians to visit some of the popular attractions within the Titanic Quarter.

The walkway goes along the water and docks. Notable attractions along the route include the Titanic Belfast, Titanic and Olympic Slipways, Mew Light, public art (including a couple of the Games of Thrones windows), the HMS Caroline , and the Titanic Dock and Pump House.

From the walkway, you can also see the Titanic Exhibition Center (giant conference center) and Titanic Studios (filming studios where Games of Thornes was filmed). You’ll also see the Samson & Goliath cranes in the distance.

The Mew Light, or the Great Light, is the world’s first and largest hyper-radial Fresnes lighthouse lens. It was first used at Tory Island Lighthouse in 1887 and later moved to Mew Island in 1928. It was removed from Mew Island in 2014, and has been restored and situated along the Titanic Walkway. Panels around the light tells about its history and how it works.

The Titanic Walkway is a great way to connect a visit to the Belfast Titanic to either the HMS Caroline and/or the Titanic Pump Room & Dock. To start the walk, just head outside the Titanic Belfast museum and head towards the water to visit the Olympic and Titanic Slipways, then head northeast along the walkway towards the HMS Caroline .

If you want a different perspective of the Titanic Quarter, consider a River Lagan boat cruise which allows you to see all the Titanic Quarter sites from the water with onboard commentary. In the summer, there is also the chance to see seals.

Mew Light lighthouse optic Titanic Walkway things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Titanic Dock & Pump House

The Titanic Dock and Pump House is a great place to visit to get a better sense of the large scale of the RMS Titanic. This was where the Titanic sat in dry dock before her sea trials and maiden voyage in April 1912.

The White Star liners RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic were the largest ocean liners ever built at the time, and so larger dry docks had to be built for them. This is where the ships were fitted out and completed in dry dock after being constructed at the slipways across from the Titanic Belfast museum.

Construction on the Titanic began in 1909 and took 3 years. The Thompson Graving Dock, often now called the Titanic Dock, was where the Titanic was fitted out and completed in 1912. The adjacent dock pump house, now called the Titanic Pump House, was used to pump out water from the Thompson Graving Dock as well as the Alexandra Graving Dock (where the HMS Caroline now sits).

Visitors can do a self-guided tour of the Titanic Pump House as well as the Titanic Dock. Walking around and climbing down into the Thompson Graving Dock gives you a good sense of the massive size of these ocean liners as the whole footprint of the graving dock would have been the size of the ship’s hull. Informational placards tell you about its construction, fitting out, the lives of the dock workers, and how the pump room worked.

There is a small fee to visit the Titanic Pump Room & Titanic Dock, payable in Cafe 1404 which is also where you can access the sites. If you’d rather have a guided experience, you can book a guided tour of the dock and pump room or join a walking tour which includes the visit here.

The Titanic Pump House and Dock is located about a 1 minute walk from the HMS Caroline and a 10 minute walk from the Titanic Museum.

Titanic Dock & Pump House Thompson Graving Dock things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Check out the Street Murals

The street murals in Belfast are well-known worldwide and it is a popular city for street art enthusiasts. Even if you are not interested in street art, you are bound to run into some of the city’s street murals as they are everywhere.

Initially, most of the street murals were political and related to The Troubles in Northern Ireland, and were created by people with a variety of perspectives from both sides. Most of the more politically focused murals are further from the city center with many located around the Peace Wall.

There are still a large number of political street murals that you can see and these are the primary focus of many Black Cab and street art tours in Belfast. Some serve as memorials to people who were killed or incarcerated during the Troubles. We saw a number of these murals on our Black Cab tour, which a great way to explore them as they are spread apart.

Within the city center, there is still a lot of street art to see but the majority is not strongly political or religious in nature. Although some do tackle serious topics, you’ll also find street murals of dogs, famous people, fairies, local landmarks, dragons, and monkeys. Some are created by relatively unknown local artists and some are by more famous artists like Smug, and there have been local initiatives that have helped fund legal street art in Belfast.

We did a street art walking tour that primarily focused on the non-political murals with Seedhead Arts . But there are a variety of street mural tours in Belfast including walking tours such as this one and Black cab tours such as this one .

See our guide to street art in Belfast for more information about finding and appreciating Belfast’s and a photo essay of some of the popular murals.

Bobby Sands mural street art things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Check out some Evening Entertainment

There is always something going on in Belfast and whether you are looking for a play, stand up comedy act, art exhibit, or just a local band at a pub, you’ll likely find something happening in Belfast. You can find out what’s happening by asking around, visiting the Visitor Center, checking a local newspaper, and/or checking out this page and this website .

We already mentioned the Grand Opera House earlier, but two of Belfast’s others main centrally-located concert and entertainment spaces are the Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall. If you are looking for a concert, play, comedy show, or festival, I’d check out what’s happening at each of these venues during your visit.

Opened in 1862, Ulster Hall was by designed by William J. Barre. A wide variety of notable performances and events have been held here from readings by Charles Dickens to rock concerts by AC/DC and Iron Maiden to political talks by Lord Randolph Churchill and Lord Carson. Ulster Hall underwent a larger restoration in 2007, and it houses one of the few surviving functioning classic English pipe organs.

Belfast Waterfront is a multi-purpose entertainment and conference center located on the waterfront. It opened in 1997 and is used for a number of purposes, including concerts, theatre shows, stand-up comedy, business conferences, and other events. It is a key venue for Belfast International Arts Festival events.

You can see what’s on during your visit at both Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall here .

evening entertainment things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Try the Local Drinks in Belfast

Belfast is a great place to have a drink. The city is probably best known for beer and whiskey, but gin is currently a very popular spirit in the city as well. Craft breweries and new distilleries are opening up around Northern Ireland and it is an exciting time to sample some of these new arrivals.

If you are looking for craft beers on tap, a few brewery names to look out for are Hilden, Sheelin, Hercules Brewing (known for their Yardsman beers), Whitewater, and Farmageddon. Northern Irish gins include Shortcross, Jawbox, and Copeland.

The most popular Northern Irish whiskey brand is Bushmills, but Echlinville and Rademon Estate also produce whiskey. Head to The Friend at Hand whiskey shop in the Cathedral Quarter to learn more about Irish whiskey and purchase a bottle, the store says it has the largest collection of Irish whiskey.

We actually did a really fun gin tour around central Belfast with a company called Taste and Tour that included 7 generous drinks and some nibbles in several locations. Gins included famous international brands as well as local ones. The company also does whiskey walks, beer crawls, and food tours around Belfast.

If you are looking for a few suggestions for a place to drink, here are several places we’ve been:

The Crown Bar – An elaborately decorated Victorian era gin palace that is a local landmark and popular tourist stop. Full bar and restaurant. Reservations recommended if you want to sit and eat.
Muriel’s Cafe Bar – Muriel’s is the place all the locals tell you to go if you want a cocktail. But you can get everything at the small quirky bar from a traditional pint to a range of craft gins. Also serves food.
John Hewitt Bar – A traditional style bar with live music and full range of drinks. Owned and operated by the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre.
The Duke of York – This traditional pub has been a staple of the Cathedral Quarter for over 200 years. It was rebuilt after being flattened by a bomb in 1972 during the Troubles. The pub is a local institution and is popular with tourists. It has interesting furniture and decorations and is filled with local memorabilia related to brewing and distilling. It also has colorful outdoor murals.
Sweet Afton Bar & Brewery – A bar and restaurant in the Linen Quarter serving classic favorites and local craft beers. They also serve a few American craft beers.
Sunflower Public House – If you are looking for a simple pub, the Sunflower Public House may be your spot. The corner pub is probably best known for keeping its security cage around its front door which became a common occurrence during The Troubles. Good place for a pint and often has live music.
Babel Bar: If you’re looking for a rooftop bar, the Babel Bar in the Bullitt Hotel is a great choice. One of the few rooftop bars in Belfast. Also a second bar located in the hotel courtyard. Full range of drinks and cocktails.
The Cocktail Bar – If you are looking for a classy bar and don’t mind the higher price of drinks, The Cocktail Bar at The Merchant Hotel is likely the place for you. This Victorian era luxury hotel is a beautiful setting for a drink. Hotel also has a jazz bar, a classic pub, a champagne lounge, and other dining spots.
Whites Tavern : If you like old historical taverns, Whites Tavern may be the place for you. This tavern has been serving drinks since 1630. Serves hearty pub food and regularly has live music.
Bittles Bar. Found near Victoria Square, this curiously shaped pub is not dissimilar to the Flat Iron building in New York. Built in 1868 and has been service great beer ever since.

If you are looking to experience a local brewery, we’d recommend a trip just outside Belfast to Lisburn (10 miles away) where you can visit Hilden Brewery , Ireland’s oldest independent brewery. Hilden is a well-known craft brewery and you can sample the beers, take a tour of the distillery, and eat in their restaurant.

Belfast Gin Tour things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Sample the Irish Food

The dish most associated with Northern Ireland is Ulster fry. An Ulster fry is the Northern Irish version of the British “full breakfast” that you’ll find throughout the UK and Ireland. It normally includes fried eggs, sausage, back bacon, soda farl, tomato, black pudding, and potato bread. White pudding, hashbrowns, fried mushrooms, and baked beans are also normal accompaniments. Served with tea or coffee and eaten in the morning for breakfast.

You’ll find many of the dishes common throughout Ireland and the UK in Northern Ireland so dishes like Irish stew, bangers and mash, Sunday roasts, and fish and chips are common. Potatoes have long been important to Ireland so you’ll find potato dishes like colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale), potato bread, boxty (potato pancake), and champ (mashed potatoes with spring onion, cheese, and butter). Seafood dishes are common particularly fried eel and salmon.

Agriculture is a major industry in Northern Ireland and you can find a lot of locally grown, raised, and produced food products. These are easy to find at St. George’s Market as well as in local grocery stores and on the menus of local restaurants in Belfast. Some to look out for are dairy products (Abernethy butter, milk, cheese, ice cream), local seafood (salmon, eels, oysters), breads (soda bread and potato bread in particular), Bramley apples (as well as apple juice, jam, and cider), and locally raised meats (beef, pork, venison).

If you have a sweet tooth, a popular Northern Irish candy is Yellowman which is a chewy honeycomb toffee-like candy. Aunt Sandra’s Candy Factory is a popular local spot to buy handmade candies, chocolates, and fudge.

Ulster Fry things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Things to do in Belfast: Beyond Central Belfast

If you have more than a day or two in Belfast, you may have time to explore beyond central Belfast and the Titanic Quarter. Your choices of things to do in Belfast beyond the central area are varied and include museums, gardens, parks, a zoo, political sites, and a Victorian prison.

We particularly recommend the Queen’s Quarter area which includes Queen’s University, the Ulster Museum, and the Botanic Gardens. The Crumlin Road Gaol will appeal to those who enjoy touring old prisons. The Cave Hill Country Park includes hiking trails, the Belfast Zoo, Belfast Castle, and a children’s playground. The Peace Wall is a popular stop for seeing the political murals, usually during a Black Cab tour. There are also plenty of green places around Belfast for hiking, walks, and even wildlife viewing.

Most of these attractions are located within the city of Belfast but some lie in areas just outside Belfast. Most can be reached by public bus within 30 to 40 minutes, and some can be visited using the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses. All are located within a 30 minute drive fo the city center, and some are less than a 10 minute drive from the city center.

The first physical divides or peace lines were built in 1969 after the outbreak of riots in Northern Ireland and the beginning of the Troubles. The walls, fences, and other barriers were used to divide predominately Ulster/Protestant/Unionist areas of a neighborhood from predominately Loyalist/Catholic/Nationalist areas of a neighborhood.

The initial walls were meant to be temporary measures to help protect people on both sides, but they became bigger, longer, and more sturdy over time. Today there are over 40 wall structures, called peace lines or peace walls, stretching for miles in Belfast. These are primarily in the residential areas in the northwest areas of Belfast. They also exist in a few other towns and cities in Northern Ireland such as Londonderry/Derry.

Interestingly, the number of Peace Walls has not decreased since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, but have actually increased. Some of the walls have gates which allow access during daylight hours but these gates are closed after dark. They are sometimes policed, but not so much these days. Sectarian violence has significantly decreased, but many residents still find the walls comforting and many people in these neighborhoods have grown up with the walls.

In recent years, the walls and political murals painted along or near the walls have become tourist attractions. Most black cab tours stop here as ours did. Visitors have the opportunity to write their own message on the Peace Wall, which has been covered in murals, as well as signed by famous people including the Dalai Lama and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

There is a large movement to remove the Peace Walls in the near future, and the government hopes the walls will be removed by 2023 in cooperation with people on both sides of the wall.

Peace Wall Peace Line street murals things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Crumlin Road Goal

The HMP Crumlin, better known as the Crumlin Road Gaol , is a former prison that opened in Belfast in 1846. For over 150 years, it was one of Northern Ireland’s main prisons, and is today the only surviving Victorian era prison in Northern Ireland.

At the time the prison was built, it was one of the most up-to-date prisons of its time and was designed to house up to 500 prisoners. However, in later years, during the Troubles, there were so many people sent to prison that it was forced to hold many more than this, resulting in cramped conditions. The Crumlin Road Gaol closed in 1996 as a prison, and following an extensive restoration project, was opened as a visitor attraction in 2012.

Visits are timed and guided. Guides lead you through the major parts of the prison and explain the entry process for new inmates. The tour includes a visit to the cell blocks, the tunnel which linked the prison with the courthouse over the road, and the execution chamber. Seventeen prisoners were executed on site by hanging, with the last execution taking place in 1961.

The knowledgeable guides on the tour share lots of information about the history of the prison, its architecture, and notable inmates. The regular tours lasts about 75 to 90 minutes. There are also sometimes specialty tours offered such as paranormal tours and night tours of the prison.

There is a fee to tour the prison, and tour times can be booked in advance online or on site. It’s definitely worth booking your tour in advance, as this is both cheaper and will also guarantee the time you want. Tours run about every 30 minutes.

There is a gift shop and an on-site coffee shop where you can get sandwiches and drinks.

HMP Crumlin Road Goal prison things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Stormont Estate – Northern Ireland Parliament

The Northern Ireland Parliament buildings are located on the Stormont Estate. The Northern Ireland Assembly, the legislative body for Northern Ireland, was established under the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Good Friday Agreement). Before being used for government purposes, the estate belong to Reverend John Cleland.

The main Northern Ireland Assembly building was designed by Sir Arnold Thornely and is 365 feet wide (one for each day of the year) with six floors and six front pillars (one for each NI county). It was completed in 1932.

The public can visit the Parliament buildings during most of the year, Monday to Friday. Tours are free and last about 1 hour. The tours include stops to learn about the history and architecture of the buildings and to see the Great Hall, the Senate Chamber, and the Assembly Chamber. The public can also sit in on Assembly debates and committee meetings. See latest tour times here .

Outside, you can admire the building and wander along some of the walking nature paths around the parkland. There are several statues and memorials, and there is also a picnic area, fitness area, and children’s play area.

There is a coffee shop and gift shop within the main building. The Members’ Dining Rooms are also open to the public for meals and afternoon tea, reservations are recommended.

The Stormont Estate has parking and can also be visited by public bus or by using the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. There is no fee for visiting the Stormont Estate or Parliament Buildings; however, you will need to go through a security check at the gate and airport-style security to gain entrance to the building.

Stormont Parliament Northern Irish Assembly things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

C.S. Lewis Square

The C.S. Lewis Square is a square located in East Belfast dedicated to the Belfast author Clive Staples Lewis . C.S. Lewis is most famous for his children’s fantasy book series The Chronicles of Narnia series as well as his Christian apologetic adult nonfiction books such as Mere Christianity .

The square contains a number of large bronze sculptures depicting characters from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe including Aslan, The Beavers, and The White Witch. The sculptures were made by Northern Irish artist Maurice Harron and are situated in a place not too far from Lewis’s birthplace. This is a fun place to bring any fan of the Narnia series!

Fans of C.S. Lewis may also want to see other sites related to Lewis in the area, including this birthplace on Dundela Avenue (Blue Plaque marks spot), Little Lea (family home on Circular drive), St Mark’s Church (where he was baptized and grandfather was rector), Holywood Arches Library (“The Searcher” statue), Belmont Tower, and Campbell College. You can follow a self-guided trail or book a local tour guide.

Next to C. S. Lewis Square is the EastSide Visitor Centre which is a great place to stop to learn more about the city’s attractions and things to do in East Belfast, including self-guided walking trails and walking tours. The local Greenways (walking and cycling routes on disused railway lines) also run right past here. The Centre also has a coffee bar called JACK Coffee Bar which features locally sourced food, products, and artwork.

The square is can be reached by public bus about 20 minute from center. There is parking available nearby.

Aslan statue C.S. Lewis Square Narnia statues things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Queen’s University

Queen’s University was chartered in 1845 and opened in Belfast in 1849. It was built to encourage university education for Catholics and Presbyterians at the time as Trinity College in Dublin was at that time an Anglican university.

There are some beautiful buildings in terms of architecture on the Queen’s University campus, particularly the Lanyon building designed by English architect Charles Lanyon. You can check out the Naughton Gallery , an art gallery with both permanent and temporary exhibitions, which offers free public admission. You might also want to see what’s playing at the Queen’s Film Theatre , a popular independent cinema.

Queen’s University is situated next to the Botanic Gardens in Queen’s Quarter, which is a lovely area of Belfast. It is a university student area with lots of coffee shops, independent retail stores, small entertainment venues, and the excellent Ulster Museum. A great place to wander around and explore.

Lanyon Building Queen's University things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens are located in south Belfast within the Queen’s Quarter near Queen’s University. The gardens were originally started as a private park in 1828 but became a public park in 1895. The gardens were one of the most popular Belfast attractions in the Victorian era, and structures in the garden have recently undergone major renovations.

Two of the main features of the gardens are the Palm House conservatory and the Tropical Ravine House. The Pam House is a curvilinear cast iron Victorian glasshouse designed by Charles Lanyon and built by Richard Turner, and display a range of tropical plants. The Tropical Ravine features a sunken ravine and includes a number of the oldest seed plants around today, as well as banana, cinnamon, bromeliad, and orchid plants. There is also a rose garden.

The Botanic Gardens is an important venue for concerts, festivals, and other local events, The Ulster Museum which sits near the main entrance to the gardens. The gardens are a popular place for students of next door Queen’s University to take walks and study.

The Botanic Gardens are open to the public during daylight hours and free to visit. The Palm House and Tropical Ravine have more limited hours.

Botanic Gardens things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Ulster Museum

The Ulster Museum is Belfast’s largest museum and one we highly recommend taking the time to visit. The museum has over 1 million objects in its collection which include items related to art, history, and natural science. The museum is located near the main entrance to the Botanic Gardens.

We really enjoyed our time in this museum as there is a bit of everything so just about everyone can find a section of the museum to enjoy. There were dinosaur bones, Neolithic stone axes, jewels, fine art, meteorites, and history exhibits detailing ancient and recent history including the partition of Ireland and the Troubles. If you want relative objectivity in relation to Belfast history, this is probably the best place to find it.

The museum has a number of permanent exhibitions, but also has changing temporary exhibitions. When we visited one of the exhibitions was a massive Game of Thrones Irish linen tapestry that tells the full story of the TV series and sewed locally. The GoT linen is not currently on display but you can see it and learn more about it here .

The museum has an on-site coffee shop which serves hot food and drinks. There is also a cloakroom with lockers that can be rented for £1.

The museum is free to visit, although donations are greatly appreciated.

Ulster Museum things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Museum of Orange Heritage

The Museum of Orange Heritage is a museum and interpretive center that covers the history, culture, and traditions of the Orange Order, also known as the Loyal Orange Association. If you want to learn more about the Orange Order, this is a good place to do it. However, it is a good idea to be aware of the religious, cultural, and political significance of the order before you choose to visit.

If you are not familiar with the Orange Order , they are a Protestant fraternal organization that is strongly associated with the Ulster loyalists and British unionism. The main stated goal of the order is to protect and promote Protestantism, although opponents have criticized the group for being anti-Catholic. The group is probably best known for their marches and parades, known as Orange walks, particularly those that take place on July 12th. Some of these walks have been controversial.

Their history dates back to 1795 and it is from King William III, the Prince of Orange, that the organization gets its name. King William III was a Protestant king who defeated the Catholic king James II in the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland in the 17th century. The first Orange Order societies formed to commemorate King William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690.

The museum includes informational and interactive exhibits, and includes artifacts including items owned by King William II. Obviously, the information is going to have a pro-Loyalist bias given its being presented by the society. A good counterpoint if you are planning to visit is the Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum.

The center also has a research and genealogy facility for those wanting to research their family history within the Orange Order.

The museum is located at Schomerg House in the Castlereagh area of Belfast and is generally open Monday through Saturday. It is a 15 to 20 minute bus ride from the town center.

William of Orange street mural Museum of Orange Heritage things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum

The Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum is a small museum in West Belfast dedicated to the history of the Republicans in Ireland since the 1960’s. It is situated in the Conways Mill Complex and the mill dates back to 1842. The museum focuses a lot on internment and imprisonment experiences during the Troubles.

The museum is named after Eileen Hickey, a woman who herself was imprisoned in Armagh in the 1970s, and a large portion of the artifacts were collected by her. The museum includes informational exhibits and a number of objects related to the Troubles, particularly related to internment during that time.

The Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum obviously has a Republican (Nationalist / Catholic) bias and focuses on the more positive aspects of the Republican side. But it does have some inclusive information and objects as well. So just know this when you visit and it can be a good counterpoint to a visit to the Museum of Orange Heritage.

The museum is free to visit although donations are greatly appreciated. Some black cab tours stop here.

There are several parking spaces here for drivers. You can also get here by public bus but there is no bus stop super close by (10 to 15 minute walk away). I would recommend stopping here as part of a Black Cab tour or Troubles related tour as it is not far from the Peace Wall.

Irish Republican Belfast Street Art murals things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

RSPB Window on Wildlife (Belfast Lough Reserve)

The Belfast Lough Reserve is an area of grassland, lagoon, and mudflats that is considered a special place for local wildlife. It is protected and maintained by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), a bird charity in the UK. There are four components of the reserve: Belfast’s Window on Wildlife, Harbour Meadows, Holywood Banks and Whitehouse Lagoon.

The area provides a place for local birds and wildlife as well as migrating bird species. Over 100 bird species have been observed here and species that are regularly seen include wigeons, teals, oystercatchers, Arctic terns, curlews, and godwits. There are also konik ponies and small mammals who live here.

The public can best learn about the species and have a chance to observe them by visiting the RSPB Window on Wildlife . It is a small center run by staff and volunteers that provides information on local and migrating species and an area with a large window where you can view species in the lagoon and mudflats surrounding the center. There are also a couple of hides and the staff sometimes offers guided walks during certain times of the year.

At the center, you can borrow binoculars to see more from the window and staff can help point out different birds. When we visited we saw several bird species as well as rabbits. The staff member we talked to was very friendly and this place seems a world away from downtown Belfast!

There is a small charge to visit the center and use the shelters. It is free for RSPB members.

RSPB Window on Wildlife Belfast Lough Reserve things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Cave Hill Country Park

Cave Hill, also written as Cavehill, is a large hill formed by basalt lava flows that overlooks Belfast. It has long been a popular spot for local and tourists, and some believe that the hill with its “Napoleon’s Nose” rock formation was the inspiration for the giant in Jonathan Swift’s famous book Gulliver’s Travels .

Cave Hill Country Park is known for its caves, rock formations, ring fort remains, walking and hiking paths, and for being the site of the Belfast Zoo, Belfast Castle, and a large playground. It is a great place if you want to get out of Belfast, do some hiking, and get some nice views over the city (you can see all the way to Scotland on clear days). Given the attractions located here, it is easy to make a whole day of it out here.

The hiking trails are well-signed and range from relatively short and easy to longer and more strenuous. The trails take you near many of the landmarks in the park, including Belfast Castle, Napoleon’s nose, caves, McArt’s fort, Devil’s Punchbowl, and Volunteer’s Well stream, and interpretive signs help point out features, geology, and history.

Cave Hill Country Park is about a 5 mile (8 km) drive out of central Belfast. You can also get here via public bus from Belfast.

Cave Hill Country Park things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Belfast Zoo

The Belfast Zoo is located on the outskirts of Belfast on the slopes of Cavehill, encompassing 55 acres and has over 1,000 animals from over 100 different species. The zoo offers daily zookeeper talks, feeding times, and other activities.

The zoo opened in 1934 and is one of the most popular paid attractions in Belfast. It suffered a lot during the Belfast Blitz and the 2018 family-friendly film Zoo focuses on the true story of the “elephant angel” who cared for a baby elephant during WWII.

In addition to the animals, the zoo also recently opened a new children’s playground called the Adventurers’ Learning Centre. The zoo is also home to the 1930’s Art Deco Floral Hall, once a popular dance and music venue. The Floral hall was shut and became derelict during the Troubles, but there are plans to refurbish and reopen it as an event space in the future.

The zoo has two cafes on site which serve hot food and drinks as well as a picnic area. There is also a large visitor center and a gift shop.

Most of the zoo and its facilities are wheelchair accessible; however, the zoo is situated on the side of Cavehill so many parts are uphill and some of the paths are steep. There are wheelchairs for free rental and a zoo-mobile vehicle, which can be reserved in advance with the zoo.

The zoo can be reached by public bus from central Belfast, and the zoo offers free parking for visitors. You can purchase tickets on-site or in advance.

giraffe family Belfast Zoo Northern Ireland things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Belfast Castle

Belfast Castle was commissioned in the 19th century by George Hamilton Chichester, the 3rd Marquess of Donegall and was designed by Charles Lanyon and his son. If you’ve been to Scotland, the castle may look familiar as it was built in Scottish baronial style. There was an original Belfast Castle built in the 12th century by Normans and it sat not far from where the Belfast City Hall stands today.

Only a small portion of the castle is open to visitors today as much is used as space for offices, conference and event rooms, and dining. It is a popular wedding and conference venue today.

But if you are in visiting Cave Hill Country Park, Belfast Castle is definitely worth a stop. Can be a good place to stop before or after a hike or a visit to the nearby Belfast Zoo. Also close to the Fortwilliam Golf Club.

There is a small exhibit inside about the history of Belfast Castle worth taking a look at. There is also a restaurant and cafe where you can get a meal, coffee, or drink. Outside, the formal garden are beautiful and offer nice views over the city, and they also have cat statues!

Belfast Castle Cave Hill Country Park things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Ulster Folk Museum & Transport Museum

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is two separate museums with the Ulster Folk Museum and Transport Museum being located at different but adjacent sites. You can purchase admission to each museum separately, or buy a dual ticket to visit both museums.

The Ulster Folk Museum focuses on telling the story of the people and culture of Northern Ireland from the past to present, with a focus on the early 1900s. The museum is spread out across over 20 buildings set up to resemble a traditional village which includes a number of dwellings of the early 1900’s as well as replicas. These include thatched cottages, farm houses, schools, churches, shops, a mill, workshops, and more. There are also costumed guides, daily demonstrations, and activities such as open-hearth cooking, needlework, weaving, and craft demonstrations.

The Transport Museum focuses on the history of transport in Ireland from its early history to the modern era, from horse-drawn carriages to airplanes. One of the big draws to the museum is that it contains the largest railway collection in Ireland, and includes steam locomotives, passenger carriages, and a large amount of memorabilia. Other popular exhibits include pogo sticks (invited in Northern Ireland), a DeLorean DMC-12 car (the manufacturing plant was in Northern Ireland), a vertical take-off airplane, and a Titanic exhibition which includes some original artifacts.

If you plan to visit both museums, be sure to purchase the dual ticket to save money on admission fees. There is a cafe on-site in the Ulster Folk Museum which serves snacks and drinks.

The Ulster Folk Museum & Transport Museum are situated in the town of Cultra which is about 7 miles (11 km) east of Belfast. There is free parking on-site for visitors, the museums can be reached by bus from Belfast (30 to 40 minute ride), or you can take a train (nearest stop is Cultra Halt).

Ulster Folk Museum & Transpot Museum Cultra Belfast Northern Ireland things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Minnowburn is a natural area of meadows and woodland around the Lagan River on the southern edge of Belfast. It is a perfect place for a walk, family picnic, or gentle hike in a bucolic setting.

Terrace Hill is a popular spot to get a view across the Lagan Valley and to have a picnic, and the trail here is dotted with sculptures and has a garden on top. The garden was built by Frederick Russell who wanted a garden to go with Terrace Hill mansion (circa 1856). The Russell family had earned their money from the linen industry and later the flour industry.

This area is now maintained by the National Trust and is a lovely place to come if you want a bit of an escape from the city. There are a few main trails and paths here that you can follow, some that run through the small village of Edenderry. It is easy to spend a few hours here on a nice day.

If you are looking for a nice gentle hike, we can recommend the Giant’s Ring trail. It is an easy 2.2 mile circular trail that takes you along the riverbank and through woodland and farmland, and past the Giant’s Ring. The Giant’s Ring is a Neolithic henge earthen monument, believed to have been constructed around 2700 BC.

Located about 4 miles outside of Belfast. No great public transit connections, although there are bus stops within a 15 minute walk of Minnowburn.

Giant's Ring Minnowburn hike things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park

Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is a 128 acre park located in South Belfast. The park consists of woodland, meadows, fields, a walled garden, formal rose gardens, and a Japanese garden. There is also a children’s playground and there is a coffee shop located in the former stables. The park is a popular place for local families and walkers.

The park was laid out around Wilmont House, a Victorian house originally built for James Bristow, but later purchased by Sir Thomas Dixon and Lady Edith Stewart Dixon . The Dixons would leave the house and park to the city of Belfast and it is currently maintained by the Belfast City Council.

The Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is particularly known for its formal gardens and roses. Its roses are world famous and each year the roses attract thousands of visitors. The annual highlight here is Rose Week, a weeklong event where there is a flower show, games, concerts, puppet shows, family events, food vendors, and more. We attended Rose Week in 2018 and it was a lot of fun.

The park is located about 6 miles from Belfast city center and there is free parking available. You can also reach it by public bus with stops within a 5 minute walk of the park.

Sir Thomas & Lady Dixon Park rose garden things to do in Belfast Ireland travel guide

Belfast Map of Top Belfast Attractions

The map below shows the locations for each of the mentioned main things to do in Belfast, including the centrally located and nearby attractions. You can use this to help guide and plan your itinerary. We recommend trying to group together locations that are close together.

Click here or on the map below for a closer look and to see exact locations:

Belfast Map of top attractions things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland

Things to do in Belfast: Day Trips from Belfast

Run out of things to do in Belfast? If you have more time in Northern Ireland and want to venture further afield, there are lots more things to do within a 1 hour to 2 hour drive of the city.

If you are looking for a day trip or quick overnight trip, our top recommendations depending on your interests would be to drive along a section of the Causeway Coastal Route, visit the Giant’s Causeway, do a whiskey tour, explore Saint Patrick Country, do a Game of Thrones tour of filming sites, or visit a few of the many castles and historic homes in Northern Ireland.

We have some of our favorites below, and we also have a complete guide to the best day trips from Belfast here .

Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway is the most famous natural attraction in Northern Ireland and its only UNESCO world heritage site. The Giant’s Causeway is a geological feature, which consists of approximately 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns that form a staircase-like pathway out to sea. It has been featured in a number of films, TV commercials, and advertisements.

The site is managed by the National Trust, and there are a number of visitor services here including parking, a shuttle bus, an exhibition center, a gift shop, and a cafe. Although it is free to visit the site if you arrive on foot or by bicycle, there is a fee and ticket needed to park, visit the exhibition center, get the audioguide, use the shuttle bus etc. It is definitely worth it to get a ticket to take advantage of these services.

Entry is free for National Trust members. If you are planning on visiting both the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, you might consider investing in a National Trust Touring Pass . This will give you free access to both these attractions, as well as many other National trust properties across Northern Ireland and the UK.

You can drive (about 1 hour and 20 minute drive from Belfast), take public transit, or join a group or private tour from Belfast (or Dublin) to visit the Giant’s Causeway. You can see a number of available day tours to the Giant’s Causeway here and here .

Giant's Causeway Belfast day trip things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Causeway Coastal Route

The Causeway Coastal Route is a scenic tourist driving route that winds approximately 120 miles from Belfast to Londonderry (or Derry). Most of the route is along the coast with lots of scenery as well as a number of Northern Ireland’s top attractions.

Some of the most popular stops along the Causeway Coastal Route are the Giant’s Causeway , Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Dunluce Castle, and Bushmills whiskey distillery. Just off of the route are also popular stops like the Glenariff Nature Reserve, Rathlin Island, and the Dark Hedges .

Most of the route is accessible to all drivers, but there is a narrow and windy section that is not suitable for those driving in larger vehicles and campervans. Many of the attractions, depending on the time of the year, can be visited by public transit. I would not recommend this as a day trip if you want to do the full route, but you can visit a few of the highlights on a day trip.

Many people see parts of the route as part of a day tour from Belfast so they can avoid renting a car and don’t have to worry about drinking if stopping for whiskey tasting. Day tour options include tours such as this full day tour from Belfast.

We have driven the Causeway Coastal Route twice and really enjoyed it! See our guide to the highlights of the Causeway Coastal Route to help plan your own trip.

Causeway Coastal Route things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Learn about Saint Patrick

If you are interested in the history, life, and religious beliefs of Saint Patrick, there are a number of sites within Northern Ireland associated with the saint. Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain and came to Ireland first as a slave of Irish pirates and later as a Christian missionary. He would become a bishop in Ireland during the 5th century and is often regarded as the founder of Christianity in Ireland.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. He is a venerated saint in a number of Christian religious faiths including in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, and the Lutheran Church. Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17th, is observed in Ireland (and in many other countries) as a religious and cultural holiday, celebrating his life and the arrival of Christianity into Ireland.

A few important places associated with Saint Patrick in Northern Ireland are The Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick (an informative and interactive exhibition about Saint Patrick’s life and legacy, a good starting point!), Down Cathedral (where Saint Patrick is believed to be buried) and Struell Wells in Downpatrick, Slemish Mountains (where Saint Patrick is believed to have been forced to work as a slave), and the two Saint Patrick’s cathedrals of Armagh.

Counties Down and Armagh are the two counties that are collectively known as Saint Patrick’s Country and have the most St. Patrick’s related sites. For more places associated with Saint Patrick, see this list of sites . Most of these places are located within a 1 hour drive of Belfast.

If you are looking for one place to go to learn more about Saint Patrick, I’d recommend heading to Downpatrick as there are several sites in and around the town associated with the saint. If you visit Downpatrick and are looking for a guide, this very good value 2-hour walking tour may be of interest.

If you are looking for a day tour, there are not many that are focused on Saint Patrick, but this group day tour from Belfast includes a visit to The Saint Patrick Centre, Down Cathedral, historic ruins of Monasterboice, and Dublin. There is also this private day tour by minivan from Belfast which focuses on Downpatrick sites and County Down.

Saint Patrick mosaic things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Games of Thrones Tour

The popular American HBO TV series Game of Thrones (2011-2019) was filmed primarily in Belfast at Titanic Studios, but also in a number of real-world locations around Northern Ireland. Over 20 filming locations have been used in Northern Ireland, most of them outdoors, to represent different locations such as Winterfell, Lordsport Harbour, Dothraki Grasslands, Kingsroad, Robb Stark’s camp, and the forest of the direwolves.

Note that some filming locations are on private land and are not accessible, but most are open to the public. The locations have included Tollymore Forest, Cushendun Caves, Murlough Bay, the Dark Hedges , Ballintoy Harbour, Larrybane, Castle Ward, Inch Abbey, and Downhill Strand.

You see this list of the Games of Thrones filming sites in Northern Ireland to help you plan your itinerary.

You can visit many of these locations on your own, or you can join a tour. If you want to be amongst other fans and learn more behind-the-scenes information, there are many Game of Thrones themed tours that leave from Belfast and focus on GoT sites and attractions. Many also include the chance to use props and dress up like characters from the Game of Thrones for photos. Some are even led by those who worked on the show.

Here are a few tour options to consider:

This full day tour includes 9 stops which include Dark Hedges, Ballintoy Harbor, Larrybane, and Cushenden Caves. Also visits the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge.
This GoT day tour includes filming locations such as Dark Hedges, Carnlough Harbour, Cusheden Caves and Dunluce Castle. Tour also includes the Giant’s Causeway and a view of the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge.
This full day GoT tour includes visits to Castle Ward, Inch Abbey, and Tollymore Forest.
This private guided day tour includes a guide who was an actors or extra in the Game of Thrones series

Go Whiskey Tasting

Ireland is well known for its whiskey and one of the most famous and oldest distilleries in Ireland is located in Northern Ireland. Along with Jameson in Dublin, Bushmills is one of the brands most associated with Irish whiskey worldwide.

Bushmills was established in 1784, although the first license to distill whiskey on the current site was granted back in 1608! Today, Bushmills is one of Ireland’s best selling Irish whiskey brands, offering both blended and single malt whiskeys. The whiskey is produced on the Bushmills Distillery site using water from Saint Columb’s Rill, a tributary of the River Bush.

Old Bushmills Distillery is a very popular place to visit and you can take a tour of the distillery to see how and where the whiskey is made, do a tasting, visit the gift shop, and/or have a meal here. Public tours are on a first come, first serve basis unless you are in a group of 15 or more so we recommend arriving at least 20 minutes before you want to do a tour. The distillery is about a 1.5 hour drive from Belfast city center.

Another whiskey distillery Echlinville Distillery , opened in 2013, also offers public tours and tastings. Be sure to make a reservation in advance if you wish to visit here. Echlinville was the first Northern Irish distillery to be granted a distilling license in almost 125 years! The distillery is located about a 50 minute drive from Belfast city center.

There are a number of distilleries expected to open throughout Ireland in the next several years, so if whiskey is a strong interest, I’d do some research on any recent openings. Just note that most distilleries when they first open are not offering their own whiskey yet.

If you do not have a car, you can reach Bushmills Distillery by bus or by a combo of bus and train. You can also book a private transfer or join a group tour that stops at the distillery, like this one .

Just note that most group tours only allow time for you to do a quick tasting, not a distillery tour.

Old Bushmills Distillery things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

Castles, Palaces, and Country Homes

The UK is known for its many castles, palaces, and stately homes, and Northern Ireland has several that are open to the public to visit. Most are located within a 1 hour drive of Belfast. Some are only open seasonally so do check dates and hours before planning your visit.

Here are several to get you started:

Carrickfergus Castle – A 12th century castle built for Sir John de Courcy alongside the Belfast Lough (3 sides are surrounded by water). Today it is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in Northern Ireland. This castle saw a lot of action and was besieged by the Scottish, Irish, English, and French and was used by the military until 1928. There is a fee to visit.
Castle Coole – A 18th-century neo-classical mansion and landscape park in Enniskillen that was built for the Corry family. The property is now owned and managed by the National Trust but many of the contents of the mansion are still owned by the Earl Belmore (Corry family) who still lives on the estate. The house is open to the public in the summer months and the estate is open year-round. There is a fee to visit.
Castle Ward – An 18th century mansion house built for Lord Bangor and his wife, known for having two different exterior architectural sides on each side (one side Palladian, one side Georgian Gothic). Estate also has a medieval tower house, farmyard, and gardens, and was home to the Ward family from 16th century until the estate was given to National Trust in 1952. Also a Game of Thrones filming location and there is a GOT archery experience offered here. There is a fee to visit.
Dunluce Castle – A 15th century castle ruin perched alongside the sea that was lived in by the MacDonnell family until around 1690. Castle ruins are a popular stop for visitors on the Causeway Coastal route. There is a fee to visit.
Hillsbourgh Castle – An 18th century Georgian house build for the Hill family. It is now an official government residence in Northern Ireland and managed by the Historic Royal Palaces. It is currently used as the residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the official residence of the British Monarch and other member of the British royal family when visiting the region. Fee to visit and best to book in advance if you want to visit the house interior as tickets numbers and tour times are limited.
Mount Stewart – A grand 19th-century neoclassical mansion house and garden in County Down built for the Marquesses of Londonderry. Now owned and managed by the National Trust. The property is well-known for its beautiful interiors, large collection of art and furniture, family memorabilia, and its world-class gardens. If you love gardens, we recommend visiting here in the late Spring or Summer months to see them in their full glory. Fee to visit.

Note that Castle Ward, Castle Coole, and Mount Stewart are all National Trust properties so members get free entrance. If you are planning to visit these, or other Trust properties in Northern Ireland such as the Giant’s Causeway or Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, you may save money with a National Trust Touring Pass .

Hillsborough Castle royal palace Northern Ireland things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland travel guide

So there is our list of things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland! Have you been to Belfast? If so, any favorites among the above or places you’d add to this list? If you haven’t visited yet, which of these Belfast attractions would make it on your Belfast itinerary?

As always, feel free to ask us any questions you may have about things to do in Belfast or planning a trip to Northern Ireland!

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A travel guide to the top things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland as well as suggestions on getting around, where to stay, and day trip ideas. Belfast is probably best known for Belfast Titanic (Titanic museum), street murals, and The Troubles, but there is a lot to do and see in Belfast. It also has a lively historic city center, the famous Titanic Quarter, fun pubs, excellent museums, beautiful gardens, and Victorian architecture. #Belfast #NorthernIreland #Belfasttravel #Titanic #travel

**Disclosure: We partnered with Discover Northern Ireland who helped us plan the logistics of our second trip to Belfast, and who also covered our accommodation and arranged some of our visits to local attractions in order for us to share our experiences as travel writers. However, as always, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. You can read more in our Ethics Code about how we accept work.**

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Evie mason Post author

December 21, 2023 at 3:50 am

I stumbled upon a fantastic Belfast itinerary that highlighted the must-visit spots in the city, and it really made my trip planning a breeze. So many helpful hints and great attractions reviewed here. The mention of the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre at Donegall Square was invaluable–helped me snag some discounts for my sightseeing tours and even a bike tour around the city.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

December 21, 2023 at 3:11 pm

Glad that you had such a wonderful visit to Belfast and that our Belfast Travel Guide was helpful to you in planning your trip. Sounds like you got a chance to do visit a lot of attractions and do a lot of tours, and glad you were able to find some discounts on a couple of your tours!

Best, Jessica

Janell Richison Post author

August 27, 2019 at 10:23 am

I love this site, and it is so informative, thanks so much. I am planning a trip in the very near future, after finding out my ancestry is far from what I thought it was, which I thought was just African and French, turned out to be anything but that. I did two test, and both came back with ties to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Finland, i.e. on the European side, and AMD (Age Macular Degeneration, being the only hereditary ailment, with a low risk, which is common in Ireland). In Ireland, the lineage points to Belfast, only; in Scotland, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Fife; in England Merseyside, Manchester, Wales, Lancashire, and Country Durham. That being said, is it possible to visit all of these places from Belfast? My twin and I would love to kill three birds with one stone. Any suggestions?

August 27, 2019 at 12:41 pm

Glad you are enjoying our travel blog! It is exciting to learn more about one’s genealogy and then go visit the places where one’s ancestors lived.

So it looks like your lineage points to all four countries of the UK: England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Wales is its own country (not part of England), but both are part of the UK. So that’s a lot of places to try to visit. How much time do you have? I’d recommend at least 2 weeks if you are trying to visit all these places.

Also note that some places you list are cities like Edinburgh and Manchester, but others are counties or regions like Lancashire and Fife, whereas one is an entire country (Wales). So unless you have a lot of time, you would want to narrow those places down to where you’d actually want to visit. For example, maybe you want to visit St. Andrews in Fife and Liverpool in Merseyside. Maybe you want to visit Cardiff and Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

Then I’d decide how you plan to get around. Are you wanting to get around by public transportation, join a tour (or series of tours), or drive yourself? Or some combination of those?

So yes, there are ferries that you can take from Belfast to Scotland as well as England. But you could not use it as a base to visit the other places as they are too far away. But it would be a good beginning or ending point for your trip.

If you want to try to see all (or most of these places) I’d probably recommend flying into London and leaving out of Belfast. Or flying into Belfast and leaving out of London.

Happy to help more once you have an idea of how much time you have and how you’d like to travel around the UK.

Tamara W Post author

July 22, 2019 at 8:33 pm

I love your site! It is very well organized. I’ve spent some time in Northern Ireland on two separate occasions and can vouch for all you have said about the people (the best that I’ve ever met….but I must include Dubliners, as well) and how they do not know their own land as well as they would like. I would like to add that the Mourne Mountains are GORGEOUS and about an hour’s cab drive (but trains go there as well).

My favorite spot is all the way down to the border to Rostrevor for Kilbroney Nature Park overlooking Carlingford Lough. Stunning landscape and views in summer when the heather is in bloom! Beautiful hiking with very good facilities. Also, there is a LOT to do in Bangor which is a 20-minute cab drive (trains and busses also will take you there) from Belfast City Center. In Bangor you will see the marina, the excellent North Down Museum, Bangor Castle and more. Birthplace of Christianity in Ireland! For C.S. Lewis fans, the Old Inn in Crawfordsburn nearby is where many literary authors used to hang out, and where C.S. Lewis took his friends and honeymooned with his wife Helen Joy Davidman. There is a statue to Amy Carmichael, missionary to southern India and founder of Dohnavur Fellowship there, at Hamilton Road Prebyterian Church, as Amy’s family was significant in Millisle where she was from, and then Belfast as well.

In Belfast, you can see her church and mission that is still going in the Shankill district (“The Welcome Evangelical Church” and its new facility for the disabled “The Amy Carmichael Center” next door). Down the road from the Mission is a statue of the mill worker girls called “shawlies” that Amy helped and the old mill where they worked is across the street from the statue. The Welcome church was built just for the mill girls so they could go to church. There are a HOST of C.S. Lewis sites: The Shand Theatre, Campbell College, St. Mark’s (where his grandfather was rector and there is a red door with a lion door pull that played a large part of Lewis’s Aslan imaginings), his home Little Lea on Circle Street, his mural on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour of Belfast, etc. I had more fun with the extremely friendly cab drivers showing them where these places are and what these Belfastians did that they were not aware of. They were happy to learn about it!

I am looking at your Dublin itinerary and will keep coming back as I am planning a third trip out to extend the trip. Glenlara Elite Travel did a WONDERFUL tour of the Antrim Coast if anyone is interested. Frances is an excellent tour guide and made our trip just amazing. Cave Hill park is one of my favorite in-town hikes. Also St. George’s Market in downtown for shopping.

July 23, 2019 at 3:50 am

Hi Tamara, So glad you are enjoying our posts on Dublin and Belfast and thanks for providing some of our favorite places in Northern Ireland. We have mainly explored Belfast and surround and then along the coast, but there is definitely much more to see in Northern Ireland and you have listed a number of places we have not been like Bangor. We will have to go there on our next visit! Yes, Cave Hill is nice place to hike in Belfast and we list a few places you might want to try next time if you haven’t been in our Belfast itinerary.

We agree that Dublin is great as well and plenty to do there and in the surrounding area! Wishing you a wonderful return to Ireland & Northern Ireland!

Bea Post author

December 31, 2018 at 2:41 am

I am very keen to visit Northern Ireland this year! Looks like I have great things to look forward to 🙂

January 1, 2019 at 1:28 pm

Hi Bea, Yes, there is lots to do and see in Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland. Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip. Best, Jessica

Anisa Post author

December 30, 2018 at 12:24 pm

I have wanted to go to Belfast for a few years now but haven’t made it yet. This is a great guide, so comprehensive as always. The Titanic Museum is top of my list, but I also want to go to Giants Causeway. Hopefully, I can find a weekend to fit it in soon. Happy New Year to you both

December 30, 2018 at 4:43 pm

Hi Anisa, Hope you can a chance to visit Belfast soon. Have a wonderful New Year’s! Best, Jessica

Lolo Post author

December 30, 2018 at 3:03 am

Quite an extensive guide to Belfast you have here! There definitely seems to be way more things to do than I originally knew about! I’m especially interested in the Opera House! Saved for later! Happy Holidays!

December 30, 2018 at 6:29 am

Hi Lolo, Yes, if you like opera houses, the Grand Opera House is the only Victorian theater remaining in Northern Ireland. It will be getting a facelift in 2020 😉 Best, Jessica

Anda Post author

December 29, 2018 at 3:53 pm

Excellent travel guide, like always! I’m going to bookmark this for our future travel plans. My husband and I always wanted to visit Ireland and if we make it there we’ll definitely want to see Belfast. Having so much useful information in one single post will make my life so much easier. I usually have to search the web for hours and hours, before I am able to put together a decent itinerary. Thanks for sharing this, Jessica. I wish you and Laurence a wonderful New Year!

December 29, 2018 at 4:57 pm

Hi Anda, Yes, I had been working on this post for a while and I actually took some places off the list that we visited as there were just so many. We were really surprised how many thing we have done there!

If you go to Ireland, I hope you get a chance to visit, there are lots of neat things to see/do in Belfast and Northern Ireland in general. All of Ireland is great of course (we still have much more to see ourselves!) but I do have some special feelings towards Belfast.

In many parts of the UK, people still look at you a bit strange if you say you are going to go spend time in Belfast as most people lived through The Troubles and you did not go to Belfast “for fun”. But we really have loved our two visits. On a few of the tours we did, we were the only people not from Ireland as so many Irish people told us that they never really had the chance to explore their own city growing up and they are excited about all the new things that are available now. It was really nice to be able to hear their stories and hear about how much they’ve seen the city change. It is great to hear about positive change and to see so many derelict buildings getting a second life.

Wishing you and your husband a wonderful 2019!!

Jill Post author

December 29, 2018 at 2:44 pm

I’m visiting Ireland for my first time next year and I’m so excited. Unfortunately, due to time constraints I won’t be visiting Northern Ireland but I am sure I will be back. I’ve heard such wonderful things about Belfast that I know I will visit it someday!

December 29, 2018 at 4:37 pm

Hi Jill, Ireland is a great country to explore and I am sure you’ll have a great trip. If you are going to Dublin, we do have a 3 day Dublin itinerary that may be useful in planning your time there. Northern Ireland will still be there next time, we’d recommend a week to see many of the highlights. Northern Ireland is easy to combine with a trip to the rest of Ireland as well as Scotland as well as there are regular daily ferries between the two 😉 Happy travels! Jessica

Belfast City Tour

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The city of Belfast developed between three rivers; the Blackstaff, Farset and the Lagan.

Join your local Belfast tour guide who will peel away the stories of these historic districts.

Discover the Victorian city, including the Albert Memorial Clock, known as ‘Belfast’s leaning tower’. See the city’s sectarian murals and contemplate a history of past conflict and present reconciliation at the moving Peace Wall.

Be amazed at this city of shipbuilding, hear the history of The Titanic Quarter and the new museum Titanic Belfast – an architectural landmark celebrating the industry and politics of Belfast at the start of the 20th century. Centering on the story of the ill-fated liner Titanic, built right here, this new, world-class museum has won international accolades.

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Belfast Free Walking Tour

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Belfast Free Walking Tour is the only local, independent free tour company in Belfast, and all of the guides love to share their city and its stories with visitors.

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Touring Around Belfast
We provide a great range of tours covering Belfast's troubles & political past, tours of world famous murals and tours around Northern Ireland's most scenic locations, inlcuding Game of Thrones. ... Larger than life Billy Scott is a tour guide veteran, who breaks into song just as quickly as he rattles off his patter about Belfast on his bus ...
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Billy works regularly for Northern Ireland tourist board, Tourism Ireland and works for many major tour operators such as CIE, EX Ire. McKinley & Kidd. and guides for college groups such as People to People. Touring Around Belfast, Billy Scott is a Bluebadge Guide with a vast experience of dealing with tourism requirements of all types.
The Black Cab Tour
Blue Badge Guide Billy Scott provides black cab mural tours, city tours, Giant's Causeway tours and walking and pub tours. This company specialises in black cab political mural tours and guided car, coach or walking tours across Northern Ireland. Billy Scott is a Blue Badge certified tour guide, which is the highest standard of achievement both ...
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Belfast Black Cab Tour. The Black Cab Tour brings you into the areas you've seen on television, where we use the murals to relate to events fr [...] Find out more. ... +44 (0) 77 9860 2401. [email protected]. Tours. About. Testimonials. Contact ©2024 Touring Around Belfast | Website by Element Seven.
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He is passionate about Northern Ireland and loves sharing all the great locations and experiences available for visitors. His passions include the Belfast and the Titanic stories, The Giants Causeway, Antrim Coast and Derry's Walls. Email: [email protected]. Mobile: 0044 7828 176 076.
A Tour of The Street Art of Belfast
A guide to Belfast street art, including the cultural and political artworks in the city. Finding the Universe. Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor ... The Black Cab Mural tour, led by blue badge guide Billy Scott, is both a tour of the city itself, and also an insight into Belfast's troubled recent history, known as the The ...
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2 persons. £50.00 activity. 3 persons or more. £20.00 activity. Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis. Touring Around Belfast. Belfast Black Cab Tour Experience, Touring around Belfast from Discover Northern Ireland on Vimeo. Play. Season 1 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024.
A private, black cab tour of The Troubles
These are photos from the phenomenal Blackcab political tour of The Troubles with the legendary Billy Scott. This guy is a pro. All of the testimonials on his website are exactly how I experienced his tour. He told me the tour was going to be about 1 ½-2 hours. It took 3 hours and 40 minutes! He really took his time with me. All for only £30!
Belfast and Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland
The Black Cab Tour with Billy Scott. ... Still, I enjoyed my experience at Touring Around Belfast with local and blue badge-certified guide Billy Scott. With classic Northern Irish humor and a passionate knowledge of his hometown, I learned all about this unique city and even visited a particularly moving landmark that may very well be gone in ...
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per group (up to 6) Giants Causeway private tour from Belfast. 29. Full-day Tours. from. £699.00. per group (up to 7) Belfast Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours. 141.
The Perfect Northern Ireland Road Trip
There is plenty to do here, including a visit to Titanic Belfast and a Black Taxi Tour. Read the full Belfast city guide here. Taking a black taxi tour with Billy Scott. It was a great five day Northern Ireland road trip with some amazing food and gorgeous scenery. If you have the time, I would recommend taking a week to drive the route for a ...
The Underrated Irish City You Should Have On Your Radar
Visit West Belfast offers great walking, bus, and taxi tours, and I had two outstanding Blue Badge guides in Touring Around Belfast's Billy Scott and Dee Morgan of DeeTours Ireland—both ...
2 Days in Belfast: A 48 Hour Belfast Itinerary
The Black cab tour we took was run by Belfast local Billy Scott. Billy knows a great deal about the local history of the city, and seemed to know hundreds of people - often waving out the cab window to wish hello to folks passing by. He's also a registered Blue Badge guide, which is the highest level of qualification awarded to tour guides ...
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Belfast City Walking Tours and Coach Guide Services provide fully qualified and experienced local guide. Find Out More. Belfast Free Walking Tour. 3.74 KM. ... Blue Badge Guide Billy Scott provides black cab mural tours, city tours, Giant's Causeway tours and walking and pub tours.
Northern Ireland guide: Belfast
Travel content creator The Curious Pixie - aka Sima Sthanakiya - explores Belfast with help from passionate local and Blue Badge guide Billy Scott. Jump to content UK News Website of the Year 2024
How to spend a long weekend in Belfast
Anything that guide Billy Scott, who's been running tours of the city for 25 years, doesn't know about Belfast, probably isn't worth knowing. With a steady stream of anecdotes, local lore and historical facts he paints a colourful picture of the city's past, present and future. ... Flights from London to Belfast start from £50 for a ...
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If you find yourself in Belfast,be sure to look up the bauld Billy. "His business card reads: "coach guide-walking guide-driver" but Billy is much more than that. He's the tour guides answer to amateur dramatics-and Belfast is his stage.Simply put, he's pretty fantastic." Kelly Clarke - Khaleej Times - 15th April 2017
Black Taxi Tours advice : r/Belfast
Agreed, took a tour with Billy recently and he was fantastic, found him to be very balanced and empathetic. He has a great knowledge of Belfast's and N.I. history and culture which also he shared in a very entertaining manner. 100% recommend if you're considering a black taxi tour.
40 Things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland
Black cab tour with driver guide Billy Scott Victoria Square Shopping Centre. Victoria Square is a centrally located public square and the area is a popular place for shopping and dining. The Victoria Square Shopping Centre is a 4-storey shopping mall and leisure complex opened in 2008. It contains a number of stores, restaurants, a spa, and a ...
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Take a trip to see the Giant's Causeway and enjoy the natural beauty of the North Antrim Coast along the way. Discover the story for yourself. Take a guided tour along the beautiful North Antrim Coast and stop off at the historical Giant's Causeway. Explore the science, myth and legends that surround this natural wonder.
Belfast City Tour
Join your local Belfast tour guide who will peel away the stories of these historic districts. Discover the Victorian city, including the Albert Memorial Clock, known as 'Belfast's leaning tower'. See the city's sectarian murals and contemplate a history of past conflict and present reconciliation at the moving Peace Wall.
Belfast finds comedy, irony in its history
Tour guide taxi driver Billy Scott says reporter David Bateman should write "something deep and meaningful" on the "peace" wall separating the Catholic Falls Rd. and Protestant Shankill Rd.
Belfast Free Walking Tour
This is the only local, independent free tour company in Belfast, and all of the guides love to share their city and its stories with visitors. On the tour, explore the history of the city and its people, visiting iconic landmarks such as: ... Blue Badge Guide Billy Scott provides black cab mural tours, city tours, Giant's Causeway tours and ...
Jack the Ripper: From Hell to Belfast
Tickets are now available for Jack the Ripper: From Hell to Belfast - true crime walking tour at Belfast City Hall, Belfast. Tickets are now available for Jack the Ripper: From Hell to Belfast - true crime walking tour at Belfast City Hall, Belfast on Thu 19 Dec 2024 at 6:30PM. ... • Your guide is a professional Level 4 tour guide and keen ...

A private, black cab tour of The Troubles – Belfast, Northern Ireland

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How to spend a long weekend in Belfast

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