The capital of Northern Ireland is a lively, historic city with a rich culture. The city suffered a lot during the later part of the 20th century during The Troubles but is now a thriving, beautiful city. As well as having excellent museums detailing the city’s turbulent past, Belfast is a colourful city full of street murals, botanical gardens and beautiful monuments. The stunning city is the inspiration behind incredible literature such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Gulliver’s Travels. Belfast is also the gateway to the rest of Northern Ireland with excellent connections to incredible places across the country.
Admire the view from Victoria Square
Victoria Square is the main shopping centre in the heart of Belfast. The shopping centre meets all your shopping desires with both bargain and luxury stores as well as a floor dedicated to restaurants and a cinema. However, the most interesting part of the shopping centre is the top floor. The Dome at Victoria Square has a viewing platform which offers 360° panoramic views across Belfast city centre. The in-house guide is on hand to point out local attractions, iconic landmarks and points of interest. The Dome also hosts yoga sessions one Sunday a month to enjoy your practice with a view.
Price: Free
Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30am-6pm and Sunday 1pm-6pm
Take a tour of City Hall
Belfast City Hall is the home of Belfast City Council and a beautiful piece of architecture located in the centre of the city. The hall is a Grade A Listed building and one of Belfast’s most iconic landmarks. Free public tours are offered allowing visitors to uncover the history of Belfast City Hall and explore some of the finest rooms and features of the building. The grounds are home to a number of monuments and memorials including the Titanic Memorial Garden. By night, the city hall is illuminated showcasing the building’s beautiful architectural features and the grounds also host the city’s annual Christmas market.
Price: Free
Hours: Daily 7am-7pm
Discover the true story of Titanic
The infamous ship Titanic was designed, built and launched in Belfast and Titanic Belfast is the world’s largest Titanic visitors attraction. Titanic Belfast documents the story of the ship’s conception, build, launch and disastrous maiden voyage through nine galleries. The experience is self-guided and located next to the offices and dock which gave birth to the Titanic. After a visit to the attraction, you can also enjoy a drink or a bite to eat next door at Titanic Hotel in the very room where the ship was designed.
Price: £19 (adults), £8.50 (5-16 years) and under 5’s free.
Hours: Opening days and times vary by month, please check official website.
Take a black cab tour
One of the most popular things to do during a visit to Belfast is to take a black cab tour. A number of companies offer city tours in a taxi providing a unique way to discover and learn about Belfast’s troubled past. The Northern Ireland conflict known as The Troubles spanned from 1968 to 1998 and your personal guide will drive you through the city taking you to the peace walls, political murals and some areas of the city which were hugely affected by The Troubles. A black cab tour is a great way to understand the city of Belfast and its history.
Price: Varies by operator
Hours: Varies by operator
Explore Belfast Botanic Gardens
Belfast Botanic Gardens is a public garden and a popular meeting place for locals, visitors and even students due to its proximity to Queen’s University. The gardens are a part of Belfast’s Victorian heritage and offer beautiful grounds to stroll or enjoy a picnic as well as boasting the incredible Palm House. The Palm House contains a wealth of exotic tree species and impressive collections of tropical plants. The gardens are Belfast’s loveliest green space and offer a great place to relax.
Price: Free
Hours: Daily 7:30am-7pm
Get locked in Crumlin Road Gaol
Crumlin Road Gaol closed its doors in 1996 after functioning as a prison since the Victorian era. Seventeen men have been executed within its walls during its 150-year history and the gaol has a dark and disturbing past. Prisoners have included men, women and children being held for all degrees of crime. Inmates were also politically segregated leading to conflict, explosions and escape. The guided tour is incredibly informative providing an insight into the stories that unfolded inside the gaol walls and allowing you to explore the rooms and grounds of ‘The Crum’.
Price: Adults from £10.80 and children from £5. The tour is unsuitable for children under the age of 5 and/or of a sensitive nature.
Hours: Daily 11am-3:30pm
Visit C. S. Lewis Square
S. Lewis Square is a public space commemorating the work of the Belfast-born author. The square features seven bronze sculptures from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe including Aslan, Mr Tumnus and The White Witch. C.S. Lewis Square is a stunning public art display allowing classic literature fans to rediscover The Chronicles of Narnia. As well as taking a personal visit, you can also join a tour from Hidden Ulster Tours who offer a 45-minute experience detailing the life and work of one of the world’s most influential writers.
Price: Free (tours are an additional cost)
Hours: 24/7 (tour times vary)
Join a tour to Giant’s Causeway
Giant’s Causeway is located 50 miles from the city of Belfast, however, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-visit during a visit to Northern Ireland with Belfast offering incredible tours and transport options departing from the city. Giant’s Causeway is a spectacular nature preserve made up of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed from an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. The site is a stunning and unique area of Northern Ireland offering breathtaking sights. In recent years, tourism at Giant’s Causeway has dramatically increased due to the area being a filming location for the popular Game of Thrones.
Price: Adults £13 and children £6.50 (tour and transport prices vary by operator)
Hours: Dawn to dusk (tour and transport times vary by operator)
Experience nature at Cave Hill Country Park
Cave Hill Country Park is a rural space overlooking the city of Belfast with incredible panoramic views from various points of Cave Hill. The park is an adventurous playground offering challenging walking routes, orienteering courses and casual walking trails. The grounds are also home to a number of archaeological sites and the stunning Belfast Castle. The estate contains landscaped gardens and intriguing woodland areas to explore whilst the feature known as Napoleon’s Nose was the inspiration for Jonathan Swift’s Gullivers Travels.
Price: Free
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9am-10pm and Sunday to Monday 9am-5:30pm
Enjoy the street art on a walking tour
As a city with such a rich history and strong culture, the street art in Belfast is on top form. There is an abundance of moving, political murals due to the city’s troubling history as well as incredible non-political street art to be discovered throughout the city. Street art has flourished in Belfast and the walls have become galleries for talented, local artists. Street art walking guides can be found online highlighting the best street art spots in the city and guided tours can also be joined.
Price: Free
Hours: 24/7
Unravel history at Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum is a national history museum with ancient artefacts, war relics and taxidermy similar to a lot of national history museums. However, the highlight of Ulster Museum is the incredible exhibition on The Troubles. The Troubles is the common name given to the severe conflict in Northern Ireland in the 20th century and the exhibition provides an informative insight into such a difficult time within the country. The Troubles is a monumental piece of Northern Irish history and Ulster Museum is a great way to understand the story of the country.
Price: Free
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm
Belfast has so many layers with a lot of depth, fascinating history and incredible culture. The beauty of the city can be experienced and enjoyed within a couple of days but Belfast also offers excellent connections to the rest of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to the South. Belfast is a magnificent and intriguing city to explore and a must-visit as part of a trip to the UK or the island of Ireland.
