Here’s a quick rundown of our top picks of things to do and see in Belfast!
Northern Ireland’s capital has been attracting all the right attention in the last few years. With Michelin-starred restaurants, award winning visitor attractions and a grand parade of stars of music, stage and screen attached to it, it’s no wonder people are coming in their droves to see what all the fuss is about. Before you hop on board that plane or boat or train and come to say hello, here’s a quick pick from our top picks of things to do and see in Belfast.
Bag the big one: Titanic Belfast
You can’t visit Belfast without seeing the world's leading tourist attraction Titanic Belfast. Walk the decks and uncover the true legend of Titanic in the city that built her. After a visit to the unmissable Titanic Belfast follow it up by taking a dander around the Titanic Quarter where you can find out more about the area, Harland and Wolff and its impact on Belfast as a whole.
Tour the Queen’s Quarter
Belfast’s leafy Queen’s Quarter is a treasure trove of shops, cafés and bars. It’s also home to the Ulster Museum and the beautiful Botanic Gardens. Don’t forget to pop into Queen’s University and there’s a hidden gem for film lovers at the Queen's Film Theatre.
Get a taste for St George’s Market and around
First on the list for foodies is a tasty trip to the award-winning St. George's Market. You’ll also love the cobbled streets of the cool and funky Cathedral Quarter with its quirky bars and top-class restaurants. Arties (there’s a new word for you) will love the galleries at The MAC and they might check out what’s on at the wee Black Box venue. Keep an eye out for the famous Big Fish sculpture, known locally as the Salmon of Knowledge, where every scale is a tile, and every tile tells a Belfast tale.
Be captivated by Cave Hill
For stunning views of the city, Belfast Lough, County Down and, on a clear day, Scotland, head a short distance out of town up to Cave Hill. You can conquer this mountain from various roads, but just be sure you leave via Belfast Castle so you can celebrate your conquest with a whiskey, tea or a meal at its tavern or restaurant.
Hear our rugby roar
Once you’ve tackled Cave Hill you might be on for seeing others do some tackling down at the home of Ulster Rugby, the Kingspan Stadium. There’s nothing quite like an evening at this place when Ulster are in full flow and the crowd are at their loudest.
Take a cycle tour off the beaten track
If you’re eager to get on your bike and see the city then check out Belfast City Bike Tours. These guys will take you to the aforementioned Queen’s Quarter but from there they’ll take you off the beaten track towards the Lagan Towpath, Shaw’s Bridge, Minnowburn Beeches and Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park before stopping at the Hilden Brewery near the city of Lisburn. Here you’ll get a short tour of Ireland’s oldest independent brewery along with a light meal and tasting tour.
Follow in the footsteps of our favourite sons
Pele called George Best the greatest footballer ever and you can’t argue with a three time winner of the World Cup. The Manchester United star’s home at 16 Burren Way is now available as a holiday rental but even if you’re not staying you can still visit the neighbourhood he grew up in. East Belfast is home to another famous son, Van Morrison, and if you’re any sort of a fan the Van Morrison Trail is one of the top tours in the city.
Experience our music in full flow
Speaking of music please don’t leave Belfast without taking in a traditional Irish music session. It’s not hard to find a pub in full flow. Try The Sunflower, where there’s hearty Irish stew too or Kelly’s Cellars, where there’s often visiting traditional musicians.
Make a break for our gaol
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Courtesy of Crumlin Road Gaol
It might come as something of a surprise but one of the most popular visitor attractions in Belfast is Crumlin Road Gaol. Though it stopped operating in 1996 there is a lingering fascination about this place and it is an experience not to be missed. The guided tours around the jail are full of fascinating characters and it really offers a jaw-dropping insight into local history.
Hang out at the City Hall
Having come through the grittiness of that particular visit you might like to relax on the lawns of Belfast City Hall before visiting the Titanic Memorial Garden or taking a guided tour of this beautiful and ornate building.
Visit a Victorian gem
Not far from here you’ll find The Grand Opera House. This is a Belfast cultural and architectural gem just around the corner from another gem the Crown Liquor Saloon, a Victorian gin palace with more hideaways than a C.S. Lewis fantasy.
Treat yourself to a bit of Belfast luxury
The sense of style and grandeur continues in The Great Room Restaurant in The Merchant Hotel (5*). A very special lunch or dinner venue which offers a sumptuous space to appreciate and enjoy the gastronomic delights on offer.
How many days did you say you were staying? You might need a few more.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, we strongly advise checking in advance before you travel to your intended destination to ensure its open and book tickets if applicable.
Welcome to Titanic Belfast, an award-winning visitor experience offering the opportunity to learn about Titanic’s history, just a few minutes from where the ship herself was famously designed, built and launched in 1911. This self-guided tour tells the Titanic’s story from conception through to its first and final journey across the Atlantic, as well as the historical and cultural impact on Belfast and beyond.
Ulster Museum is home to treasures past and present. There’s something for art lovers, history buffs, inquisitive kids and the culturally curious! For a fun family day out dive into the Discovery Centres: Discover Art, Discover History and Discover Nature, where you can try on costumes from the past, get hands-on with specimens and create your own art to take home.
First established in 1828, the gardens have been enjoyed as a public park by the people of Belfast since 1895. There is an extensive rose garden and long herbaceous borders and the tree enthusiast can seek out the rare oaks planted in the 1880s.
The fine façade of the Main Building, designed by Charles Lanyon, conceals a quiet, restful quadrangle. This was the original Queen's College: the University has expanded throughout the immediate area, including all the houses on University Square.
QFT shows the very best in new and classic world cinema and hosts local & international film festivals & seasons throughout the year with regular theatrical premieres. Monthly special events include Q&As with filmmakers and cast. Fully licensed bar.
St George’s Market one of Belfast’s oldest attractions and is one of the best markets in the UK and Ireland. It has been voted for numerous local and national awards for its fresh, local produce and great atmosphere.
The MAC is one of Europe’s leading art centres, situated in the heart of Belfast. Recently nominated a finalist for the Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2015, the award-winning venue has welcomed some 800,000 visitors since it opened.
A home for live music, theatre, literature, comedy, film, visual art, live art, circus, cabaret and all points in between.
Cave Hill Country Park gets its name from five caves, which could be early iron mines, located on the side of the main Belfast cliffs. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views across Belfast from vantage points on the hillside.
Belfast Castle estate is situated on the lower slopes of Cave Hill Country Park in North Belfast. It contains both parkland and mature mixed woodland and offers superb views of the city from a variety of vantage points.
Journey through the history of rugby in Ulster with a self-guided tour of The Nevin Spence Centre. Using archive objects, footage and interactives, visitors can discover the roots of Ulster Rugby.
Embark on an exciting three-hour bicycle tour of the city of Belfast, suitable for all group sizes.
Minnowburn is 128 acres of woodland and countryside, owned by the National Trust and situated between the Giant's Ring and Lagan. A network of paths allow visitors to enjoy all of the property, including a stunning viewpoint over the Lagan Valley.
The beautiful Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park comprises rolling meadows, woodland, riverside fields and formal gardens which includes the famous rose garden. Visitors to the park can also enjoy a walled garden, a Japanese-style garden with water features for quiet contemplation, a very popular children's playground, an orienteering course and many walks.
Hilden Brewery is Ireland's Oldest Independent Brewery. We have been running for over 40 years and in the last seven have added a second brew house, a bottling line and a canning line.
George Best House, retro- refurbished to a 1960s style, is available to book for overnight stays where you can experience life in the house for George before he left east Belfast, aged 15, to join Manchester United in 1961. Visitors can enjoy; flicking through old school reports and letters a young George sent to his parents; looking at personal family photos on the walls as well as iconic images from George’s illustrious career and exploring an illustrated timeline of George’s football career and achievements.
The Van Morrison Trail will take you on a journey through the east Belfast of Van's youth. The Trail is a wonderful opportunity for you to visit some of the places that Morrison knew as a child growing up.
Sunflower is a simple corner pub, it is free of gimmicks or themes, and it is one of the few remaining. It is instantly recognisable by the security cage on its front door, a relic from 1980s Belfast. Music is very much part of the pub's life.
In the heart of Belfast's city centre, this pub has maintained the friendly atmosphere of over 250 years ago. With a long tradition of quality beer and fine food, Kelly's Cellars offers all customers a chance to enjoy the perfect pint of Guinness.
On the 31st March 1996 Crumlin Road Gaol slammed shut its doors for what many thought would be the final time, but, on the 19th November 2012 the chains fell off and HMP Belfast was reborn as one of Belfast's most popular visitor attractions.
Completed in 1906, Belfast City Hall is a magnificent Baroque Revival 'wedding cake' built to reflect Belfast's city status, granted by Queen Victoria in 1888. The grounds are also used for many events from continental markets to open air concerts.
Since opening its doors on 23 December 1895, the Grand Opera House has delivered an unrivalled programme of entertainment, playing host to some of the greatest names in theatre and music.
You will find The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast within a short stroll of Europa Hotel, Grosvenor Road and Glengall Street - however, you won't find another like it.
The Great Room Restaurant offers a sumptuous space evoking timeless grandeur. A fitting setting for gastronomic delights inspired by the classics. One can taste the subtle flavours of each component, each element complementing one another perfectly.
Situated in the heart of Belfast city centre's historic Cathedral Quarter, The award-winning 5 AA Red star Merchant Hotel is a harmonious blend of Victorian grandeur and Art Deco inspired sleek modernity with award-winning restaurants and cocktail bar, a tranquil spa and rooftop gym and hot tub.
