Activities & Attractions in Belfast

What to do, what to see and where to go in Northern Ireland's capital city

For such a small and compact city, Belfast has an amazing array of activities and attractions for you to choose from. There are not too many cities in which you can visit a world-class visitor experience, see a top-class rugby team, take in a blistering ice hockey game and visit the stomping grounds of one of the greatest musicians of all time. Belfast is one of those cities where there is a story on every street.

An unmissable visit to Titanic Belfast

Catching your first glimpse of Titanic Belfast in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, is an unforgettable moment. 1,000 workers spent four years on the construction of this landmark building. When it was completed in 2012 nothing of its kind had ever been seen in Ireland before. It is a stunning work of architecture and design. The shimmering glass and aluminum building dominates the area. It even manages to outshine Harland and Wolff’s two great yellow cranes - Samson and Goliath.

Inside is no less impressive and the story of the Titanic, its building, its people and its fate is told with cutting edge interactive tools that bring the whole thing to life. We’ve said it once, but we will say it again: this is without doubt one of the top things to do in Belfast.

A room with a view and two mountains too

You’ll catch another glimpse of the biblical cranes from the Dome at Victoria Square. This glass dome rises high above the city’s skyline and boasts 360-degree views across Belfast. It’s completely free and, should you feel the urge to, as they say, buy the T-shirt, there is a rather large shopping centre right underneath.

The best views of the city however are out in the mountains. Both Divis and the Black mountain offer a fantastic trail along the edge of Belfast’s hills, but be warned that it will take you half a day to complete and you’ll need a good pair of walking shoes. Although a little steeper, you might be better venturing up to Cave Hill and looking over the city from there. Locals know the hill as Napoleon's Nose and according to legend its resemblance to the face of a sleeping giant, gave Jonathan Swift the inspiration for Gulliver.

There are several routes you can take to the top of Cave Hill but the most popular, and probably best, is via the stunning Belfast Castle. There has been a castle of some sort on this site since the 12th century. John Lanyon designed and completed this spectacular sandstone construction in 1870. Inside, the Castle Tavern and Cellar Restaurant offer breakfast, lunch and dinner but you might want to wait until you’re down the hill for that!

Botanic, Queens and surrounding areas in Belfast

Closer to sea level and the city centre, you need to visit the city’s famous Botanic Gardens. Even if you’re not so keen on horticulture, it’s a soothing spot for a stroll, to take a book or have a picnic with your family. Fans of the BBC/RTE series The Fall will recognise it, but we sadly can’t promise you’ll bump into Jamie Dornan when you go. You will however see a statue of Lord Kelvin who invented the Kelvin Scale, used to measure temperatures. There is also the spectacular Palm House built by Charles Lanyon in 1839.

Right next to the wonderful gardens, are the grounds of Queen’s University. Ranked well within the top 200 universities in the world, Queen’s has always been a beacon of learning in Northern Ireland. It has produced some of the land’s finest minds. As well as politicians, presidents and prime ministers there have been poets Seamus Heaney and Paul Muldoon, actors Liam Neeson and Stephen Rea and the BBC’s finest disc jockey, Annie Mac. The rather functional-looking Whitla Hall played host to Jimi Hendrix on his 25th birthday.

Trace the tunes of Van Morrison

Did somebody mention music? Well you’re in Belfast, so it’s never far away. So let’s get onto Van Morrison. Crossing over the Lagan from the Botanic Gardens and walking or cycling through the city’s oldest public park, Ormeau Park, will take you to Elm Grove Primary School. It doesn't look like much, but this is where Van the Man attended primary school and it is the starting point of the Van Morrison Trail. If you have even a passing interest in “Van the Man” then this 3.5km tour is well worth following. This area inspired much of Morrison’s acclaimed album, Astral Weeks, and on the tour you’ll find out why. It’s a lovely thing to do in Belfast as it gives you an insight into a man whose soul was steeped in the city.

More sport than you could shake an ice hockey stick at

Speaking of Belfast Giants, sports fans will want to consider taking in a game of ice hockey and seeing the current Elite League Champions at their home in the SSE Arena. And followers of rugby will not want to miss a Friday night at the Kingspan Stadium, an often raucous but always good-natured stadium. This is the home of Ulster Rugby where you can get up close and personal with some of the world’s greatest exponents of the game... while enjoying a few pints.

Do some time in The Crum

You’ll hear more about locks and wings when you visit the impressive Crumlin Road Gaol. Known locally as ‘The Crum’, this was an active prison until 1996. Since then it has become an extremely popular tourist attraction. The prison tours are top-class.

Finish with food and drink at the Victorian St George’s Market

Morning is the best time to visit the beautiful St. George’s Market. This bustling indoor street market hosts around 300 traders, artists, musicians, and food vendors. It is open Friday to Sunday and is the perfect place to soak up a bit of local atmosphere while trying local produce. It’s yet another unique experience that Belfast has to offer.

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St Patrick's Church Belfast

Belfast

Address

199 Donegall Street, Belfast, CountyAntrim, BT1 2FL

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9032 4597

stpatricks@downandconnor.org

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Churches & Sacred Sites

The Gothic Revival St Patrick's was designed by Timonthy Hevey and Mortimer Thomspon and consecrated in 1877. The first Church was built on this site in 1815 and was the second Catholic Church built since the Reformation in the city of Belfast.

Price
Free

More Info
Dunmurry Golf Club

Belfast

Address

91 Dunmurry Lane, Dunmurry, Belfast, County Antrim, BT17 9JS

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9061 0834

info@dunmurrygolfclub.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

In 1983, Dunmurry Golf Club moved from its original location north of Dunmurry village to a site overlooking the River Lagan and adjacent to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park. With views up the Lagan valley to the south and north towards the Belfast.

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025

More Info
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on site
Victoria Park

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Oasis for wildlife in Belfast

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Shandon Park Mound

Belfast

Address

Shandon Park, Knock, Belfast, County Antrim, BT5 6NW

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Shandon Park Mound is one of Belfast’s few surviving medieval earthworks, reached by a path between numbers 45 & 47 Shandon Park, Knock. The mound is strategically sited on high ground with extensive views.

Price
Free

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Street Art Walking Tour

Belfast

Address

Commercial Court, (starting point), Belfast, Antrim, BT1 2NB

Telephone
+44 (0) 7843 590 097

info@seedheadarts.com

Type

Type:

Arts and Culture tours

Belfast is a place where street art has flourished & artists from around the world have come to paint. Devised and led by the local artists this is a two hour, gently paced guide to the ever changing face of street art in the Cathedral Quarter.

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George Best Trail

Belfast

Address

Avalon House, 278-280 Newtownards Road, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT4 1HE

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9045 1900

visitorcentre@eastsidepartnership.com

Type

Type:

Self-guided tour

The George Best Trail guides you through the football legend’s humble beginnings in east Belfast. It will guide you to places of interest including his family home, the local playing fields and his favourite east Belfast haunts.

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Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
427 reviews
Colin Glen

Belfast

Address

163 Stewartstown Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT17 0HW

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9061 4115

reception@colinglen.org

Type

Type:

Forest Parks

Colin Glen is Ireland’s leading adventure park - a land of storytelling and a state of the art sports park with world class attractions. From Alpine coasteering to laser tag, golfing to the Gruffalo Trail, Colin Glen has adventure for everyone.

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on Premises
Roddy McCorley Republican Heritage Centre

Belfast

Address

Moyard House, 203 Glen Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT11 8BU

Telephone
02890 300480

info@roddymccorley.com

Type

Type:

Visitor Centres & Museums

Discover the story of 200 years of Irish Republicanism told through the prism of a unique collection of locally gathered and curated historical artefacts from The Society of United Irishmen of 1798 through to the present day.

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on Premises
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wi-fi available
City Sightseeing Belfast

Belfast

Address

c/o CitySightseeing Belfast, 10 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT2 7BA

Telephone
+44 (0) 2890 321 321

george@citysightseeingbelfast.com

Type

Type:

Sightseeing

The Belfast City Sightseeing Hop-on / Hop-off Open-top bus tour provides you with a comprehensive look at Belfast city and allows you to explore every area and district of this unique place. Our tour operates seven days per week.

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Holywood Town Walk and Cultural Trail

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

A short historical walk around the town of Holywood

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Divis Ridge Trail

Belfast

Address

Divis Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT17 0NG

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Circular walk with stunning views over Belfast City

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Mount Ober Footgolf

Belfast

Address

24 Ballymaconaghy Road, Ballymaconaghy, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT8 6SB

Telephone
+44 (0) 7767 844 377

belfastfg@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Mini Golf and Pitch and Putt

Footgolf is played on a golf course using a size 5 football. The object of the game is to get the ball into the hole using only your feet in the fewest number of shots possible.

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Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)

Belfast

Address

2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, County Antrim, BT3 9HQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9053 4800

proni@communities-ni.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Ancestry / Tracing Your Routes

PRONI holds an extensive range of private archives and is the main venue for researching family and local history or for discovering the economic, social and political history of Northern Ireland.

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Helen's Bay Golf Club

Helen's Bay

Address

Golf Road, Helen's Bay, County Down, BT19 1TL

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9185 2815

mail@helensbaygc.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

Helen’s Bay Golf Club is one of the prettiest golf courses in the North Down/Greater Belfast area. Founded in 1896, it nestles on a gentle hill over Belfast Lough in the middle of a quaint village.

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Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on site
McConnell's Distillery & Visitor Experience

Belfast

Address

Crumlin Road Gaol, 53-55 Crumlin Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT14 6ST

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9590 2929

tickets@belfastdistillery.com

Price
Price £25.00 Per Ticket to £45.00 Activity

Type

Type:

Distillery

McConnell’s Distillery, located in North Belfast in the historic A-wing of Crumlin Road Gaol, opens this Spring. This state of the art distillery will host guided tours sharing the unique story of the McConnell’s brand and the history of distilling…

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Price £25.00 Per Ticket to £45.00 Activity

More Info
Facilities

Catering
- Licensed
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
- Wi-fi available
Hilden Brewery

Lisburn

Address

90-192 Grand Street, Hilden, Lisburn, County Antrim, BT27 4TY

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9266 0800

info@hildenbrewery.co.uk

Type

Type:

Brewery

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. *CURRENTLY CLOSED TO VISITORS*

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Giant's Causeway & Rope Bridge Tour from Belfast

Belfast

Address

10 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT2 7BN

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9032 1912

info@citytoursbelfast.com

Price
Price £25.00 to £28.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Sightseeing

Travel Along the famous coastal route as you depart the city and hug the famous coastal road to the mighty giants causeway, be fully guided and learn about famous myths & legends.

Price
Price £25.00 to £28.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Balmoral Golf Club

Belfast

Address

518 Lisburn Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT9 6GX

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9038 1514

admin@balmoralgolf.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

One of Northern Ireland's finest parkland course. Situated in the leafy suburbs of South Belfast close to the city centre.

More Info
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on site
Divis Summit Trail

Belfast

Address

Divis Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT17 0NG

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Circular walk on the summit of Divis

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Cregagh Glen and Lisnabreeny

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

This route follows an attractive glen into the Castlereagh Hills with superb views over the city from the top.

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)