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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Number of results: 256

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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)
Movilla Abbey

Newtownards

Address

Movilla Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 8EZ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Abbey / Priory

Movilla Abbey, Methodist and Church of Ireland.
As important as Bangor, Movilla was associated with Saint Finian of the 6th-century. As with many early monasteries, it was refounded as an Augustinian abbey in the Norman 12th century.

Price
Free

More Info
Belfast Print Workshop

Belfast

Address

Cotton Court, 30 – 42 Waring Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 2ED

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9023 1323

office@bpw.org.uk

Type

Type:

Art & Photography

The longest established resource in Northern Ireland for artists wanting to work in the various printmaking media to create original art work.

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Funky Monkeys - Cityside Centre, Children's Indoor Play Centre

Belfast

Address

Cityside Retail Park, 100 - 150 York Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT11 1WA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9074 4370

cityside@funkymonkeysni.co.uk

Type

Type:

Indoor Play Area

Funky Monkeys Soft Play Café are NI’s leading indoor play centres for children aged eight and under, featuring play frame equipment which has been specifically designed through the recognition that children can learn and develop their minds.

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
E-Bike Tour and Rental

Belfast

Address

Queens Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT3 9DT

Telephone
+ 44 (0) 7908 111 720

umovee-bikes@outlook.com

Price
Price £35.00 to £75.00 Activity

Type

Type:

Guided Tour

Explore Belfast like never before with our E-Bike rentals and tours. Glide effortlessly through the city’s top sights—from the Titanic Quarter to the bustling Cathedral Quarter — while skipping traffic and making a sustainable choice. Perfect for…

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Price £35.00 to £75.00 Activity

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Facilities

Accessibility
- Ramp / Level Access
- Ramp to main entrance
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wi-fi available
Crawfordsburn Country Park, Glen Walk

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Gently undulating walk through mature beech wood, closely following the course of the Crawford's Burn.

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Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
St Mark's Church

Belfast

Address

217 Holywood Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT4 2DH

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9065 4090

office.dundela@down.anglican.org

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Churches & Sacred Sites

This was CS Lewis’ local church in which he was baptised on 29 January 1899 and confirmed on 6 December 1914. There is a stained glass window in the church, donated by the Lewis brothers in memory of their parents, designed by Irish artist M. Healy.

Price
Free

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Parliament Buildings, Stormont

Belfast

Address

Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT4 3XX

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9052 1802

events.office@niassembly.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

Parliament Buildings is home to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the legislative body for Northern Ireland established under the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Good Friday Agreement).

Price
Free

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Victoria Park

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Oasis for wildlife in Belfast

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
223 reviews
If Buildings Could Talk Tour

Belfast

Address

Donegall Square North, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 5GB

Telephone
+44 (0) 7714 684 804

barneygribbin@hotmail.com

Type

Type:

Historical Tours

Enjoy an entertaining couple of hours discovering the secrets behind some of the buildings of Belfast, from a man who used to build them.

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Quartered: Belfast, A Love Story

Belfast

Address

The Dark Horse, Hill Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 2LB

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9024 3343

zoe@kabosh.net

Type

Type:

Arts and Culture tours

Quartered: Belfast, A Love Story is an outdoor audio theatre walking tour that lets you see the city from a different perspective, making familiar streets seem brand new and allowing you to experience another side to Belfast.

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Giant's Ring Trail

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Beautiful trails along the Lagan and through woodland.

More Info
Cab Tours Belfast

Belfast

Address

Donegall Square East, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 5HB

Telephone
+44 (0)7713 640 647

info@cabtoursbelfast.com

Type

Type:

Taxi Tours

Choose from a range of our award-winning tours. Our black taxi cabs provide comfort while showing you the sights and our local guides will answer any questions you might have. We can pick you up from any location in Belfast, seven days a week, for…

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025

More Info
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Presbyterian Historical Society

Belfast

Address

26 College Green, Belfast, County Antrim, BT7 1LN

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9072 7330

phsilibrarian@pcinet.org

Type

Type:

Ancestry / Tracing Your Routes

History of Presbyterianism in Ireland and its congregations, including congregational, synod and presbytery records, and private papers of ministers and missionaries.

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Kiltonga Nature Reserve

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Lakeland walk with wildfowl

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Golden Thread Gallery

Belfast

Address

Golden Thread Gallery, 23-29 Queen Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 6EA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9033 0920

info@gtgallery.co.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Art Gallery

Welcome to Golden Thread Gallery, Northern Ireland's leading contemporary visual arts gallery,

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
- Wi-fi available