The Northern Ireland capital has taken its fair share of knocks – it’s been bombed and divided – but Belfast has survived, and is a welcoming city with unique architecture, museums and cuisine.
Downtown: First-time visitors should start their exploration at Belfast’s City Hall found at Donegall Square. This building is more than just administrative offices and is a grand example of early 20th century Baroque architecture with extensive use of marble, stained glass windows and ceiling murals. There are two exhibition spaces within City Hall regularly featuring past and present Belfast through photography and artefacts.
Its very easy to find a bookstore in the city of Belfast.
From Donegall Square, shoppers will be lured by the wide range of retail on the high streets, from bookstores to ‘pound’ shops (aka dollar stores) as well as Victoria Square, a popular downtown shopping centre. But there’s another reason to visit this mall – take the elevator to the top floor to get a 360-degree view of the city from within a domed glass roof area. For a varied selection of Irish produce, souvenirs and crafts, take a free shuttle from the downtown to the St. George’s Market, open Friday-Sunday.
Port of Belfast: This city’s pride extends to its dockyards, which has been a major employer for decades. Two mainstays of the skyline are the dockyards’ two enormous yellow cranes, affectionately called Samson and Goliath, as well as the birthplace of the city’s most famous ship – the Titanic. Last year, which was 100 years after the famous ship was built here, the city opened Titanic Belfast, a museum dedicated to its construction, its ties to the city and its history from the sinking to its resurrection thanks to director James Cameron.
The Troubles: the political upheaval of the 1960s-1980s in Northern Ireland left its mark on Belfast and for visitors a tour of the city’s murals is one way to understand the history. A Value Cabs Taxi Tour will reveal numerous murals along the Falls Road and the Shankill Road showing political statements and memorials of different neighbourhoods. The peace walls, concrete walls erected to divide neighbourhoods, are also a unique view into the community of the past and present, with the combination of art, graffiti and political statements.
Visitors to Belfast’s dockyards can learn about its most famous creation – the Titanic.
Pubs – it wouldn’t be a complete visit to Belfast without taking time to visit a public house. Whether its a cold pint of beer or a glass of whiskey, there are many places to stat the sampling process. Belfast Pub Tours can help you get started, with a historical tour including some of the famous and notorious pubs such as the Crown Liquor Saloon, Bittles Bar, Kelly’s Cellars and White’s Tavern.
Visiting Belfast:
Hotel – The elegant Europa Hotel is located within easy walking access to the city’s downtown attractions and a popular choice with business travellers. One of the few hotels open during The Troubles, the hotel became famous when U.S. President Clinton and his wife stayed here in 1995. The trendy Fitzwilliam Hotel, is a modern yet cosy accommodation, perfect for a couple wanting to spend a weekend in Belfast.
Dining – Locally-sourced ingredients are in abundance at Belfast’s contemporary restaurants, such as Mourne Seafood Bar with its subtle creations with fresh fish, scallops, oysters and mussels and at Made in Belfast, offering an Irish interpretation to classic European cuisine from Italy, Greece and Spain.
Attractions – for history or architecture buffs, take time to visit the Grand Opera House, Belfast’s parliamentary building Stormont, Belfast Castle and St. George’s Church.
Weather – average temperature in March/April is 10-12C
