The city that built the Titanic is now one of the most exciting in these islands, with great food, lively pubs and the Causeway Coast within reach.
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, standing where the River Lagan meets Belfast Lough. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was one of the great industrial cities of the world, famous for linen, rope making and shipbuilding. Its shipyard, Harland and Wolff, built the Titanic, the most famous ship in history.
Belfast went through decades of conflict, known as the Troubles, in the late twentieth century, and it has changed enormously since the peace agreement of 1998. Today it is a confident, friendly and lively city, with some of the best pubs, food and museums in these islands, and it is the gateway to the stunning Causeway Coast. This guide covers twelve things to see and do, followed by where to eat, where to stay, a weekend plan and how to get there.
1. Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast is one of the most famous visitor attractions in the world. It opened in 2012, a century after the Titanic sank, on the slipways where the ship was built. Its striking building, shaped like the bows of four ships, rises as high as the Titanic’s hull.
Inside, nine galleries tell the story of the Titanic, from the city that built her to her construction, her launch, her maiden voyage and her sinking. A ride takes you through a recreation of the shipyard, with the sounds and heat of the riveters at work. There are recreations of the ship’s cabins and the story of the discovery of the wreck.
The galleries also tell the story of Belfast as an industrial city, and of the people who built the ship. It is a moving and fascinating experience. It has won awards as one of the best tourist attractions in the world.
Allow at least half a day. Tickets are timed and should be booked in advance. The Titanic Quarter around it has more to see, including the slipways, where the outline of the ship is marked on the ground.
2. The Titanic Quarter
The Titanic Quarter, around Titanic Belfast, is the old shipyard area, which has been transformed into a new district of offices, film studios, apartments and attractions. The two huge yellow cranes of Harland and Wolff, known as Samson and Goliath, still dominate the skyline. They are symbols of the city.
The SS Nomadic, moored nearby, is the last surviving ship of the White Star Line, the company that owned the Titanic. She carried passengers out to the Titanic at Cherbourg in France. You can explore her decks.
Titanic’s Dock and Pump House, where the ship was fitted out, lets you walk down into the huge dry dock where the Titanic sat. It gives a sense of the ship’s enormous size. HMS Caroline, a warship that survived the Battle of Jutland in the First World War, is also moored in the quarter.
The Titanic Studios, in the quarter, is where much of the television series Game of Thrones was filmed. A walking path runs along the waterfront. The quarter is a short walk or bus ride from the city centre.
3. Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall, in the heart of the city centre, is one of the grandest civic buildings in these islands. It was completed in 1906, built of white Portland stone with a great green copper dome. It was built to show the wealth and confidence of the city at the height of its industrial power.
Free guided tours take you inside, where the marble halls, stained glass windows and grand staircase are magnificent. The council chamber and the banqueting hall are richly decorated. The tours tell the story of the city.
In the grounds is the Titanic Memorial Garden, with the names of all those who died when the ship sank. Statues of famous people and monuments stand around the building. The gardens are a popular place to relax.
In the weeks before Christmas, the City Hall grounds host a large Christmas market. The building is lit up at night in different colours for special occasions. It is the centre of the city.
4. Crumlin Road Gaol
Crumlin Road Gaol, in the north of the city, was a working prison from 1845 until 1996. Thousands of prisoners were held here, including suffragettes, political prisoners and people awaiting execution. It is now a museum.
Guided tours take you through the prison, including the cells, the governor’s office and the condemned cell. A tunnel runs under the road to the courthouse opposite, through which prisoners were led to their trials. The history is dark and fascinating.
The tours tell the stories of the prison and the people held there, including during the Troubles. They are balanced and thoughtful. The guides are full of knowledge.
The gaol also hosts concerts, events and even a distillery. Tours should be booked in advance. Allow at least an hour and a half.
5. St George’s Market
St George’s Market, a Victorian covered market near the city centre, is one of the oldest attractions in Belfast. It was built in the 1890s, and it has won awards as one of the best markets in Britain and Ireland. It is lively, friendly and full of character.
The market is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Friday market has a huge variety of stalls, while the Saturday market focuses on food, crafts and local produce. The Sunday market mixes food, crafts and antiques.
The food stalls sell everything from fresh fish and local cheese to street food from around the world. Try an Ulster fry, a soda farl or a local speciality. Live music often plays in the background.
The market is busiest in the late morning. It is a great place for breakfast or lunch. It is a short walk from the city centre.
6. The Cathedral Quarter
The Cathedral Quarter, around St Anne’s Cathedral in the north of the city centre, is Belfast’s cultural heart. Its cobbled streets are lined with pubs, restaurants, galleries and music venues. It is the liveliest place in the city in the evenings.
The Duke of York, a traditional pub tucked down a narrow alley, is famous for its collection of old signs and its lively atmosphere. Commercial Court, beside it, is decorated with umbrellas and murals. The quarter has many other traditional pubs with live music.
St Anne’s Cathedral, the Church of Ireland cathedral, has a tall stainless steel spire, known as the Spire of Hope. The MAC, a modern arts centre, has theatres and galleries. The quarter hosts festivals through the year.
The streets are full of murals, many of them by local and international artists. The quarter is great for a night out. A car booked ahead is the easiest way home at the end of the evening.
7. The Crown Liquor Saloon
The Crown Liquor Saloon, on Great Victoria Street opposite the Europa Hotel, is one of the most famous pubs in the world. It is a Victorian gin palace, decorated with coloured glass, carved wood, mosaic floors and ornate tiles. It is so special that it is owned by the National Trust.
The pub has a row of wooden snugs, small private booths with doors, where drinkers could enjoy their drink in private. Each snug has a bell to call for service. Sitting in one is a unique experience.
The Crown has been serving drinks since the nineteenth century, and it is still a working pub. It serves Guinness, local beers and pub food. It is busy, especially in the evenings.
The Europa Hotel, across the road, was once famous as the most bombed hotel in Europe during the Troubles. Today the area is lively and safe. The Grand Opera House, a beautiful Victorian theatre, is next door.
8. The Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens
The Ulster Museum, in the Botanic Gardens in the south of the city, is Northern Ireland’s national museum, and it is free to enter. It has collections of art, history and natural history. There is something for everyone.
Among its treasures are Takabuti, an Egyptian mummy, and gold and jewellery from the Girona, a ship of the Spanish Armada that was wrecked off the Causeway Coast in 1588. The history galleries tell the story of Ireland, including the Troubles. There are dinosaurs and a fine art collection.
The Botanic Gardens, around the museum, are a lovely park with flower beds and lawns. The Palm House, a curving Victorian glasshouse built in the 1840s, is one of the earliest of its kind in the world. The Tropical Ravine, a sunken glasshouse, has a jungle of plants.
Queen’s University, next to the gardens, has a beautiful main building, the Lanyon Building. The area around it, with Botanic Avenue and the Lisburn Road, has cafés, bars and restaurants. It is a lively student area.
9. The murals and the peace walls
The murals of Belfast, painted on the walls of houses in the west of the city, tell the story of the Troubles and of the communities that lived through them. They are some of the most famous political murals in the world. Some remember those who died, while others express the hopes and identity of each community.
The Falls Road and the Shankill Road, two neighbouring communities, are home to many of the murals. They are separated by the peace walls, high barriers built during the Troubles to keep the communities apart. Some of the walls still stand, and visitors write messages of peace on them.
The best way to see the murals is on a black taxi tour, led by local drivers who share their own stories and explain the history from different perspectives. The tours are respectful and eye opening. They are one of the most popular things to do in Belfast.
The tours usually take around an hour and a half. They help visitors understand how far the city has come. Book with a reputable company.
10. Cave Hill and Belfast Castle
Cave Hill, on the northern edge of the city, is a basalt hill with dramatic cliffs and caves. Its outline, seen from the city, looks like a sleeping giant’s face, known as Napoleon’s Nose. It is said to have inspired Jonathan Swift’s story of the giant in Gulliver’s Travels.
Paths lead up through the woods to the summit, McArt’s Fort, an ancient earthwork with wonderful views over the city, Belfast Lough and on a clear day across to Scotland. The walk takes about an hour and a half. The caves on the cliff face were once mined by early people.
Belfast Castle, on the slopes of Cave Hill, is a grand Victorian house built in the Scottish baronial style in 1870. It has a restaurant, a visitor centre and gardens with cats hidden in the paving and the planting, a nod to a legend that a white cat brings good luck to the residents. It is a lovely place for lunch.
Belfast Zoo is also on the slopes of Cave Hill. The whole area is a lovely escape from the city. A car makes it easy to reach.
11. Game of Thrones
Much of the television series Game of Thrones was filmed in Northern Ireland, at the Titanic Studios in Belfast and at locations across the country. The series brought fans from around the world. Many of the filming locations are now popular places to visit.
The Game of Thrones Studio Tour, at Linen Mill Studios near Banbridge, about half an hour south of Belfast, has original sets, costumes, props and weapons from the series. You can walk through the great halls and see the Iron Throne. It is a must for fans.
Filming locations across Northern Ireland include the Dark Hedges, an avenue of twisted beech trees in County Antrim, Ballintoy Harbour on the Causeway Coast, and Castle Ward on Strangford Lough. Tours visit many of them in a day.
A car or a driver for the day is the easiest way to visit the studio tour and the filming locations at your own pace. See our Belfast and the Causeway Coast for the coast route.
12. The Causeway Coast and beyond
The Causeway Coast, north of Belfast, is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The Causeway Coastal Route runs from Belfast along the shore of County Antrim, past the Glens of Antrim, to the Giant’s Causeway. It is one of the great road trips in these islands.
The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a remarkable formation of tens of thousands of hexagonal basalt columns, formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Legend says it was built by the giant Finn McCool. The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Dunluce Castle and the Bushmills distillery are nearby.
Closer to Belfast, Carrickfergus Castle, a Norman castle on the shore of Belfast Lough, is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Ireland. To the south, the Mourne Mountains roll down to the sea, and Strangford Lough is a haven for wildlife. There is so much to explore.
A car or a driver for the day is the easiest way to see the coast, as public transport is limited. See our Belfast and the Causeway Coast guide.
Where to eat and drink
Belfast has one of the most exciting food scenes in these islands. Try an Ulster fry for breakfast, with soda bread, potato bread, eggs, bacon and sausages. Champ, mashed potato with spring onions and butter, is a local favourite.
St George’s Market is the best place to try local produce. The Cathedral Quarter, the Lisburn Road and Botanic Avenue have excellent restaurants, from casual to fine dining, and Belfast has several acclaimed restaurants. The city’s pubs are famous, and a pint of Guinness in a traditional bar with live music is a Belfast essential.
Where to stay
For a first visit, stay in the city centre, close to the City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter and the shops. The Titanic Quarter has modern hotels close to Titanic Belfast. The Queen’s Quarter, in the south, is lively and close to the Botanic Gardens.
Hotels fill quickly during big events and festivals, so book early.
A weekend in Belfast
On the first day, visit Titanic Belfast and the Titanic Quarter in the morning, then have lunch at St George’s Market if it is open. In the afternoon, take a tour of City Hall and a black taxi tour of the murals, then spend the evening in the Cathedral Quarter.
On the second day, visit the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens, then Crumlin Road Gaol, and finish with a drink in the Crown Liquor Saloon. With a third day, head up the Causeway Coast to the Giant’s Causeway.
Getting there and getting around
Belfast Grand Central is the city’s main station, with trains to Dublin in around two hours on the Enterprise service, and to Derry~Londonderry, Bangor and Lisburn. Ferries sail from Belfast to Cairnryan in Scotland and to Liverpool.
George Best Belfast City Airport is about three miles from the city centre, around ten minutes by road. Belfast International Airport is about eighteen miles north west, around half an hour away. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Belfast, the airports and the ferry terminals, and to explore the Causeway Coast. For the coast, see Belfast and the Causeway Coast.
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