Everyone should visit Belfast at least once. You will find exciting clubs and down-to-earth pubs, delicious fine cuisine and delectable street fare. Remember to fly to Belfast with Flybe.
They have super cheap flights! Here is our list of top five things to do in Belfast:
Titanic Belfast. The romance and tragedy surrounding the amazing ship, Titanic, is unsinkable. Although there are at least 186 other Titanic museums on earth, Belfast’s is not to be missed. Titanic was built in Belfast and the museum opening marked the centenary of its sinking (April 2012). Titanic Belfast, designed by architect Eric Kuhne and built for a mere £97 million, is currently the world’s largest museum dedicated to the Titanic. The gleaming structure captures the essence of the ultra-luxurious White Star Line and the workers of Edwardian Belfast who built the ship. There’s no mystery as to why visitors call it “The Iceberg.” Ten separate galleries on six floors start with Belfast’s industrial and shipbuilding past, moving to the ship’s concept, design, and fabrication. Titanic remains an iconic symbol in the river of time. Plan to book tickets online, save five percent, and avoid the long lines at the museum.
Address: Castle Place, Belfast BT1 2BE
Phone: +44 28 9032 1321
Public transportation: Castle Place bus or any stop on the line; phone for free transport from any central Belfast hotel or hostel
Hours: 10am to 4pm (buses run on the hour and half-hour)
Admission: £12.50; student and senior discount; family tickets available
Credit Cards: Yes
Reservations: Yes, recommended
History lovers and ghost hunters enjoy a visit to Crumlin Road Gaol. Hailed as one of Europe’s start of the art prisons in 1845, Crumlin Road Gaol was engineered to house five hundred prisoners. Unfortunately, during the Troubles, more than nine hundred souls lived in close quarters here. The gaol finally closed in 1996. City Sightseeing Tours (hop-on and off route) gets you there. The tour includes a viewing of the Governor’s office; the execution cell in which seventeen men were hanged (1854-1961); the flogging room; and the sentencing chamber (via tunnel under Crumlin Road to the courthouse) are visceral reminders that crime does not pay. The Paranormal Tour (eighteen years+) is recommended.
Address: 53-55 Crumlin Road, Belfast BT14 6ST
Phone: +44 28 9074 1500
Public Transportation: Crumlin Road Gaol bus (11A, 12A)
Hours: Standard Tour (10am, first tour; 4.30pm, last tour); Paranormal Tours (call for information)
Admission: £8.50 Standard Tour; student and senior discount; family tickets available; £13.50 Paranormal Tour
Credit Cards: Yes
Reservations: Yes, recommended
This is one of the oldest open markets and crafts fairs in Ireland and the UK. Built between in three phases between 1890 and 1896, it remains one of the most memorable places to purchase fresh, local foods and produce. The Market is a great place to people-watch—and catch up on texts and emails—free Belfast WiFi is available here. A Friday Variety Market, Food and Craft Market (Saturdays) and Sunday Market attract locals and people from all over the world. The National Association of British Market Authorities named St. George’s Market as the UK’s Best Large Indoor Market (2014).
Address: 12-20 East Bridge Street, Belfast, Antrim BT1 3NQ
Phone: +44 28 9043 5704
Public Transportation: Free market shuttle departs from St. George’s Market every twenty minutes (8am to 12.50pm Friday, 9am to 2.50pm Saturday, and 11am to 3pm Sunday) at St. George’s Market bus stop (Lower May Street). Take the bus from Adelaide Street; Donegall Square West; Donegall Place (Boots); Royal Avenue (Castle Court); High Street (General Post Office); and Albert Square. Note: Check bus service on Sunday in Belfast.
Hours: Friday Variety Market (opens 6am); Saturday City Food & Garden Market (opens 9am); Sunday Market (opens 10am)
Credit Cards: Yes.
Victoria Square is one of the largest shopping areas in Northern Ireland. As many travelers attest, shopping is one of the best ways to learn about resident preferences and culture. The House of Fraser department store anchors Victoria Square, with smaller shops scattered on four levels. There are food courts on two levels. Covered walkways make shopping on rainy days quite pleasant. A memorable dome atop Victoria Square and the Jaffe Fountain (built during Queen Victoria’s reign) makes it hard to forget that you’re also in an historic spot. This is an iconic destination. Take in the beauty of Belfast from above, including gorgeous views of Belfast Castle, the river Lagan and the Mournes in the distance.
Address: 1 Victoria Square, Belfast, BT1 4QG
Phone: +44 28 9032 2277
Hours: Victoria Dome Daily Tours are free on the hour between 10am to 4pm
Credit Cards: Yes
A Day Trip to Giant’s Causeway will take your breath way. This incredible landscape has caused artists and romantics to swoon for thousands of years. Scientists still theorize about how the causeway came to be. Storytellers prefer to tell stories about giants who once inhabited and carved the coast. Approximately forty thousand basalt columns, the product of a prehistoric volcanic eruption, are also known as Clochán an Aifir and Clochán nabh Fomhórach in the Gaelic language. Tours and self-guide audio programs are available.
Address: 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, County Antrim, BT57 8SU
Phone: + 44 28 2073 1855 or giantscauseway@nationaltrust.org.uk
Public Transportation: Regular trains operate from Belfast or Londonderry to Coleraine; change to bus, Ulsterbus Service 172. Public transit visitors receive a green living discount on admission to the Visitors Centre.
Hours: Dawn to dusk; Visitors Center opens at 9am
Admission: £7.50 (online); family tickets are available
Credit Cards: Yes
We hope you enjoyed this list of top 5 things to do in Belfast! If you’ve been and would like to share your experiences and suggestions with other readers, please leave a comment below!
This post was written in partnership with Flybe.
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