After decades of conflict and division, Northern Ireland’s capital city is experiencing a massive regeneration. Belfast is not only a great tourist destination but a wonderful place to live. There’re many places to visit so you need to know where to go, what to do and where to stay. In this travel article we will give you an insight into the real Belfast!
Belfast is a fantastic city. I know because I was born here, grew up here, and after leaving to live in southern Europe, it’s an absolute pleasure to continue visiting my home town. It is a city with friendly locals, an infectious atmosphere, an ever-expanding range of places to eat, drink, and to be entertained.
Moreover, it is a small city with everything you would expect from a big city, so you won’t have to go too far to visit anything on this list of things to see in Belfast City.
From the famous Titanic Quarter, the original home of the RMS Titanic, with the HMS Caroline, Titanic Belfast, and the Pump House to top museums, such as the Ulster Museum and the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, there is so much to discover.
First of all – Where to stay!
Of course there are many hotel options and private homestay B&B’s available in and around the city, however we found a fantastic accommodation option to suit the needs of visitors and travelers across the board. Our choice for this visit was Central Belfast Apartments. There’s nothing better than arriving at a wonderful accommodation to start your well earned city break and on this occasion my choice in Central Belfast Apartments did not disappoint!.
I was given straight forward instructions on how to self check in via email to this warm, comfortable and very cosy rooftop en suite room in a traditional town house building in Wellsley Avenue in Belfast. The room was nicely designed with many practical extras which come in handy when staying for a week or two. The bathroom has a really good shower (important) ..nothing worse than a luke warm trickle. There is also a clean and modern kitchen facility on the ground floor where guests are able to cook should you wish. To top it all, I was surprised to find a welcome gift consisting of a bottle of white wine and 2 packs of traditional Irish Tayto crisps.. Nice! This particular accommodation is literally 5mins walk into town but it does have many amenities around the immediate location. Now where do we go from here…?
Depending on what your goal is and how long you can stay, Belfast has a huge amount to offer. For a weekend party trip you have an endless choice of restaurants with every type of food you can imagine. from traditional Irish or European menus to Korean, Vietnamese and “cook your own” Chinese BBQ restaurants all within a brief walking distance from each other.
After dinner it’s time for a G&T or a pint of the local Guinness. Although there are many fantastic bars dotted throughout the town, some traditionally acclaimed as the oldest and most traditional like the crown bar located in front of the Europa Hotel, serving fresh oysters with the perfect pint! Or find a plethora of bars huddled together in the Cathedral Quarter, there’s much to discover and enjoy, including the odd Irish music session or full live entertainment. Although just like everywhere, Belfast nightlife has been effected by the C19 restrictions, usually top entertainment is to be found in venues such as the Limelight or the new underground pop-up venue in the historic newspaper printing building of The Belfast Telegraph newspaper. On a regular basis you will discover many acoustic sessions or local bands playing around the historic cathedral quarter or Empire Music Hall.
If you are looking great 360° views of Belfast City and don’t have time to venture up a hill, why not check out the Dome at Victoria Square. Truly, one of the most amazing things to see in Belfast. Rising high above the city’s skyline, the Dome at Victoria Square boasts 360-degree views across the city.
You can enjoy looking out across the city at the city’s historic buildings, such as Belfast City Hall. For the city garden lovers, botanists and museum seekers amongst you, Belfast is home tothe botanic gardens and the Ulster museum. Located within walking distance of Queen’s University, Belfast, the Ulster Museum is one of the largest museums in Northern Ireland. With over 8,000 square meters of display space, it is a treasure trove of historical artifacts, suitable for visitors of all ages.
Belfast’s Titanic Quarter is one of Europe’s largest urban waterfront regeneration projects. In just over a decade Titanic Quarter has gone from master plan to reality as a thriving and bustling destination. Over £600 million has already been invested and some 20,000 people Live, Work, Visit and Stay in Titanic Quarter on Belfast’s Maritime Mile daily, which is now attracting over 3.5 million visitors every year. It is home to major TV and film productions such as the infamous Game of Thrones no less so definitely worth a visit.
With many other local places of interest such as Georges market, city shopping, the laganside waterfront and hearty pub lunch dining, Belfast definitely has something for everyone to discover and experience. Direct flights from Malaga through Easyjet. Go discover Belfast!
***OUR RECOMMENDATIONS***
*Central Belfast Apartments
centralbelfastapartments.com
info@centralbelfastapartments.com
*Restaurant – too many to list!
*Bars – The Crown Bar, Cathedral Quarter’s Bar area
