I had the opportunity to travel to Belfast for work, and having never spent time in this city I decided to stay for the weekend and do all that I could fit in.
Northern Ireland and Belfast is particularly famous for the conflict between the two divides of the Catholic nationalist and the Protestant unionists, known as “The Troubles”.
The unrest came to a peaceful resolution in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. Since that time there has been a lot of progress, change and development in the city.
For fans of Game of Thrones (massive fan here!), Northern Ireland was a consistent filming location for over 10 years, and there are many tours and tourist stops for fans of the series. The world’s largest museum dedicated to the Titanic opened in 2012 and is another massive draw for tourists. Belfast also attracts international artists who want to come and leave their mark on the ever-evolving street art present throughout the city. Combine all of the above with the inviting and warm culture found in the people and the city itself and you won’t be at a loss for how to fill your time.
How To Get There
There are two airports in Belfast. Belfast International Airport is the main airport and is about a 30-minute drive outside the city. You can catch a taxi into the city for about £35 or alternatively take the bus that leaves every 15 minutes (Mon-Fri) and takes you to The Great Victoria Train Station for £8.50. Belfast International Airport – to and from by bus/coach
Alternatively, there is George Best Airport which is only 5 minutes to the city center.
I happened to be in Dublin earlier in the week and took the train from Dublin to Belfast, which is just a little over a 2-hour train journey.
Places To Eat / Drink
Coppi – Italian
This was a great Italian restaurant located in the Cathedral Quarter. What I thought was great is that they served Cichettis, which was a favorite of mine to enjoy when I was in Venice earlier this year. Some great vegetarian as well as vegan options, and a really creative cocktail menu!
Jumon – Asian
Should you be craving Asian food, then I highly recommend this restaurant. Albeit a small restaurant, it is delicious and offers a great selection of both vegetarian and vegan options and another exciting cocktail drink selection. Be sure to book ahead of time for a table.
Bootleggers Belfast – American / Comfort
We enjoyed listening to some traditional Irish music, while enjoying some tacos and drinks. Their menu is basic with tacos, burgers, chips and chicken, but I absolutely loved the naming of their menu items, and the veggie tacos we had were quite yummy. They also have some outdoor seating to enjoy food and drinks on a warm day.
Bars/Pubs
There is no shortage of pubs or bars in Belfast, and there’ll definitely be something to suit your fancy. Some of the ones we checked out are:
The Duke of York Bar
This iconic pub is located in the Cathedral Quarter and besides the cool interior with beer coasters posted to every wall/ceiling, the outside area is the highly photographed spot with rows of neon umbrellas and funny tributes to Belfast weather sayings.
The Crown Liquor Saloon
This historic pub dating from the early 1800’s was once regarded as one of the mightiest Victorian gin palaces in the British Isles. It is known for it’s beautiful interior and stained glass windows, as well as being a visiting spot for the famous. The Game of Thrones cast has frequented this pub, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Megan).
The Harp Bar
This bar we found quite entertaining, located in the old headquarters of the Bushmills Distillery. Decorated in old Victorian style, the bar includes an area for live music, dancing and singing along as well as a quieter more reserved area to sit and enjoy drinks. We enjoyed our visit as it just so happened the pub was full of hen parties (bachelorette parties as known in America) and it was nonstop singing, dancing and just all around good “craic”.
What to do
Black Cab Tour
I think if you ask anyone who’s visited Belfast, they will tell you about the Black Cab Tour.
This tour is a must for any visit to the city, as it presents such an interesting narrative and insight into the “Troubles”, which is the infamous period of conflict that took place predominately in Belfast. As the name suggests, the tour is in a black cab, and is conducted by drivers who are able to share firsthand stories and accounts of events during the time. The Troubles was a 30-year conflict between Northern Ireland nationalists (those wanting to be a part of The Republic of Ireland) and unionists (those loyal to the crown and remaining a part of the United Kingdom).
While many think the conflict was one of religious differences between the Protestants and the Catholics, it was actually primarily around the status of Northern Ireland. It just so happens that majority of the nationalists were Catholics and the majority of the unionists were Protestants. The main groups active during the Troubles, were republican paramilitaries such as the Provisional Irish Army (IRA) and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA); loyalist paramilitaries such as the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA); British state security forces such as the British Army and RUC; and political activists.
As violence increased during this time, a Peace Wall was erected to separate the two communities. What is interesting to note is that even though this period of turmoil ended in 1998, the peace wall still remains and there are gates that are still closed each night.
The tour is about 1.5 hrs long and makes stops throughout both communities, where the driver shared stories, pointed out murals that were painted to commemorate activists, as well as new murals that aim to celebrate peace and promote a restorative society.
I would recommend booking your tour with www.blackcabsbelfast.com and Hugh Jordan! He was a fantastic guide and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour.
Titanic Belfast
This is one of the crown jewels of Belfast, and I think one of the best museums I’ve ever visited. It opened in 2012 and is set in the old Harland & Wolff shipyards, where the Titanic was conceived, designed and constructed from 1909-1911. The museum itself is an architectural achievement with over 3,000 individual silver anodized aluminum shards that is the building’s façade. It was designed to reflect the history of Belfast ship making and the Harland & Wolff legacy. Its angular structure is reminiscent of the prow of a ship, and the building is as tall as was the hull of the Titanic.
The museum forms part of the now renamed Titanic Quarter, which includes the previous headquarter and drawing offices of Harland & Wolff, the SS Nomadic, which is the last surviving White Star Line Ship, and Hamilton Dock, which was Titanic’s Dock and Pump House and both the Titanic and Olympic slipways.
Set over 6 floors, it takes visitors through the journey of the Titanic from its initial conception, design, and construction, to its voyage leaving Belfast and ultimately its historic sinking.
Highlights include a shipyard ride that takes you on a journey through what it was like to work in certain parts of the shipyard and understand the magnitude of the ship as well as the dangers experienced. There are also recreated state rooms that were available to first class, 2nd class and even steerage. You’ll also find many artifacts, stories of survivors and those that were lost, and even spots where you can take pics posing like Jack and Rose from the movie.
It’s a great museum for families, as there are plenty of interactive things to keep the kids entertained (ie loads of buttons to push!). I don’t always include museums on my to do lists when travelling, but this one is a MUST. The story of Titanic is a tragic historical event known throughout the world that has fascinated people for over 100 years. There is no better place to immerse yourself and learn more about it.
Day Tour To Giant's Causeway
No visit to Northern Ireland can be complete without a visit to this UNESCO world heritage site. There are many ways to visit this geological wonder, but I highly recommend booking a bus tour that includes several stops along the way including castles, Game of Thrones filming sites, and even a whiskey distillery. The tour will leave from Belfast and takes about 9-10 hours, and for a price of £30 per person I think it is well worth it.
Our tour stops included:
- Carrickfergus Castle – A Norman Castle on the northern shore of Belfast Lough built in the 12th century. The stop here is brief, but time enough for some photos and a walk around the exterior the castle.
- Cushendun Caves – these have become a significantly more popular tourist attraction as it was one of the many filming locations for Game of Thrones. It’s a short walk down to the beach to explore the caves as well as admire the beauty of the landscape around them.
- Carnlough Village – this quaint village is located along Carnlogh Bay at the foothills of Glencoy. This village was the home of Sir Winston Churchill’s great grandmother, who established Londonderry Hotel on Harbour Road, which was originally a coaching Inn. This village is another Game of Thrones filming location and the stop provides a quick walk around the harbor and a chance to grab a coffee.
- The Dark Hedges – these are a row of beech trees planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century to create an impressive entrance to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. Yet another Game of Thrones filming location, as it was used for the Kings Road. It’s a bit of trek to walk here, and with a 30-minute stop you are going to want to walk at a bit of a faster pace to be able to walk the majority of this road.
- Giant’s Causeway – This is the main stop on the tour and you are given about 2 hours to explore this incredible location. The causeway is made up of approximately 40,000 basalt columns all of which have five to seven irregular sides and are jutting up from the ground at varying levels, thus giving the effect of steps leading into the sea. This geological formation took place around 50-60 million years ago during the Paleogene Period, and resulted from successive flows of lava that inched toward the coast and cooled when they came into contact with the sea. Layers of basalt formed columns, and the pressure between these columns sculpted them into polygonal shapes. If you are a fan of myths and legends you may prefer the legend of how the Causeway was formed as a consequent of a battle between the Irish Giant Finn McCool and the Scottish Giant Benandonner. Read more about this legend
When you arrive at Giant’s Causeway visitors center there are several options to get down to the coastline. If you aren’t able to walk down (it’s a fairly steep 15-minute walk) you can take the shuttle bus for £1, as well as paying £1 to take it back up. The blue route is the quickest and most direct route down. Due to the time allotted at this stop the only other option is the Red Route, which includes a longer hike up along the cliffs above the causeway providing incredible 360 views of the causeway and the coastline. There are steps with handrails that will take you down to the coastline from this route. We chose this route and were awarded with stunning views and less people along the path. Be sure to make the most of your time here and explore as much as your visit will allow.
Bushmills Distillery – This Whiskey distillery is one of the oldest licensed whiskey distillerys in the world, having been granted its license to distill in 1608 from King James I. The tour allows about a 30-40 minute stop here, which provides just enough time for a cheeky whiskey or if you are a fast drinker a 3-glass whiskey tasting.
The day tour gets you back to Belfast around 6pm which is early enough to grab dinner and enjoy a pint of Guiness and enjoy some live music found in many of the pubs throughout the city.
I would definitely recommend the tour we booked – Giant’s Causeway Tour – McComb’s Coach Travel.
I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Belfast and felt that the two days we had to explore the city and beyond were a sufficient amount of time to sightsee as well as relax and take part in the warm and inviting culture of Northern Ireland.
