Back to Ireland

BELFAST

Titanic's birthyard, political murals, Giant's Causeway gateway, and the friendliest city in the UK. 25 curated spots.

🔍
↓
No spots match...
Icons

Landmarks

Titanic Belfast, St. George's Market, and the most dramatic city transformation in Europe.

Titanic Belfast
Culture & History

Titanic Belfast

World's largest Titanic exhibition. Nine interactive galleries in a stunning building on the slipway where Titanic was built. £24.50. Allow 2-3 hours. Book online. Essential.

Google Maps
St. George's Market
Belfast City Hall
Landmarks

Belfast City Hall

Baroque Revival landmark (1906). Free guided tours hourly. The grounds are peaceful. The Titanic Memorial Garden is moving. Donegall Square. 1 hour including tour.

Google Maps
SS Nomadic
Landmarks

SS Nomadic

Titanic's tender ship, the last remaining White Star Line vessel. Now a museum beside Titanic Belfast. £12 or combo ticket. Intimate feel compared to the main museum. 45 min.

Google Maps
Heritage

History & Murals

The Troubles murals, Peace Walls, Black Taxi tours, and a city shaped by its past.

Political Murals & Peace Walls
Culture & History

Political Murals & Peace Walls

West Belfast's famous murals. Falls Road (republican) and Shankill Road (loyalist). Peace Walls still divide communities. Deeply moving. Best on a Black Taxi Tour (£40-60 per taxi, fits 4-6 people). Essential.

Google Maps
Black Taxi Tour
Experiences

Black Taxi Tour

Ex-combatant guides drive you through both communities, explaining both perspectives. 1.5-2 hours, £40-60 per taxi. The most important experience in Belfast. Book ahead. Powerful and balanced.

Google Maps
Crumlin Road Gaol
Culture & History

Crumlin Road Gaol

Victorian prison (1845-1996). Guided tours through cells, tunnels, and execution chamber. £14. Republican and loyalist prisoners were held here. 1 hour. Gripping and atmospheric.

Google Maps
Linen Hall Library
Culture & History

Linen Hall Library

Belfast's oldest library (1788). Free. The Political Collection archives every leaflet, poster, and publication from the Troubles. Quiet reading rooms. Donegall Square North. 1 hour.

Google Maps
Taste

Food & Drink

St. George's Market, Ulster Fry, Belfast Bap, and the craft beer revolution.

Ulster Fry at Maggie May's
Food & Drink

Ulster Fry at Maggie May's

The legendary Belfast breakfast: bacon, sausage, eggs, soda bread, potato bread, and black pudding. Botanic Avenue. £8-12. The most filling breakfast in the UK. Cash preferred.

Google Maps
St. George's Market Food Stalls
Shopping

St. George's Market Food Stalls

Saturday morning food market. Yellowman (honeycomb toffee), soda bread, fresh oysters, and artisan cheese. Budget £5-15 for grazing. The best food experience in Belfast.

Google Maps
Mourne Seafood Bar
Food & Drink

Mourne Seafood Bar

Outstanding seafood from Mourne's own boats. Oysters, chowder, and whole fish. Bank Street. Book ahead. Budget £25-40. The best seafood restaurant in Belfast.

Google Maps
Established Coffee
Food & Drink

Established Coffee

Belfast's best specialty coffee. Cathedral Quarter. Expertly roasted beans, minimalist interior. Budget £3-5. The coffee scene in Belfast rivals Dublin. Hill Street.

Google Maps
Craic

Pubs & Music

Cathedral Quarter trad sessions, Victorian gin palaces, and the oldest pub in Belfast.

The Crown Liquor Saloon
Food & Drink

The Crown Liquor Saloon

National Trust-owned Victorian gin palace (1885). Ornate tiled interior, gas lamps, and private snugs (booths). Opposite Europa Hotel. Book snugs. Pint £5-6. The most beautiful pub in Ireland (or the UK).

Google Maps
Kelly's Cellars
The Duke of York
Food & Drink

The Duke of York

Secret-feeling pub in an alley off Hill Street. Covered in vintage pub mirrors and memorabilia. Traditional music some nights. The courtyard leads to the Commercial Court bars. £5-6 pint.

Google Maps
Sunflower Bar
Food & Drink

Sunflower Bar

Belfast's iconic cage-fronted pub (the cage was for protection during the Troubles). Live music, craft beer, and a welcoming alternative crowd. Union Street. Free entry most nights.

Google Maps
Culture

Museums & Art

Ulster Museum, MAC gallery, and a thriving arts scene in the Cathedral Quarter.

Ulster Museum
Culture & History

Ulster Museum

Free. Irish art, natural science, and the Troubles exhibition ('The Troubles and Beyond'). Botanic Gardens. Egyptian mummy, dinosaur gallery, and contemporary art. Allow 2 hours.

Google Maps
The MAC
Culture & History

The MAC

Metropolitan Arts Centre. Free contemporary art exhibitions, theatre, and dance. St Anne's Square, Cathedral Quarter. The building itself (2012) is striking. 1 hour for galleries.

Google Maps
Oh Yeah Music Centre
Culture & History

Oh Yeah Music Centre

Northern Ireland's music heritage. Van Morrison, Stiff Little Fingers, Snow Patrol, and more. Free exhibition. Cathedral Quarter. The building pulses with Belfast's musical DNA. 45 min.

Google Maps
Explore

Neighbourhoods

Bohemian Cathedral Quarter, historic Titanic Quarter, and the leafy Botanic district.

Cathedral Quarter
Districts

Cathedral Quarter

Belfast's cultural heart. Street art, galleries, independent cafes, and the best pubs. Commercial Court (outdoor bar area) is buzzing on weekends. Hill Street and around St Anne's Cathedral.

Google Maps
Titanic Quarter
Districts

Titanic Quarter

Former shipyard now cultural district. Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic, HMS Caroline (WWII ship, £15), and the slipways where Titanic launched. Film studios. Allow half day.

Google Maps
Botanic District
Districts

Botanic District

University area. Queen's University (stunning main building, free to enter), Botanic Gardens (free, Palm House is Victorian beauty), and Lisburn Road boutiques. Student energy.

Google Maps
Escape

Day Trips

Giant's Causeway, Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, and Game of Thrones locations.

Giant's Causeway
Day Trips

Giant's Causeway

40,000 hexagonal basalt columns. UNESCO World Heritage. 1.5 hours north. Free to access (visitor centre £15). Walk the columns, coastal path, and Shepherd's Steps. Essential day trip.

Google Maps
Dark Hedges
Day Trips

Dark Hedges

Avenue of beech trees (1775). Game of Thrones' Kingsroad. Free. 1 hour north of Belfast. Best at dawn when empty. Quick photo stop, combine with Giant's Causeway.

Google Maps
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Day Trips

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

Bridge over a 30m drop to a tiny island. £10 timed entry. Beautiful coastal views. Near Giant's Causeway, combine them. Not for those afraid of heights. The crossing is exhilarating.

Google Maps

More Ireland guides →

CorkDublinGalwayKillarney

Explore other countries

TokyoSeoulBangkokReykjavikRomeMexico CityPunta CanaSydney
0 places selected
Globe