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Go slow in Belfast and beyond
Belfast is full of intrigue. Small-scale and sociable, this bastion of creativity boasts colourful street art, a diverse music scene – it’s a UNESCO City of Music – and strong literary traditions. For many visitors, the city’s Titanic history is a big draw, but Belfast deserves a longer stay, where you can dig into its past, get to know its people and uncover its secrets.
Go beyond the grand Victorian buildings and cobbled alleyways of the city centre and you’ll encounter a Belfast that many rarely see. In the sun-dappled parks, riverside pathways and rugged hills surrounding the city, walking and cycling trails abound. Venture further still, and the beauty of Belfast Lough unfolds with delightful villages such as Whitehead, the lively city of Bangor and the impressive Norman castle of Carrickfergus.
With an excellent public transport system and connections by train to destinations around the lough, exploring around Belfast is not only easy, it’s a pleasure!
Enterprise train from Dublin to Belfast, Boyne Viaduct, County Louth
Getting to know the city
Want to get to know Belfast? Walk it. Immerse yourself in the city’s inspiring imagination on the Street Art Walking Tour, feel its pulse on the Belfast Traditional Music Trail, or take a deep dive into the artisan food scene with Taste & Tour.
Find out about the city’s political history on a Coiste Irish Political Tour, or learn about Belfast’s connection with the “Ship of Dreams” on the Titanic Trail, a self-guided walking tour from City Hall to the Titanic Quarter. Fancy a more general introduction to the city? Try The Best of Belfast with DC Tours. Afterwards, head to the Cathedral Quarter – home to traditional pubs such as The Duke of York, innovative art spaces such as The MAC and third-wave cafés like Established and Neighbourhood.
Belfast Castle
Belfast’s greener side
Framed by mountains and perched on the edge of a scenic lough, Belfast’s compact size means that you’re never too far from a green space or quiet park, whether it’s the Victorian-era charm of the Botanic Gardens or the tree-lined avenues of Ormeau Park. In east Belfast, a highlight is Stormont Estate and Parliament Buildings, set within a sweeping landscape of parkland and woodland.
On the city’s edge, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park encompasses lush meadows, woodland and gardens and is a local favourite thanks to its famous roses and serene Japanese garden, a perfect place for quiet contemplation.
Just nearby, the Lagan Valley Regional Park extends along both sides of the Lagan River. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the park includes an 18km towpath, where you can spot kingfishers and otters. Pick up one of the Belfast Bikes and cycle by lock keeper’s cottages, over bridges and on to the city of Lisburn. If you prefer a guided tour, try the Belfast Riverside Bike Tour with Hometown Tours Belfast, which brings you through the Lagan Valley Regional Park as well as along the Maritime Mile in the city.
OX, Belfast
Royal history, folk traditions and foodie favourites
A 35-minute cycle outside Lisburn (or a trip from Belfast on the number 238 bus) will bring you to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, the official residence of the British royal family in Northern Ireland. Take a tour of the interior before spending time in the resplendent 100-acre estate with its woodland, ornamental gardens and lake. Afterwards, make your way to the village of Hillsborough, and stop in for a bite to eat at The Parson’s Nose, set within a townhouse built by the Marquis of Downshire in the 1700s.
A more intimate take on life in Ulster can be experienced at the Ulster Folk Museum, around 12km from Belfast city centre in the village of Holywood (take the 502a or 502b from Laganside Bus Centre). This living history museum tells the story of the past through immersive exhibits, allowing you to interact with characters in costume who will explain traditional crafts such as basket weaving or blacksmithing. In the village, you’ll find Noble, an acclaimed neighbourhood restaurant with a changing seasonal menu.
More food delights await in Belfast, which has become home to one of Europe’s most exciting food scenes. From the Michelin-starred delights of Ox to the innovations at EDO, the city’s great restaurants are best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Book into a long seafood lunch at the Mourne Seafood Bar, or drift from evening to night over a tasting menu in the Muddler’s Club. At Waterman House (which also boasts an acclaimed restaurant), try your hand at cooking with classes covering everything from fish and shellfish to Irish breadmaking.
Cave Hill, Belfast
Inspiring landscapes and charming towns
Belfast sits at the head of Belfast Lough, an inlet of the North Channel linking the Irish Sea and the Atlantic. You can get a real sense of the city’s location on the edge of this deep expanse of water from the top of Cave Hill Country Park. Start at the 19th-century Baronial-style Belfast Castle, before following the trails and tracks that reach up to a craggy bluff known as Napoleon’s Nose. The park can be discovered under your own steam, but a rewarding way to experience it is on a hike with the Belfast Cavehill Walking Tour.
On the southern side of Belfast Lough, you’ll find the popular seaside resort of Bangor, a short hop from Belfast by train. This section of the north Down coast has an undiscovered feel and laid-back atmosphere, which makes it perfect for travellers looking for a quieter escape. Head to Bangor Castle Walled Garden, designed in the 1840s, before a visit to 6th-century Bangor Abbey. Or spend a lazy day exploring the North Down Coastal Path, which follows the pretty coastline.
Carrickfergus Castle, County Antrim
A scene-stealer on the shores of Belfast Lough is Carrickfergus, an easy trip north from Belfast by train. The town itself is County Antrim’s oldest, but it’s Carrickfergus Castle that’s the big draw here – it’s one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses on the island of Ireland.
Five miles north of Carrickfergus and accessible by train from the city (with a journey time of just 35 minutes), is the Victorian seaside town of Whitehead. Fronted by a row of colourful houses, this place delivers time-slowed charm with panoramic sea views, quaint tea rooms and promenade strolls. For a dose of coastal drama, head out on the Blackhead Coastal Path Walk. Passing through caves and around rugged basalt rocks, the route hugs the shoreline and reaches up to the magnificent Blackhead Lighthouse, perched on a windswept headland. And if you like this place so much, you don’t want to leave – you don’t have to. The Lightkeepers’ Houses here are self-catering properties, where you check in and tune out!
Stand-up paddle boarding, County Antrim
Getting around
Belfast is compact and walkable. Bikes are available for public hire with Belfast Bikes, and there are more than 30 docking stations around the city. To access destinations outside the city centre, you’ll find a plentiful network of buses and trains.
Accommodation
In the city centre, surround yourself in Titanic history at the Titanic Hotel, or try the Belfast Hometel, which runs on 100% electric and low-carbon renewable energy. If you’d prefer to be beside the seaside, then Clandeboye Lodge in Bangor offers a great mix of natural beauty and urban access.
Staying longer
Belfast is the gateway to the Causeway Coastal Route, where you can linger in picturesque towns and sleepy seaside villages, explore the green Glens of Antrim, and savour exhilarating clifftop walks.
