Belfast

Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste) is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Historically most of it lay in County Antrim west of the River Lagan, with about a third on the east bank in County Down, but it's always been governed as a separate metropolis, with a population in 2020 of about 630,000. It's had a troubled history but is nowadays safe to visit and has the best-developed visitor facilities in Northern Ireland. And its situation means that Belfast can confidently claim to be the most fascinating city in both the United Kingdom and on the island of Ireland.

Understand
This noble city is named for a mud bank and is built upon sludge. The lower River Lagan is tidal and receives a dozen small tributaries (nowadays culverted) which drop their silt, forming banks of sand and mud. The lowest point at which you could ford the river at low tide is where the Lagan road bridge now crosses, and in Irish this is Béal Feirste, "river-mouth of the sand-bank ford". The tributary joining at that point, the Farset, is likewise named for the mud bank, not vice versa. And besides the man-made channels and culverts, a great volume of water seeps through the alluvial silt on both sides of the Lagan. It's a slimy, thixotropic impediment to building — clay dug out of a trench quickly feels homesick and slides back in — and a deterrent to high-rise; but Paris grew up on similar foundations.

Pre-industrial Belfast was a small provincial place. It grew rapidly in the 18th century with the linen trade, and in the 19th with smokestack industry, especially ship-building along the estuary. It sucked in labour, including Catholics moving off the land. In 1921 Ireland was divided: Dublin and the Republic fell behind economically, while Belfast found itself the capital city of Northern Ireland and, after the Depression, busily tooling up to fight the Second World War.

It slumped in the late 20th century as textiles and smokestack industries were lost to foreign competition. Tension rose between factions and communities, the Catholic minority faced blatant discrimination in many aspects of their lives, and both sides had a 200-year old tradition of paramilitary thuggery, which escalated. All of Northern Ireland, but especially Belfast, then suffered a notorious 30 years of "The Troubles" from 1969. Civilian rule broke down and the British Army was heavily deployed to keep order; they too became targets of violence. Riots, shootings and bombings were the daily grist of the newsreels. Barriers, checkpoints and armoured vehicles marked the junctions, helicopters throp-throp-thropped over a scarred, smoke-blackened city.

By the 1990s all sides were war-weary, and a confluence of political drives within Northern Ireland and externally from Britain, Ireland, the European Union and the USA led to the 1998 "Good Friday Agreement". There had been so many short-lived ceasefires and peace initiatives, and the Omagh bombing suggested that the GFA might be yet another - yet for the most part this one stuck. Cautiously the city de-militarised and normalised, though the "Peace Walls" to separate warring communities still stand. Hotels, pubs and other visitor amenities re-opened, and the city's Victorian and Edwardian heritage re-emerged. There was some mileage in "Troubles Tourism" but the final ingredient that Belfast needed was a new story to tell of itself with pride. This it received in 2012 with the opening of the Titanic Quarter east of the river.

George Best Belfast City Airport
Between BHD and city centre: Bus 600 runs every 30 min from the airport to Queens Square, Victoria Square, Wellington Place and Europa bus station. It runs 6AM-10PM daily, taking less than 15 min, adult single fare is £2.60. Taxis might cost £11 to most parts of the city, but check at the outset whether the fare you're quoted includes the £2.50 airport supplement, or the taxi driver may try to add it on when you arrive.

Elsewhere: Sydenham railway station is southwest of the terminal and there's a free shuttle bus (or walk) there is a footbridge over the busy dual carriageway to the railway halt,   Sydenham is on the railway line from Portadown via Lurgan, Lisburn, a dozen stops downtown including Great Victoria Street, then west from Sydenham to Bangor on the coast. Trains run 6AM-11PM every 30 min (but hourly on Sundays), adult fare £2 to the city and £4.70 to Bangor. So you can use it instead of Bus 600 to reach city centre for a small saving but the main advantage is to reach south-side locations (e.g. Botanic, for Queens University) for a single flat fare.

Belfast International Airport
Between BFS and Belfast: Ulsterbus 300 runs every 30 min daily from the airport via Templepatrick and Queen St to Europa bus station, taking just under an hour. The last bus from airport to city is towards 10PM and the first bus out from the city is at 5:30AM. Adult fare is £8 single, £11.50 return (cash, prebooked tickets, or Translink cards only, no credit/debit cards). Taxis might cost £40 to Belfast city centre.

Elsewhere: Ulsterbus 109A runs every hour to nearby  Antrim town, which is on the railway to Ballymena, Coleraine, Portrush and Derry/Londonderry. Those passengers can buy a £2 Airlink supplement to their rail ticket to include the bus, which can be bought at the Visit Belfast booth in arrivals or at the ticket machine at the bus stop(select other tickets). Antrim bus station and train station are beside one another; platform 1 is for Derry and Portrush, while platform 2 over the footbridge is for Belfast. Lisburn is on the railway from Bangor and Belfast to Lurgan and Portadown. You might also travel that way to reach south-side Belfast, but it's much slower for little saving compared to the 300 bus.

From Dublin
 Dublin Airport is often a good way to reach Belfast, with excellent flight connections from the UK and Europe, many by budget carriers. Its big advantage is direct flights from North America (with US pre-border clearance on return) and from the Gulf (e.g. connections from Australia) - and the full-fare carriers handle connections much better than the budget carriers. Dublin airport is also some miles north of Dublin city, so by rental car you turn straight onto the motorway north, 100 miles (160 km) to Belfast. Hourly buses from Dublin Busáras call at the airport then take two hours to Belfast Europa station. Operators are Ulsterbus, Bus Éireann and Aircoach, so there's price competition. Don't take the train as this involves doubling back via Connolly station in central Dublin. And don't have any truck with the taxis hanging around the airport bus stop. One other wrinkle is, don't change money here (though it's a decent rate) as you'll get euros, use your bank card to pay for transport then buy pound sterling in Northern Ireland.

By train
The Enterprise Train runs from Dublin Connolly station via Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry and Portadown to, taking just over two hours, with eight M-Sa and five on Sunday. It doesn't serve Dublin Airport, or Belfast Great Victoria Street station which is next to the main bus station - change at Portadown for this and other suburban stations to Bangor.

Lanyon Place used to be called Central Station, but it's half a mile (800 m) east of the centre, and a 20-min walk to Europa / GVS station. It's close to the Courts, the Waterfront Hall and bus stops towards east Belfast.

Grand Central Station (opening autumn 2024)'. If you are heading for the centre this is more convenient than Lanyon Place. GCS which has regular buses across Northern Ireland and from Dublin city centre and airport. (Until GCS opens, use Lanyon Place.)

Other trains stop at several city stations:
 * hourly from Derry via Castlerock, Coleraine, Ballymena and Antrim (for Belfast International Airport) to Lanyon Place and Grand Central Station (opening in autumn 2024 to replace the old Great Victoria street train station and europa bus station )
 * every 30 min from Portadown via Lisburn and a dozen city stations, to Sydenham (for Belfast City Airport) and Bangor.
 * hourly from Larne via Carrickfergus and Whiteabbey (for Newtownabbey) to Lanyon Place

Translink is the rail and bus operator across Northern Ireland. Check their website for timetables, fares and ticket purchase.

By bus
Buses run hourly from Dublin Busáras and airport to Belfast Europa station, taking 2 hr 20 min, adult fare €20 single and €30 return. Operators are Ulsterbus, Bus Éireann and Aircoach, so there's price competition. Day-trip excursions from Dublin also visit Belfast.

Citylink / Ulsterbus 923 runs 2-3 times a day from Glasgow via Ayr to the Cairnryan ferry for Belfast. The buses don't join the ferry so you have to lump your luggage off to board, then onto the waiting bus at the other end.

National Express normally runs daily from London Victoria and Manchester to Cairnryan, but as of 2022 this remains suspended, and they send you to Glasgow to join the Citylink.

A cross-border Ulsterbus plies from Cavan and Monaghan via Armagh, running four times a day. From Donegal, change in Derry; from Galway, Limerick or Cork, change in Dublin.

Bus routes across Northern Ireland radiate from Belfast, with the hourly bus from Derry taking 2 hours.

is the transport hub, enter on the north side via Glengall St. It's next to Great Victoria Street railway station which has local trains, but not the Enterprise Train from Dublin. All inter-town buses run to Europa, except those from Bangor and Newtownards to the east: they terminate at Laganside, see below.

By car
Belfast is the focus of the road network in Northern Ireland, and has good links to the Republic. The main roads are well-maintained and patrolled, your main task is to avoid rush hours.

From Dublin follow M1 / N1 / A1; there's a toll at Drogheda (€1.90 for a car). There are no checks at the border, all you'll see are signs that speed limits are in miles per hour.

Car rental: all the major companies have desks at Belfast City Airport, International Airport, and central Belfast (though in 2020 some city centre offices are closed). Their fleets are small so best book in advance. You should be able to hire from any of the above locations and return to any for no additional charge, but a one-way rental from Dublin to Belfast (or vice versa) will cost plenty. Check that a Dublin-to-Dublin rental is insured for Northern Ireland.

Park and Ride if you're only visiting for the day. There are four sites, all free, you just pay the normal bus fare. They close around 7PM which rules out evening use. They're at:
 * Sprucefield, M1 junction 8, near Lisburn, for bus 651
 * Black's Road, M1 junction 3, for bus 650
 * Cairnshill, A24 Saintfield Rd, for bus 652
 * Dundonald, A20 Upper Newtownards Rd, for buses G1 and 655

By boat
Foot passengers should always look for through-tickets by bus, train and ferry. They are considerably cheaper than separate tickets, and they take care of the connection between city and ferry port, which can be the trickiest part of the journey.

In 2021 the ferries are plying the equivalent of a winter service until further notice.
 * From Cairnryan near Stranraer in Scotland, Stena Line sail a fast catamaran five times a day taking 2 hr 15 min. P&O also sail from Cairnryan to Larne.
 * From Birkenhead across the Mersey from Liverpool, Stena sail daily, 8 hours. Cabins and meals are available.
 * From Douglas, Isle of Man, IOM Steam Packet sails to Belfast 4 days a week, taking just under 3 hr.

You can also sail to Dublin from Birkenhead, Holyhead, Isle of Man, Cherbourg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. The Holyhead-Dublin route is usually the most convenient from England. There are no direct ferries to Northern Ireland from the Continent and it may be easier to sail into Rosslare or Dublin rather than trundle across Great Britain. Dublin port is connected by tunnel to the motorway north, so you're quickly on your way and not snarled in central Dublin traffic.

is at the foot of Dargan Road, 3 miles northeast of city centre. Bus 96 meets some sailings and runs to Upper Queens Street, a short block away from Europa bus station; adult fare £2.10. Otherwise a taxi to the centre might be £10. Motorists should head west on Dargan Road to join M2.

Get around
Walk to all the central sights. The centre is within a mile or two of the Botanic Gardens, Queen's University and Titanic.

By bus
Belfast buses are run by Translink, a public corporation - check their website for timetables and fare deals such as day tickets. A single adult fare within city centre is £1.60 in 2020. There are three types of buses, which run from around 6AM to 11PM; there are no night buses.
 * Metro are pink. Buy on board if you don't have a card.
 * Glider is a long purple bendy-bus, and for these you must buy your ticket before boarding from the machine at the stop. There are two Glider routes: G1 crosstown from Stewartstown Road and Falls Road in the west to Newtownards Road east, for Stormont and Ulster Hospital; and G2 from city centre to the Titanic area.
 * Ulsterbuses are blue and run to the outlying towns but you can use them for city travel, e.g. the bus for Lisburn to reach the Botanic Garden.

Almost all Ulsterbuses run from Europa bus station; the Metro and Glider buses don't go in there.

by the river weir is the terminus for buses from Bangor, Holywood, Newtownards and the Ards peninsula. It's also a hub for the Metro buses, but you normally just board those on the street.

By Black Taxi
The Black Taxi is Belfast's equivalent to the dolmuş or marshrutka - they're shared taxis running over a fixed route for a fare similar to the bus. They mostly pick up and drop off at the bus stops but will stop anywhere that traffic allows along the routes, which connect the centre and the outlying housing estates.

The Black Taxis came about in the 1970s when it became difficult for buses to run. Especially in west Belfast, there were terrorist attacks against buses, passengers and staff, and roads or whole districts might be blocked off by riots or makeshift barricades. The worst attack was on 21 July 1972, "Bloody Friday", when the Provisional Irish Republican Army planted 24 bombs against the city transport system. Twenty exploded; nine people were killed and 130 were injured. Oxford St bus station was the worst hit, and bombs also went off at Smithfield bus station, three railway stations, the ferry terminal, a truck depot, a taxi firm, and several bridges and filling stations. This deepened the spiral of violence and among the many repercussions, it left the outlying districts without a bus service.

Individuals then bought up traditional London black hackney cabs and brought them to Belfast; this became an organised community initiative, and small businesses were formed. Belfast Taxis CIC emerged as the leading operator and are still plying routes. They've operated now for 50 years though the Black Taxis were suspended in summer 2020 because of Covid-19. Dolmuş literally means "stuffed full" and an old joke asks how many passengers can you fit in? Answer: "Mmm, maybe another two?" In autumn the taxis resumed with much reduced capacity and other anti-Covid measures, but this makes them non-viable unless they hike their fares. Meanwhile the buses are running and benefit from public subsidy, schools contracts, concessionary fares, greater safe capacity and so on. So it's not clear what the future holds for Black Taxis: ask around for which routes are running, and with what hours and frequency.

The Black Taxis are also comparable to the tuk-tuk or rickshaw, as a piece of cultural history. They're used for organised tours, especially of west Belfast - see "Do".

By conventional taxi
Standard taxi operators include Fonacab, Value Cabs , and Castle Cabs.

Uber is available in Belfast. In Sept 2020 they quoted around £10 for downtown rides including City Airport.

By bicycle
Belfast Bikes, the public bike hire scheme operated by Nextbike, has 40 rental stations. You need to register once and pay either £6 for a 3-day membership or £25 for a year. This gives you free bike rides for 30 min. Rentals up to 1 hour cost £0.50, then £1/hr to four hours, thereafter £2/hr, an incentive to release the bike between trips. The maximum rental is 24 hours then you're stung for a £120 late-return penalty. You can only rent bikes between 6AM-midnight, but you can return them at any time.

Central
Belfast city centre is focused on Donegall Square and Belfast City Hall. The main thoroughfare north from the square is Donegall Place, a retail street leading to the Cathedral. The centre is bounded to the east by the River Lagan, to the south by Donegall Pass, and to the west by the convenient but ugly dual carriageway Westlink. The centre is safe enough at all hours but falls very quiet after 8PM.


 * The Crown is the gorgeous Victorian pub that greets arrivals emerging from the bus station. It's owned by the National Trust, see Drink for hours etc, but it's worth looking in even you don't intend a drink. Aw go on, maybe just a quick one then.
 * Linen Hall Library is north side of the square facing City Hall. Amongst others, it has a huge collection of Irish books. It's open M-F 09:30-17:30.
 * St Malachy's Church is Roman Catholic, opened in 1844. It has a Tudor Revival exterior but what's most remarkable is the elaborate fan-vaulted interior, likened to "a wedding cake turned inside out". It's on Alfred St at the corner of Clarence St, two blocks south of City Hall.
 * St Malachy's Church is Roman Catholic, opened in 1844. It has a Tudor Revival exterior but what's most remarkable is the elaborate fan-vaulted interior, likened to "a wedding cake turned inside out". It's on Alfred St at the corner of Clarence St, two blocks south of City Hall.
 * is the block between Victoria shopping centre and the river, with the courts and other legal buildings. You can't go inside them unless you're already in trouble, but the exteriors are interesting. Good examples are the former town hall (now a court house), the Royal Courts of Justice, and the Bar Library.
 * is the block between Victoria shopping centre and the river, with the courts and other legal buildings. You can't go inside them unless you're already in trouble, but the exteriors are interesting. Good examples are the former town hall (now a court house), the Royal Courts of Justice, and the Bar Library.

South
This starts with a commercial area along Bedford St and a loyalist neighbourhood on Donegall Pass. Then south of Shaftesbury Square you come into the student quarter around Queen's University. A retail-and-pizza strip straggles along Lisburn Road while the rest is leafy streets and student accommodation. It's the most affluent part of the city, often referred to by its postcode BT9, and generally safe at all hours apart from the occasional aggressive drunk. Buses 8a,b,c,d run to this area from the centre, plus Ulsterbus 22 / 24 towards Lisburn.
 * Golden Mile is the ironic name for the strip from Europa bus station south through Shaftesbury Square to Queen's University. It's more for retail and bars than sight-seeing, and the only gold deposits you see on the pavements are upchucks of turmeric-stained rice.
 * Naughton Gallery is on the first floor of the QUB Lanyon Building. There's a large permanent collection of University artwork plus rotating exhibitions, mostly modern. It's open Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM, free.
 * Further south the city breaks up into parklands and golf courses along the Lagan valley towards Lisburn. Minnowburn is an attractive section upstream of the A55 bridge.
 * is a Georgian mansion edge-of-city that's primarily an events venue, but you can see the art collection and stroll the extensive grounds and sculpture park.
 * is a large park by the river at the south edge of the city. The big attraction is the extensive Rose Garden.
 * is a Neolithic earthwork 200 yards in diameter with a dolmen in the centre.
 * is a woodland walk, passing a memorial at the temporary graveyard for US servicemen, up to a Rath - an ancient hillfort, now just grazing land.
 * is a Georgian mansion edge-of-city that's primarily an events venue, but you can see the art collection and stroll the extensive grounds and sculpture park.
 * is a large park by the river at the south edge of the city. The big attraction is the extensive Rose Garden.
 * is a Neolithic earthwork 200 yards in diameter with a dolmen in the centre.
 * is a woodland walk, passing a memorial at the temporary graveyard for US servicemen, up to a Rath - an ancient hillfort, now just grazing land.

West
This area suffered the worst of the Troubles in Belfast. It was - and remains - the largest example of an "interface area" where a Protestant/unionist/British-loyalist community lives alongside a Catholic/nationalist/Irish-republican community: the former to the north along Shankhill Rd and Crumlin Rd, the latter south along Falls Rd. Most sights of interest relate to that conflict. Three large cemeteries demonstrate different aspects of Belfast's history: City Cemetery, Milltown, and Balmoral. While Balmoral may only be of interest if you are researching ancestors, the other two, especially Milltown, are worth a visit.
 * : these are found in several places across Northern Ireland, but especially in West Belfast, and this one along Cupar Way is a good example. Walls were built from 1969 as civil unrest grew, and they became ever longer, sturdier, and higher to prevent bombs and bricks being hurled over. They continued growing after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement: both communities felt safer that way, and the Omagh bombing showed that murderous splinter groups remained active. There are several gates in the wall, open in daytime (and safe to visit) but closed by dusk. There is agreement in principle to remove all the walls by 2023, but this ideal prompts deep intakes of breath and slow sad head-shaking by residents.
 * Political Murals are likewise found in many places but especially in the interface areas. They're mostly seen on gable walls of buildings along the Shankhill Rd and Falls Rd, reflecting local allegiances. They come and go with political events, ask around if there are any out-of-the-way examples worth tracking down.
 * Divis Tower is the dreary high-rise block of flats at the start of Falls Road. It's named for the hill seen to the west, and is the last survivor of 12 blocks built here in the 1960s. Divis Tower was mired in the Troubles: in 1969 a 9-year old boy was killed when an army patrol machine-gunned the Tower in the approximate direction of a sniper. Like Divis hill, the top floors of the tower became an army lookout, with troops helicoptered in and out since they didn't dare venture into the lifts and stairwells. Nor should you. The space was refurbished as flats in 2009, but it's people's homes not a zoo or museum.
 * Falls Park is the large green space just south of City Cemetery and north of Milltown Cemetery. Buses 10a-h run this way.
 * is the basalt crag and moorland west of the city, rising to 1568 ft / 478 m. It was long a military area, for training, telecoms and lookout, but in 2005 was handed over to the National Trust. It's easiest approached by the lane from the car park on Divis Road to the southwest.
 * Falls Park is the large green space just south of City Cemetery and north of Milltown Cemetery. Buses 10a-h run this way.
 * is the basalt crag and moorland west of the city, rising to 1568 ft / 478 m. It was long a military area, for training, telecoms and lookout, but in 2005 was handed over to the National Trust. It's easiest approached by the lane from the car park on Divis Road to the southwest.
 * is the basalt crag and moorland west of the city, rising to 1568 ft / 478 m. It was long a military area, for training, telecoms and lookout, but in 2005 was handed over to the National Trust. It's easiest approached by the lane from the car park on Divis Road to the southwest.

Titanic Quarter and East

 * For more on the story of the ship, see RMS Titanic

East Belfast is mainly residential, traditionally Protestant, bounded to the west by the river and A24. The inner parts are terraced housing, further out are leafy suburbs. Its northern part along the riverbank had the shipyards, and remains industrial. But in 2012 the area was revitalised and re-branded by the opening of the Titanic Exhibition.
 * The Great Light is a navigation light on the quayside behind the Titanic Exhibition, distinctly over-engineered for its purpose. It's two huge Fresnel Hyper-Radial first-order lens made in 1887 for Tory Island lighthouse off Donegal. In the 1920s they were re-cycled as a repair for Mew Island lighthouse at the entrance to Belfast Lough, and remained lit until 2014 when they were replaced by an LED. They're now housed here in a glass obelisk, looking like two cosmic gherkins in a pickle jar.
 * is a Catholic enclave within the mostly Protestant east side. So it's an interface area with a sorry history of sectarian troubles, most recently in 2011 with an armed riot and in 2015 with a tit-for-tat murder. By day you can view the political murals and sections of Peace Wall. Don't wander around here after dusk.
 * is a Gothic-style building of 1890, formerly a school.
 * Further out, see Holywood for Ulster Folk Museum and Ulster Transport Museum, facing each other across the Bangor Road 8 miles northeast of city centre, and easily combined on a visit. Take the Bangor train to Cultra, two stops beyond Holywood station.
 * The Great Light is a navigation light on the quayside behind the Titanic Exhibition, distinctly over-engineered for its purpose. It's two huge Fresnel Hyper-Radial first-order lens made in 1887 for Tory Island lighthouse off Donegal. In the 1920s they were re-cycled as a repair for Mew Island lighthouse at the entrance to Belfast Lough, and remained lit until 2014 when they were replaced by an LED. They're now housed here in a glass obelisk, looking like two cosmic gherkins in a pickle jar.
 * is a Catholic enclave within the mostly Protestant east side. So it's an interface area with a sorry history of sectarian troubles, most recently in 2011 with an armed riot and in 2015 with a tit-for-tat murder. By day you can view the political murals and sections of Peace Wall. Don't wander around here after dusk.
 * is a Gothic-style building of 1890, formerly a school.
 * Further out, see Holywood for Ulster Folk Museum and Ulster Transport Museum, facing each other across the Bangor Road 8 miles northeast of city centre, and easily combined on a visit. Take the Bangor train to Cultra, two stops beyond Holywood station.
 * is a Gothic-style building of 1890, formerly a school.
 * Further out, see Holywood for Ulster Folk Museum and Ulster Transport Museum, facing each other across the Bangor Road 8 miles northeast of city centre, and easily combined on a visit. Take the Bangor train to Cultra, two stops beyond Holywood station.
 * Further out, see Holywood for Ulster Folk Museum and Ulster Transport Museum, facing each other across the Bangor Road 8 miles northeast of city centre, and easily combined on a visit. Take the Bangor train to Cultra, two stops beyond Holywood station.
 * Further out, see Holywood for Ulster Folk Museum and Ulster Transport Museum, facing each other across the Bangor Road 8 miles northeast of city centre, and easily combined on a visit. Take the Bangor train to Cultra, two stops beyond Holywood station.

North
The patch around Antrim Road and Limestone Road is an "interface area"; you have no reason to linger there.
 * is the basalt crag that looms north of the city. With a summit at 1207 ft (368 m) there are great views over Belfast, and on a clear day you can see the Isle of Man and Scotland. The Castle is on the east slope. Higher up are three large caves, and McArt's Fort which is a ringfort. The White Stone was a WWII navigation marker for RAF planes approaching Aldergrove airfield, now the international airport. Buses 1a-j run up Antrim road on the east side, by car you can also use the west car park on B95 Upper Hightown Road.

Do

 * What's on? For local events and listings listen to Belfast 89FM on 89.3 MHz or read The Belfast Telegraph, The Irish News and The News Letter, all published daily.
 * Parks and open spaces: lots and lots. See above for:
 * South: Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Ormeau Park and Botanic Gardens, and the Lagan towpath to Lisburn.
 * North: Waterworks, Belfast Castle estate, Cave Hill and Alexandra Park
 * West: Dunville and Falls Park, Colin Glen Forest Park and the City and Milltown cemeteries
 * East: Orangefield and Victoria Park
 * West: Dunville and Falls Park, Colin Glen Forest Park and the City and Milltown cemeteries
 * East: Orangefield and Victoria Park

Theatre and film

 * Check Shows in Belfast as well as individual venue websites for what's on.



Tours

 * Black Taxi Tours use the London-style taxis which also ply regular city routes. They pick up from central locations and a knowledgeable local driver takes you for a spin round some of the western sites. The main operator is Taxi Trax, +44 28 9031 5777. A 90 minute tour might be £40 for two.
 * Bus tours are run by Belfast City Sightseeing and City Tours Belfast. Both use bright red open-top double-deckers, you hop-on and hop-off at the various sights. They also run tours to the Giant's Causeway and anywhere vaguely associated with Game of Thrones.
 * Walking tours are run by Belfast Mural Tours.

Sports

 * Watch Rugby Union i.e. 15-a-side. Ulster Rugby are one of the four Irish professional teams playing in Pro14, the top European (predominantly Celtic) league. Their home ground is Ravenhill (sponsored as Kingspan Stadium), capacity 18,000, south of Ormeau Park.
 * Watch soccer: the city has four teams in the NIFL Premiership, the province's top tier. This plays Sept-Apr like the rest of the UK, while the Republic plays in summer.
 * Linfield FC often win the Premiership and qualify for European tournaments. Their home ground is Windsor Park (capacity 18,000) which also stages international matches. It's two miles south of city centre, take the bus down Boucher Rd or train to Adelaide station.
 * Cliftonville FC play home games at Solitude Stadium, capacity 3200, north side of the city on Cliftonville Rd.
 * Crusaders FC play at Seaview, capacity 3880, a mile north of the centre off Shore Rd.
 * Glentoran FC notoriously rejected the young George Best for being too small and light. Their home ground The Oval has a nominal capacity of 15,000. It's east of the centre in Sydenham towards the airport that's named for that light skinny fellow.
 * Watch Gaelic games: Casement Park (Páirc Mhic Asmaint), by junction 2 of M1, was the principal stadium of the GAA in Ulster. In 2020 it's derelict (even before covid) and games are being played elsewhere.
 * Golf: see Holywood for Royal Belfast Golf Club. The south edge of the city and Lagan valley is strewn with golf courses.
 * Ice Hockey: Belfast Giants play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the UK's top tier. Their home rink is the SSE Arena.

Events

 * Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival is in January. CQAF also run the Out to Lunch Festival in May.
 * St Patrick's Day on 17 March (whenever that falls in the week) is almost as big an event here as in the Republic.
 * Belfast Film Festival was previously in March, but the next is 15-16 July 2023.
 * City Marathon is in early May, with the next on Su 5 May 2024. They also stage a half-marathon in September.
 * Belfast Book Festival is held in Crescent Arts Centre on the QUB campus, with the next on 11-16 June 2024, tbc
 * Orange Order Parades are a piece of living history, catch one if you can. They're held across Northern Ireland throughout summer, but the biggest is in Belfast on 12th July, a public holiday commemorating the 1690 Battle of the Boyne. (When the 12th falls on Sunday, the parade and public holiday is Monday 13th - this next occurs in 2026.) There's a morning and an afternoon parade: both start as feeders from various quarters of the city, which combine around Donegall Square and then head south through the University area and Lisburn Road.
 * Belfast Pride is next held 21-30 July 2023.
 * Féile an Phobail is a community arts festival, with the next on 3-13 Aug 2023.
 * Belfast International Arts Festival is next held 11 Oct - 9 Nov 2023.

Buy

 * Central Belfast has a large retail area, with Castle Court on Millfield to the west through Corn Market to Victoria Square on the east.
 * Inns Cross Farmers Market is off Saintfield Rd (A24) south edge of the city near the A55 junction. It's 10AM-2PM on the first Saturday of the month.
 * Inns Cross Farmers Market is off Saintfield Rd (A24) south edge of the city near the A55 junction. It's 10AM-2PM on the first Saturday of the month.
 * Inns Cross Farmers Market is off Saintfield Rd (A24) south edge of the city near the A55 junction. It's 10AM-2PM on the first Saturday of the month.
 * Inns Cross Farmers Market is off Saintfield Rd (A24) south edge of the city near the A55 junction. It's 10AM-2PM on the first Saturday of the month.
 * Inns Cross Farmers Market is off Saintfield Rd (A24) south edge of the city near the A55 junction. It's 10AM-2PM on the first Saturday of the month.

Splurge

 * Muddler's Club, 1 Warehouse Ln. One of the few Michelin star restaurants in Northern Ireland. Reservations are mandatory, and the place is often booked weeks in advance.
 * Muddler's Club, 1 Warehouse Ln. One of the few Michelin star restaurants in Northern Ireland. Reservations are mandatory, and the place is often booked weeks in advance.
 * Muddler's Club, 1 Warehouse Ln. One of the few Michelin star restaurants in Northern Ireland. Reservations are mandatory, and the place is often booked weeks in advance.
 * Muddler's Club, 1 Warehouse Ln. One of the few Michelin star restaurants in Northern Ireland. Reservations are mandatory, and the place is often booked weeks in advance.

Central

 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Europa Hotel (see Sleep): the Piano Bar tinkles away on the first floor.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.
 * Merchant Hotel (see Sleep) has Bert's Jazz Bar in Art Deco style, The Cloth Ear with Victorian decor, and the Cocktail Bar if your budget extends to Champagne.

Budget

 * Premier Inn have three hotels: "Cathedral Quarter" on Waring St, "City Centre" on Alfred St, and "Titanic Quarter" at the marina.
 * Ibis have two hotels: "City Centre" on Castle St, and "Queens Quarter" on University St.
 * Premier Inn have three hotels: "Cathedral Quarter" on Waring St, "City Centre" on Alfred St, and "Titanic Quarter" at the marina.
 * Ibis have two hotels: "City Centre" on Castle St, and "Queens Quarter" on University St.
 * Premier Inn have three hotels: "Cathedral Quarter" on Waring St, "City Centre" on Alfred St, and "Titanic Quarter" at the marina.
 * Ibis have two hotels: "City Centre" on Castle St, and "Queens Quarter" on University St.
 * Premier Inn have three hotels: "Cathedral Quarter" on Waring St, "City Centre" on Alfred St, and "Titanic Quarter" at the marina.
 * Ibis have two hotels: "City Centre" on Castle St, and "Queens Quarter" on University St.

Stay safe
Belfast is for the most part a safe, welcoming city. Though there is trouble beneath the surface, it's locals settling old scores, and tourists aren't involved. After dark you should avoid the "interface areas" noted earlier. Beyond that, just follow the same obvious rules you'd follow in any other big city. Keep your nose and big mouth out of local politics (which stretch back 300 years), and expect some banter if you wear the wrong colour of football jersey.

One of the biggest consequences of The Troubles are the city's massive socioeconomic inequalities, which consequently lead to a good amount of petty and not-so-petty crimes. It is not uncommon to see rowdy youth act violently throughout the city, especially on Fridays and weekends. Thankfully, they very rarely target tourists, but you should still be on your guards at night when going out.

In addition to the "interface areas", some sections of town that require extra vigilance include Shaftesbury Square (the road linking Queen's University with Great Victoria Street Station), Botanic Station, and Strandtown.

Consulates

 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇵🇱 Poland

Connect
To call a number in Northern Ireland from the Republic, use area code 048 with no country code. The +44 28 versions given above will work but incur international rates.

As of July 2021, the city has a good 4G signal from all UK carriers, and there is 5G from O2.

There is no land-based mobile signal on the ferries. Switch off in case your phone latches onto the ferry company WiFi, they'll be delighted to connect you at international rates.

Go next

 * Transport routes radiate from Belfast so virtually all of Northern Ireland is within a day trip.
 * Hillsborough is a picturesque village in County Down, with the grand powerbase of Hillsborough Castle.
 * Giant's Causeway is the standout on the north coast, and can be reached by train or bus. But with a car you can meander along the whole coast, from Carrickfergus and Larne into the beautiful Antrim Glens to Ballycastle. The Glens are quiet so the Causeway will feel very touristy by comparison.
 * Bangor is a cheery seaside town, with frequent suburban trains from Belfast. There are good beaches at Holywood on this route.
 * Derry is a fascinating historic city within its ancient walls.
 * Dublin can be day-tripped by bus or the "Enterprise Train" but deserves much longer.