Travel guide · United Kingdom
Belfast travel guide
Titanic history, Victorian pubs and the gateway to the Causeway Coast
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, grew rich on linen, rope-making and shipbuilding — the Harland & Wolff yard built the Titanic here — and that history is told at Titanic Belfast on the old slipways. The compact centre around City Hall is walkable, with the Cathedral Quarter's pubs to the north and the university, Botanic Gardens and Ulster Museum to the south. Murals and peace walls in west Belfast explain the city's recent past, and the Giant's Causeway, the Mourne Mountains and Dublin are all within day-trip range. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–June and August–September.
Key facts
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best time to visit
- May–June and August–September
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- BFS, BHD
- Mid-range daily budget
- $150–$260 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Titanic, Political murals, Victorian pubs and Traditional music
Why visit Belfast
- Titanic Belfast stands beside the slipways where the ship was built, with the original tender SS Nomadic moored nearby.
- The Ulster Museum, the Botanic Gardens' Palm House and City Hall's public areas are free to visit.
- Guided tours of the murals and peace walls of the Falls and Shankill roads explain the history of the Troubles first-hand.
- Victorian pubs such as the Crown Liquor Saloon and the lanes of the Cathedral Quarter are the setting for traditional music most nights.
- The Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede and the Mourne Mountains are all reachable on day trips.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Museum · Titanic Quarter
Titanic Belfast
Built on the site of the slipways where the Titanic and her sister Olympic were constructed, this angular, silver-clad building tells the story of the ship and of Belfast's industrial peak across nine interactive galleries, including a ride through a recreated shipyard.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Architecture · City Centre
Belfast City Hall
The Portland-stone, copper-domed City Hall opened in 1906 and dominates Donegall Square.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Falls and Shankill
Murals and peace walls of west Belfast
The Falls Road and Shankill Road, divided by peace walls built during the Troubles, are covered in political and memorial murals that show the history and identities of each community.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Iconic
- Art
- Photo spot
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Historic site · Titanic Quarter
SS Nomadic
The last surviving White Star Line vessel was built in Belfast as a tender to ferry passengers out to the Titanic and Olympic at Cherbourg.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
Museum · Queen's Quarter
Ulster Museum
Northern Ireland's national museum covers art, natural history and local history, with an Egyptian mummy named Takabuti, a dinosaur gallery, treasure from the Spanish Armada ship Girona and a measured gallery on the Troubles.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Art
Garden · Queen's Quarter
Botanic Gardens and Palm House
The Victorian Botanic Gardens beside Queen's University centre on the curvilinear iron-and-glass Palm House, one of the earliest of its kind, and the sunken Tropical Ravine with its jungle plants.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Where to stay
City Centre is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and budget
City Centre
City Hall, Donegall Place shopping and the main bus and rail hubs
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, food lovers and culture
Cathedral Quarter
Cobbled lanes, St Anne's Cathedral and pubs with live music
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, culture and families
Queen's Quarter
Student cafés, Botanic Avenue and the Lanyon Building
$$$ · Best for families and first-timers
Titanic Quarter
Former shipyard slipways, Titanic Belfast and new waterfront hotels
What to eat
- Ulster fry — Northern Ireland's fried breakfast stands out for its breads: triangular soda farls and potato bread fried in the pan, alongside bacon, sausages, eggs, black and white pudding, tomato and mushrooms.
- Soda bread and potato bread — Soda farls are quick breads raised with bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk and cooked on a griddle; potato bread is a thin, flat bread made with mashed potato.
- Champ — Mashed potato beaten with milk, butter and chopped scallions (spring onions), served as a side or on its own with a well of melted butter.
- Irish stew — Slow-cooked lamb or mutton with potatoes, onions and carrots — a simple, hearty dish served in pubs, especially in the colder months.
- Pastie supper — The Northern Irish pastie is not a pastry but a round patty of minced pork, onion and potato, battered and deep-fried; a 'pastie supper' comes with chips.
- Seafood from Strangford Lough and Portavogie — Oysters, mussels and langoustines (often called Portavogie prawns) from the County Down coast feature on the menus of the city's seafood restaurants.
When to go
The best time to visit Belfast is May to September, when days are longest, the weather is mildest and day trips to the Causeway Coast are most rewarding. The city's top sights are mostly indoors, so it also works in spring and autumn; late November and December add the City Hall Christmas market.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Lengthening days, St Patrick's Day celebrations and often dry spells in May, with moderate prices. |
| Summer | June–August | The longest days and busiest season for tours and festivals; around 12 July some businesses close and parades affect traffic. |
| Autumn | September–November | Calmer streets, autumn colour and the International Arts Festival, turning wet and dark by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold, wet and short days, offset by the Christmas market, pantomime and the lowest hotel rates in January and February. |
Getting there and around
George Best Belfast City Airport is about 5 km from the centre; the Airport Express 600 bus reaches the city in about 15 minutes and taxis take around 10. Belfast International Airport is about 30 km north-west; the Airport Express 300 bus runs to the centre in about 30–40 minutes, while a taxi takes a similar time and costs considerably more.
Central Belfast is compact: City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, St George's Market and the Lagan waterfront are all within about 15 minutes' walk, and Titanic Belfast and the university are 20–25 minutes on foot. Translink's Metro buses, Glider rapid-transit buses and local trains fill in the rest.
Plan your days
Two days covers Titanic Belfast, City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, the murals and the Ulster Museum. A third day is best spent on the Causeway Coast, and a fourth adds the Mourne Mountains or the Ulster Folk Museum.
Practical information
- Currency
- GBP
- Language
- English and Irish
- Plugs
- Type G sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency number
- 999 or 112
- Tipping
- About 10% is usual in restaurants with table service, unless a service charge is already on the bill.
Belfast is generally welcoming for visitors, with typical city precautions against bag theft in busy areas. Around 11–12 July, parades and bonfires affect some neighbourhoods and roads; check local news and keep a respectful distance from bonfire sites.
Flights to Belfast
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Belfast?
Two days covers Titanic Belfast, City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, the murals and the Ulster Museum. A third day is best spent on the Causeway Coast, and a fourth adds the Mourne Mountains or the Ulster Folk Museum. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Belfast?
The best time to visit Belfast is May to September, when days are longest, the weather is mildest and day trips to the Causeway Coast are most rewarding. The city's top sights are mostly indoors, so it also works in spring and autumn; late November and December add the City Hall Christmas market.
+What is Belfast known for?
Titanic, Political murals, Victorian pubs, Traditional music, Ulster fry, Giant's Causeway trips and Game of Thrones filming locations. Titanic Belfast stands beside the slipways where the ship was built, with the original tender SS Nomadic moored nearby.
+Is Belfast expensive?
Belfast is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $150–$260 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Belfast?
Not for the city itself, where buses and walking cover everything. A car is useful for the Causeway Coastal Route and the Mourne Mountains, though coach tours to the Giant's Causeway run daily from the centre.