History · Belfast · United Kingdom
8 historic sites to see in Belfast
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Titanic Belfast, Belfast City Hall and Murals and peace walls of west Belfast. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–13 hours across 6 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 12–13 hours
- Areas
- Titanic Quarter, City Centre and Falls and Shankill
Historic sites in Belfast
Museum · Titanic Quarter
1.Titanic Belfast
Outside, the outline of the slipway is marked on the ground.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Architecture · City Centre
2.Belfast City Hall
Inside, a free exhibition covers the city's history, the marble staircases and council chamber can be seen on free guided tours, and the grounds hold a Titanic memorial garden listing those who died.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Falls and Shankill
3.Murals and peace walls of west Belfast
Black-taxi tours and walking tours, often led by local guides from each side, are the clearest way to understand them.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Iconic
- Art
- Photo spot
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Historic site · Titanic Quarter
4.SS Nomadic
Restored and set in Hamilton Dock, she can be explored from the first-class lounge to the engine room.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
Museum · Queen's Quarter
5.Ulster Museum
Entry is free.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Art
Historic site · North Belfast
6.Crumlin Road Gaol
Guided tours take you through the tunnel that once led to the courthouse across the road, the cells, the condemned man's cell and the execution room.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · City Centre
7.Crown Liquor Saloon
It is still a working pub.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
- Food
Neighbourhood · Cathedral Quarter
8.Cathedral Quarter and St Anne's Cathedral
Commercial Court's hanging umbrellas and murals make it one of the most photographed streets in Belfast.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Photo spot
- Food
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Titanic Quarter | Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic | 2–3 hours + 45 minutes |
| City Centre | Belfast City Hall and Crown Liquor Saloon | 1 hour + 1 hour |
| Falls and Shankill | Murals and peace walls of west Belfast | 1.5–2 hours |
| Queen's Quarter | Ulster Museum | 2 hours |
| North Belfast | Crumlin Road Gaol | 1.5 hours |
| Cathedral Quarter | Cathedral Quarter and St Anne's Cathedral | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Titanic Belfast. The longest visit is Titanic Belfast; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Titanic Belfast: Entry is by timed ticket and summer and weekend slots fill up; book online in advance.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Titanic Quarter and City Centre): Titanic Belfast → SS Nomadic → Belfast City Hall, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (City Centre and Falls and Shankill): Crown Liquor Saloon → Murals and peace walls of west Belfast, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Queen's Quarter and North Belfast): Ulster Museum → Crumlin Road Gaol, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Cathedral Quarter): Cathedral Quarter and St Anne's Cathedral, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 12 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Chilly and showery with lengthening days; a good month for indoor sights and pubs.
- January: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 15 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold, wet and dark by about 4:30pm, but the lowest room rates of the year and quiet museums.
- November: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 15 rainy days, quiet crowds. Damp and grey, but the Christmas market at City Hall usually opens in mid-to-late November.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- City Centre — City Hall, Donegall Place shopping and the main bus and rail hubs
- Cathedral Quarter — Cobbled lanes, St Anne's Cathedral and pubs with live music
- Queen's Quarter — Student cafés, Botanic Avenue and the Lanyon Building
- Titanic Quarter — Former shipyard slipways, Titanic Belfast and new waterfront hotels
More of Belfast
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Belfast?
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.
+Which of these are free in Belfast?
Belfast City Hall, Ulster Museum and Cathedral Quarter and St Anne's Cathedral.