For couples · Belfast · United Kingdom
Romantic things to do in Belfast
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Barrykellya, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Romance in Belfast means cosy Victorian pubs, live music and rugged coast and hills within easy reach. Evenings in the Cathedral Quarter and a day on the Causeway Coast make a good weekend pairing. Couples tend to stay in Cathedral Quarter.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 1
- Area for couples
- Cathedral Quarter
- Best months
- May and September
Romantic ideas
1.Snug for two at the Crown
Book nothing, just arrive early and claim a carved wooden snug with a bell to call for drinks.
2.Sunset from Cave Hill
Walk up from Belfast Castle to the summit for golden light over Belfast Lough.
3.Show at the Grand Opera House
See a touring production in Frank Matcham's gilded Victorian auditorium.
4.Causeway Coast drive
Follow the coastal road past Dunluce Castle and Whitepark Bay to the Giant's Causeway.
5.Trad session in the Cathedral Quarter
Share a table near the musicians in one of the lanes' traditional pubs.
Sights couples love
Architecture · City Centre
Grand Opera House
Seeing a show is the best way to see the auditorium; the Christmas pantomime is a long-running local tradition.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours for a show
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, food lovers and culture
Cathedral Quarter
Around St Anne's Cathedral, the old warehouse lanes of Hill Street, Commercial Court and Donegall Street hold traditional pubs such as the Duke of York, restaurants, small theatres and boutique hotels. It is the city's main area for an evening out and a ten-minute walk from City Hall.
- Good
- Pubs and live music on the doorstep; Characterful streets; Central
- Watch out
- Noisy late on weekends; Higher room rates during festivals
- Nearby
- St Anne's Cathedral, Commercial Court, Custom House Square, St George's Market
Romantic day trips
- Giant's Causeway and the Causeway Coast (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — Some 40,000 interlocking basalt columns step into the sea at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Mourne Mountains and Newcastle (About 1 hour by car or 1 hour 15 minutes by bus) — The seaside town of Newcastle sits below Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland's highest mountain, at the edge of the granite Mournes.
- Mount Stewart and Strangford Lough (About 35 minutes by car) — Mount Stewart is a National Trust house with some of the most admired gardens in the UK, on the shore of Strangford Lough, a large sea inlet rich in birdlife.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Champ, Irish stew and Seafood from Strangford Lough and Portavogie. Sunday trading hours are shorter in Northern Ireland, so plan Sunday shopping and some meals with that in mind.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Belfast romantic?
Romance in Belfast means cosy Victorian pubs, live music and rugged coast and hills within easy reach. Evenings in the Cathedral Quarter and a day on the Causeway Coast make a good weekend pairing.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Belfast?
Snug for two at the Crown: Book nothing, just arrive early and claim a carved wooden snug with a bell to call for drinks.
+Where should couples stay in Belfast?
Cathedral Quarter: Cobbled lanes, St Anne's Cathedral and pubs with live music.