Season guide · Belfast · United Kingdom
Belfast in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertpaulyoung/, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
The longest days and busiest season for tours and festivals; around 12 July some businesses close and parades affect traffic. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 34 rainy days across June–August. June and August are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 9°C (48°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 18°C (64°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 10 | 17.2 h | 4/5 |
| July | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 12 | 16.7 h | 4/5 |
| August | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 12 | 14.9 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 34 of the year's roughly 151 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- July: Eleventh Night bonfires and Twelfth of July parades (11–12 July)
- August: Féile an Phobail — community arts and music festival in west Belfast (usually August)
- August: Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle (usually last Monday and Tuesday of August)
Good choices for summer
Museum · Queen's Quarter
Ulster Museum
Pair it with a walk through the Botanic Gardens, whose gates are right beside the museum.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Art
Historic site · North Belfast
Crumlin Road Gaol
This Victorian prison held suffragettes, Republican and Loyalist prisoners until it closed in 1996.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
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Market · City Centre
St George's Market
Arrive hungry on a Saturday or Sunday morning for an Ulster fry bap or fresh seafood from the stalls.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Historic site · City Centre
Linen Hall Library
Founded in 1788, the Linen Hall is the oldest library in Belfast, opposite City Hall on Donegall Square North.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Titanic Quarter
Titanic Belfast
Leave time to walk the slipways outside and look up at the Samson and Goliath cranes of the Harland & Wolff yard.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in summer
- Ulster Folk and Transport Museums (About 15 minutes by train) — At Cultra, an open-air museum of rebuilt cottages, farms, shops and a whole Edwardian town recreates rural and small-town life in Ulster, with costumed guides.
- Carrickfergus Castle (About 25 minutes by train) — One of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland stands on a rock jutting into Belfast Lough, begun around 1177 by John de Courcy.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Belfast?
Yes: June and August are among the best months. The longest days and busiest season for tours and festivals; around 12 July some businesses close and parades affect traffic.
+What is the weather like in Belfast in summer?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.