Season guide · Belfast · United Kingdom
Belfast in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold, wet and short days, offset by the Christmas market, pantomime and the lowest hotel rates in January and February. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 41 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 2°C (36°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 41
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8°C (46°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 15 | 7.8 h | 1/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 12 | 9.6 h | 1/5 |
| December | 8°C (46°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 14 | 7.3 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 8°C (46°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 41 of the year's roughly 151 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: Christmas Market at City Hall continues (usually until just before Christmas)
- December: New Year's Eve celebrations
Good choices for winter
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
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
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
Day trips in winter
- 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.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Belfast?
It is a trade-off: Cold, wet and short days, offset by the Christmas market, pantomime and the lowest hotel rates in January and February. The best months overall are May–June and August–September.
+What is the weather like in Belfast in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 41 rainy days over the season.