Northern Ireland
48 Hours in Belfast
Discover the renaissance of Belfast in 48 hours. Once in Belfast, head straight for the historic Cathedral Quarter, now the city's cultural hub, checking in at the stylish Merchant Hotel, a beautifully renovated 1860s bank, which boasts the visually spectacular Great Room dining hall and luxurious suites themed on Northern Irish writers such as CS Lewis.
Day One
After checking in, take a stroll around the cobbled stoned roads and entries (laneways) of Belfast's oldest area, starting with Cotton Court, just across the road. Here, Craft NI will set you up with all the information you need to access Belfast's unique local crafts, while you can find wonderful prints at the Belfast Print Workshop. Around the corner, explore the dedicated photographic exhibition centre and archive, Belfast Exposed in Donegall Street. A short walk away, the intriguing Northern Ireland War Memorial, Home Front Exhibition reveals the part played by Northern Ireland in the Second World War, while just opposite St Anne's (Belfast) Cathedral, which gives the Quarter its name, has many delightful features, such as the mosaic composed of 150,000 pieces of glass on the roof of the Baptistry.
There's plenty of enticing cafés and restaurants in the area to enjoy a delicious lunch, such as No 27 Talbot Street, housed in a beautiful red brick merchant building, which has picked up rave reviews for great value lunches.
Queen's Island was the site of the famous Harland and Wolff shipyard, where the legendary Titanic was built. Today there are a number of ways to explore the history of the world's most famous ship. One of the most enjoyable is to walk down to Donegall Quay and take the Lagan Boat Company Titanic tour on the MV Joyce. You can see the slipways from which Titanic was launched and the Thompson Pump House and Dry Dock where her superstructure was added and much more. You can get an even closer inspection of the dry dock and pump house on the Titanic Trail at the Northern Ireland Science Park. Also in Queens Island, the Odyssey Pavilion is a multi-faceted house of fun, with the interactive discovery centre W5, ten-pin bowling and multi-screen Storm cinema complex as well as numerous hot spots to eat, drink and party. A short walk back towards the city centre takes shopaholics to the stunning Victoria Square retail centre, one of the biggest in Europe, with nearly 100 leading shops, as well as restaurants and cafes. If you dont mind heights, you can enjoy amazing views of Belfast from its distinctive glass dome.
A pioneer of the Cathedral Quarter the excellent Nicks Warehouse housed in a Victorian bonded warehouse down a cobble stoned laneway, is a relaxing place to enjoy dinner before enjoying some live music at the intimate Black Box or lively John Hewitt pub nearby. Still feeling energetic? Ollie's, the Merchant's sumptuous nightclub or the strikingly designed Potthouse opposite are just two of many nearby options for dancing the night away!
Day Two
The author of the world famous Narnian Chronicles was born and raised in east Belfast and there are a variety of ways to trace his fascinating story. Check out the special CS Lewis Homeland tour from Ken Harper Taxi Tours, visiting the Church where he was christened, the inspiration for Aslan and the house where he grew up. You can get self-guided CS Lewis tour maps (and all the information you will need for your Belfast visit) from the Belfast Welcome Centre and you can access the CS Lewis Collection at the atmospheric Linen Hall Library, a Belfast cultural institution for centuries.
Around the corner from the Linen Hall Library awaits another local treasure of a very different kind. Oysters (or Irish stew) and Guinness never taste as good as at the Crown Liquor Saloon, famous for its wooden snugs and exquisite tilework. One of the most beautiful Victorian pubs in the world, it was saved for the nation by John Betjeman and the National Trust.
The Independent called the murals of west Belfast, "The UK's top attraction". The best way to see them is on one of the many black cab tours of the area, where you will also discover the truth of Belfast's people's reputation for warmth and wit! The Belfast Welcome Centre can help book these and indeed tours of all kinds throughout Belfast, from historic walking tours to bus and boat tours.
If you have time, head out north to one of Europe's prettiest zoos and a world leader in conservation, Belfast Zoo, built high up on Cave Hill overlooking the city. Nearby, magnificent Belfast Castle has stunning views, an antique shop and restaurant and a special visitor centre for adjacent Cave Hill Country Park.
Head back to the city centre for an intimate French brasserie experience at Roscoff Brasserie, owned by a pioneer of Belfast's culinary renaissance, Paul Rankin. Then it's time for a top concert at the Belfast Waterfront Hall or Odyssey Arena, a play or musical at the Grand Opera House, or maybe just a relaxing drink at the atmospheric award-winning Bar Bacca. Why not slip upstairs to sister club, La Lea, where the dance floor will be packed into the early hours.
Once you're ready for sleep, it's not far to the minimalist oriental décor of Ten Square, a beautifully renovated Victorian linen warehouse, now a four star hotel where celebs like to stay when in Belfast.
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