I have already visited the capital of England, London, the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, and I live in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. So it was about time to have a look at the capital of Northern Ireland. Belfast is very popular with the British and I have heard all the good things about it, but of course I had to see it for myself. So let’s have a look at what you can see in Belfast? What to do when the rain won’t stop etc.
Due to the not very nice weather I managed to walk mainly through the city centre of Belfast. I am moving over to Belfast in the autumn though, so no worries, an update will be available very soon. Given that it is not possible to walk to see everything in Belfast, I have divided Belfast into each parts according to the sightseeing and places of interest.
The historical city centre
CITY HALL
Let’s start with the city centre and the city hall. The city hall is located exactly in the centre of the city and can’t miss it. It will impress you from the outside, but if you have a little time and feel like learning a little bit about the Belfast’s history, it’s worth a look inside. Free guided tours take place every other hour, but if you prefer to explore City Hall yourself, you can. Several times a year, on the occasion of various public holidays and important events, it lightens up. You can find the calendar on the official website.
Castle court shopping centre / Victoria Square
Not just for rainy days there are shopping centers such as Castle Court and Victoria Square. I’ve liked Victoria Square more, it is a shopping centre on three or four floors. When you take the elevator all the way up, you arrive in a glass dome with a beautiful view. Since I visited Belfast during Easter, there was a nice decoration. Victoria Square is an open shopping center, so take your jacket if it’s cold. Castle Court Shopping Center has cheap food, I recommend Italian. There are stores such as Superdrug or New Look and several cafe chains such as Costa Coffee, Starbucks or Clements.
St George’s Market
St George’s Market is opened only three days a week – Friday to Sunday. It is one of Belfast’s oldest attractions. Built in the late 19th century, this market offers everything from food to handicrafts, has gained lots of awards. It is said to be the largest indoor market in the UK. Every day, the market focuses on something else. On Friday, fruits, vegetables, antiques, books, clothing and fish are offered. The fish section itself has 23 fishing stalls. On Saturday, the market offers a wide range of local and continental specialty foods including meat, fish, cheese, coffee beans, tapas and organic products. Sunday focuses on local arts and crafts as well as spices, scented candles, household items, medical and cosmetic products.
Crown Bar
Crown Bar is probably the most famous pub in Belfast. You won’t find a place like this. It is a classic Victorian pub, located on Victoria Street and formerly a gin bar. There is a golden and red ceiling, mosaic tile flooring, brocade walls, wooden columns and more. The coloured decorative windows were originally intended to protect customers from inquisitive passers-by. You might try their famous Belfast Lager and other homemade beers. Surprisingly, this is not an extremely expensive bar. Of course I had Guinness, who is not as good in Ireland as I am in Ireland, but is still excellent.
CATHEDRAL QUARTER
The neighborhood around St. Anne’s Cathedral is interesting because it is a cultural part of Belfast. It is full of fascinating architecture and cobbled streets. There is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MAC) in which some exhibitions are free and is currently being rebuilt. In the past, the district focused mainly on trade, and the shipping industry has evolved from here. However, it went bankrupt, but thanks to private investors this area was restored.
St. Anne’s Cathedral
St. Anne’s Cathedral is the main place of interest of the neighbourhood named after it. It is interesting that it serves two separate dioceses and thus has two bishops. It is a Protestant cathedral of the Irish Church and its foundation dates back to the end of the 19th century when the foundation stone was laid. The cathedral was destroyed in its history, very badly during World War II, when it was hit by a German bomb.
MAC
Mac is Belfast’s cultural centre, with many exhibitions, theater performances and experimental works. It was opened recently (in 2012) and offers workshops and other cultural events. It is also interesting because of its architecture. It is a very modern building with surprising interior. Exhibitions are free and tickets to shows can be booked in advance on the website. The centre also offers a modern café and children’s corner.
THE BIG FISH
The ‘Big Fish’ is located between St. Anne’s Cathedral and the Titanic Quarter. The fish is also called Salmon of Knowledge. It is a salmon to celebrate the return of salmons to the river Lagan. The 10-meter-long sculpture was built in 1999. The outer shell of the fish is lined with ceramic tiles decorated with texts and paintings related to the history of Belfast.
TITANIC QUARTER
The Titanic Quarter is where the shipping industry in Belfast began. It is the home of Titanic and many other ships. You can spend even a whole day getting to know the whole history of the shipping industry and walk along the river.
Museum Titanic
You may not be surprised that there is a Titanic Museum in the Titanic Quarter. Interestingly, it was not opened until 2012 at the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard. The museum, of course, offers you to take a step back and found out everything about how Titanic was built, who was on its deck, and a minute by minute time reconstruction to its clash with the glacier. The building contains more than 12,000 square meters and is also used for private events. Is is one of the best-earning museums in the Northern Ireland and because of it, there are lots of tourists coming to Belfast.
A walk along the river?
But if you don’t want to pay £ 20 for a museum, you can just walk along the river There are many boards showing you how and when the shipping industry in Belfast began. You can also see SS Nomadic, the sister of Titanic, anchored nearby the river. This ship carried first and second class passengers to the Titanic. You can also see HMS Caroline, a Royal Navy ship from the First World War, which experienced combat service and served as an administrative centre during World War II. There is also the Odyssey entertainment center in this district, where you will find many restaurants and bars. The SSE Arena then offers sports events and concerts.
QUEEN UNIVERSITY
The prestigious Queen’s University is located on the southern outskirts of the city, about 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre. The university ranks among the tenth best in the UK, 180 in the world. It offers many courses and diplomas, but what you might be more interested in is that the building itself. It is worth visiting, as it is one of those pretty typical British university buildings and there is a botanical garden near the main building, which is small, but free. There is also a newly renovated library that you can look into. You can relax and take a stroll in the adjacent gardens, or visit the Ulster Museum. The museum offers everything from history to ecology, and there is a very good exhibition that explains the riots between Ireland and Northern Ireland. You can see how these two countries have evolved and what has affected them.
Since I’m not a fan of Game of Thrones, I wasn’t looking for places where it was filmed. However, there is a place in Belfast where statues from Narnia, C.S. Lewis Square that I would definitely like to see. There is also the Belfast Piece Wall, which, unlike the Berlin Wall, has not been destroyed. Belfast castle is situated outside the center, but from the pictures it seems that there will be a beautiful view of the city. As I said in the beginning of this article I am most likely to move to Belfast very soon, so stay turned for more detailed tour of the city and place in the Northern Ireland.