If you haven’t already been to Northern Ireland, then start having a look at flights now. There’s so many things to do in Belfast and the surrounding areas. I had 2 days to explore. There’s so much that I didn’t get to do, so I’m definitely going to plan another trip soon.
Take a trip to Giant’s Causeway
As I had two full days in Northern Ireland, I decided that I’d spend one in the city of Belfast and the other visiting somewhere I’d always wanted to go. Without hestitation, I booked myself onto a tour of Giant’s Causeway, which also included a few places from the filming of Game of Thrones. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour which took me north up the Antrim coast. I was really lucky with the weather and managed to get some stunning photos. This is something that I would love to do again, so will either do another coach tour or hire a car next time I’m in Northern Ireland.
Learn about the Troubles
The Troubles were a period of ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998. Disagreements between the Protestants and Catholics erupted into terrorism. During this time, more than 3,500 people died. Shootings, bombings and assassinations were commonplace in Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland. The conflict wasn’t just contained in Northern Ireland – there were also incidents across the rest of the UK thanks to the involvement of the IRA (Irish Republican Army).
Although the Good Friday Agreement was now more than 20 years ago, evidence of the Troubles can still be seen across Belfast. For the first time ever, Catholics now outnumber Protestants in Northern Ireland. There are still areas which are are strictly Catholic or Protestant. To this day, there are still at least 40 so-called ‘peace gates’ separating suburbs.
If you are looking for things to do in Belfast, I think that one of the most important things is to learn more about the Troubles. You can do this by joining a tour such as the famous Black Cab Tour. These organised tours showcase the history of Belfast and the Troubles. They take you around important areas from the conflict such as Falls Road and Shankill Road. You can also pay a visit to the People’s Museum of the Troubles and Peace.
Join a free walking tour
Whatever city I’m in, I always seek out free walking tours. My first ever one was in Cologne and since then I’ve been on them all over Europe. A quick Google search will bring up tours local to you. Always have a look at reviews before you book one. When I was looking at things to do in Belfast, there was no doubt that I was going to do a free walking tour. I always find that you learn so much more about a city from the free tours. This is because the guides want you to tip them at the end (that’s how they make their money), so they are a lot more enthusiastic and helpful than the tours that you pay for in advance.
In Belfast, the tour that I chose to go on was by Belfast Free Walking Tours. The tour lasted just over two hours and we explored the following areas:
- The Docklands and the Lagan River
- Cathedral Quarter
- Belfast City Hall
- Albert Clock
- The Big Fish
- City Laneways
Although I can’t remember the name of our tour guide, he was brilliant. Belfast born and bred, he’d lived through The Troubles and had a lot of wisdom to impart about the city. The whole tour was fascinating! Although I came away with so much more knowledge on the city, it made me want to continue learning. At the end of the tour I tipped the guide £10. Most of the free tours I’ve been on have only accepted cash, but in Belfast and Dublin the guides had card machines.
Visit the Titanic Quarter
Of course, one of the things that Belfast is most famous for is the Titanic. This is where the famous ship was built in the early 1900s. These days, the Titanic Quarter is Northern Ireland’s biggest regeneration project. The largest development is the Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience. Here, you can step back in time and learn about the creation of the Titanic and her tragic maiden voyage. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit but I did stay directly opposite in the historic Titanic Hotel.
The Titanic Hotel is located in the former Harland & Wolff headquarters and as you’d expect, is full of history. Each room is full of information and Titanic memorabilia. I really enjoyed my stay here and will definitely be choosing the hotel again next time I’m in Belfast. I don’t think I could stay anywhere else!
Eat
There are so many things to do in Belfast, but you can’t forget to eat! Whenever I go away, I try to seek out independent places to eat and drink or places we don’t have at home. Belfast is in the UK, so there were a lot of the usual chains that I can easily go to in England. After scouring the internet, I made a list of all of the independent restaurants that I wanted to try out. I didn’t have enough time to go everywhere but here are the ones that I can personally recommend:
Boojum – This Mexican burrito bar is a chain but can only be found in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Every blog post I read on things to do in Belfast mentioned Boojum, so I had to try it. I just went for a burrito, with carnitas (pork), cilantro and lime rice, cheese, jalapeños and sour cream. It was absolutely massive and delicious. With a drink this came to £7.99, which was definitely worth it considering the size!
Bob & Bert’s – Breakfast is always my favourite meal to have out, especially when I’m away. I love finding somewhere that does good breakfast food. After doing some research, I decided on Bob & Bert’s with its extensive breakfast menu. Bob & Bert’s is a chain and can be found in Northern Ireland, Northern England and Scotland. I chose the Bob’s French Toast which came with maple syrup and crispy bacon. As it was first thing in the morning, I went for an iced oat milk latte. This came to a grand total of £10.40. The coffee was quite pricey in comparison to your usual coffee shop, but the food wasn’t badly priced. The French toast was delicious and just what I needed before doing a walking tour.
Tribal Burger – After doing the Giant’s Causeway tour, I was tired and hungry. I had no idea where I wanted to eat, so had a quick wander around the city centre. After a few minutes I found Tribal Burger, not too far from Belfast City Hall. I chose the BBQ Bacon Burger, a side of parmesan fries and a can of lemonade. This came to £15.80 all together which is a fair price for full meal. I really enjoyed the food and the restaurant was cute and quirky. It’s definitely somewhere I’d visit again for a quick bite to eat.
As you can see, there are so many things to do in Belfast. I definitely need another trip to cross everything off my list!
