Visiting Belfast - What to See and Do

(Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK)

Belfast is Northern Ireland's capital city and the second largest city in Ireland. Belfast is located on Northern Ireland's east coast in County Antrim. Due to Northern Ireland's small size of only 5,463 square miles / 14,150 square kilometres, a visit to Belfast allows you to take in other famous sights in the country without involving lengthy journeys.

The city became a popular industrial trading post during the Victorian period, but now the linen trade and shipbuilding that once prospered here have all but disappeared. Belfast is known throughout the world for its violent struggle for independence. The ceasefire that was established in 1994 has brought about a period of investment and efforts from the tourist board to regain the trust of tourists are proving to be successful.

Ten things you must do in Belfast

• Visit the cobbled streets of Belfast's historic centre, known as the Cathedral Quarter. It has recently become a trendy location for a night out at one of the pubs and clubs here. The area also has many cultural and architectural delights.
• Sign up for a guided bus tour of the city and get acquainted with the sights and landmarks of Belfast. Tours can be booked in many languages and they take place on open-top buses throughout the day.
• Get further detailed knowledge of the history of Belfast on a guided walking, cycling or boat tour of the city.
• Travel to west Belfast to see the traditional Irish sports of Gaelic Football, hurling and camogie being practiced at Casement Park.
• Take a trip to the Grand Opera House and enjoy a performance in the late 19th-century amphitheatre and view the superb ceiling paintings.
• Enjoy the ambience and a pint of Guinness in a bar built in 1894. Now owned by the National Trust, The Crown Liquor Station has features that include carved woodwork, gas lighting and leather seating.
• Join a free tour of the Classical Renaissance-style City Hall, built in 1906. You can also visit the Hiberno-Romanesque-style St Anne's Cathedral that took 77 years to build.
• Visit the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, which explains life in Ulster at the beginning of the 1900s through the use of a specially recreated 'Old Town'.
• Wake up early and search for the best bargains at St George's Market on the waterfront.
• Be sure not to miss any big concerts and sports matches being played at the Waterfront Hall arts and entertainment venue.