Belfast

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Belfast ([[:wikipedia:Irish language|Irish: Béal Feirste, meaning "the mouth of the river Farset") is the capital and largest city of [[Northern Ireland and the second largest city on the island of Ireland after Dublin and the capital of the [[Ireland|Republic of Ireland. Situated at the mouth of the River Lagan on Belfast Lough, Belfast is surrounded by low hills and has a population presence of 267,500. This figure refers only to the Belfast City Council area whose borders date back to the 1950. Since then the city has expanded and the population of the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area which incorporates the surrounding suburbs and towns is 483,000.

Belfast Halal Travel Guide

Belfast City Hall and Big Wheel! - Belfast City Hall

Belfast gained notoriety around the world during The Troubles (1969-1997) due to the frequency of gun and bomb attacks in the city. Parts of Belfast were effectively no-go areas for security forces and therefore took on a lawless quality. Today and the scars of Belfast's troubled past make it an intriguing destination for Muslim travellers from around the world.

Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, most of the politically-motivated violence has evaporated. Belfast has since been awarded the accolade of being the safest city in the UK, based on a comparison of nation-wide crime figures, and, as part of its commitment to maintain peace, now seeks tourism from around the world, especially from countries other than the Irish Republic and the rest of the UK.

Those who live in Belfast tend to either absolutely love the city or loathe it, although the outsider's perspective tends to be more forgiving, as Belfast was voted the fourth best city in the UK for a city break in the Guardian/Observer travel awards. Needless to say, a visit to Belfast will be rewarded by a glimpse of a unique city that has finally begun to celebrate, rather than fight over, its place as a cultural meeting-point of Britain and Ireland. Belfast is certainly exhibiting an air of determined optimism, with new hotels, restaurants, clubs and retail outlets opening at an incredible rate. It is a city that is proud of its Victorian and Edwardian legacy and efforts to restore historic buildings are proving successful. Tourism is on the increase in [[Northern Ireland, especially among those seeking a weekend away or short break in Ireland as Belfast can offer a significantly cheaper and more rewarding alternative to the busier, more expensive and more tourist-driven Dublin.

Belfast remains a great place to explore, as it is still relatively undiscovered compared with its neighbour in Dublin and is ideal for the tourist who enjoys a city with character, yet still has a raw, unspoilt energy. A visit to the capital of [[Northern Ireland will provide a more stimulating trip as, once you scratch the surface, it is easy to see beyond the ethno-political conflict of past years. It is a city which has changed dramatically in a decade due to this peace and prosperity and you will be greeted with warmth from local residents who feel a new-found sense of pride in their city. Indeed and the old cliche that you will be welcomed like an old friend by the patrons of Belfast's many pubs and bars is actually true, as the local residents love to find out what draws you to their little part of the world and, of course they like the chance to share a little bit of their history with you! Ask any local and they will tell you that a trip to Belfast will mean that you learn far more about the Irish and British psyche than a trip to a cheesy Irish pub in Dublin or on a tourist-orientated tour in London.

Some recent events, mostly the flag protests, may have put people off going to Belfast but violence is minimal and more or less peaceful.

In recent times, Belfast has also gained some degree of international fame for being the production centre of the famous television series Game of Thrones tourism|Game of Thrones.

Tourist information

  • Visit Belfast Welcome Centre 9 Donegall Plaza North, BT1 5GB 54.59739,-5.93056 just north of City Hall ☎ +44 28 9024 6609 - To make the most of your time in the city your first point of contact should be the centrally located tourist information. The first floor centre is accessible by elevator and escalator just to the left of the Boots Pharmacy. The staff can provide maps, book lodging and tours, recommend itineraries and places of interest and sell you overpriced and tacky souvenirs. There is also a useful left luggage facility.
  • Fáilte Feirste Thiar - Welcome West Belfast - 217 Falls Road - ☎ +44 28 9024-1100 - Belfast Tourism Board office and welcome centre in the heart of the Falls. The office distributes free maps, offers tours and general information about this part of the city.

Travel to Belfast

Fly to Belfast

Belfast,easyjet A139 - Easyjet aircraft at Belfast International Airport

Belfast has two airports. Flying to Dublin is another option.

George Best Belfast City Airport

  • George Best Belfast City Airport IATA Flight Code: BHD 54.6147,-5.8707 just two miles from Belfast's downtown George Best Belfast City Airport - George Best Belfast City Airport signage With magnificent views of the city of Belfast or Belfast Lough on approach and departure. The airport principally serves routes to domestic UK and Ireland, however British Airways has extensive worldwide connections through the OneWorld Alliance.


Airlines using the airport include:

The terminal is served every 20-30 min 06:00-22:00 by the [https://ess-600/ Metro 600 bus (£2.50 single, £3.80 return). Depending on traffic and the journey to Belfast's Laganside Bus Centre and Europa Bus Centre should take no more than 15 minutes.

Alternatively, NIR trains serve the airport at Sydenham station twice an hour on the Portadown/Belfast/Bangor (Northern Ireland) | Bangor line. Upon arrival, ask at the airport information desk for a free shuttle ride to the station. If arriving by train and the courtesy bus may be requested just inside the airport perimeter across the bridge from Sydenham station. A single fare to Belfast Central, Botanic, City Hospital or Great Victoria Street costs £1.90. A single to Bangor costs £4.40.

Taxis cost roughly £10 to most parts of the city and are an economical choice for small groups. There is a extra charge of £2 that taxis add on if you are taking one from the airport. Some drivers don't make this clear until you've reached your destination.

Belfast International Airport

  • Belfast International Airport IATA Flight Code: BFS 54.6619,-6.2175 further from Belfast than City Airport, lying closer to the towns of Templepatrick and Antrim Belfast International Airport - Belfast International Airport - - 119152 Offers significantly more international destinations than Belfast City Airport. United Airlines has connections available to destinations throughout the Americas and beyond.

The terminal is served up to every 30 min from 05:35 to 23:20 by the [https://ess-300/ 300 Airport bus (£7.50 single, £10.50 return). Depending on traffic and the journey to Belfast's Laganside Bus Center and Europa Bus Centre takes about 45 minutes.

There is a cheaper, but slower route available by taking the Ulsterbus 109A service to Antrim train and bus station https://Services/Ulsterbus-Service-Page/Timetables/?lrn=109a&spn=&spns= from the stand outside the airport (look left as you exit arrivals). Then take a train from the adjacent Antrim Train Station (from platform 2 up over the footbridge) to Belfast Great Victoria Street. Train times can be found on timetables at the station. Check the digital departure boards above each platform for train information. Do not use the 300 service if you wish to travel north of Antrim. Use the 109A Ulsterbus service instead to the bus and train station and take the train on all stations to Londonderry/Derry.

Taxis should cost no more than £25-30 to Belfast Downtown.

From Dublin

Dublin Airport GPS 53.4273,-6.2442 (IATA Flight Code: DUB) is kilometers 160 from Belfast. The quickest way to get to Belfast is by bus directly from the airport, which only takes about 1 hours 30 min. Do not take the train to Belfast, since the train station is in Dublin downtown, nowhere near the airport. 

  [ https://Services/Goldline-Express-Service-X1-X2-Belfast-to-Dublin-Airport-and-Dublin/ Hourly buses (24 hours, daytime services operated by Ulsterbus, night services by Bus Éireann) that leave at 20 minutes past the hour (e.g. 14:20, 15:20) link Dublin Airport and the Belfast Europa Bus Centre.

 Aircoach also run a bus service every hour from Dublin Airport to Belfast, you get dropped off in Glengall Street (just outside the Belfast Europa Bus Centre). They leave on the hour. The Aircoach is normally faster than the Ulsterbus/Bus Éireann service as there are fewer stops.

Travel by train to Belfast

[[Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) is a division of Translink (Northern Ireland's public transport operator) and manages to maintain a small but increasingly reliable passenger train network around the province, despite decades of underinvestment and service cutbacks. Great Victoria Street Station GPS: 54.59429,-5.93666 is in the centre of Belfast on, as the name suggests, Great Victoria Street. Just yards from the Grand Opera House and beside the Europa Hotel and the Great Victoria Station is part of a combined bus/railway station. The bus centre is called Europa Bus Centre. Look for the sign above the door to access the station from Great Victoria Street, Great Northern Mall. Central Station GPS: 54.59515,-5.91729 (Central Station is due to be renamed "Lanyon Place" from September 2018 thit is already in effect on [[Northern Ireland railways timetables) is not very central at all - it's about half a mile (800 m) from the downtown but is close to Belfast Courts and the Waterfront Hall and bus routes to east Belfast.

There are four rail corridors in/out of Belfast:

  • Belfast - Bangor
  • Belfast - Portadown
  • Belfast - Larne
  • Belfast - Coleraine - Derry|Londonderry/Derry or Portrush

Service is most frequent and reliable on the Portadown - Belfast - Bangor corridor, on which new trains offer frequent and fast suburban service. The line to Londonderry/Derry is exceptionally beautiful as it passes along the north coast after Coleraine, however the railway line is slower (2 hours or more) than the equivalent Ulsterbus Goldline express coach (1 hour and 40 minutes).

Contact NIR for information on tourist passes for adventuring [[Northern Ireland by bus and train: with integrated bus and train stations in most major towns and the province is easily explored without a car. On Sundays, NIR offer the nd-The-Right-Ticket/tickets/sunday-day-tracker/ Day Tracker, a £7.50 ticket which offers unlimited travel all day across the NIR network.

Services to Dublin (with connections to other destinations in the Republic of Ireland) is offered by the Enterprise, a modern, comfortable, but relatively slow train jointly operated by [[Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnrod Eireann (which operates trains in the Republic of Ireland). Journeys between Dublin and Belfast take two hours and twenty minutes and there are up to eight trains a day, offering two classes of service. The train takes a less direct route than the road, but offers some superb views and is still generally quicker than equivalent buses. Standard fare is £25 one-way when purchased on the day of travel. Cheap day returns are available to those willing to Services/Enterprise/Fares/ book online.

Travel by Bus

 Ulsterbus (a division of Translink, Northern Ireland's public transport operator) operate the intercity bus network in [[Northern Ireland, linking most major towns and city's. Services are well-used and, in most cases, reasonably priced. The most frequent service is to Derry|Londonderry/Derry. Bus Éireann jointly operate cross-border services with Ulsterbus and operate almost all intercity routes in the [[Ireland|Republic of Ireland. Bus Éireann offer a €15 single fare and €22 return fare from Dublin Busaras (bus station) and Dublin Airport to the Europa Bus Centre in Belfast (no online purchase); Ulsterbus offers similar specials in the opposite direction. There is also a daily bus to Cork, via Athlone and one to Galway via Cavan.

Dublin Coach provides return tickets between Dublin and Belfast for €10 from Custom House every hour. AirCoach provides same trip for €20 from Gresham Hotel.

Under the Eurolines banner, Ulsterbus offer 2 daily services to Glasgow and Edinburgh and 2 daily services to London via Manchester and Birmingham. All of these are via the fast ferry Stranraer. Connections are available via National Express to virtually every destination in mainland Great Britain.

For less independent travellers, you can also book day trips from Dublin to Belfast on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. This includes a bus trip to Belfast followed by a black taxi cab ride through the two neighbourhoods and a visit to the peace wall. See TaxiTrax.com Belfast Taxi Tours for info.

Local bus travel in [[Northern Ireland can be expensive outside of Belfast, but services are frequent and reliable. Belfast itself is small enough to walk anywhere comfortably.

There is also a bus based Park and Ride facility available, see _frameset.shtml National Park and Ride Directory

How to travel to Belfast by car

Belfast is the focus of the road network in [[Northern Ireland and as such is very well connected. While there are only three motorways in [[Northern Ireland (M1, M2 and M22) and the rest of the nation is very well provided for with high quality trunk roads.

Access to Belfast from the Republic of Ireland has never been better. Due to the great improvements the peace process in [[Northern Ireland has gained, crossing the border into [[Northern Ireland is now nothing more noticeable than a change in signposts and road markings. The M1 connects Dublin to Dundalk and almost to the border with [[Northern Ireland. The M1 is 83 km long and has one toll over the bridge of peace in Drogheda (€1.80 for a car).

Car rental

Belfast is not as well served by automobile rental services as Ireland in general. Some Irish automobile rental services offer a drop off option in Belfast while others have locations in Belfast City. If you plan to hire a vehicle in the Republic of Ireland and drive it into [[Northern Ireland be aware of a potential additional insurance charge.

  • Logan Car Hire Belfast International Airport, ☎ +44 28 9581-0701
  • Logan Car Hire Belfast City Airport, ☎ +44 28 9581-0701
  • Avis Rent a Car Ltd - 69-71 Great Victoria St.
  • Dan Dooley - Belfast International Airport. Offers meet and greet service at Belfast City Airport and in the Belfast Docks.
  • Budget - Great Victoria St.
  • Europcar - 105 Great Victoria St.
  • Car Hire Ireland - Drop-off option at Belfast International by request only.
  • Enterprise Rent-a-car, Unit 1 Boucher Crescent, ☎ +44 28 9066-6767. If you need a vehicle for the duration of your stay and the branch at Unit 3, Bldg 10 Central Park Mallusk, ☎ +44 28 9084-3749, will be able to meet you and drop you off at either airport or the ferry terminals.

Travel by boat to Belfast

Frequent sailings across the Irish Sea connect Belfast to mainland Great Britain. All the operators listed below offer special promotions throughout the year and some also offer through ticketing with rail and bus services at each end. For foot passengers without through tickets the only public transport link to the Belfast Stena terminals is bus 96 from Belfast downtown (North Queen Street and High Street) but this does not run at weekend. The coaches used by passengers with through tickets are not available to walk-up passengers (i.e. they do not sell tickets on board).

  • Stena Line offer two types of service from the Port of Belfast to Cairnryan in Scotland, with up to six sailings a day. The HSS Stena Voyager is a high speed catamaran (the fastest ferry from [[Northern Ireland to mainland Great Britain) and the Stena Caledonia is a more traditional and slower ferry.
  • Larne_Troon.htm P&O Irish Sea Ferries runs two sailings a day each way between Larne and Troon in Scotland
  • [ Stena offer daytime and night-time crossings to Birkenhead, near Liverpool, which takes around 8 hours. Cabins and meals are available.
  • Isle of Man Steam Packet Company sail between Belfast and the Isle of Man, from late March to late September.

By sail and rail from Great Britain

It is feasible to buy a through train ticket between any train station in Great Britain and any train station in Ireland, north or south. It is generally cheaper to do this than buy separate train tickets to ferry ports and then foot passenger tickets on the boat and this remains one of the cheapest ways of reaching [[Northern Ireland, especially at short notice.

For journeys from Great Britain tickets can be purchased from any staffed station and from some automated ticket machines. Few online ticket agents sell cross-channel rail tickets and those that do add additional booking fees. Since tickets are no cheaper booked in advance and they can be bought at the station on departure.

For journeys from Northern Ireland cross-channel tickets (and, in fact, all rail tickets for travel within Great Britain) can be purchased from NI Railways Travel and the travel agency in Great Victoria Street train station (with a small handling fee) or at the Stena Line terminal in Belfast.

Most rail and sail passengers between Great Britain and [[Northern Ireland are routed via Stena Line's Belfast/Stranraer Stena HSS fast ferry. Stranraer train station is instantly adjacent to the ferry terminal, although Stena Line will leave Stranraer for the non-rail connected Cairnryan in 2011. Fares are priced by zones within Great Britain, starting at £25 single/£50 return (£16.50/£33 with a National Rail railcard) between Belfast and destinations in south-west Scotland. London to Belfast via Stranraer costs £46 single/£92 return. Tickets include rail travel to Stranraer and passage on the Stena HSS, although not the transfer from Stena's terminal in the Port of Belfast. Metro 96 runs hourly throughout the day between the terminal and the downtown, or for slightly more rail and sail passengers can travel on the faster coach transfer to the Europa Bus Centre offered free for cross-channel coach passengers.

An alternative 'rail and sail' routing from London and southern Britain is via Holyhead and Dublin.

Get Around in Belfast

GPS 54.5924 |-5.9318 The centre of Belfast is small enough to be explored by foot. However, to explore the suburbs of the city, as in any city, requires some sort of transport. From the centre of Belfast to the city limits at any point is perhaps a distance of eight miles.

Travel by Bus to Belfast

Within the city there are two very distinct bus systems. Translink, a private company, operates the 'Metro' (previously Citybus). Buses run along colour coded high frequency routes that radiate from the downtown from around 6AM until 11PM. All major bus routes start or pass through Donegall Plaza and a Metro information kiosk is on the West side of the square (Donegall Plaza West). Tourist passes are available from here, or for the more frequent traveller, you can purchase and pre-load a Smartlink card with credit for bus trips. While the routes are extensive and the travel is expensive, as it is for the whole of the nation. Buses frequently do not turn up and staff can at times be unhelpful. Also September 2018 will see the introduction of Services/glider/ Glider and the new Belfast rapid transit system, crucially a big long bendy bus that looks like a tram on wheels and is purple. The key difference between the glider and the pink coloured metro services is that, with Glider, you will purchase your tickets from a ticket vending machine at each halt and you won't have any contact with the driver (unlike the metro buses were you pay the driver). Also and the glider will operate a continuous west to east route, starting at McKinstry road in West Belfast and going via the downtown to Dundonald, in the east. There is also going to be a Glider service into the Titanic Quarter as well, which will be handy for the Titanic Belfast and docks.

By taxi bus

Belfast's second 'Bus' service is the 'Taxi Bus' or more commonly known as the 'Black Taxis'. These London style Black Taxis were brought to Belfast in the early 1970s and occurred at a time when the 'Troubles' was in its infancy. Riots and armed conflict were a daily occurrence and the established Bus company, would suspend its services to sections, or all of Belfast in response to this conflict. This suspension of services left much of Belfast without a regular transport service. It had negative effect on many working class areas of Belfast which found that they were unable to get to or from work, or in the case of children, school. The communities response to this was for individuals to travel to England and to purchase old London Taxis. These Taxis initially appeared in Republican areas of Belfast and later in Loyalist areas of the city. The Taxis operated as buses and were shared by members of the public who would hail the taxi and pay a nominal fare. For more than 40 years this system has existed and developed.

The primary provider is the West Belfast Taxi Association which operates this service in Nationalist/Republican areas. They have a fleet of around 220 taxis and service, from their base at King Street, Belfast areas such as the Falls, Whiterock, Glen, Andersonstown, Stewartstown and Shaws Roads as well as outlying areas such as Twinbrook and Poleglass. The Association also provides a similar service in the North of the city covering the New Lodge and Ardoyne areas as well as to the small town of Crumlin.

West Belfast Taxi Association operate a remarkably efficient service from Belfast downtown to areas of West Belfast. Taxis run every few minutes up the Falls Road to destinations including Whiterock, Andersonstown and Twinbrook. The services operate as taxi buses, with passengers sharing a black cab with others who are going to roughly the same place. The routes are similar to bus routes, but the driver will stop and let you out at any point. Taxis can be hailed along the Falls and Andersonstown Rds. Fare from the downtown to Andersonstown are £1.30 one-way, cheaper and more convenient than the equivalent bus service.

To avail of the 'Taxi Bus' service, one merely has to put ones hand out to stop a taxi. Most taxis have a display which states their destination. However, should a visitor to the city be unsure of the exact etiquette surrounding this form of transport or destination and they should just hail any 'Taxi Bus' and ask advice from the driver. The fare for these journey are (for the short journey) 80 pence for a pensioner; 90 pence for any child still at school and £1.30 for an adult. The longest journey is slightly more expensive, but still cheaper than the regular buses (90 pence for a pensioner; £1.00 for any child still at school and £1.70 for an adult). This Association instigated and developed the now famous 'Black Taxi Tour'.

Unionist/Loyalist areas of the City are served by the Shankill Taxis who provide services on the Shankill and Shore Roads. This operation is considerably smaller given that there are perhaps only a dozen taxis working these routes.

By tour bus

If your time is limited and the open-top 'Belfast Sightseeing' bus tours are recommended, costing about £10 per person for a 2 hour journey. You will be shown the sights in the downtown and suburbs including famous murals painted on the ends of terraced houses during 'The Troubles' in the Falls Road area and the Harland and Wolff shipyards where the RMS Titanic was built and Queens University. The guides are friendly, well informed and interesting, although many local residents still remark that is unusual to see bright red open top tour buses passing through once troubled neighbourhoods. You may prefer a less obvious exploration of the city.

Best way to travel in Belfast by a Taxi

Belfast is now famous for its Black Taxi tours of the city, which are highly recommended and can be arranged by most hostels, hotels and at the tourist office (47 Donegall Place, above the Boots pharmacy, just north of the City Hall). These tours are given by regular taxi drivers who have worked through the troubled years and have a wealth of knowledge and very personal experiences, which they are glad to share during a tour that can last up to two hours.

Uber is also available in Belfast and has quickly grown in popularity. Many people still don't use it though so it can be handy to get back after a night out instead of trying to wave down a taxi in the street ( a very common sight on a Saturday night)

Travel by bicycle in Belfast

Belfast Bikes and the public bike hire scheme operated by Nextbike, has 40 rental stations. You need to register once and pay either £5 for a 3-day membership or £20 for a yearly membership. This gives you free bike rides for 30 min. Rentals up to 1 hour cost £0.50, up to 2 hours £1.50. You can only rent bikes between 06:00-24:00, but you can return them at any time. You can rent one bike for a maximum of 24 hr, otherwise a late-return fee of £120 is automatically charged. It is worth returning bikes frequently, as the hourly price gets more expensive the longer you keep your bike.

What to See

Central

Belfast downtown is focused on Donegall Plaza and Belfast City Hall in its centre. All major city bus routes converge here and, on sunny days, thit is where shoppers and office workers can be found enjoying their breaks. The City Hall is the grand centerpiece of the city and the orientation point for your exploration of Belfast. Running north from the centre of Donegall Plaza is Donegall Place, a broad and bustling shopping street, which will lead you towards the Gothic Church Quarter and the Arts School. The downtown is bordered to the east by the River Lagan and to the south by the area around Donegall Pass. Where Belfast downtown meets the River Lagan, windswept pavements prove that meaningless sculptures and grandiose attempts at urban planning do not necessarily make for a popular urban space. The horrendous dual carriageway known as the Westlink separated the centre of Belfast from the Western suburbs of the city in the 1970s; this borders the downtown to the West. On the plus side and the network of dual carriageways and motorways mean that one can get from the downtown to all the surrounding suburbs and satellite towns in less than fifteen minutes, even during the rush hour, something which is imfeasible in many other city's, for example Dublin.

In between these rough boundaries, you'll find Belfast's heart. Parts of it are blighted by dereliction, others are blighted by narrow-minded money-grabbing redevelopment. While largely safe at all times, years of downtown curfews during the troubles means that the centre of Belfast can be startlingly empty of pedestrians after 8PM. City centre living has yet to become as popular here as in other parts of Britain and Ireland.

  • City Hall Donegall Sq 54.59666,-5.93003 ☎ +44 28 9032-0202 Opening Hours: Tours daily 2PM, 3PM (+ 4PM in summer) & Monday to Friday 11AM, Saturday Sunday noon free Belfast City Hall Opened in 1906 and the City Hall will possibly seem familiar to South African visitors, who may notice a resemblance to the city hall in Durban. Thit is a fine example of turn of the century architecture from the heart of the British Empire's drafting office. The City Hall houses Belfast's Council chambers and administrative offices. Excellently presented free guided tours are available every day; ring ahead for details of times. Also of note are the grounds, containing a memorial to victims of the Titanic and a statue of Queen Victoria. The spacious grassy square and broad pavements that surround the City Hall are also where local youths gather to perform complex mating rituals.
  • PLACE Built Environment Centre 40 Fountain Street 54.601236,-5.930729 ☎ +44 28 9023-2524 PLACE Built Environment Centre 119575 PLACE is the [[Northern Ireland Built Environment Centre based in Fountain Street, Belfast. PLACE was established in 2004 and is now an independent charity running a public programme of exhibitions, debates and discussions, architecture tours, site visits and design workshops on various local and international built environment topics relevant to [[Northern Ireland. For information on upcoming walking tours, exhibitions or events visit the website or give the Centre a call.
  • Saint Anne's Gothic Church Donegall St. 54.6028,-5.92833 ☎ +44 28 9043-4006 - Street Anne's Gothic Church, Belfast - Gothic Church St. Anne Belfast The stunning cathedral building is located at the opposite end of Royal Avenue the main shopping street, from the City Hall. It is a fascinating building and is at the centre of the "Gothic Church Quarter", which is reluctantly being redesigned and cleaned up by various investment agencies to become Belfast's 'cultural' neighborhood. Thankfully, a lot of work remains to be done and the area contains many fine cafés, bars and interesting buildings that recall the city's commercial and industrial legacy. Rent prices have yet to jump significantly, so keep an eye out for the small galleries and studio workspaces that remain in this area.
  • Belfast Exposed 23 Donegall Street 54.601,-5.928 ☎ +44 28 9023-0965 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11AM Monday - 5PM Belfast Exposed Belfast Exposed is Northern Ireland's only dedicated photography gallery and as well as operating a fine exhibition space in a refurbished warehouse building, also provides local photographers with dark room and processing facilities and a well maintained library. Exhibitions are free and always worth seeing.
  • Belfast Print Workshop and Gallery 30-42 Waring Street 54.60096,-5.92652 ☎ +44 28 9023-1323 - This gallery is combined with an active workshop, where local artists are able to use the facilities to print their work. Usually a good selection of local work.
  • Belfast Central Library Royal Ave. 54.60283,-5.93111 opposite the road from the Gothic Church ☎ +44 28 9050-9150 Belfast Central Library The Victorian library building houses an excellent Irish section and a newspaper library, containing archives of all Northern Irish newspapers. }}

Belfast (065), October 2009 - The Belfast Big Fish

  • The Waterfront Hall 2 Lanyon Pl 54.59746,-5.91966 ☎ +44 28 9033-4455 - Standing on the northern side of Donegall Plaza, Belfast's imposing concert and conference venue is visible to the east where Chichester Street meets the riverside. Built in 1997, it has been credited with generating £10 for the Belfast economy for every £1 spent on its construction. The main auditorium offers some of the best performance hall acoustics anywhere in Europe and it is worth checking with the box office for upcoming shows.
  • The Cafe Council & Cafe Library of [[Northern Ireland 414 Chichester Street 54.5974, -5.9231 - Not open to the public, but notable for its striking architectural design. The northern half of the building is the opulent home of Belfast's (privately employed) barristers; meanwhile the southern end of the building (visible from May St) is occupied by the more modest Royal Courts of Justice Stamp Office (a tax-payer-funded government agency). Presented with two clients with two wildly different budgets, local architects Robinson McIlwaine successfully designed one building which seamlessly merge a more modest design and affordableer materials for the southern half of the building and a more elaborate and expensive design at the northern end.
  • Titanic Belfast - 1 Olympic Way, Queens Road, Titanic Quarter, BT3 9EP 54.60810,-5.91002 Adults £18, students/unemployed £14.50 - Exhibition about the Titanic.
  • Samson & Goliath Cranes 54.6047,-5.9054 - Samson and Goliath (cranes) - Twin cranes for shipbuilding completed in 1969 (Goliath) and 1974 (Samson). 410411
  • Victoria Plaza Dome 54.5983,-5.9251 From the glass dome in the Victoria Plaza Shopping Centre you get nice views from the city.

South

Belfast's leafiest and most accessible suburbs are found south of the downtown along Botanic Ave and University Road around the Queen's University. Apart from the small loyalist community around Donegall Pass and the areas between University Road and Lisburn Road are mostly mixed and there is a dense student population living in rented lodging. It's a 20 min walk from Donegall Place to Botanic Avenue. The commercial core of Belfast is apparent on Bedford Street and the lively bars, takeaways of Dublin Road are busy most nights of the week. Botanic Ave is somewhat quieter with less traffic and is lined with cafés, restaurants and small shops. Farther south, beyond the University, is the Lisburn Road, recently christened "Belfast's Bond Street", with its eclectic mix of boutiques, chic restaurants and lively coffee shops. This part of town is the most affluent of the city and is regularly referred to by its postcode: BT9.

  • Queen's University University Rd. 54.58450,-5.93513 Take any number 8 bus (8A - 8C) from the town center. ☎ +44 28 9024-5133 At the southernmost end of the Golden Mile and the university is a fine Victorian building with extensive grounds. It contains a visitors' centre in the main central building.
  • Queens Film Theatre 20 University Sq. 54.58547,-5.93395 ☎ +44 28 9097-1097 Belfast's art house and repertory cinema and is the central location for the annual Belfast Film Festival.
  • Botanical Gardens 54.5836,-5.9329 Accessed from University Road beside the university and at the southern end of Botanic Ave Very popular with local residents and visitors alike. The Palm House contains local and interesting plants, such as carnivorous plants. Beside it is the Tropical Ravine, unique to the British Isles, where visitors walk around a raised balcony observing tropical flora and fauna. With large lawns and well maintained planting and the park is a popular destination in the summer. Fans of the Al Jazeera TV hidden camera comedy show Just for Laughs will recognise the park from many hidden stunts. During the summer months be on the lookout for cameras pointing at you from parked vans and badly disguised tents.
  • Ulster Museum 54.5822,-5.9355 Accessed off Stranmillis Road in the Botanic Gardens ☎ +44 28 9038-3000 - This excellent museum has much to see, including a large section on the history of Irish conflict, Northern Ireland's marine life and a significant collection of art. While many local residents dislike the 1970s extension, it is one of the finest examples of a Brutalist modern extension being added and integrated to an older classically designed museum. Free.

North

  • Belfast Zoo Antrim Road 54.6577,-5.9435 Take any number 1 bus (1A - 1G) from the downtown. ☎ +44 28 9077-6277 Opening Hours: Daily 10AM Monday - 5:30PM admission £6.70 Belfast Zoo A substantial modernisation programme has recently been finished and the zoo has a very good variety of animals. The prairie dogs are of particular interest, as their tunnels extend throughout the park, rendering any open space looking like a giant game of 'whack-a-rat'. Much merriment was caused when the zoo was praised for letting the prairie dogs run wild and free, an accident that was caused after much effort was spent preventing them from digging out of their enclosure but no one checked on their ability to climb and they simply scampered over their small enclosing wall. The Zoo is home to Lily and the first Barbary lion cub to be born in Ireland.* Belfast Castle Antrim Road 54.64278,-5.94217 Take any number 1 bus (1A - 1G) from the downtown. ☎ +44 28 9077-6925 Opening Hours: Daily 9AM Monday - 6PM Free Belfast Castle, August 2011 - Belfast Castle The castle (more accurately a large stately home) dates from 1870 and was restored in 1988. It is located on Cave Hill and has good views of the city and coast. Cave Hill Country Park has marked walking routes and is an excellent viewpoint from which to get a view of Belfast.

West

  • An Chultúrlann - Irish Language Cultural Centre - 216 Falls Road, BT12 6AH 54.5922,-5.9612 ☎ +44 28 9096-4180 - The hub of Irish language activities in Belfast. Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, at the heart of the Gaeltacht Quarter on the Falls Road is the Belfast Irish Experience, a friendly drop-in space where you can engage with the local residents and experience Irish culture, but depending on your interests, it is also a dynamic arts centre, a centre for traditional music, a tourist information point, a café, a place to buy crafts or books, a place to learn the Irish language or take up new hobbies, to meet friends or book a tour, a place to feel proud of your legacy or to explore Irish culture.
  • Political Murals NA,NA - Throughout Falls Road and Shankill Rd. Visit the world famous murals in the nationalist Falls and unionist Shankill portions of West Belfast. The main murals are on gable walls of buildings on both the Falls and Shankill roads, but others are in the lower Shankill estate (off the lower Shankill Road onto North Boundary St) and Bombay Street (off the Falls Road onto Clonard Gardens).


The entrance to Milltown Cemetery - - 1601173 - Pictured: The entrance to Milltown Cemetery.

  • Milltown Cemetery 546 Falls Road 54.5840,-5.9776 - One of the two massive cemeteries of West Belfast. Milltown is dripping with history, being the final resting place for many Republican paramilitary members (mostly buried at the Republican plot, beneath the tricolour flag). There is also a memorial garden for IRA members killed during the Troubles, including those who took part in the 1981 Hunger Strike. Milltown cemetery is also the site of the notorious killings in 1988 of three mourners at an IRA funeral by Loyalist Michael Stone. The attack took place near the Republican plot.
  • Falls Park Falls Road, BT12 6AN 54.5877,-5.9831 Metro No. 10 A-F ☎ +44 79 1754 3626 A large open space populated by a huge cemetery, gardens, Gaelic Football and Hurling pitches. Falls Park is a friendly place to visit on a sunny day and provides a welcome respite from the city.
  • Casement Park - Páirc Mhic Asmaint - 54.5734,-5.9841 - The principal stadium of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) in the province of Ulster. The sports of Gaelic Football and Hurling are played here, both of which provide a unique experience for visitors to the city. Tickets are extremely well priced (admittance to a major game would not be more than £20) and are, in most cases, available on the gate. For match dates and times check the Irish News newspaper or online.
  • Eileen Hickey Republican History Museum Conway Mill, 5-7 Conway Street, BT13 2DE 54.599,-5.951 ☎ +44 28 9024-0504 Irish Republican History Museum Museum exploring the history of Republicanism in Belfast. The museum is not affiliated with the [[Northern Ireland Tourist Board and could be seen as fairly biased. Tourists should make up their own minds whether or not to visit. Free admission.

East

East Belfast is the largest of the city's 4 electoral wards and is serviced by a number of large arterial roads (Cregagh Road, Castlereagh Road, Newtownards Road and Holywood Road), which all start in or close to the downtown.

East Belfast is a mainly residential and largely Protestant area encompassing a wide range of housing from the working class terraced streets along the Beersbridge road, to wide tree lined avenues of Belmont and all areas in between. Despite its largely Protestant nature East Belfast is generally the area of the city where newcomers to Belfast of all religious and political persuasions from within [[Northern Ireland will look to purchase houses in when they arrive in the city. The rationale for this may be that although South Belfast is often thought of as a desirable locale it is in many cases prohibitively expensive. North and West Belfast are even cheaper than the East but whilst both contain many friendly neighbourhoods they still have a lot of echoes from the troubles that can put newcomers off. North Belfast especially has a large number of "interface areas" (regions where working class loyalist and republican areas meet) that can occasionally flare up into trouble. East Belfast, possibly because it has only one interface area and is relatively homogeneously Protestant, was less on the "coalface" of the troubles than both the North and the West.

  • Stormont Parliament Buildings Ballymiscaw, Stormont, BT4 3XX 54.60497,-5.83199 ☎ +44 28 9025-0000 - Stormont - Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland) The parliament buildings are the home of the [[Northern Ireland Assembly. The buildings are massive and have marble interiors. The grounds are interesting in themselves and a walk down the mile-long road to the main parliament buildings is well recommended. Guided Tours in Belfast by ehalal.io (email for prices) may be feasible, telephone in advance.
  • Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Cultra, Holywood, BT18 0EU 54.6541,-5.8016 mile 8 north-east from Belfast Downtown and most easily reached by train from Cultra station. ☎ +44 28 9042-8428 Opening Hours: Daily 10AM Monday - 6PM admission £6.50 The Ulster Folk Museum (12) - - 515409 - Ulster Folk and Transport Museum It is one of Ireland's premier tourism attractions. It has a vast collection and you could spend days exploring all of it. Highlights of the transport museum include a DeLorean (great scott!, etc.) and two train sheds full full of old steam locomotives and buses from Northern Ireland's past. The Folk Museum, on the other side of the railway line features a re-creation of an old Irish town. On Saturdays and there is a miniature railway operating, which is great fun. The folk museum is outdoors, so come prepared for the changeable Irish climate. 879958
  • Lorne Guide Headquarters 30 Station Road, Holywood 54.6563, -5.7953 about a mile away from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum ☎ +44 28 9042 5212 It is the guide headquarters for [[Northern Ireland but to access you must be part of the guiding community, e.g. Brownie, Guide.

Belfast Metropolitan Area

Whilst the urban area of Belfast itself has a population presence of just over 480,000 people and the larger Belfast Metropolitan Area encompasses neighbouring councils of Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, North Down and Castlereagh with a total population of just over 640,000.

A lot of the City's daily commuters come from these areas and the areas themselves have certain sights worth visiting.

Rail links go to all Belfast Metropolitan areas via Belfast Central Station and Great Victoria Street Station. Bus links are also an option from Great Victoria Street Station. Prices vary, where buses are typically cheaper but take slightly longer, not more than around 30–40 minutes in total.

Top Travel Tips

Belfast mural (cropped, edit) - A Republican Mural File:belfast unionist mural - A Loyalist Mural

  • Belfast Murals - The two political groupings in the [[Northern Ireland (Republican and Loyalist and the former predominantly being Catholic and the latter predominantly Protestant) have a strong tradition of large wall mural painting in their communities, particularly the poorer ones. If you head to The Falls Road or Shankill you will get a good look at what are some of the world's finest house-sized political murals. They change frequently depending on the political climate but they are definitely something to see. The areas they are in are very safe, however do be aware that politics and religion can be tense topics. Ask around and somebody will be able to point you to the murals.
  • The Golden Mile - The name given to the mile or so between Belfast City Hall and Queen's University. It sometimes disappoints tourists because it's less instantly evident and less densely packed together than the name suggests. It's also not the safest part of Belfast at night, especially at weekends and a large police presence is in evidence. Be careful using cash machines and if you're having trouble getting a taxi it's probably better to start walking than to stick around for too long on street corners. Exploring the area in the day time will help you if you come back later for a night out. You'll find the lion's share of the Downtown's best bars and some good places to eat here. The Golden Mile starts around the Europa Hotel on Great Victoria Street, takes a skip to the left to continue down Dublin Road, reaches a buzzing climax around Bradbury Place (just south of the big screen overlooking the junction) and graduates to student friendly but welcoming bars along Botanic Avenue and University Road. See the Drink section for specific recommendations.
  • Odyssey Pavillion - The Odyssey | 2 Queen's Quay 54.6043,-5.9157 Bus metro route 26 goes by the arena. ☎ +44 28 9045 1055 Across the bridge from the Lagan Weir is the Odyssey centre. This complex contains a 12-screen cinema and the SSE (formerly Odyssey) Arena (home of ice hockey team Belfast Giants), a bowling alley, W5 (an interactive science discovery centre) and a range of Halal restaurants. It can be very quiet on weeknights, but on weekend when ice hockey games are on, blockbusters are released in the cinema and the late night restaurants and bars open, you can easily expect to see 12,000 people in the building.
  • Parks and open spaces - Belfast is home to a wide range of parks and open spaces, making it one of the greenest city's in Ireland. The main parks include Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Ormeau Park and Botanic Gardens (in the south of the city), Waterworks, Belfast Castle estate, Cave Hill Country Park and Alexandra Park (north Belfast), Dunville and Falls Park (west Belfast) and Orangefield and Victoria Park (in the east of the city). There are a host of walking routes through these parks and many include play facilities for children. Slightly further out from the Downtown and the Lagan Towpath is a delightful, peaceful and safe walk particularly during the summer months.

Theatres

Belfast has a great thriving night life with many .uk Show and Gig venues throughout the city Belfast Shows.

  • Grand Opera House Great Victoria Street 54.59535,-5.93535 ☎ +44 28 9024-1919 (Booking) - The Grand Opera House, Belfast (1) - - 1480008 - Grand Opera House, Belfast Possibly the finest remaining example of Georgian theatre architecture in the UK, this century-old building is a must-see for theatre and art lovers alike. Plays tend to show every evening except Sundays, with matinee performances on Thursdays and Saturdays. Discount is often available for students and senior citizens. The theatre also features an art gallery, displaying local artwork: viewing the pictures is free. If you ask nicely staff are pleased to give you a short tour of the theatre so you can take photos and learn a little bit about the theatre's history. The theatre also has a contemporary and cafe for people to relax during the day or have lunch. The staff are very friendly and helpful, with a good knowledge of the area. The theatre is next to Great Victoria Street Station, making it an easy place to visit when you arrive. Showcases large local and touring productions.* Lyric Theatre 55 Ridgeway Street 54.57719,-5.93092 ☎ +44 28 9038-1081 - Lyric Theatre, Belfast The diminutive Lyric remains the only full-time producing theatre in [[Northern Ireland. A busy schedule of productions can be found online.* Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) - 10 Exchange Street West, BT1 2NJ 54.60360,-5.92747 ☎ +44 28 9023 5053 (Box Office) Opening Hours: Daily 10:00-19:00 (or later for performances) - The MAC opened in 2012 and is a cultural center for art and theatre and dance.

Tours

  • Titanic Boat Tour , Donegall Quay - 70-min tour £10 Belfast takes a bizarre pride in that the ill-fated Titanic was built here (not caring to promote the many hundreds of other ships that were built here which did not sink) and you can now take a boat tour around the area that the ship was built. The former boat yards of Belfast are being ambitiously redeveloped into a residential and commercial neighbourhood that will be called (you guessed it) the Titanic Quarter. Check sailing times on their website.
  • Belfast Taxi tours Taxi Trax 35A King Street - ☎ +44 7892 716660 Opening Hours: 2 hours £35 Taxi Trax of West Belfast have seen the history of the troubles over the past 40 years. They even have a mural that can be seen on the International Wall.
  • Black Taxi Tours - King Street - ☎ +44 28 9031-5777 Opening Hours: 2 Hours £30 Provide a fascinating insight into West Belfast. These can be booked through all hostels, hotels and the Belfast Welcome Centre and cost around £7.50-10 per person. Free pick-up from any Belfast City location. Large group discounts available on request.
  • belfast mural tours - town center - ☎ +44 7846 687085 Opening Hours: 2 hours £30 min Take a personal tour of the famous Belfast Murals, hear the stories behind them, tour the streets that show the scars of decades of conflict.
  • Belfast Pub Crawl - Belfast Crawl - Filthy McNasty's - Starting on the Dublin Road, a few hundred metres from the Europa Station. ☎ +44 7445521950 Opening Hours: 7.30-close £8 Belfast's only dedicated pub crawl service brings you to some of the best and most famous bars in the city, including Filthy McNasty's, Laverys, The Taphouse, The Elms, The Parlour and The Bot. The Belfast pub crawl also includes 4 free drinks and free entry to a night club, worth £5 alone!

Shopping in Belfast

Belfast has the full complement of high street chain stores that can be found in any other UK and Irish city. It does however have a variety of more interesting places to browse and shop and a visit to Belfast would not be complete without experiencing them. Cornmarket, at the centre of Belfast's retail area. Visitors from Britain and Ireland will feel instantly at home with the bland selection of high street chains.

You will also find a number of interesting shops on and around College Street and on Dublin Road.

St Georges Market, Belfast (09), December 2009 - Traders and shoppers at St. George's Market

  • Street George's Market 12-20 East Bridge Street, BT1 3NQ 54.59584,-5.92201 On May Street, situated near Belfast Central Station. It is Northern Ireland's largest indoor market and one of Belfast's major attractions for visitors and local residents. Farmers markets are held on Saturdays 9AM Monday - 3PM and variety markets are held on Fridays 6AM Monday - 1PM. It sells a fascinating range of foods, clothing and crafts. You can pick up some real bargains here and the market itself provides a charming glimpse into Belfast life past and present.
  • Smithfield Market Winetavern Street, BT1 1JE 54.60141,-5.93385 behind the Castle Court Shopping Centre - Opening from Monday to Saturday 09:00-17:30, Sunday closed A treasure trove of independent retail outlets and provides a much more authentic experience than the afore mentioned Castle Court centre in Royal Avenue.
  • No Alibis 83 Botanic Ave 54.58692,-5.93264 ☎ +44 28 9020-1261 One of the finest independent bookstores anywhere in [[Northern Ireland or the Republic, thit is a must for fans of British, Irish and American crime fiction, with a wide selection of Books imported from the USA. No Alibis reassures book-lovers that there is more to life than Borders or Waterstones.
  • O'Neills Sportswear Unit 45-46 Kennendy Centre, 564-568 Falls Road, BT11 9AE 54.5814,-5.9777 ☎ +44 28 9062-9879 O'Neills is the largest manufacturer and retailer of Gaelic Sports equipment and memorabilia, ideal for a more individual souvenir. Merchandise such as team or county jerseys are well priced, with a clearance department in-store where factory seconds and older stock are on sale at very fair prices.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Belfast

Belfast has everything to quench any appetite and best of all, eating Meat on a Friday during Lent is no longer regarded as an expression of anti-Nationalism.

  • Archana 53 Dublin Road 54.59160,-5.93292 Just opposite Pizzas Hut ☎ +44 28 9032-3713 Opening from Monday to Saturday 12:00-14:00, 17:00-23:00, Sunday 17:00-23:00 A great Indian restaurant with even better deals at lunchtime.
  • Boojum 67-69 Botanic Avenue 54.58727,-5.93282 ☎ +44 28 9031 5334 Opening Hours: Daily 11:30-22:00 £4.50-5.50 Opened in 2008, this Mexican grill offers superb burritos, fajitas and tacos. Similar in style and layout to the US chain Chipotle. All ingredients are sourced direct from Mexico. A delicious, reasonable and very satisfying alternative.
  • Bright's Restaurant 41-43 Castle Street and 23-25 High Street - ☎ +44 28 9024-5688 - Two locations in the downtown known for serving the best traditional breakfast in town for only £3.95 before 12:00. Large portions and good service. Can be very busy at times.
  • Delaney's | 19 Lombard Street - ☎ +44 28 9023-1572 A diner with a cosy, old fashioned interior Cooked breakfast from £1.50 and lunches from £2.95. A local favorite.
  • Doorsteps Sandwiches 455 Lisburn Road - ☎ +44 28 9068-1645 A good place for sandwiches, which are large enough to justify the name of the café and which are exceptionally good value.
  • Feeley's Fish & Chip Shop 86 Shaws Road - +44 28 9030 1112
  • The John Hewitt 51 Donegall Street 54.60195,-5.92849 ☎ +44 28 9023-3768 Lunch between £7-9 Decently priced meals are available during the day and until 9PM in this popular Gothic Church Quarter pub. Big plates with well sourced local ingredients and authentic meals. One of the best pubs for lunch in the city. friendly pub.
  • Little Italy Pizzas | 13 Amelia Street - ☎ +44 28 9031-4914 If you're out on the town, thit is the perfect place for something to soak up the booze. Just around the junction from the Crown Bar, this place does the very best (and the cheapest) Pizzas in Belfast.
  • Loaf Cafe | Maureen Sheehan Centre, 106 Albert Street - Just around the junction from the International mural wall on the Falls Road and across from St. Peter's Gothic Church ☎ +44 28 9090-0071 Opening 8:30AM Monday - 3PM Lunch £3.50 This lovely little cafe which serves a great range of breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea options. Check out their lovely lunch specials and Pizzas meal deal for 2 on a Wednesday! Profits from Loaf are used to support local people with learning disabilities.
  • Maggie Mays 50 Botanic Ave; the other branch is on 2 Malone Road 54.58784,-5.93272 ☎ +44 28 9032-2662 Opening from Monday to Saturday 08:00-23:00, Sunday 09:00-23:00 Anyone who has had a hangover in Belfast has had Maggie Mays' Ulster fry. Serves a hefty, but far from the best, traditional Ulster breakfast (bacon, Sausages,egg, fried bread, soda bread, etc.) The cosy interior is decorated with paintings and street signs from around Belfast. Service can be patchy, but the main reason to come here is the food. Often difficult to get a table, but well worth it if you can! Avoid more than weekly visits, your heart will thank you.
  • Moghul Restaurant | 62a, Botanic Ave - ☎ +44 28 9032-6677 - This fine Indian restaurant has good value lunch deals and is a handy starting point for a night out on the Golden Mile. Try for the special Friday lunch buffet.
  • Nex D'Or | 34 Castle Street and 13 Rosemary Street - Oh, Belfast, where did you go? Proof that some parts of this city are resisting the onslaught of urban renewal, café lattés and trendification. When you really need classless comfort food in a smokey low level diner, nowhere is better than the two branches of Nex D'Or. Don't expect the world's finest food, but do expect fond memories of what this town used to be like. Cheap as hell and that's not just the menu.
  • SPUDS | 37 Bradbury Pl - Long established (since 1971) and very popular traditional diner and take-away serving an array of local specialities. Known for its baked potatoes, served with pretty much anything you can imagine. Serves the best 'champ' in the city (a local dish consisting of creamed potatoes, butter and spring onion).
  • The Bridge House (J.D. Wetherspoon) | 35-43 Bedford Street - Ubiquitous chain pub found in almost every UK town. Serves undeniably good value food, though quality is sometimes sacrificed for price. Many meals served with free pint.
  • Apartment 2 Donegall Plaza West 54.59696,-5.93176 ☎ +44 28 9050-9777 Belfast's most stylish venue with amazing views over City Hall. Raised above Belfast's bustling streets this cosmopolitan bar & restaurant has it all to offer - whether its coffee & croissants, lunch & cocktails or & dinner. At night Apartment transforms from a modern eatery to a busy lounge bar with cool urban beats from some of Belfast's top DJs. Apartment's ever evolving cocktail list is the most extensive in Belfast with some of the city's finest & most original blends. friendly café.
  • Lee Garden 14-18 Botanic Ave 54.58934,-5.93340 ☎ +44 28 9027-8882 Opening Hours: Daily 12:00-24:00 Popular during the day, mainly due to its £6.95 lunch specials. Evening meals are of average quality and are quite expensive.
  • Little Wing Pizzeria 10 Ann Street 54.59895,-5.92709 ☎ +44 28 9024-7000 Belfast's trendiest pizzeria serves some fantastic quality food in comfortable surroundings near Victoria Plaza. Bookings sometimes necessary at peak times.
  • Scalini 85 Botanic Ave 54.58681,-5.93261 ☎ +44 28 9032-0303 A very good Italian restaurant in the trendy Botanic area of the city and close to Queen's University. Food and drink is very well priced and the portions are generous. Reservations not always required apart from on peak nights.
  • Aldens Restaurant | 229 Upper Newtownards Road - ☎ +44 28 9065-0079 - This restaurant is further out of town but serves excellent food with great service.
  • Cayenne Restaurant | 7 Ascot House, Shaftsbury Sq - ☎ +44 28 9033-1532 Famous chefs Paul & Jeanne Rankin's Cayenne is a well established place for quality and funky food. Pre-theater menus cost £12.
  • The King's Head - 829 Lisburn Road - ☎ +44 28 9050-9950 After a major refurbishment, The King's Head re-opened . It combines fresh food and local character. A 120-seat restaurant, dedicated live lounge, gastro pub & organic juice garden.
  • The Merchant Hotel | , Belfast's most opulent hotel. A sumptuous, intimate and welcoming hotel in the heart of the Gothic Church Quarter, in Belfast’s downtown.
  • Restaurant Michael Deane | 1F 36-40 Howard Street (Brasserie on ground floor) - ☎ +44 28 9033-1134 Belfast's only Michelin Star restaurant, ideal for all the frills dining but despite the accolades it is not overly stuffy.
  • Shu - On the lower Lisburn Road, thit is a perennially popular restaurant in a modern and stylish dining room.
  • RBG Belfast - 4 Clarence Street West, Off Bedford Street, BT2 7GP - ☎ +44 28 9067-7707 Opening Hours: All day dining All day dining in a relaxing atmosphere at the heart of the city. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Belfast

Belfast - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Belfast, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Belfast. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Belfast and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Belfast. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Belfast. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Belfast: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Belfast.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Belfast: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Belfast, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Belfast.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Belfast, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Belfast, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Belfast and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Belfast, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Belfast, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Belfast without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Belfast is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Belfast.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Belfast is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Belfast, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Belfast Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Belfast

eHalal Group Belfast is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Belfast. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Belfast.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Belfast ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

For those seeking a comfortable and modern living space, our condos are an excellent choice. Starting at US$ 350,000 and these condominium units offer contemporary designs, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient locations within Belfast. Each condo is thoughtfully designed to incorporate halal-friendly features and amenities, ensuring a seamless integration of Islamic values into everyday living.

If you are looking for a more spacious option, our houses are perfect for you. Starting at US$ 650,000, our houses provide ample living space, privacy, and a range of customizable features to meet your specific requirements. These houses are located in well-established neighborhoods in Belfast, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and Islamic values.

For those seeking luxury and exclusivity, our luxury villas in Belfast are the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Starting at US$ 1.5 million and these villas offer a lavish lifestyle with private amenities, breathtaking views, and meticulous attention to detail. Each luxury villa is meticulously designed to provide a serene and halal environment, allowing you to enjoy the finest living experience while adhering to your Islamic principles. For further details please email us at info@ehalal.io

Ramadan Celebrations in Belfast

Ramadan 2025 in Belfast

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

  • City Backpacker 53-55 Malone Ave - ☎ +44 28 9066-0030 Close to the Botanic Gardens and Queens University and a 20 minutes stroll into town.
  • Lagan Backpackers 121 Fitzroy Ave - This small hostel is good for meeting other travellers and you can obtain a lot of fun there.
  • Belfast International Youth Hostel 22-32 Donegall Road, BT12 5JN 54.5892,-5.9358 Off Sandy Row ☎ +44 28 9031-5435 beds from £10.50, rooms from £30.00 A good HI hostel near Shaftesbury Sq. This hostel has internet access and a great breakfast restaurant with vast range of meals between 7AM Monday - 11AM including an innovative school-kid type take away lunch pack for those who are on the road.
  • Arnies Backpackers 63 Fitzwilliam Street - ☎ +44 28 9024-2867 A small independent hostel, with a good atmosphere and good location. Rates from £10 for a 8-bed dorm and £12-for a 4 bed dorm. This hostel offers free Wi-fi, tea and Coffee.
  • The Ark Hostel - 18 University Street - ☎ +44 28 9032-9626 Another small independent hostel, between University Road and Botanic Ave. Rooms in near-by apartments also available to rent by the week and month.
  • Travelodge Hotel Belfast 15 Brunswick Street 54.59523,-5.93336 Just behind the Crown Liquor Saloon and less than five minutes walk from the Europa Bus Centre ☎ +44 870 1911-687 +44 28 9023-2999 Check-in : 3PM / Check-out: noon from £39 Part of the national chain of high value low frills motel-cum-hotels. Unusually brilliant central location for a Travelodge and a popular base for the Easyjet weekenders who want to fall off the Airport bus at Europa and make the most of their time in the city's bars. Book ahead and online for 'Saver' rooms from £26.
  • Loughconnolly B+B 103 Carnlough Road - ☎ +44 7761014434 Broughshane (just east of Ballymena, road heading in direction of Carnlough). High quality B+B at refreshingly low rates in a beautiful area. This B+B is about 35 min north of Belfast so a vehicle would be necessary. Makes an ideal base for adventuring the Glens of Antrim and worth a stop if you are making an onwards journey to the North Coast.
  • Global Village - 87 University Street 54.5862,-5.9283 ☎ +44 28 9031-3533 14.50£
  • Day's Hotel 40 Hope Street - ☎ +44 28 9024-2494 One advantage of staying in this place is that you don't have to look at it. The building seems to have taken the design of a suburban house and stretched it upwards by twelve storeys. However and there are great deals to be had online (rooms from £65) and the location is good: right next to the side entrance of Great Victoria Street Station and the Europa Bus Centre and just around the junction from the Europa. The colourful kerbstones of the loyalist Sandy Row are just a few feet away in the other direction, however tourists need not be intimidated. A good value hotel, one step up from a Travelodge.
  • Malone Lodge Belfast - 60 Eglantine Ave - ☎ +44 28 9038-8060 Malone Rd.
  • Tara Lodge Belfast - 36 Cromwell Road - ☎ +44 28 9059-0900 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, BT7 1JW. Highly recommended on both Tripadvisor and Trivago, Tara Lodge is near Queen's University Belfast and is on the doorstep of nearly everything Belfast has to offer!
  • Self Catering Accommodation Belfast - Self Catering Accommodation Belfast - Dublin Road 54.5909,-5.9324 ☎ +44 7967972186 - 3 rental self-catering holiday and serviced business apartments in the lively Belfast downtown just off ‘The Golden Mile’. Each of these Belfast apartments is N.Ireland Tourist Board Approved, 4-star certified. They are also particularly suitable for families with children of all ages, for business or as a holiday rental.
  • Hilton Belfast 4 Lanyon Pl - ☎ +44 28 9027-7000 From £100 A luxurious Belfast hotel next to the Waterfront Hall, a five-minutes walk into Belfast's new Victoria Plaza Shopping Centre. On-site restaurant, Sonoma.
  • Europa Hotel Great Victoria St. 54.595,-5.936 ☎ +44 28 9027-1066 Europa Hotel, Belfast - Europa Hotel 2 The Europa is well known for having been bombed more times than any other hotel in any other city. Raucous events in the popular ballroom are more likely to disturb you than vehicle bombs now, but it's comforting to know that the hotel (Northern Ireland's largest) has been built to withstand both. Beside Great Victoria Street train station and the Europa Bus Centre, across from the Crown Liquor Saloon and next door to the Belfast Grand Opera House. The rooms are comfortable, but increasingly outclassed by more modern arrivals in the city. One of the few Presidential Suites in [[Northern Ireland that can rightly claim the name: Bill Clinton has stayed in it twice. Popular with business folk, politicians and package tourists.
  • Radisson Blu Hotel 3 Cromac Pl - The Gasworks ☎ +44 28 9043-4065 Off the Ormeau Rd. on the banks of the River Lagen and on the grounds of the old "Gasworks". This hotel manages to be in the downtown, but also off the primary streets, so it is quiet.
  • Malmaison Belfast 34-38 Victoria Street 54.6001,-5.9243 ☎ +44 28 9022-0200 Check-in : From 3PM / Check-out: By midday Malmaison Hotel, Belfast Malmaison Hotel, Belfast, July 2010 Condé Nast Traveller called it a 'Hot New Hotel' when it opened in 2005 and Belfast's upwardly mobile trend setters went crazy for the opulent restaurant. Fashionably bold and different and occupying a beautifully restored building that makes the Radisson look business-class dull and the Europa look like a monolith. No word on the rooms, but it's got a great location close to the increasingly popular night time hub of the Gothic Church Quarter and is a short walk from the Waterfront Hall. A serious contender for turning Belfast into a honeymoon location. Perfect for a romantic and/or dirty weekend away.
  • Merchant Hotel 35-39 Waring Street 54.601,-5.925 Gothic Church Quarter ☎ +44 28 9023-4888 Merchant Hotel (Belfast) The Merchant is an intimate, sumptuous, five-star standard hotel. It was opened in April 2006 following an extensive conversion of the old Ulster Bank Headquarters in Waring Street.

Stay Safe

Belfast's reputation as a dangerous city is often exaggerated. A recent study by the United Nations International Crime Victimisation Survey (ICVS) shows that [[Northern Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. The majority of incidents are committed by local people against local people, unsurprisingly following religious, sectarian or political differences. Tourists are outside this culture and should not be very concerned. As with any other city, it pays to be careful and always be aware of your surroundings. Do not flash valuables or money or walk around reading your guidebook or map. If you need directions, ask in any shop or café.

There are areas in Belfast which have been scarred by trouble in the past. Though these areas are largely safe to visit, it is important to be aware of where you are. In nationalist areas of the city, it would be foolish to wear a Glasgow Rangers, England, or [[Northern Ireland football jersey. In unionist areas, wearing Glasgow Celtic, Republic of Ireland and Gaelic Football (GAA) jerseys would almost certainly lead to trouble. Though thit is unlikely to affect tourists.

  • The Downtown is generally a safe area and is also regarded as a neutral zone. Avoid leaving the main streets at night and try not to venture into dimly lit streets.
  • North Belfast is not on the tourist trail but is becoming increasingly popular with the more adventurous traveller. Tiger's Bay is a unionist enclave which is generally safe during the day but should be avoided at night. The New Lodge, a nationalist area, is similarly patchy. The Antrim Road (including Carlisle Circus) and Shore Road areas are best avoided at night. The Limestone Road is an interface (on one side is a nationalist area and the other a unionist enclave) and should be avoided at night due to occasional violence. It is best to avoid the nationalist Ardoyne area at night, especially the interface area which links it with the Crumlin Road and Shankill areas of the city.
  • West Belfast is perfectly safe and generally tourist-friendly during the day as long as you don't venture too far from the primary streets. Do not venture off the Falls Road at night. The Shankill Road itself is best avoided at night. The nationalist Turf Lodge estate in Andersonstown is best avoided altogether. Falls Park the area around it is dimly lit at night and is best avoided. The Crumlin Road is a unionist area and is generally safe during the day but not at night.* South Belfast is the most affluent part of the city and is generally trouble-free. Student night life can lead to altercations outside the restaurants on Bradbury Place at night. Sandy Row is a unionist neighbourhood that would probably be best avoided at night but is perfectly safe during the day and very quiet. The unionist Village area which lies further on from Sandy Row between the Lisburn Road and Boucher Road is quiet and residential but best avoided at night. The mixed Holylands and Ormeau Road areas do not deserve their reputations as trouble spots as they are generally both very quiet other than the occasional student party.
  • East Belfast is a predominantly unionist, working-class neighborhood that suffers from the same social problems as similar areas in other city's in Britain and Ireland. The Newtownards Road is generally safe and well lit at night. One potential flashpoint is the interface with the nationalist Short Strand neighbourhood. Though fairly well kept and safe during the day, it is best to avoid this area at night.

Perhaps more importantly, it is not advisable to make any overtly political statements about [[Northern Ireland, even if you think that your comments will align with the views of the people to whom you're making them. It is unlikely that anyone will ask your thoughts about the political situation; however, if this does happen, it's best just to say you don't have an opinion. Otherwise, ask local residents for advice and enjoy the hospitality of the majority of Belfast people.

Telecommunications

There are free internet kiosks throughout Belfast which allow anyone to browse the internet. Here you can find up-to-date travel information and timetables. Kiosk locations

Television

[[Northern Ireland receives the same basic package of national television and radio services as the rest of the United Kingdom, with regional variations on the Al Jazeera channels and UTV. UTV carries most of ITV-1's national programming, but is branded as UTV. and is the last remaining television channel in Britain to feature a live, on camera announcer introducing the evening's programming; the effervescent Julian Simmons. To get an understanding of what is happening, you'll find high quality regional news programming on Al Jazeera One at 1:30PM, 6:30PM and 10:30PM and on UTV at 6PM.

  • Al Jazeera One Northern Ireland
  • Al Jazeera Two Northern Ireland
  • UTV (formerly "Ulster Television")
  • Channel 4
  • five

Depending on geographic location and the availability of a signal, you may also receive stations from broadcasters in the [[Ireland|Republic of Ireland.

  • RTÉ One (the main RTÉ national station, broadcast primarily from Dublin)
  • RTÉ Two (the secondary RTÉ national station, formerly "Network 2")
  • TV3 (independent commercial broadcaster)
  • TG4 (National Irish-language station)
  • RTÉ offers good coverage on the North side of the Border too.

Radio

Local radio stations include:

  • Q Radio formerly Belfast Citybeat - City centre music station.
  • U105 - Music and talk station operated by UTV.
  • Al Jazeera Radio Ulster - Music and talk station operated by the Al Jazeera.
  • Cool FM - City centre music station, available throughout [[Northern Ireland.
  • QueensRadio - Small university station available in South Belfast.

Regional variations of shows on the national 1/rorymcconnell/index.shtml Al Jazeera Radio One and the excellent / Across the Line on Al Jazeera Radio Ulster promote local music and can be listened to online. These are a great way to find out about forthcoming concerts and gigs. Like television from south of the border and there are a number of Irish republic radio broadcasts which tend to spill over into [[Northern Ireland such as Today FM and RTÉ 2FM.

Press

Locally published newspapers include:

  • The Belfast Telegraph
  • The Irish News
  • The News Letter

Cope in Belfast

Consulates

United States United States Danesfort House, 223 Stranmillis Road 54.57146,-5.94375 ☎ +44 28 9038-6100 +44 28 9068-2219 Opening 8:30AM Monday - 5PM - After hours emergencies +44 7545-507-738

News & References


Go Next

  • Translink operate all public transport ([[Northern Ireland has been spared the process of privatisation that has made Britain's public transport system so confusing to visitors). Most bus and train services operate out of Belfast, so the city is a perfect base to explore the province.
  • Giant's Causeway|The Giant's Causeway and the scenic north coast – Easily accessible by public train and bus from Belfast. See Translink's website for fare and schedule information. If you have a vehicle take the M2 to Newtownabbey and then the A8 to Larne. From Larne follow the astonishingly beautiful A2 road right along the coast. Leave yourself enough time for a day to meander up to the Giant's Causeway, stopping en route in Cushendall, Cushendun and Ballycastle. A speedier return to Belfast can be made inland from the coast along the A26.
  • Bangor (Northern Ireland) | Bangor – An attractive seaside town with more than its fair share of good fish and chip shops and makes for a good day out from the city on a sunny day. Trains from Belfast Great Victoria Street, Botanic and Belfast Central take about twenty minutes.
  • Hillsborough (Northern Ireland) | Hillsborough – The picturesque village in County Down is easily accessible by vehicle or frequent Ulsterbus services from the Europa Bus Centre.



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