Belfast is a friendly, buzzing city.
Not only does it pay homage to its industrial heritage, it is a gateway to lush green countryside with a splendid coastline.
We flew an hour from London Heathrow on a Thursday afternoon and took a cheap 20 minute bus ride to the city centre with travel companion and Northern Ireland native Tim Willis.
As soon as you arrive on Belfast city centre you glimpse the towering yellow Harland and Wolff cranes Samson and Goliath, mighty metal Big Birds which you continue to spot on your stay.
Our accommodation was with Dream Apartments and gave us a modern bedroom, bathroom and lounge diner housed in a tower block easily walkable to the city centre.
Belfast offers an exciting array of traditional and modern pubs and bars, cafes and restaurants.
Prices are in accordance with UK big cities.
Thursday Night Eating and Drinking
A pub we’d recommend is The Crown Liquor Saloon on Great Victoria Street, which is like time travelling back 100 years.
In this magnificent grade A listed building that dates back to the 1880s, here is to be found beautiful tiling, stained glass, hand-crafted wood and alcoves to nestle in and make new friends over pints of good beer. This was once one of the iconic Victorian Gin Palaces in the city.
In the alcove booths are bells that were pressed to place an order, on a beam are the letters A-J and this would light up corresponding to the booth. If the door to the booth was shut it meant you were having private conversations. If the door was open anyone could come in and join you – this is still in operation today – we joined and then were in turn joined by others.
A stand out restaurant was Coco in Linenhall Street. Located in Belfast’s up and coming linen quarter just behind City Hall. It has some quirky artwork and relaxed atmosphere provide a great setting for any occasion. We had great lamb dishes, sumptuous puds and lovely wine.
If you are lucky enough to be there when Pol Smyth is serving the fayre you’ll be in for a good night.
Friday’s Day Trip
On Friday we did a coach trip with City SightSeeing Belfast booked through Viator, up the coast to Giant’s Causeway.
Entertaining driver Kevin was our guide, pointing out the peace wall dividing communities – a legacy of the well-documented troubles – as we headed out of town.
We particularly liked the reason why one Union Jack flying on a pole on a roundabout is hanging at half mast; apparently it is there because that was the tallest ladder the window cleaner had.
It was an interesting trip, stopping off at imposing Carrickfergus Castle. Unlike many castles of this era, Carrickfergus Castle is in excellent condition. In fact, despite being besieged by the Scots, Irish, English and French, it’s one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland. We then continued ambling up the Antrim coast road and another stop at pretty Carnlough Harbour.
At the harbour fans of Game of Thrones thronged to some stone steps featured in a scene.
After Carnlough we headed on and stopped near Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, near being the operative word.
Apparently the National Trust has barred coach access to the bridge, used to get to a salmon fishing spot, so our distant view was the best we got. It is still open to visitors by car.
The Dark Hedges
Next stop was The Dark Hedges, an avenue of beech trees whose branches have merged overhead in a picturesque barky jumble and a location also used for Game of Thrones. This avenue of originally150 beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century. It was intended to impress visitors as they approached the entrance to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. There are now approximately 86 trees left standing due to the age and weather. They were planted almost 250 years ago.
We also stopped at Bushmills Distillery, where whiskey fans were able to sample their beloved tipple in a cosy bar. Bushmills is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. Official records stretch back to 1608.
After a quick look at the cliff top ruins of Dunluce Castle, which date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries, we arrived at Giant’s Causeway.
The Giant’s Causeway
Here, nature has paved a wondrous, hexagonal block causeway formed 50 to 60 million years ago. It is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption when lava flowed into a river valley that had formed cracks in the Earth’s crust.
The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although some have four, five, seven, or eight sides
According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Finn MacCool was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant. So Finn built the causeway to get across the sea to have the fight. The story has 2 versions – check them out. Across the sea, there are identical columns the Scottish isle of Staffa at Fingals Cave.
A stunning world heritage site tourist attraction, albeit that we got soaked as rain swept in on our return up to the visitor centre and coach. But then, we were in Northern Ireland and rain should be expected at any time.
Friday night was very nice fish and chips at Fish City restaurant on Ann Street, followed by a Power Ballads disco at the Oh Yeah Music Centre which sent us straight back to jigging around at school discos in our pimply youth.
Saturday – Belfast Pride March
Saturday breakfast was at the excellent Bright’s in High Street, which offered a fry-up fit for a king and whose staff were top notch. The large Ulster Fry is perfect for hungry people, to line theiir stomachs before either a day of walking and sightseeing or, in our case, watching the Pride march and some day drinking.
Then it was time for Belfast Pride, a rainbow-coloured parade through the city centre which lasted just over an hour and celebrated people’s right to be exactly who they are.
It was a joyous event, bringing smiles to the faces of spectators young and old.
And there were plenty more smiles when we spent the rest of the day in some of the busy boozers, where old friends had the chance to catch up and the summer sun took an age to set.
Saturday evening meal was a fantastic lasagne from Coppi
Sunday Shenanigans and Street Art
On Sunday we had a leisurely day, which started with a look at St George’s Market on East Bridge Street, with its stalls selling fruit, flowers, fish, fashion and crafts as well as the purveyor of the mighty Belfast Bap – a breakfast fry up stacked between bread which is a sight to behold.
Sunday included a look at some great street art adorning city centre buildings with a myriad of colours.
We then walked up to the Belfast Titanic visitor attraction on Olympic Way, which tells the story of the ill-fated, cutting edge liner which sank on its maiden voyage in 1912.
We decided the £25 adult admission was a bit steep for us. We have been to a Titanic centre in Cork previously.
Monday – The Gaol
Instead, on Monday, we visited the Crumlin Road Gaol Experience which was £29 for two adults. The gaol has 150 years of history and over 25,000 prisoners have passed through Northern Ireland’s only remaining Victorian era prison.
The gaol offers a taste of incarceration from an austere, bygone age, and even a visit to the execution room, where 17 men were hanged in its lifetime and buried within the walls.
It is a sobering place to visit and visitors were notably reflective as they learned about the wretched souls who took lives and lost their lives as a result.
On a more cheery note, our last night was at Kelly’s Cellars bar on Bank Street, which was packed with a good-spirited crowd and had live music. Kelly’s has been serving thirsty punters since the 1720’s.
A tiny gent’s toilet meant men queuing to go, which made a change from seeing the ladies having to.
All too soon our trip was done and we left the big yellow cranes and jetted off into the sunset, with thoughts of that great city fondly stored in our heads.
