Look to history and the future in Belfast


The Crown Bar is Belfast's most famous pub, and a must visit. Photo: Facebook/Crown Bar
Belfast’s transformation over the past couple of decades from no-go to must-visit destination has been remarkable.
Once best known for sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants, Northern Ireland’s capital has managed to put that devastating past behind it and focus on a brighter future. So what’s the appeal for visitors?
First, the people. Some of the friendliest, most welcoming locals
you can imagine make a trip here a treat. Then there are world-class
attractions, including Titanic Belfast, a multimedia museum covering the famous ocean liner built in the city in 1911; and the Ulster Museum, with displays on this part of the island of Ireland.
Another option is a tour of the political and religious murals of West Belfast and the Peace Line, the wall separating communities since the late 1970s.
In the evening, restaurants and pubs await (Crown Liquor Saloon is a favourite). So many attractions, in fact, that you might overlook – but shouldn’t – the stunning Northern Irish coastline, an open-air museum of geology, just a short drive away.
Return to the time of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901) marked the peak of the British
Industrial Revolution, during which Belfast prospered. Buildings recalling this time include the Grand Opera House (1895), Cleaver House (1888), Queen’s University (founded by Victoria in 1845) and the red-brick Old Town Hall (1871).
The high point of this trip back to the 19th century is a drink at the Crown Liquor Saloon – Belfast’s most famous pub dates to 1885 and has an interior as elaborate as its exterior.
For a bird’s-eye view across Victorian Belfast, head for the glass dome in the Victoria Square shopping centre.
Tap your foot to some traditional music
Traditional music sessions liven up Belfast evenings all year round. Artists perform in the city’s clubs and pubs, including Kelly’s Cellars, one of the city’s oldest; the Duke of York, where band Snow Patrol started out; and White’s Tavern, established in 1630. Better-known groups and singers perform at the SSE Arena.
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Tread in the footsteps of giants
Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant’s Causeway is one of the country’s most captivating spots.
Wandering round this geological wonder formed of a vast expanse of hexagonal basalt columns, it’s easy to understand why the ancients attributed a supernatural origin to it involving two rival giants building a stony path across the sea to fight each other.
As well as the natural attractions, the coast also has dramatic castles (Dunluce), the world’s oldest whiskey distillery (Bushmills) and a rope bridge that’s not for the nervous (Carrick-a-Rede). The Causeway Rambler and Giant’s Causeway & Bushmills Railway provide seasonal services around the Giant’s Causeway, a 90-minute drive from Belfast.
Connect with Titanic passengers
In dry dock next to the Titanic Belfast museum, the SS Nomadic is the last survivor of the White Star Line and packs an emotional charge – on April 10, 1912, this small steamer carried 172 passengers to the Titanic (which was too massive to be docked) during its stopover in Cherbourg.
Equally interesting is the huge Thompson Graving Dock, an impressive vestige of the era of the great transatlantic liners, which is also located near the museum.

Several companies offer tours to the location of the Game of Thrones’famous Dark Hedges. Photo: AAP
More time?
Game of Thrones tours From Belfast, companies offer tours of the filming locations of the cult show Game of Thrones, filmed in Northern Ireland.
Crumlin Road Gaol In the centre of Belfast, this former prison, in operation from 1846 to 1996, opens to the public its cramped cells, gruesome execution chamber and the tunnel used to transfer prisoners from the courthouse.
Ulster Transport Museum See steam locomotives, motorcycles, streetcars – and the prototype DMC DeLorean from the film Back to the Future, made in Belfast in 1981.
Birthplace of the Titanic
Arguably the most famous ship in history, the Titanic was built in Belfast at the Harland & Wolff shipyards for the White Star Line.
When its keel was laid in 1909, the Belfast shipyards were at their peak. Launched from H&W’s No 3 slipway on May 31, 1911, the Titanic spent over a year in the Thompson Graving Dock being fitted out, before leaving Belfast on April 2, 1912 for its maiden voyage.
Three days later, the ship hit an iceberg and sank in a matter of
hours, killing more than 1500 people.
Practicalities
When to go From May to September you can expect warmer and sunnier days – but still bring an umbrella.
How to get there Belfast’s two airports have flights arriving from across the UK and from many European cities. Regular trains on the Dublin-Belfast line connect the two capitals in around two hours.
Where to stay From hostels to luxury hotels, the range of accommodation on offer is growing every year. Most of the budget addresses are to the south of the centre, in the treelined university district, a 20-minute walk from City Hall.
Events In the second half of October, the Belfast International Arts Festival attracts artists from around the world.
This is an extract from Lonely Planet’s 100 Weekends in Europe. $44.99 RRP. Contact shop.lonelyplanet.com