Belfast and beyond: a three-day guide

a Three-Day Guide

For your final day, why not explore beyond Belfast city to sample some of Northern Ireland’s varied landscapes. The epic granite Mourne Mountains are easily accessible within a day trip. Walkers can choose between tackling a high summit or taking an easier coastal route around Murlough National Nature Reserve. Other pleasures include a round of golf at the Royal County Down championship links course – voted the world’s best by Golf Digest – or a visit to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, to discover how the globally popular TV series, shot around Northern Ireland, was created and brought to life. Alternatively, head north along the Antrim coast. Not far from Belfast, you’ll find the spectacular three-mile Gobbins cliff path, where a series of footbridges, tunnels and elevated walkways negotiate an otherwise inaccessible shoreline. Continue along the coast road – a scenic joy in itself – to reach other unique coastal sites like Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and the mouldering clifftop remains of Dunluce Castle. The jewel in the crown is the dramatic Giant’s Causeway, a World Heritage Site where some 40,000 massive basalt columns were created by ancient lava flows as they confronted the cooling waters of the sea. If you’re left feeling you need more time, don’t be surprised. Three days is enough to introduce yourself to Belfast and Northern Ireland, but certainly not enough to visit all its wonders. You’ll just have to come back for longer next time.

To explore and find out more, visit discovernorthernireland.com

On your second day, start with a visit to St George’s Market (open Friday to Sunday). Crowned the UK’s Best Large Indoor Market 2023, the stalls offer local and speciality foods, as well as arts and crafts. It’s all set inside a covered structure that dates back to the 1890s. Then head to Belfast Castle on the northern edge of the city. If you’re feeling energetic, don’t miss the four-mile, circular hike from the castle over the top of Cave Hill. The route is signed by green arrows, but does involve 270m of ascent and can be rough underfoot. The reward from McArt’s Fort, at the top, is the most incredible view over the city and surrounding countryside. Head back into the city centre to round off your day at a venue of your choice. Choose from countless restaurants and bistros, followed by an evening show at Belfast’s Grand Opera House. Alternatively, enjoy pints and oysters in Victorian gin palace The Crown Liquor Saloon, or pizza and cocktails in The Perch, a rooftop bar in the heart of the historic Linen Quarter.

elfast ranks among the great cities of the world for character and charisma. Yet it’s still a place that flies under the radar, where people are genuine and visitors come away feeling they’ve discovered a real gem. Growing from a Bronze Age village, Belfast burst into life during the industrial revolution and hasn’t stopped humming with activity. Today historic landmarks sit side by side with contemporary art galleries, lively restaurants, and pubs and bars resounding with live music – all less than 90 minutes from anywhere in Great Britain on a direct easyJet flight. For an authentic Belfast experience give yourself three days to soak up the history, culture and sights.

Fancy a long weekend away? Make a beeline for Belfast. Friendly, fascinating and full of surprises, your first visit won’t be your last

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Belfast

Explore the natural wonders and prehistoric monuments of counties Tyrone and Fermanagh. Beaghmore Stone Circles is a remote and atmospheric complex of megalithic stone circles and other ritual configurations. The adjacent International Dark Sky Park and Observatory (omdarksky.com) links modern methods of star-gazing with these ancient solar and lunar alignments. Combine this with an exploration of Marble Arch Caves (marblearchcaves.co.uk) in Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. A guided tour of the caves includes an underground boat trip and reveals an awe-inspiring array of subterranean formations.

Drive of discovery

Extend your trip along the Causeway Coast to include the Glens of Antrim. Enjoy a café lunch beside the chocolate-box harbour in the village of Carnlough, then take a river-gorge walk, passing 22 waterfalls in less than a mile, in Glenariff Forest Park. It’s also worth continuing further west, to the historic city of Derry~Londonderry. One of Europe’s finest examples of a walled city, you can still wander along defensive walls built in 1613, passing fortified entrance gates and restored cannons as you go.

Belfast has a compact heart, and many of its best sites are within walking distance of one another. Try to stay somewhere central – ideally around the iconic City Hall – to make exploring as straightforward as possible. A street map will help you find your way around. A good first destination is Titanic Belfast, set in the former dockyard where the infamous ship was built. Part of the city’s Maritime Mile, the fascinating Titanic Experience transports you back to 1909, when construction began. The city takes pride in the groundbreaking liner, despite her tragic fate. As locals say: “She was fine when she left here!” In the afternoon and evening, celebrate being in a Unesco-designated City of Music by joining the Belfast Traditional Music Trail. Guided by two professional musicians, you’ll wander the cobbled alleyways of the lively Cathedral Quarter, discovering some of Belfast’s oldest pubs and enjoying live performances of traditional songs and stories along the way.

Titanic Memories and Music

Don’t miss the wider opportunities offered by counties Down and Armagh. Food-lovers will enjoy watching chocolate being transformed from bean to bar at NearyNógs (nearynogs.com) and learning about the family craft of cider-making at Armagh Cider Company (armaghcider.com).

If you’ve been inspired to delve deeper into the culture and scenery of Northern Ireland, why not hire a car and hit the road to explore what else it has to offer.

Ancient Landscapes

Frequent easyJet flights between Britain and Northern Ireland mean getting here couldn’t be easier. easyJet operates regular services to both Belfast International airport, 20 miles west of the city, and to Belfast City airport, just three miles east of the city centre. Flight times from Britain are under 90 minutes, and there’s a range of departure airports to choose from. Options include Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Luton, Manchester, Liverpool and Stansted. Flights start from £24.99 one way. If you intend to stay solely within Belfast city, public transport services are all you need to get around. For travelling more widely, a hire car is your best option, giving you complete flexibility in your itinerary. With easyJet you can book a hire car at the same time as you arrange your flight, and it will be waiting at the airport when you arrive. Car hire prices vary, but start from £17.50 per day for a small model. This convenient fly-drive option – arriving at the airport in Belfast and collecting a pre-booked car – means you can get started on your Northern Ireland adventure without delay.

Getting there – and around

In the picture: Belfast has a vibrant arts scene

‘She was fine when she left’: Titanic Belfast occupies the site of the dockyard where the ship was built

Vibrant district: Belfast Cathedral Quarter has cobbled streets and lively pubs

Volcanically yours: the Giant’s Causeway was formed by cooling lava flows

Day One

Further Afield to Mountains and Coast

Day THRee

Indoor Market and Cave Hill

Day TWO

Remains to be seen: the Beaghmore Stone Circles complex and Marble Arch Caves

Safe harbour: the fishing village of Carnlough

‘A toast’: counties Down and Armagh can quench a thirst and sate an appetite

and

beyond

Bridge of sights: Carrick-a-rede rope bridge

Food (and drink) for thought

Quiet Glens and Historic Cities

Seal of approval: Strandford Lough is a haven for wildlife

Strangford Lough – the UK’s largest sea inlet – is another fascinating natural landmark. Stroll along its shore in the National Trust estate of Castle Ward. Then visit Exploris Aquarium and Seal Sanctuary (explorisni.com) to learn about wildlife native to the lough and the Irish Sea, as well as seeing a host of more exotic creatures.

Wonderful wildlife