Best Bits of Belfast

My Dad and I just got back from a lovely 3 day trip to Belfast, somewhere we both wanted to visit so we could reach the Giant's Causeway. We explored the city and walked in the rain, adjusting to the accent and smells and bus routes that differ from home. Below, I've chosen some highlights and recommendations, as well as some tips I learned along the way, so that should you find yourself in Northern Ireland's capital, you can make the most of your time there!

Day 1:

We flew out early, using the AirDecker bus service from Bath to Bristol which runs every hour from 3am (£11pp return). The flight was only 55 minutes, so we had landed and breezed through the airport (requiring no passport checks as Belfast is still in the UK, and we only had one cabin bag each), arriving in town by bus at around 9am - the airport transfer 300 or 300a costs £8 for a single and can only be paid with by cash on board, or by card on a self-service machine.

As soon as we were off the bus, a fellow traveller stopped us to advise that we Google everywhere we were planning to go beforehand, as there are areas that can be surprisingly violent (she warned against Holylands, located next to Queen's University). Luckily, we did not encounter such things, but is definitely worth noting if you are planning anything outside of tourist areas.

Our first stop was breakfast. We happened upon a gorgeous cafe in the Linen Hall Library, just opposite City Hall and central bus stops - There is a Visit Belfast Information Centre right next door too which is useful for buying bus or tour tickets and souvenirs. The cafe is ornate, quiet and serves a delicious selection of breakfast items, cakes and lunches, including a wide range of vegan options.

Once we had refreshed with food and coffee (note, there are no toilets) we walked 25 minutes to our first tourist attraction - Gaol Prison on Crumlin Road (£12.50 each with booking fee, tour book also available for £4). Here, we learnt a lot about the late prison history, including the arrests of suffragettes and imprisonment of children, all through an interactive self-guided experience. We spent an hour and a half there, however there is a café on site so you could spend longer.

The rest of our day was spend walking to our accommodation - we went with Airbnb so we could save time and money by cooking for ourselves in our own space. However, when we booked the trip at the start of September (a month and a half in advance) there were only really two suitable options within our price range and access without a car. With that in mind, it might be worth looking sooner, or budgeting a little extra for buses and taxis.

Day 2:

That said, the buses were easy as they run frequently and lots of various services run the same or very similar routes. You don't have to ask for a single or return journey, just hop on, tap your card and the system will automatically charge you for the appropriate journey i.e. if you return or not. It took us 20 minutes to get to City Hall which is right in the centre, where we set off on foot following the Titanic Trail.

This shows you the Titanic Memorial Gardens, located within the grounds of City Hall; the Albert Memorial Clock and the Salmon of Knowledge sculpture. For you Game of Thrones fans, there are also stain glass murals planted along the riverside which leads you to the Titanic Quarter, where you can visit the museums.

The Titanic Museum costs £21.50 pp and covers a look inside the SS Nomadic which - the last surviving White Star Line ship. Seeing both attractions can easily take two - three hours, not including cafe stops. The museum opens at 10am and we went at 10:30 with the first wave, so moving round to read everything can be slow with busier crowds. Luckily, there is lots to read to keep you entertained!

The exhibition focuses mainly on the building of the Titanic, as well as the lives of the construction workers in Belfast in the 1900's. There is a small, immersive ride and replicas of the varying class cabins on board, with the post-sinking and survival stories taking up a smaller portion of the exhibit.

There are Glider Buses that run back to the city centre from right outside or taxis for £10 if your feet are museum-achey. Otherwise, a 20 minute walk back along the river and you'll be in the vicinity to shop at Victoria Square Shopping Centre where they have indoor garden spaces and the opportunity to climb the lookout tower (check opening times though, as we went within the opening hours and it was still closed). Alternatively, just up the high street there is also Castle Court Shopping Centre where you can rid yourselves of a few holiday pennies.

Day 3:

For our third day, we took a coach tour to the Giant's Causeway, a National Trust site on Northern Ireland's coast. I pre-booked through Get Your Guide, paying £70 for both of us to do a 7 hour tour to the Causeway and back with sights to see along the way. Now... I chose the tour with Finn McCools as it looked the most suitable, then received a message the day before saying there had been a few changes to the departure time and location. I was a little worried about it being a scam or missing the tour, but as I'd used Get Your Guide on other holidays, I assumed this was semi-normal.

On arrival, it was Allen's Tours waiting for us, who explained that we'd booked through a company run from Dublin and had actually paid more than we should have for a different tour! Fortunately, they took us on board (as well as others who had the same problem), but advised that if we booked directly through the independent tour companies, rather than the online ones that are competing with each other, it should have cost about £25 each.

The coach was full and the tour guide made everything easy - making light of the fact we'd be looking at viewpoints on the foggiest day of the week! There is usually lots to see en route , including Portaneevey viewpoint, Carrickfergus Castle*, Bushmills and Dark Hedges (pictured left). These sights really break up the journey and show a contrasting coastal side to Northern Ireland. (Do consider that this might be something to do on the first day of the trip, as the driver gives some interesting facts about the city that may help get your bearings).

The Causeway is beautiful and definitely worth the trip - just be sure to check the weather first! Luckily for us, the weather cleared right up just in time for us to take in the rock formations for an hour and a half, before driving back to the city with a stop along the way.

Other things to note:

* Carrickfergus Castle, a comfort stop on the Giant's Causeway tour, is only a 20 minute drive away. It costs £6 to go inside, but you do not have time to do this on the tour. If you were looking for historical sights a little closer than the Causeway, this may be one to look at!

- Belfast Castle not open on a Monday or Tuesday

- City Hall offers free entry for self-guided tours of the political building, which has some grand architecture to marvel at

- Belfast City Airport has very limited flight times with EasyJet, as opposed to Belfast International, so be sure to check for the right airport before departures :)