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4 days ago · Belfast, city, district, and capital of Northern Ireland, located on the River Lagan, at its entrance to Belfast Lough (inlet of the sea). Belfast became a city by royal charter in 1888. After the passing of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, it became the seat of the government of Northern Ireland.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Belfast ( / ˈbɛlfæst / ⓘ BEL-fast, /- fɑːst / -fahst; [a] from Irish: Béal Feirste [bʲeːlˠ ˈfʲɛɾˠ (ə)ʃtʲə]) [5] [6] is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel.
Since 2021, Belfast has been a UNESCO designated City of Music. Belfast is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel. It is second to Dublin as the largest city on the island of Ireland with a population in 2021 of ...
Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Historically most of it lay in County Antrim west of the River Lagan, with about a third on the east bank in County Down, but it's always been governed as a separate metropolis, with a population in 2020 of about 630,000. Map. Directions.
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This noble city is named for a mud bank and is built upon sludge. The lower River Lagan is tidal and receives a dozen small tributaries (nowadays culverted) which drop their silt, forming banks of sand and mud. The lowest point at which you could ford the river at low tide is where the Lagan road bridge now crosses, and in Irish this is Béal Feirst...
By train
The Enterprise Train runs from Dublin Connolly station via Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry and Portadown to 54.595-5.9173 Belfast Lanyon Place, taking just over two hours, with eight M-Sa and five on Sunday. It doesn't serve Dublin Airport, or Belfast Great Victoria Street station which is next to the main bus station - change at Portadown for this and other suburban stations to Bangor. Lanyon Place used to be called Central Station, but it's half a mile (800 m) east of the centre, and a 20-min walk...
By bus
Buses run hourly from Dublin Busáras and airport to Belfast Europa station, taking 2 hr 20 min, adult fare €20 single and €30 return. Operators are Ulsterbus, Bus Éireann and Aircoach, so there's price competition. Day-trip excursions from Dublin also visit Belfast. Citylink / Ulsterbus 923 runs 2-3 times a day from Glasgow via Ayr to the Cairnryan ferry for Belfast. The buses don't join the ferry so you have to lump your luggage off to board, then onto the waiting bus at the other end. Natio...
By car
Belfast is the focus of the road network in Northern Ireland, and has good links to the Republic. The main roads are well-maintained and patrolled, your main task is to avoid rush hours. From Dublin follow M1 / N1 / A1; there's a toll at Drogheda (€1.90 for a car). There are no checks at the border, all you'll see are signs that speed limits are in miles per hour. Car rental:all the major companies have desks at Belfast City Airport, International Airport, and central Belfast (though in 2020...
Walkto all the central sights. The centre is within a mile or two of the Botanic Gardens, Queen's University and Titanic.
Central
Belfast city centre is focused on Donegall Square and Belfast City Hall. The main thoroughfare north from the square is Donegall Place, a retail street leading to the Cathedral. The centre is bounded to the east by the River Lagan, to the south by Donegall Pass, and to the west by the convenient but ugly dual carriageway Westlink. The centre is safe enough at all hours but falls very quiet after 8PM. 1. The Crownis the gorgeous Victorian pub that greets arrivals emerging from the bus station....
South
This starts with a commercial area along Bedford St and a loyalist neighbourhood on Donegall Pass. Then south of Shaftesbury Square you come into the student quarter around Queen's University. A retail-and-pizza strip straggles along Lisburn Road while the rest is leafy streets and student accommodation. It's the most affluent part of the city, often referred to by its postcode BT9, and generally safe at all hours apart from the occasional aggressive drunk. Buses 8a,b,c,d run to this area fro...
West
This area suffered the worst of the Troubles in Belfast. It was - and remains - the largest example of an "interface area" where a Protestant/unionist/British-loyalist community lives alongside a Catholic/nationalist/Irish-republican community: the former to the north along Shankhill Rd and Crumlin Rd, the latter south along Falls Rd. Most sights of interest relate to that conflict. 1. 54.609-5.94215 Crumlin Road Gaol, 53 Crumlin Rd BT14 6ST, ☏ +44 28 9074 1500, info@crumlinroadgaol.com. Dail...
What's on? For local events and listings listen to Belfast 89FM on 89.3 MHz or read The Belfast Telegraph, The Irish News and The News Letter, all published daily.54.59746-5.919661 Waterfront Hall, 2 Lanyon Place BT1 3WH, ☏ +44 28 9033 4400. Large events venue on the west bank of the river, see website for upcoming shows.(updated Sep 2020)54.6043-5.91572 Odyssey Pavillion (SSE Arena), 2 Queen's Quay BT3 9QQ (Bus 26), ☏ +44 28 9045 1055. This complex contains a 12-screen cinema, the multi-use SSE Arena, W5 science museum (see above)...Parks and open spaces: lots and lots. See above for:Central Belfast has a large retail area, with Castle Court on Millfield to the west through Corn Market to Victoria Square on the east.
Mid-range
1. 54.598187-5.93065110 Queen's Cafe Bar, 4 Queens Arcade BT1 5FF, ☏ +44 28 9024 9105. Daily 11:30AM-4PM. City centre pub does good grills.(updated Jan 2023) 2. 54.58934-5.933411 Lee Garden, 14-18 Botanic Ave BT7 1JQ, ☏ +44 28 9027 8882. Daily noon-10:30PM. Reliably good place, especially good value for lunch and dim sum.(updated Jan 2023) 3. 54.59895-5.9270912 Little Wing Pizzeria, 10 Ann St BT1 4EF, ☏ +44 28 9024 7000. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 1-10PM. Slick friendly place serv...
Splurge
1. 54.601266-5.925816 Great Room Restaurant, 16 Skipper St (The Merchant Hotel). Magnificent.(updated Feb 2023) 2. Deanes. Chain with five city locations.(updated Feb 2023) 3. 54.581-5.94917 Shu, 253 Lisburn Rd BT9 7EN, ☏ +44 28 9038 1655. Tu-Sa noon-2PM, 5:30-9:30PM, Su 12:30-6:30PM. Stylish modern French restaurant.(updated Jan 2023)
Central
1. 54.59467-5.934051 Crown Liquor Saloon (Crown Bar), 46 Great Victoria St, BT2 7BA (opposite Europa Hotel and bus station), ☏ +44 28 9024 3187. Daily noon-midnight. Gorgeous authentic Victorian pub. The stained glass windows have been replaced a few times, what with the earth tremors opposite, but the interior is mostly original and gas-lit. Inside, the booths can seat about a dozen people, and may be closed off from the bar with the attractive wood-paneled doors. They are hot property after...
South
1. 54.58099-5.9385620 The Botanic Inn (The Bot), 23-27 Malone Rd, BT9 6RU, ☏ +44 28 9050 9740. M-Sa noon-1AM, Su 1PM-1AM. This bar near QUB is popular with students. Downstairs is a large, attractive bar with live sport, upstairs has a night club. Good food and drink.(updated Sep 2020) 2. 54.58566-5.9229221 Hatfield House, 130 Ormeau Rd, BT7 2EB, ☏ +44 28 9043 8764. M-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su noon-midnight. Buzzing southside pub in 1850s trad building, often has live music and Gaelic sport on TV.(upda...
Gay
1. 54.60374-5.9307623 Kremlin, 96 Donegall Street, BT1 2GW, ☏ +44 28 9031 6060. F Sa 9PM-1AM. Soviet-themed gay dance club.(updated Sep 2020) 2. 54.60386-5.931624 Union Street Bar, 8 Union St, BT1 2JF, ☏ +44 28 9031 6060. M-Sa noon-midnight, Su 1:30PM-midnight. LGBTQ-friendly pub and wine bar with Med food. Shoe Factory is the late club next door.(updated Sep 2020)
Budget
1. 54.58-5.9421 Belfast City Backpacker, 53-55 Malone Ave BT9 6EP, ☏ +44 28 9066 0030. Okay simple hostel near Botanics, a mile south of town. Dorm £15 ppn.(updated Sep 2020) 2. 54.585-5.932 Lagan Backpackers, 121 Fitzroy Ave BT7 1HU, ☏ +44 28 9514 0049. Clean well-run small hostel. Dorm £12 ppn.(updated Sep 2020) 3. 54.5892-5.93583 Belfast International Youth Hostel, 22-32 Donegall Road BT12 5JN (oOff Sandy Row), ☏ +44 28 9031 5435. Basic hostel, central location near Shaftesbury Sq.(updated...
Mid-range
1. 54.574-5.9587 All Seasons B&B, 356 Lisburn Rd BT9 6GJ (near Adelaide railway station), ☏ +44 28 9068 2814. Clean friendly B&B. B&B double from £70.(updated Sep 2020) 2. 54.58911-5.9358 Benedicts, 7-21 Bradbury Place BT7 1RQ (by Botanics railway station), ☏ +44 28 9059 1999. Lively clean mid-range hotel near QUB with good restaurant. B&B double £100.(updated Sep 2020) 3. 54.583-5.9439 Camera Guesthouse, 44 Wellington Park BT9 6DP (ignore wacky postcode on their website), ☏ +44 28 9066 0026....
Splurge
1. 54.597-5.91917 Hilton Belfast, 4 Lanyon Place BT1 3LP, ☏ +44 28 9027 7000. Decent mid-range chain hotel next to the Waterfront Hall. B&B double from £110.(updated Sep 2020) 2. Titanic Hotel, 8 Queen's Rd BT3 9DT (Dockland, next to Titanic museum), ☏ +44 28 9508 2000. Swish modern hotel in the former Harland & Wolff offices. B&B double £180.(updated Nov 2021) 3. 54.5947-5.9350318 Europa Hotel, Great Victoria St BT2 7AP (next to GVS bus and railway station), ☏ +44 28 9027 1066. The Europa ne...
Belfast is for the most part a safe, welcoming city. Though there is trouble beneath the surface, it's locals settling old scores, and tourists aren't involved. After dark you should avoid the "interface areas" noted earlier. Beyond that, just follow the same obvious rules you'd follow in any other big city. Keep your nose and big mouth out of loca...
Belfast (from the Irish: Béal Feirste meaning "Mouth of the (River) Farset")is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of devolved government and legislative assembly in Northern Ireland. It is the largest urban area in Northern Ireland and the province of Ulster, the fifteenth-largest city in the United Kingdom and the second ...
Belfast Waterfront is an award-winning, purpose-built conference, arts and entertainment centre offering a variety of facilities. The venue offers a varied events programme, ranging from classical music, opera and ballet to comedy and rock music. Belfast. Attraction.
