Welcome to Belfast the last stop, well almost, as we do travel back to Dublin to fly home. This modern city is an eclectic medley of cultural treasures, with its mix of Victorian grandeur, industrial grit and living history. Here you will find a little bit of everything whether it’s comedy, maritime history, community arts, carnival parades, bluegrass music, song writing, European cinema, contemporary dance or the crème de la crème of local cuisine.
At Titanic Belfast delve into where it all began for the Ship of Dreams, this is the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience and a “must see” visit in any tour of Belfast and Northern Ireland. Housed in an iconic 6-floor, 9-gallery building, the ‘hulls’ of which are the exact height of Titanic when she sat on the slipways, this state-of-the-art visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her famous maiden voyage and tragic end.
Gaze up at the soaring crenellations of St Anne’s Cathedral, before hopping across the road to celebrate Belfast’s literary scene in Writer’s Square, where quotes from famous local writers CS Lewis, Hanna Bell and John Hewitt are carved in the stone underfoot.
Experience the City’s culture, politics, history, environment or landmarks from the back seat of an authentic Belfast Taxi, with your driver as your guide to see the murals, peacewall and living culture of the city.
Belfast is also perfect for foodies and we’ve got everything you need to discover your very own gourmet Garden of Eden from artisan bakeries, to traditional apple pies and garden parties galore throughout the summer months. You can enjoy Ireland’s oldest covered food market, the award winning St George’s Market, not to mention one of the liveliest and best value eating scenes in the UK or Ireland. You can also discover delicious Northern Irish breads like soda and potato, and gourmet chocolates in the city where Hans Sloane was educated.
Soak up the lively atmosphere, stroll along its fine Victorian streets, enjoy the range of world-class visitor attractions and indulge in a café, restaurant and entertainment scene that can rival any city in Europe.
The Royal Belfast Golf Club is where some of us will play an optional round. It is the oldest club in Ireland having been founded in 1881, Rory McIlroy is a member here. It is now located on the South shore of Belfast Lough where the views across the water to the Antrim hills is quite delightful. Heritage and tradition are bywords here, the magnificent former manor house that is the clubhouse has golfing memorabilia tucked everywhere. The golf course was routed over rolling parkland in a manner that is very easy on the eye. Stands of trees, lush fairways, gentle elevation challenges and intelligent bunkering all combine to make this course an absolute charmer to play on. Some of the holes are right on the shoreline and a favorite of some of the members.