Belfast, northern ireland
Attractions Guide

Northern Ireland's capital is a bustling port city of impressive architecture, including buildings such as the imposing baroque Belfast City Hall with its decadent interiors and the towering iconic Albert Memorial Clock.

The city is home to the famous Titanic Belfast museum chronicling the ship's history in a remarkable contemporary structure atop the shipyard it was built in. There's also the popular Victoria Square mall and the historic St George's Market, a covered Victorian-era marketplace.

Just north of Downtown Belfast is the Crumlin Road Gaol Prison, a Victorian-era prison turned museum.

To the south of Central Belfast is the massive Ulster Museum, containing many exhibits across a wide array of fields including fine art, zoology, archaeological finds, and much more, which is free to visit. Very close-by be sure to admire the exterior of the striking Lanyon Building of Queen's University Belfast, which is quite impressive.

Behind the Ulster Museum and Queens University are the elegant Botanic Gardens sprawling over a large area.

To the north of Central Belfast you'll find the stunning Belfast Castle overlooking the ocean. Although the castle's interiors are lacking, the exterior is gorgeous set amongst its quaint gardens.

From the castle you can hike up through Cave Hill County Park, which features lush forests, the Cave Hill Cave, and sweeping panoramic views over the city and the ocean, with views out to Scotland on a clear day taken in from McArt's Fort. The trail length starting from the castle, passing the cave and along the top of the hill, then looping back to the castle is approximately 3.3 miles (5.3 km) total.

Further northeast along the coast is the Carrickfergus Castle, a small Norman medieval fortress made of stone you might like to explore. To the east of Belfast is the Mount Stewart House & Gardens, featuring a beautiful 19th century estate with posh interiors and lovely gardens.