things to do in belfast

2020 is a year filled with unsuspected surprises. Me, finding myself in Belfast, Northern Ireland is one that I didn’t see coming. You’re probably thinking why Belfast? and I thought the same too when the idea was presented to me.

However, my blogger bestie over at Memoirs & Musings and COVID-19 infection rate data for Belfast convinced me.

Who knew this rich city had so much to offer even in the middle of a world pandemic? As Northern Islands Capital and largest city, Belfast prides itself on the role it had in the industrial revolution in Ireland. Like many great cities of the world, Belfast has experienced its shorting comings. A civil conflict in Belfast known as the ‘Troubles’ in the early 1970s and 80’s crippled the city.

In recent days Belfast tourism has increased due to popular attractions like Titanic and tours of locations used in the HBO television series Game of Thrones.

Things to do in Belfast

Here is a list of places myself and Char visited during our time in Belfast. If you plan on taking a trip there soon save this post for later.

Titanic Belfast Museum

Now, if you don’t about the Titanic then you’re too young for this chat and you need to get on Google. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always known that the film Titanic was based on a true story but that’s all I knew.

Titanic Belfast is a visitor attraction opened in 2012, a monument to Belfast’s maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city’s Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built. From my visit, I learned that there was so much more behind Titanic than the film portrayed. The popular film that stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet are more of a romanticized version of events. It’s worth a visit and it will allow you to gain a better understanding of the city.

Price £20 for adults

Belfast City Hall

The Belfast city hall is home to the government building and gardens. Belfast City Hall is the civic building of Belfast City Council located in Donegall Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

There is not much to take from the place apart from a few quick photo opportunities. It’s closely situated near the town centre with many retail shops and restaurants located nearby.

The building is stunning and I think it’s worth a visit for a walk around the grounds. According to locals, Christmas is the best time to visit because of the extravagant Christmas tree in the hall.

Price: Free

Botanic Gardens

Situated near Queens University Belfast, the Botanic Gardens is an important part of Belfast’s Victorian heritage and a popular meeting place for residents. This place was high on Char’s bucket list because of the tv show ‘The Fall’. It’s located right next to the Ulster Museum. The grounds of the botanic gardens were nice, very spacious filled with lots of greenery, leaves and beautiful flower beds. While waiting for our slot at the museum Char and I got a chance to sit down and take in the beauty of grounds.

Price: Free

Ulster Museum

Ulster Museum is the home of Northern Ireland’s treasures – past and present. Admission to the museum is free but visitors must now pre-book a time slot in advance to avoid disappointment. Museums can be quite boring but this was far from the case at Ulster for me.

The museum has a rich collection of art, history and natural sciences. I enjoyed walking through Belfast past right through to present history. It was extremely insightful and I felt like I left there a lot more knowledgeable about Belfast,

Bittles bar

On our way to St Anne’s cathedral aka Belfast cathedral, Char and I stumbled across Bittle’s bar. When it comes to Bittle’s bar it the architecture for me. Bittle’s bar has been crowned one of Belfast’s more curious pubs because of its shape. It was built in 1866 and is located on Victoria square. Char and I went in for a quick half and we were welcomed with nothing but warm hospitality from the locals.

Belfast Cathedral

Every time I travel somewhere, I always end up visiting a church. So, in the name of not breaking tradition, it was only right that I stopped by the Belfast Cathedral. Some people say once you have seen one church you’ve seen them all but I disagree. Every church has something different to offer and this was the case with St Anne’s. Although, I could go inside from what I saw from the outside was good enough. The scripture’s written on the front of the church and the special prayer for COVID-19 printed and attached to the front gates was a lovely touch.

For a list of restaurants have a read through Char’s latest post over at Memoirs & Musings : MEMOIRS: 5 RESTAURANTS TO TRY IN BELFAST. It will certainly inspire all foodies who love to munch.

Check out my latest Belfast vlog it’s available now to watch on my YouTube channel.


things to do in belfast

Stay blessed

Lots of love

JWV

xoxo