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Titanic Quarter
Admission: From £15 (Book online for a 5 percent discount)
Daily opening: 10am – 5pm
A weekend in Belfast would not be complete without a visit to the iconic building The Titanic Belfast. Popular with locals and tourists alike, the building was designed to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the construction of The Titanic which was built at Belfast harbour. Think the film taught you everything you need to know? Think again. Housing nine galleries filled with interactive exhibitions, within the building you’ll discover an underwater exploration theatre and a special effects Shipyard Ride, not to mention recreations of the ship’s original cabins. New Year is the perfect time to visit with the stylish White Star Ball taking place on New Year’s Eve, so channel your inner Rose and enjoy first-class treatment with a five-course banquet and live entertainment.
Donegall Street, Cathedral Quarter
Home to cobbled streets, beautiful old buildings and photography exhibitions, the Cathedral Quarter is the perfect place to get artistic inspiration during your stay. Time it right and you could extend your New Year’s break to catch the start of the tenth Annual Out To Lunch Festival, a month-long programme of art, literature, theatre, music and comedy. And once you’ve got your culture fix you must visit one of the surrounding eateries - Muriel’s Café Bar, The Merchant Hotel and Made In Belfast are all firm favourites.
Donegall Square
Free entry
Daily opening:
Mon to Thurs 8.30am – 5pm
Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm (closed weekends and bank holidays)At the centre of Belfast is Donegall Square and here, the imposing City Hall commands the prime spot. Free tours lead you through the building to admire the ornate plasterwork, stunning Italian marble staircase and 173ft-high dome replete with a whispering gallery.
Queen's Road
Daily opening:
Mon to Fri 6 – 10pm, £6.
Sat and Sun 8am – noon; noon – 4pm; 4 – 8pm, £6 for one session, £10 all-day pass.
Set in a former shipbuilding warehouse, T13 is an urban sports park and Rihanna’s favourite hangout. Okay, we’re exaggerating a little but take a closer look and you might recognise it as the backdrop to her 'We Found Love' video. Learn to ride a BMX and skateboard, leap through the air doing parkour or pull some slick moves in a breakdancing class. There’s always something funky happening at T13, from art exhibitions to fashion shows, concerts to late-night events and plenty of activities to add to the bucket list.
Botanic Gardens
Free entry
Daily opening:Tues to Sun 10am – 5pm
Nestled into the beautiful Botanic Gardens this bright, spacious four-level museum has displays devoted to art, natural science and history. Immerse yourself in the experience at the Discovery Centres, where you can handle real fossils and bones, pull on costumes and truly interact with exhibits. A wonderful way to while away your afternoon, followed by a stroll through the Botanic Gardens and then heading across to the famous Queen’s University and University Quarter.
St George's Market, 12-20 East Bridge Street
Free entry
Daily opening:
Friday 6am – 2pm
Saturday 9am – 3pm
Sunday 10am – 4pmThis quirky covered market has been in existence since 1604 and continues to bring the coutryside to the city. It recently won the accolade of the ‘UK’s best indoor market 2014’ and has over 150 traders selling interesting wares under its roof every weekend. Friday brings the Variety Market, offering everything from coffee to shark meat, antiques to zips. Saturday is the City Food & Garden market with fresh, local veggies, meat, fish and cheese alongside some foreign specialities. Sunday you can expect an eclectic mix of everything with a bit of live music thrown in for good measure.
Tours depart from main gate of Queen's University, University Road
£15 per person (maximum ten people per tour)
Tour times:
Apr to Aug: Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat 10.30am and 2pm
Sep to Mar: Sat only, 10.30am and 2pm
Other tours and times available by arrangement; bike hire available during the weekThere’s no better way to see the city than on two wheels – hire a bike or join a tour and whizz about Belfast’s University and Titanic Quarter and nip down the cobbled lanes of the Cathedral Quarter. Feel the wind in your hair as you follow the River Lagan, through parks and along towpaths capturing great snaps of Belfast Lough and the beautiful surrounds. Be sure to stop off at The Big Fish – an impressive 10ft salmon clad with blue ceramic tiles. The beautiful sculpture tells Belfast’s history through images and words decorating the tiles. Give it a kiss - it’s the perfect photo op!
£30
Our favourite way to explore the Titanic Quarter is on the Segway Guided Tour. For those of you who have never been on one before, get your balance in check and prepare for some serious fun. Get up some speed along the slipways, keep an eye out for the stars as you pass the Titanic Studios and discover the shiny Titanic Building. This is one to put on your ‘to do’ list for sure.
Pull on your walking boots and head for the hills to get a spectacular bird’s eye view of Belfast Lough, the city and across to the Isle of Man and Scotland. Cavehill sits a few miles outside the city and it is said to have been the inspiration for Jonathan Swift’s 'Gulliver’s Travels' and no wonder, the views are breathtaking.
Must-see Belfast
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Follow where your senses take you and find the real Belfast. Immerse yourself in the laidback vibe of the city, take your time browsing the designer boutiques and street markets, or wander the collections and blockbuster exhibitions at the stunning City Hall art gallery. Relax into the city’s café culture and discover the city’s heritage for yourself. Admire the shipbuilding powerhouse with a stroll around the Titanic Quarter, and keep a look out for The Big Fish. You can’t miss it, it’s ten foot tall and it’s blue!
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