How to Make the Most of Your Trip to Belfast

How to Make the Most of Your Trip to Belfast

If you are heading up to Ireland, then you might want to go a little further north and head to Belfast as well. It is a very cheap city that also has a lot of wonderful things for you to discover. It’s close enough for a day trip if you find yourself in the North Coast, Dublin, or the Giant’s Causeway, and it is a coastal city as well.

Whether you take a deep dive into the city of Belfast or decide to only stay for a day trip, you need to follow these tips to make the most of your time in the city, so let’s give it a go!

You Shouldn’t Have To Get A Car

With Belfast being a very small city, you won’t have to get a car at all. Instead you can very easily use public transportation to get through the city. Metro bus services run all say, and the taxis are cheap and very safe - even if you decide to use them at night! Additionally, various trains and buses also run through the city as well, and even walking is an enjoyable way to get around if you really want to see the sights.

It is also a very safe city, even at night, and in the central area of the city you will find many well lit and easy to explore places whenever. It almost feels like a small village tucked inside a massive metropolis, and you won’t have any cause for concern here.

Look For Free Walking Tours

Since you will likely be walking anyway as you travel through the city, you might as well learn a few things! Belfast has a company called ‘Belfast Free Walking Tour’ which offers free foot tours led by informed guides, and they will take you through the city’s main sights and also share all of the history you need to know as well.

If you ever wanted to learn about the city’s cultures, languages, and traditions, then these tours will certainly stretch your legs and your mind as well. The tours operate daily, and take about four hours to fully complete.

Head to the St. George’s Market

This market is one of the most famous sites in Belfast, and it is open from Friday to Sunday every week. Though you should go on Saturday because that is the ‘City Food and Craft Market’ day, which allows you to sample some of the best local and specialty foods, and you can either eat them on the go or take them home. There’s also crafts to sample on Saturday as well, and local bands give your ears something to sample too.

Get Your History on at The Ulster Museum and The HMS Caroline

If you want to learn more about the history of Belfast than what you get on the free walking tours, the Ulster Museum is a free place that shows the history of this part of Ireland from the earliest days to the modern area, and they also talk about The Troubles (A civil conflict between the Republic of Ireland and Irish Nationalists over whether Northern Ireland would remain in control of the UK.)

If you want to see more history outside of a museum before you head back to your Belfast Holiday Homes, then you need to go to the HMS Caroline, which is the only seafaring survivor of the WW1 battle of Jutland. The ship talks about life on the vessel and also allows you to experience what life was like on board during both peacetime and war. If you love WW1, then you need to visit this ship and get your sea legs.

Try Your Hand at ‘The Honesty Box’

Finally, the last thing you need to do to make the most of your trip, is test your honesty. The Honesty Box is a box at the Dock Cafe, which is a place that is staffed by volunteers and is run on faith. Once you have your meal and drinks, there’s no check. Instead you take cash (as the place accepts cash only) and deposit into an ‘honesty box’ what you believe the meal was worth.

As you can see, for such a small city, Belfast has a lot that you can explore and see if you know where to look! So don’t be afraid to stretch your legs and start moving, because you are sure to find some adventure!