Belfast

The Belfast guide is compiled by Chris Sherry


Airport Information


  • Holiday Taxis (easyJet.holidaytaxis.com) take you from home to the airport, then city or destination.

  • Translink runs an Airbus service to the centre, with departures every 10 minutes during peak hours Monday-Friday.

  • Visit the Europcar desk on arrival for special easyJet inflight rates.

  • The fare to the city centre is about £20.

Bon Appetit

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    (16-19 Shaftesbury Square. Tel. 028 9023 0213)
    Something of an institution in Belfast, this big pizza restaurant has been packing them in for years. The food is tasty and inexpensive.
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    (Fountain Street. Tel. 028 9032 3087)
    Near the city centre, this Argentinian-inspired restaurant is a great spot for lunch or dinner. As you might expect, it specialises in steak, but there is also a reasonable choice for non-beef eaters.
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    (Linenhall Street. Tel. 028 9031 1150)
    This recently opened restaurant has quickly become one of the places to be seen among the trendy Belfast set. The food is contemporary and the décor is ultra-cool.
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    (35-39 Waring Street. Tel. 028 9023 4888)
    In Belfast's swankiest hotel, this restaurant is still one of the best places to go for a fancy night on the town. Housed in a former bank, everything about it oozes luxury.

After Dark

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    (7 Commercial Court. Tel. 028 9024 1062)
    Buried deep in the Cathedral Quarter, this fantastic bar attracts a pretty eclectic crowd. The cobbled alleyway at the front of the bar is also a good place to have a drink, weather permitting!
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    (Dublin Road. Tel. 028 905 01660)
    For well over a decade, this small live music venue has showcased some of the best up-and-coming local and Irish bands. There's also a great bar downstairs.
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    (1 Bankmore Square. Tel. 028 9023 8700 )
    Although it doesn't look like much from outside, this terrific club is a great place to party most nights of the week. It tends to attract a student crowd and also hosts the occasional band.

This month...

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  • If you would like to buy an original piece of Irish art while you're in town, but don't want to spend a fortune, check out the Belfast Print Workshop - an excellent art gallery and workshop. You can buy framed or unframed artworks and the prices are very reasonable (Cotton Court. Tel. 028 9023 1323).
  • There are hundreds of colourful parades throughout Northern Ireland by Orangemen to mark King William's triumph at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 on 12 July. The main parade is in Belfast but there are also parades in most towns and villages.
  • Near the city centre, the historic Cathedral Quarter has really started to get going over the last few years. There are now lots of bars, restaurants and arts venues scattered throughout the area.
  • The seaside town of Bangor is only about 30 minutes from Belfast but seems like a world away. Take a walk along the seafront followed by dinner at The Royal Hotel.

Tips

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  • In 1886, the bell of St Malachy's Church, on Alfred Street, was removed because the adjacent distillery, in Dunville, complained that the tolling of the bells interfered with the maturing of the whiskey!

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