November 19, 2022
A Two day guide to Belfast
Belfast is the capital of North Ireland and has an incredible but tumultuous history that you must learn about, so if you’re looking to fill in 2 days when visiting either Ireland, or the UK, then you should definitely spend two days in Belfast! Take two days to explore the grungy city, from the Peace Walls, to the pubs, or from the dockyards where the Titanic was built, to its go and visit the Titanic museum. Belfast is a city with a little bit of 20th century packed between every street and painted on every wall.
If you’re travelling around the republic of Ireland, we have plenty of guides for destinations along the Wild Atlantic Way including Donegal, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, Sligo, the Aran Islands and even a detailed 7 day road trip itinerary.
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In this article
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Why should you visit Belfast?Why should you visit Belfast?
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What to do and see in BelfastWhat to do and see in Belfast
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When is the best time to visit BelfastWhen is the best time to visit Belfast
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How to get to BelfastHow to get to Belfast
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A two day itineraryA two day itinerary
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Where to stay in BelfastWhere to stay in Belfast
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Travel BudgetTravel Budget
Why should you visit Belfast?
If you don’t know the history of Northern Ireland, then you should watch Derry Girls or the recent movie “Belfast”. The history of Belfast is so incredible that it is almost hard to believe it happened so recently! Between the 1960’s and 1998, Northern Ireland experienced what is now commonly known as ‘The Troubles’. It was a period of sectarian violence between the Protestants (Loyalists) and Catholics (Republicans) which pitted street amongst street. The Troubles were a very hard time for the people of Belfast which culminated with massive 13 foot Peace Walls and gates being erected between suburbs. To this day, the gates on these walls still close shut every evening.
There is nothing to worry about now in Belfast though. The violence has ended and it is an incredibly safe city to visit! But many of the locals will remember The Troubles and this incredible period of history. Therefore, it is unquestionable that if you visit Belfast, then you should take a guided walking tour around the city. Also consider taking a Black Taxi Tour (see below). You will be humbled to walk the streets of a city that only recently spent many years locked up in civil war.
This is not the only reason why you should visit Belfast. The city boasts a beautiful Botanic Garden (which was unfortunately not in season when we visited). It also has some great pubs and bars, and was also the home of the Titanic! Below we will outline some of the top things to see on your 2 day visit to Belfast.
What to do and see in Belfast?
Take a Black Taxi Tour
The number one thing you can do in Belfast is take a Black Taxi Tour. There are many companies who operate these tours but we ended up going with Belfast Tours. The political tours will take you around to many of the historical spots. Stops will include Crumlin Road Gaol, the Peace Walls, and many of the streets where the politics was most intense.
On these tours, the guide will take you past many of the murals that decorate the sides of houses and halls. These murals commemorate the martyrs who died. They also mark whose territory you are on. Some of the murals can be quite intense when you see them for the first time. However, there is currently a campaign in Belfast to paint over them with Peace Murals.
When we took the Black taxi tour, we had a great tour guide by the name of Norman who grew up in Belfast during The Troubles. He didn’t belong to either the Republican or Loyalist camp and gave us a history lesson straight up the middle. There are other companies who offer tours where the first half you spend with a Republican and then swap with a Loyalist. Just in case you want to hear the history told straight from the horse’s mouth!
The great thing about these Taxi tours is that they will likely pick you up from anywhere in the the city. So it makes it very easy to work this into your travel plans.
Visit the Titanic Museum
Belfast was the birthplace of the Titanic. Before she set out on her maiden journey, and never to return, the Titanic was built in Belfast Dockyards. The city of Belfast has since built a world leading museum to commemorate the history and people who lost their lives on the titanic. If you visit the museum you will get an authentic retelling of the iconic history of the ship.
It is a bit pricey to visit the museum, coming in at £21.50 for an Adult pass. But you should look at all the prices on the museums website. You can book your tickets online, and it’s always best to do so to avoid disappointment on the day, so make sure you plan ahead!
Visit Crumlin Road Gaol
Crumlin Road Gaol is one of the most famous goals in Europe, and sometimes dubbed the Alcatraz of Europe. It was built in 1854 and closed in 1996. Over the years it was the place of many daring escapes and was the prison of the most famous Republican political prisoners in Northern Ireland. Since its closure it has been renovated and turned into a museum and a cultural hub of Belfast. When we were passing, there were even people getting married at the gaol!
If you want to visit the gaol you will have to pay for entry which will set you back £12 for an adult. On the other hand, if you jump on a Black Taxi Tour or a walking tour of Belfast, you will almost certainly stop past as one of the sites on your tour.
Go and see the Botanic Gardens, Ulster Museum, and Queen’s University
Another nice afternoon stop is to go and visit the Botanic Gardens. If it is spring or summer, then this is a great way to spend an hour and get in some active sightseeing. It is also home to the beautiful Palm House Conservatory, which is a stunning green house and makes for a great photo spot.
Located right next to the Conservatory is the Ulster Museum which contains much of the history of Ulster (Northern Ireland). The museum also contains a fantastic exhibition on the troubles which we spent nearly an hour immersed in.
Just behind the museum you will find Queen’s University Belfast. The facade of Queen’s is absolutely stunning. It is a great way to finish up a short visit to Botanic Gardens.
Take a look at St George’s Market
If you’re passing through Belfast on a Friday, Saturday, or a Sunday, then why not stop into St George’s Market which has been running since 1604! It is constantly ranked one of the best markets in the UK and includes a little bit of everything for everyone!
Have a drink in the Cathedral Quarter
If you’ve worked up a bit of a thirst from all your sightseeing around Belfast, then you should drop by the Cathedral Quarter for a drink one evening. This is the cultural hub of Belfast with many cool pubs, and a lot of nightlife activity. During the year there are festivals, parties, art exhibitions, and comedy shows. Make sure to double check what’s on here.
Grab a Pint at The Crown and see the Europe Hotel
Right in the centre of Belfast is the Crown Hotel. This is a completely unique pub, revered for it’s traditional booths, its beautiful stained glass and intricate tile work. Serving a wide range of pub food it makes for an ideal spot to get in a little sightseeing, while having a meal and a pint—what could be better?! Because everything in Belfast is immersed in the history of the troubles, so too is The Crown. The bar is situated directly across the road from the Europa Hotel which holds the record for the most bombed hotel on the planet! During the troubles the Europa was bombed 36 times. What makes it even more crazy is it is still a fully functioning 4 star hotel to this day!
Visit Giants Causeway
If you are visiting Belfast and planning on staying for a few days, then you should definitely try and get out and see the Giant’s Causeway, which is a beautiful piece of natural architecture caused by a volcanic eruption which created thousands of interlocking hexagonal columns. According to local legend this complex structure was built as a causeway by the giants where it gets its name. It is located a little over a one hour drive from Belfast. So if you have a car, this is the perfect way to spend half a day. If you don’t have a car there are many tour companies that run tours out to the Giants Causeway.
Game of Thrones Tour
If you didn’t already know, Belfast was the home of Game of Thrones. Every season includes scenes that were filmed in Northern Ireland. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan then you can jump on a tour like this one. In many cases this tour will actually be rolled into a tour with the Giants Causeway soo you will get to see both!
When is the best time to visit Belfast?
Northern Ireland has a climate just like the Republic of Ireland, that is wet and windy! If you visit during the winter then you will be subject to short and cold days, which makes going to museums a very natural choice! It also makes finding a cosy pub and having a hot meal just that much better!
If you want to get the best weather then you want to visit between late April and September when the weather is getting much nicer and the days are longer. The Botanic Gardens will be in full bloom during this time too so if you want to get out and walk around the city, then this is the best time.
That being said, if you’re planning on staying in the city, then most of the sightseeing can be done anytime during the year making Belfast an all year round destination!
How to get to Belfast?
If you are around Dublin, then you can catch a train straight to Belfast every single day. The train ride is about 2 hours and leaves from Connolly station. Tickets are cheap and will only set you back £10 or so.
Belfast is also a major city so it has an airport that sees quite a lot of traffic. You will be able to pick up a direct flight from London or any of the other major UK cities.
If you are driving around Ireland, then you can easily drive to Belfast in a little over a 2.5 hour drive from Dublin. If you are driving around Scotland then you can actually catch a ferry directly from Cairnryan to Belfast.
A two day itinerary
If you’re wondering how you can squeeze all this into two days, then you might have to chop a few things off your itinerary. So here I will give you an example of one day where you explore most of the city, then the two options for your second day. I will assume that you are traveling to Belfast on a weekend too, but if you aren’t then feel free to swap out the weekend only activities! Obviously you can do mix and match however you like!
Day 1
9.00am – 10.30am: visit St George Market (Friday, Saturday, Sunday – 10am start)
10.30am – 1.30pm: Jump on a Black Taxi Tour of Belfast (get dropped of at The Crown)
1.30pm – 2.30pm: Grab lunch and a Pint at the Crown
2.30pm – 5.30pm: Walk over to the Botanic Garden, Ulster Museum, Queens.
Relax for a bit
7.00pm – Late: Go visit the Cathedral Quarter
Day 2 (Option 1)
All day: Jump on the all day Game of Thrones, Giants Causeway Tour
Evening: Go back and explore the Cathedral Quarter (there is so much to do there!)
Day 2 (Option 2)
9.00am – 12.00pm: Visit the Titanic Museum
Grab some lunch
2.00pm – 5.00pm: Visit Crumlin Road Gaol
Where to stay in Belfast
Like most European cities there is a whole host of options for accommodation in Belfast. We stayed in an Airbnb that was slightly outside the city center. This was definitely cheaper. But given that we didn’t have a car, it meant that we had to walk into the city every morning and in the evening.
There are plenty of cheap hotels in Belfast which are great! Belfast is a rapidly growing city and is quite cheap compared to a lot of other places in the UK. So you actually won’t break the bank finding a place on booking.com.
If on the other hand, you feel like staying in the most bombed hotel in the world, you should definitely stay at the Europa Hotel! It is actually quite affordable and has quite good reviews (since the end of The Troubles of course).
Travel Budget?
| Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tickets to Museums/Tours | £50 - £80 |
| Food and Drinks | £80 |
| Black Taxi Tour | £30 |
| Accommodation | £80 - £120 |
| Transport to Belfast (depends on many factors) | £20 - £100 |
| Total | £260 - £410 |
Thanks for stopping by!
We hope we’ve inspired you to visit Belfast on your next trip to the UK or Ireland. It’s a fantastic city that is jam packed with history. It’s a great city to spend a weekend in, or maybe you just want to work in 2 days in Belfast in the middle of your travels. In any case, it is not a city to be missed.
If you’re travelling around the republic of Ireland, we have plenty of guides for destinations along the Wild Atlantic Way including Donegal, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, the Aran Islands and even a detailed 7 day road trip itinerary.
If you have any questions, please let us know, and please subscribe!
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