Capital escape
With new attractions and ways to discover Belfast’s history and heritage, it’s the perfect time for a city break
Belfast might be the smallest capital in the UK but between being named one of the world’s most sustainable destinations and welcoming some high-profile new attractions, there’s plenty to tempt in the city. From its literary heritage to a new Game Of Thrones studio tour plus street art and shipbuilding history, here are some of the city’s unmissable sights.
TITANIC BELFAST
The world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, a visit to Titanic Belfast (titanicbelfast.com) tells the ship’s history from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through construction and launch to her infamous maiden voyage.
Set beside the Titanic Slipways, the Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices and Hamilton Graving Dock, the very place where the Titanic was designed, built and launched in 1912, there are nine interactive galleries helping visitors to discover the ship’s stories, from those who made her to those who sailed on board.
With special effects and animations, along with full-scale reconstructions, you can also combine a visit with a walk on the decks of the restored SS Nomadic, the last remaining White Star Line vessel, which ferried passengers to the Titanic. There’s also a self-guided walking trail starting from Belfast Hall to introduce you to more of the Titanic’s story.
BELFAST CASTLE
One of the city’s most famous landmarks, Belfast Castle (belfastcastle.co.uk) was completed in 1870 — long after the earlier Norman castle at Castle Place, and its 17th century replacement, had been destroyed.
Set in the Cave Hill area, named for the five caves on the side of the cliffs, you can also follow a string of walking routes and eco-trails while you’re in the area, as well as looking out for the feature known as Napoleon’s Nose, believed to have been the inspiration for Jonathan Swift’s novel Gulliver’s Travels.
And along with fantastic views out from the castle’s hilltop locaCity tion, there are gardens in the grounds to explore, plus woodland that’s home to long-eared owls and other rare wildlife.
DISCOVER LOCAL HISTORY
There are a string of ways to discover more about Belfast’s past, whether you’re looking for an overview of the city’s history or a more in-depth look at the Troubles.
The Belfast Political & Mural Tour from Black Taxi Tours (belfasttours.com) takes you past the city’s Catholic and Protestant Murals, while a guide shares both local history and personal stories of life as a teenager in the city, visiting other landmarks including the Peace wall along the way.
Or the free Ulster Museum (nmni. com/um) gives an overview of the history of the north of Ireland from prehistoric inhabitants to the modern day, along with dinosaurs, an Egyptian mummy, art and Belle Epoque fashion. The city’s Botanic Gardens are also next door.
Belfast City Hall is home to an exhibition on local heritage too (temporarily closed but set to reopen when restrictions lift) and walking distance from St George’s Market, which dates back to 1604.
SEE STREET ART
Belfast’s political murals are one of its most famous sights but nonpolitical street art has flourished in the city in recent years too. Discover local artists’ latest works on a twohour walking tour with Seedhead Arts (seedheadarts.com), including the Cathedral Quarter, or follow the street art map and explore solo.
And download the new AR Peace Wall app, one of 26 digital arts projects aiming to help visitors learn more as they explore. Designed to work with the Cupar Way Peace Wall, there are five AR triggers stencilled along the way to help explore different approaches to peace building.
For more public art, head over to CS Lewis Square, commemorating the Belfast-born author of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, to discover seven bronze statues from the book, including Aslan, the White Witch and Mr Tumnus.
THE GAME OF THRONES STUDIO TOUR
For fans of Game of Thrones, a new studio tour (gameofthronesstudiotour.com) has opened this month, only half an hour outside the city. With much of the series filmed on locations around Northern Ireland, the new attraction transports visitors to Westeros with original props and costumes on display, as well as sets, photography and behind-thescenes peeks from the series.
Packed into a 110,000 square foot interactive experience, you can step into the Great Hall at Winterfell, see the Dragonstone throne and learn more about the craftmanship needed to create some of the most famous pieces, as well as the visual effects used in the show.