Belfast in a day (1 Viewer)

[rettucs]

I have an overseas visitor in town at the moment and they've expressed an interest to see Belfast. I haven't been to Belfast since I was around 12 and my family made the annual trek north to acquire cheap foodstuffs for xmas and sparklers and bangers for halloween.

I'm planning on bringing her/them up this saturday. I haven't a clue what to do when there, or what to go and see. Anyone been there lately? Whats good? Also, is it safe these days.

I've heard the W5 is good but you can see shit like that anywhere. I suppose I'm looking for stuff thats uniquely Belfast, which I suppose means shit like H&W, Stormont, stuff to do with the troubles, etc. Is it possible to kill a few hours doing stuff like that?

cheers

 

[magicbastarder]

you have a car? keep going and go to the giant's causeway and portballintrae. maybe take in bushmills distillery too; they're all within spitting distance of each other.

 

[nEiLo]

Belfast is nice (and yes it is safe)
Do a Black Taxi Tour.
http://www.belfasttours.com/about.htm
Have a wander around the city centre and have a pint in The Crown.
http://www.crownbar.com/
If you can stay overnight, Belfast is a fun place to go out.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

I went to Belfast about two years ago for the first time in my life. I was expecting it to be a complete shithole but it was surprisingly pleasant to potter around in. I saw a man with a battle of the boyne scene tattooed across his chest

 

[Moods For Mallards]

I have an overseas visitor in town...I'm planning on bringing her/them up this saturday... Also, is it safe these days.

Gwan scutter!!!

 

[rettucs]

cheers for the suggestions. Sounds like it could be ok then.

Will think about the North Antrim coast - I have a car but it looks like its far. I'll let them decide.

Moods - keep an eye on facebook. I'll document it minute-by-minute on there.

 

[rettucs]

I went to Belfast about two years ago for the first time in my life. I was expecting it to be a complete shithole but it was surprisingly pleasant to potter around in. I saw a man with a battle of the boyne scene tattooed across his chest

Cormcolash ; probably

 

[magicbastarder]

one thing to bear in mind; if you do decide to head to north antrim (about an hour's drive, i think); they were filming game of thrones beside the carrick-a-rede rope bridge recently. i assume they're done, but if not, you won't be able to get down to the chalk cliffs.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Alternatively you could take them to Newry and tell them that that was Belfast, save yourself a bit of driving. then take a spin out to warrenpoint and rostrevor. Carlingford lough = belfast lough, mountains of mourne = glens of antrim, rope bridge and giants causeway = closed for filming

 

[rettucs]

Alternatively you could take them to Newry and tell them that that was Belfast, save yourself a bit of driving. then take a spin out to warrenpoint and rostrevor. Carlingford lough = belfast lough, mountains of mourne = glens of antrim, rope bridge and giants causeway = closed for filming

or even go to Balbriggan and then the beach at Donabate. Winner!

 

[rettucs]

one thing to bear in mind; if you do decide to head to north antrim (about an hour's drive, i think); they were filming game of thrones beside the carrick-a-rede rope bridge recently. i assume they're done, but if not, you won't be able to get down to the chalk cliffs.

cheers again. Plenty of food-for-thought

 

[ann post]

if you go to giants causeway dont forget dunluce castle. belfast is generally way less hostile than dublin in my experience. the crown is the 'tourist bar' - but maybe thats what you want, auntie annies, laverys and a few others are also grand. you haven't truly been 'out' in belfast untill your getting a bottle of bucky out of the hat at 2am en route to a party but that might be for another time. as for city centre, from town hall, to great victoria street, up to the botanic gardens and the ulster museum is all lovely for wandering about. double check the ulster museum for being open, its a nice way to spend an hour or two. its all what i'd call walking distance from the centre (city hall square).

 

[rettucs]

Belfast is nice (and yes it is safe)
Do a Black Taxi Tour.
http://www.belfasttours.com/about.htm
Have a wander around the city centre and have a pint in The Crown.
http://www.crownbar.com/
If you can stay overnight, Belfast is a fun place to go out.

with those black taxi tours do they have a place where you go and take the tour from? Or do they need to be prebooked and they come and pick you up? I can't see where it says what the story is on that website. Maybe I'll give them a bell.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

There's a bus tour that leaves regularly will bring you to the "Titanic Quarter" but alas the centre there isn't complete yet. It brings you up to Stormont, and through Loyalist and Republican mural land. It's a decent enough tour and doesn't take too long but if the weather is shite don't bother doing it, well don't bother sitting up stairs.

The black taxi tours are amazing if you're into the history of the Troubles. I don't know where your friend's interests lie but I'd recommend one of those tours for any Irish person.

Scutter call into the Belfast Welcome Centre in Donegall Place and you can find any information there you'll need for any tour you want to do.

The Ulster Museum is really nice as are the Botanic Gardens.

The Crown Bar is nice for a drink, as is the John Hewitt.

I'm fairly sure the taxi tours can arrange to pick you up anywhere in the city but they typically leave from City Hall.

Pity you're not heading up in Nov, their Christmas market there is really nice, just outside City Hall.

 

[rettucs]

cheers GM, much appreciated

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Hope you get nice dry weather because Belfast is small enough that you can wander around a lot of the sights easily enough. I'd say if you wanna see H&W and Titanic Quarter take a wee drive over or get the tour, same for Stormont. Ask Cormcolash whether it's a good idea to take a stroll down Sandy Row. ;-)

Oh yeah head to Victoria Square (lots of shops dunno if any interest) and take the elevator to the top glass dome for a nice view of the city.

 

[Cormcolash]

Cormcolash ; probably

NEVER FORGET

 

[Scientician 0.8]

The hour of the Corm

 

[rettucs]

Hope you get nice dry weather because Belfast is small enough that you can wander around a lot of the sights easily enough. I'd say if you wanna see H&W and Titanic Quarter take a wee drive over or get the tour, same for Stormont. Ask Cormcolash whether it's a good idea to take a stroll down Sandy Row. ;-)

Oh yeah head to Victoria Square (lots of shops dunno if any interest) and take the elevator to the top glass dome for a nice view of the city.

I think that sort of stuff is about perfect. As someone else said, all that stuff about the troubles may not be of any interest to someone who isn't even aware that shit even took place.

I have a slight worry about driving a southern reg car too far out of the city center. I reckon its not too uncommon to see cars from here in Belfast, but I'd imagine there aren't too many of them driving freely down the shankhill road, despite how progressive the place has become (I say that slightly tongue-in-cheek).

 

[goldiejam]

Black Taxi Tour.

Check out the Titanic Pumphouse, down at the docks, gives you a scale of how big the thing was.

The Ulster Museum has re-opened, easily best museum on the Island. (wasnt creationist enough though for some, though).