Stormont

Belfast

　　Stormont's dazzling white neoclassical facade is one of Belfast's most iconic, occupying a dramatic position at the end of a gently rising 1.5km avenue. Since 1998 it has been the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. 　　Free guided tours meet in the elaborate Great Hall, which is made entirely of...

Belfast Castle

Belfast

　　Built in 1870 for the third Marquess of Donegall, in the Scottish Baronial style made fashionable by Queen Victoria's Balmoral, multiturreted Belfast Castle commands the southeastern slopes of Cave Hill. It was presented to the City of Belfast in 1934 and is now used mostly for weddings and other functions....

Merchant Hotel

Belfast

　　Belfast's most flamboyant hotel occupies the palatial former Ulster Bank head office. Rooms are individually decorated with a fabulous fusion of contemporary styling and old-fashioned elegance; those in the original Victorian building have opulent floor-length silk curtains while newer rooms have an art deco–inspired theme. Facilities include a luxurious spa...

John Long's

Belfast

　　A wonderfully down-to-earth Belfast institution, this 1914-opened chippie is hidden in an inconspicuous red-brick building adjoining a car park, and is covered in mesh grills (a legacy of having its windows blown out when the nearby Europa Hotel was bombed). Inside, it fries up classic cod and chips in beef...

Kingspan Stadium

Belfast

　　This 18,000-capacity stadium is the home of Ulster Rugby. ...

CS Lewis Square

Belfast

　　Dedicated to one of Belfast's most famous authors, East Belfast's CS Lewis Square has some impressive public art. Irish artist Maurice Harron has created seven bronze statues related to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, including the White Witch, Mr Tumnus, the Beavers, Maugrim and a majestic Aslan. The...

Berts Jazz Bar

Belfast

　　This intimate venue has live jazz nightly from 9pm to midnight. Tables next to the stage are reserved for diners (mains £15 to £20, plus £10 per person weekend stage charge; book ahead), but there is no charge to drink or dine in the bar area, from where the music...

Harlem Cafe

Belfast

　　With eclectic art covering the walls, the Harlem is a great place for lounging over coffee, or enjoying a glass of wine after hitting the shops. A full food menu spans breakfast to brunch to pre-theatre dinner. ...

Duke of York

Belfast

　　In a cobbled alleyway off buzzing Hill St, the snug, traditional Duke feels like a living museum. There's regular live music; local band Snow Patrol played some of their earliest gigs here. Outside on Commercial Ct, a canopy of umbrellas leads to an outdoor area covered with murals depicting Belfast...

Peace Line

Belfast

　　The most visible sign of the divisions that have scarred the area for so long are the so-called 'peace walls' that controversially divide Belfast's Protestant and Catholic communities, covering some 34km in all. The longest section divides Falls Rd and the Shankill in West Belfast; its steel gates are generally...

Grand Opera House

Belfast

　　One of Belfast's great Victorian landmarks is the Grand Opera House. Opened in 1895 and completely refurbished in the 1970s, it sustained severe IRA-bomb damage in 1991 and 1993. The interior has been restored to its original, over-the-top Victorian pomp, with swirling wood and plasterwork, fancy gilt-work in abundance and...

John Hewitt

Belfast

　　Named for the Belfast poet and socialist, the John Hewitt is one of those treasured bars that has no TV or gaming machines, just the murmur of conversation. There are trad sessions on Saturday afternoons and regular folk, jazz and bluegrass. It's owned by the Belfast Unemployed Research Centre. ...

St Anne's Cathedral

Belfast

　　Built in imposing Hiberno-Romanesque style, St Anne's Cathedral was started in 1899 but did not reach its final form until 1981. As you enter you'll see that the black-and-white marble floor is laid out in a maze pattern – the black route leads to a dead end, the white to...

Eipic

Belfast

　　The finest, seasonal local ingredients are given a creative twist at the flagship restaurant in Michael Deane's portfolio, the Michelin-starred Eipic. Head chef Alex Greene is originally from Dundrum in County Down; his tasting menus are full of theatrical surprises. 　　Other restaurants in the Deanes portfolio include Love Fish and...

HMS Caroline

Belfast

　　The UK's last surviving WWI Royal Navy cruiser has been converted into a floating museum, docked in Titanic Quarter. Audio tours take in the captain's quarters, officers' cabins, marine's mess, sick bay, engine room and galley kitchen, with interactive exhibits and a film dramatisation of HMS Caroline's role in the...

Ulster Folk Museum

Belfast

　　Farmhouses, forges, churches, mills and a complete village have been reconstructed at this excellent museum, with human and animal extras combining to give a powerful impression of Irish life over the past few hundred years. From industrial times, there are red-brick terraces from 19th-century Belfast and Dromore. Another highlight is...

Black Box

Belfast

　　Black Box is an innovative arts venue, hosting a dynamic program of music, theatre, magic nights, spoken word events, comedy, film and more on Hill St in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter. ...

OX

Belfast

　　A high-ceilinged space with cream-painted brick and warm golden wood creates a theatre-like ambience for the open, Michelin-starred kitchen at the back, which turns out some of Belfast's finest cuisine. The restaurant works with local suppliers and focuses on fine Irish beef, sustainable seafood, and seasonal vegetables and fruit. The...

Lyric Theatre

Belfast

　　This stunning modern space overlooking the River Lagan is Northern Ireland's only full-time producing theatre (it produces its own plays rather than staging works produced by other companies). ...

Muddlers Club

Belfast

　　Industrial-style decor, friendly service and rustic dishes that allow fresh local ingredients to shine are a winning combination at one of Belfast's best restaurants. The Muddlers Club is named after a society of Irish revolutionaries co-founded by Wolfe Tone who held meetings at the same spot in the 1790s; look...

Muriel's Cafe-Bar

Belfast

　　Hats meet harlotry (ask who Muriel was) in this delightfully snug and welcoming bar with retro-chic decor, old sofas and armchairs, heavy fabrics in shades of olive and dark red, gilt-framed mirrors and a cast-iron fireplace. Gin is Muriel's favourite tipple and there's a range of more than 150 exotic...

Maggie May's

Belfast

　　This is a classic little cafe with cosy wooden booths, murals of old Belfast and a host of hungover students wolfing down huge Ulster fry-ups. The all-day breakfast menu includes French toast and pancake stacks, while lunch can be soup and a sandwich or a burger. BYO alcohol (£1.50 corkage...

Windsor Park

Belfast

　　Northern Ireland plays its home games at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, 2km south of Belfast city centre; see the Irish FA website for details of upcoming matches. ...

Waterfront Hall

Belfast

　　The impressive 2200-seat Waterfront is Belfast's flagship concert venue, hosting local, national and international performers from pop stars to symphony orchestras. ...

SSE Arena

Belfast

　　Within the Odyssey Complex, this is the venue for big entertainment events such as rock and pop concerts and stage shows. It's also the home stadium of the Belfast Giants ice-hockey team. ...

MAC

Belfast

　　The MAC is a beautifully designed venue overlooking the neoclassical St Anne's Sq development, with its two theatres hosting regular performances of drama, stand-up comedy and talks, including shows for children. The centre's three galleries stage a rolling program of exhibitions, which are generally free. There's also a cafe here....

St George's Market

Belfast

　　Ireland's oldest continually operating market was built in 1896. This Victorian beauty hosts a Friday variety market (flowers, produce, meat, fish, homewares and secondhand goods), a Saturday food and craft market (food stalls to look out for include Suki Tea, Ann's Pantry bakers and Hillstown Farm) and a Sunday market...

Crumlin Road Gaol

Belfast

　　Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse across the street (and allegedly the origin of the judge's phrase 'take him down'), through the echoing halls and cramped cells of C-Wing, to the...

Botanic Gardens

Belfast

　　The showpiece of Belfast's green oasis is Charles Lanyon's beautiful Palm House, built in 1839 and completed in 1852, with its birdcage dome, a masterpiece in cast-iron and curvilinear glass. Nearby is the 1889 Tropical Ravine, a huge red-brick greenhouse designed by the garden's curator Charles McKimm. Inside, a raised...

Cave Hill Country Park

Belfast

　　The view from the summit of Cave Hill (368m) takes in the whole sprawl of the city, the docks, Belfast Lough and the Mourne Mountains – on a clear day you can see Scotland. Cave Hill Country Park spreads across the hill's eastern slopes, with several waymarked walks and an...

Crown Liquor Saloon

Belfast

　　There are not many historical monuments that you can enjoy while savouring a pint of Guinness, but the National Trust's Crown Liquor Saloon is one of them. Belfast's most famous bar was refurbished by Patrick Flanagan in the late 19th century and displays Victorian decorative flamboyance at its best (he...

Ulster Museum

Belfast

　　You could spend hours browsing this state-of-the-art museum, but if you're pressed for time don't miss the Armada Room, with artefacts retrieved from the 1588 wreck of the Spanish galleon Girona; the Egyptian Room, with Takabuti, a 2500-year-old Egyptian mummy unwrapped in Belfast in 1835; and the Early Peoples Gallery,...

City Hall

Belfast

　　Belfast's classical Renaissance-style City Hall was built in fine, white Portland stone in 1906. Highlights of the free, 45-minute guided tour include the sumptuous, wedding-cake Italian marble of the rotunda; an opportunity to sit on the mayor's throne in the council chamber; and the idiosyncratic portraits of past lord mayors....

Titanic Belfast

Belfast

　　The stunning, star-shaped Titanic Belfast is the city's number-one tourist draw. Standing majestically at the head of the slipway where the Titanic was built, the museum is a state-of-the-art multimedia extravaganza that charts the history of Belfast and the creation of the world’s most famous ocean liner.  　　Take a ride through the shipyard, walk the...