Family-friendly Food & drink No car needed Rainy-day options
A city break close to home
Belfast has changed beyond recognition in the past twenty years. The old shipyards are home to one of the best museums in Europe, the Cathedral Quarter has become a maze of bars and restaurants, and the city has a confident, friendly energy that surprises first-time visitors.
It’s also easy. The train from Dublin takes about two hours and drops you in the city centre, and most of the big sights are a short walk or bus ride away. Northern Ireland uses sterling, and its bank holidays are a little different from ours. That can work in your favour, because the city is often quieter on a holiday in the South that isn’t a holiday in the North.
Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast stands beside the slipways where the ship was built, and its angular, shining building echoes the bows of the great liners. The exhibition inside is excellent. It covers the city’s industrial boom, the building of the ship, the voyage and its aftermath, with a ride through a recreated shipyard along the way. Allow two to three hours and book a time slot in advance.
Your ticket also includes the SS Nomadic, the last surviving White Star Line ship, which once ferried passengers out to the Titanic at Cherbourg.
The murals and the peace walls
To understand Belfast, take a black taxi tour of the murals on the Falls and Shankill Roads. Drivers from both communities run tours, and they talk openly about the Troubles, the peace process and life in the city today. You can write a message on the peace wall that still separates some neighbourhoods. It’s a thoughtful, often moving experience, and one of the most memorable things you’ll do all weekend.
More to see and do
- St George’s Market: a Victorian market hall with food stalls, crafts and live music, open Friday to Sunday.
- Belfast City Hall: free guided tours of a grand building in the centre of town.
- The Ulster Museum beside the Botanic Gardens, free to enter, with dinosaurs, art and an Egyptian mummy.
- Crumlin Road Gaol: a Victorian prison with a tunnel that once led to the courthouse across the road.
- Cave Hill Country Park: a climb to the cliff known as Napoleon’s Nose for a view over the city and the lough.
Eating and drinking
Belfast’s food scene is one of the best on the island, with a cluster of acclaimed restaurants and plenty of relaxed spots. Start your Saturday with an Ulster fry, and at St George’s Market look for a soda farl sandwich. In the evening, head to the Cathedral Quarter, where the Duke of York and the Dirty Onion are packed most nights with music and a good crowd.
For a classic pint in a classic room, the Crown Liquor Saloon on Great Victoria Street is a Victorian gin palace with carved wooden snugs and gas lamps. It’s owned by the National Trust, which tells you something.
A day trip if you have three nights
Belfast is the base for day tours to the Causeway Coast and the Game of Thrones filming locations, but you could just as easily take the train to Holywood or Bangor for a walk along the shore of Belfast Lough. With a car, the Mourne Mountains are about an hour south.
When it rains
Belfast is made for a wet weekend. Titanic Belfast, the Ulster Museum, Crumlin Road Gaol and City Hall’s tours are all indoors, and families will love W5, the hands-on science centre in the Titanic Quarter. The Victorian arcades and the market keep you dry while you shop, and the city’s pubs and restaurants do the rest.
Where to stay
Stay in the city centre, around City Hall and the Cathedral Quarter, to walk to everything. The Titanic Quarter is quieter, with modern hotels by the water, and the Queen’s Quarter, near the university and the Botanic Gardens, has a relaxed, studenty feel.
A two-night plan
Friday: the Enterprise from Dublin, check in and have dinner and drinks in the Cathedral Quarter.
Saturday: St George’s Market in the morning, Titanic Belfast and the SS Nomadic in the afternoon, and a pint in the Crown Liquor Saloon.
Sunday: a black taxi tour of the murals, the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens, then the train home.
Good to know before you go
- Book Titanic Belfast and black taxi tours in advance, especially at weekends.
- St George’s Market is open Friday to Sunday only.
- Northern Ireland’s bank holidays differ from ours, so check what’s open if you visit on a Southern holiday.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the train from Dublin to Belfast take?
The Enterprise from Dublin Connolly takes about 2 hours 10 minutes and arrives at Belfast Grand Central in the city centre.
What currency do I need in Belfast?
Belfast uses pounds sterling. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
Are bank holidays the same in Belfast?
Not quite. Northern Ireland shares some, like Christmas and St Patrick’s Day, but has its own, including 12 July, and doesn’t have the June or October holidays.
Is Belfast good for a weekend with children?
Yes. Titanic Belfast, W5, the Ulster Museum and Belfast Zoo are all great for families, and the city is easy to get around.
Where we’d stay
Stylish and relaxed, a short walk from the Cathedral Quarter.
In the old Harland and Wolff drawing offices, beside Titanic Belfast.
A grand former bank in the Cathedral Quarter, with a famous cocktail bar.
We may earn a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Getting there without a car
Belfast is easy to reach without a car, and the centre is compact.
- Enterprise train from Dublin Connolly, about 2 hours 10 minutes.
- Coaches from Dublin city and Dublin Airport, about 2 hours.
- Glider buses across the city to the Titanic Quarter and west Belfast.
Timetables change, especially on bank holidays, so check with the operator before you travel.
