The City Hall Spire
Overview:
Belfast
is Northern Ireland's capital city and has a well known
history of political and religious violence over the
decades. However, all of that is behind this blossoming
city and you can feel completely safe exploring Belfast
on your own.
The
first thing one experiences is the striking difference
between Belfast and Dublin. While Dublin was energized
and alive with activity, Belfast is just the opposite.
Dublin is the capital of Ireland, a sovereign nation,
whereas Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, a
part of the United Kingdom. And, the British influence
shows through in many ways. Now that Belfast's
"Troubles" are behind it, they are reaching out to
attract tourists. Belfast lacks the architecture,
culture and overall fun population that Dublin offers
and does not have the infrastructure to accommodate a
large influx of tourists either.
Being a
part of the U.K. the currency in Belfast is the British
pound, but euro are also accepted, as well. Even in the
height of summer, Belfast rarely gets above 60 degrees,
so be sure to dress in layers.
Cruise
Port Location and Information:
Ships
dock in Belfast Harbor just a couple of miles from
downtown Belfast. The harbor is the major port for all
of Northern Ireland and handles virtually all
international imports including industrial,
agricultural, consumer goods, oil and gas and is also
Northern Ireland's primary ferry port connecting Belfast
with the outside world. Because of its industrial
nature, you are advised to take the free shuttle from
the port into downtown Belfast or if your ship is
offering a shuttle, to take that. You will not be able
to walk out of the port due to security reasons and
there is really noothing to see if you were able to.
Exploring on Your Own:
Belfast's Hop On Hop
Off Bus
Belfast
is easily discovered on your own. While it will all
depend on what you want to see and do, but if you just
want to get familiar with the city center, shopping and
sights, the HoHo bus may not be a good choice in
Belfast. While I am a huge HoHo supporter, the frequency
of buses and the distance covered by the route will lead
to more time waiting for the next bus than enjoying
Belfast. If you only have one day, I would suggest
simply taking the shuttle into Belfast and then spending
the day walking to Belfast's sights, shopping
opportunities, restaurants and pubs.
However, my suggestion is to spend the day outside of
Belfast on a private tour of the Giants, Causeway,
Bushmills Distillery, scenic Antrim Coast and a stop at
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. You can easily do some
exploring in Belfast upon your return, this would be the
best way to spend your day. See the "Off the Beaten
Path" section for more information on this trip. Belfast
is one of the few ports where doing a private tour is
going to reward you more than doing it on your ow.
Shopping Tips:
Victoria Square
Shopping Center
The best
place to get started to enjoy Belfast's shopping
opportunities would be the entrance to Victoria Shopping
Center. This is a modern shopping mall that not only has
familiar brands from the U.S., but also many shops and
boutiques selling products from Ireland.
The Interior of
Victoria Shopping Center
The
mall is three stories high and offers a diverse array of
shops, boutiques and stores. You will surely enjoy
shopping here.
The Old City Pedestrian
Shopping Streets and Lanes
Directly behind the Victoria Shopping Center one can
gain entrance to the Old Section pedestrian shopping
area in Belfast.
One of the Shopping
Lanes
Streets
and lanes criss-cross throughout about a ten block area
and offers many unique shops selling wonderful Irish
products.
Shopping Galore
Irish
linens, knitted products, Irish music and much more are
available in the boutiques in this area. If you have
shopping on your mind, this is the place to do it. Also,
the Northern Ireland response to Jameson's Irish Whisky
is called Bushmills and collecting a bottle of Bushmills
Irish Whisky is a "must do" if you are a whisky drinker.
Port
Highlights:
Belfast City Hall
At the
very epicenter of Belfast is the newly renovated city
hall. From here you can explore all of the sections of
Belfast on foot.
The Wheel in Belfast
Very
similar to the "Eye" in London, Belfast's Wheel will
take you up giving you unparalleled vistas over all of
Belfast. While the Wheel was a temporary structure it
has continued past its initially planned demise. Only
time will tell if it will be there when you visit on
your cruise. If it is, it is worth the ride to take in
the view of the entire area.
The Belfast Grand Opera
House
Right
downtown Belfast one sees the Grand Opera House. This
beautiful building houses an ongoing program of
entertainment. If you happen to be in Belfast for the
evening, you night check their website to see what show
is in town.
Queens University
Founded
in 1845, Queen's University is the first university
opened by Queen Elizabeth. With over 300 buildings, many
of which are historical, spending time wandering around
Queen's University is a visual treat. Today, Queen's
University is home to more than 24,000 students.
The Botanical Gardens
Arboretum
Adjacent to the university is the Belfast Botanical
Gardens. Established in 1828, these gardens are
immaculate on beautiful and certainly worth your visit.
The Arboretum is simply amazing. There are plants
growing on the inside in the perfect growing environment
that must have been the for decades.
St. Anne's Cathedral
Also
interesting is St. Anne's Cathedral. This is the leading
church in Belfast and has a rich history worth
exploring.
St. Patrick's Church
While
there are several churches in Belfast, St. Patrick's is
one of the most beautiful and worth a look.
The Statues of Belfast
Belfast
offers several statues of interest that are spread
throughout the city. These are representative to what
you may see as you explore Belfast's neighborhoods and
city center. The salmon statue was huge'
As you
can see, Belfast does not offer a wealth of sightseeing
opportunities, but is a wonderful place to explore on
your own. And, don't worry about the violence that has
taken place in Belfast in the past. It is very visitor
friendly and safe to be out on your own.
Off the
Beaten Path:
The Belfast Train
Station
Fortunately, the Belfast train station is well located
close to both the port and to the downtown area. While
you would need to take a taxi from the port, you can
easily walk into downtown from the train station. Here
is where you might want to go.
The top
visitor attraction in Northern Ireland is the Giants
Causeway. Considered by many to be the eight wonder of
the world, the Giants Causeway is well worth the effort
to get to it. Your ship will undoubtedly offer a shore
excursion to this destination, but I would strongly
suggest doing a private tour with a local operator that
also includes a drive along the scenic Antrim Coast, a
stop at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and a visit to the
Bushmills Distillery. This can easily be done in one day
with a private tour guide and car/van and is the way to
go.
The
train can take you to Bushmills where you can enjoy
touring the distillery and a wonderful lunch and the
Giants Causeway is very close by, as well.
Dining
and Drinking Suggestions:
The Grill Restaurant
Located
directly behind City Hall one finds the Grill
Restaurant. We dined here for both lunch and dinner and
probably wouldn't have gone any further as the food and
service was so good
The Grill Bar
The
Grill Restaurant is patronized primarily by locals and
it enjoys a large customer base. It is easy to see why.
The Grill Restaurant
Interior
Steak
and seafood are offered in a semi-gourmet environment,
but what makes this restaurant so wonderful is that
every dish is served to perfection. Try it, I guarantee
that you will find the same.
The Crown Saloon
This
place came highly recommended, so we had to try it. We
stopped for lunch and dined on fish and chips with a
Guinness.
The Crown Saloon
Interior
I am
not sure how long this pub has been around, but it looks
like a while. The interior and bar is the real thing and
I suspect many stories could be told by its walls.
Joanie in Our "Dinning
Room"
The
dining tables are not out in the open like most pubs,
but each table resides in its own little room. The
waitress knocks on the door to take your order and to
serve your food. It is very cool and I would highly
recommend this pub.
The George
OK, I
had to include this place. If you like British style
fish and chips, it doesn't get any better than the
George.
Must Do
List:
Yes, I
would put a day trip our of Belfast to the Giants
Causeway (as described above) as a "must do" in this
port. While Belfast is entertaining, why not go for
world class sightseeing?
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