Belfast: Attractions and Events

Within the last decade, Belfast has transformed itself into one of the most vibrant tourist destinations in Europe. Leaving aside years of strife, today Belfast offers not only a rich historical past, but a lively cultural scene that any traveler will enjoy. Couple this with its rich maritime heritage and seaside setting, and it soon becomes clear that Belfast offers as many reasons to visit as its more popular Irish neighbors.

The city is compact, with easy access to most offerings. Further, the city has four main neighborhoods--Cathedral Quarter, the Queen's Quarter, Gaeltacht, and the Titanic Quarter--that makes finding things to see and do a snap for any visitor. Add to these attractions a host of special events, from Rose Week to Belfast's Festival at Queen's, and travelers are sure to find their days full of lively fun.

Attractions

Cathedral Quarter
The city's oldest quarter centers on St. Anne's Cathedral. The cathedral has been under construction since the Victorian age and was finally finished in 2007, when its Spire of Hope was finally installed. Travelers should enter the cathedral via the Great West Door and follow the black and white marble maze. The black (sin) leads to a dead end, while the white (purity) leads to the center of the church.

Opposite the cathedral, travelers will see Writer's Square, with quotations from famous Irish authors carved into the cement under foot. There's also the Belfast version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, its own Albert Memorial Clock. This area is filled with cobble streets, great restaurants, and historic watering holes, like Kelly's Cellars, one of the oldest pubs in Belfast.

Queen's Quarter
The centerpiece of this quarter of Belfast is Queen's University, a Tudor-styled university where you can enjoy self-guided tours of the college, starting from its Welcome Centre. Alma mater to Poet Seamus Heaney and Irish President Mary McAleese, the university was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon and is famous for its Medieval-style Great Hall.

Next door, the real attraction of the area is the Botanic Gardens, with its famous Palm House (a precursor to the one that exists in Kew Gardens in London). This stunning Victorian structure is one of Belfast's most beloved. During summer, the Gardens hosts a wide variety of outdoor concerts and other events.

Also in the area is Lisburn Road, a great shopping and dining area, and a welcomed rest stop for travelers.

Gaeltacht Quarter
This is one of the liveliest sections of the city, where the Irish language and culture have flourished. It came into its own in the 1960s, and today is world famous for its wall murals, which has earned it the title of "Best UK Tourist Attraction" by London's "Independent" newspaper.

A visit to Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich will take any traveler deep into the world of Celtic song and dance.

Titanic Quarter
Belfast has a rich maritime heritage, but one ship dominates in this city, the RMS Titanic, built and launched from Belfast's shipyard, the Harland & Wolff Shipyard. Today tourists can follow the Titanic Trail, a tour that traces the city's maritime history. From the drawing rooms where the ship was designed to its launch dock, all are available to see.

Other Belfast Sites
In addition to the four quarters, Belfast offers a number of interesting sights to visit, including the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, a working village from the 1900s, with costumed guides; the Belfast Zoological Gardens, with more than 1,200 species and an extensive program for breeding rare animals; Crown Liquor Saloon, a Victorian-era pub, designed by Italian craftsmen; the W5 Museum (Who, What, Where, When, Why), an interactive science museum and discovery center, perfect for active children, as well as the rest of the family.

Belfast's Special Events

Along with its normal schedule of cultural offerings of music, theater, opera, and art, every year Belfast hosts a number of festivals that draw tourists of all kinds to the city. Some of its most well known events include the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, held annually in May; Rose Week, held in July in the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, when the city becomes entranced by the judging of the Rose Trials; the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge in August; and in October, the Belfast Festival at Queen's, the biggest arts festival in Northern Ireland.

No matter the amount of time you spend in Belfast, you are sure to find something of interest. Belfast's Victorian architecture is among the finest in Europe and its lively Irish music and dance scene makes it a city to rival any other in Ireland.