Explore the UK
Belfast
Like most places in the UK, Belfast was once a village in the 17th century but things have progressed since then and the city is a robust metropolis of nearly half a million people accounting for a third of Northern Ireland's population. Belfast has much in common with the cities of Manchester and Liverpool on mainland Britain being the engine room that drove the industrial revolution in the province of Ulster. Belfast doubled its size just about every ten years driven by the industries such as linen, rope making and of course shipbuilding, housing as it does the world’s largest dry dock with its towering cranes rising above the yard.
Industry in Belfast, in common with other parts of the UK has declined over the years but tourism has flourished in its wake. Much of the city centre is now pleasantly pedestrianised, with benches where you can sit and listen to the street musicians, looking out at Victorian and Edwardian buildings with elaborate sculptures over doors and windows. Belfast is one of Europe’s most friendly and compact cities and is packed with interesting things to see and do, full of great shopping, excellent restaurants and café’s coupled with lively entertainment, you will find that it is very easy to get around Belfast and explore on foot.
The Gaeltacht Quarter of Belfast encompasses the Falls Road area and a political tour can be taken with members from the political ex-prisoner communities that take tourists on an in-depth journey of their community which lasts approx. 2 hours.
The Titanic Quarter of the city is currently undergoing a complete restoration but promises to be a major attraction in Belfast. Plans for the area include a museum focusing on the city's Titanic links, and one of its major attractions will be the Nomadic, a Belfast-built tender used to ferry passengers to and from SS Titanic. After a lengthy appeal to save Nomadic, the ship was bought by the government and returned home in July 2006.
The Queens Quarter is one of the most interesting areas of Belfast situated around the famous University of that name. The area is richly endowed with architecture, artistic creativity and has an abundance of shopping faculties with trendy bistros
The Cathedral Quarter being the oldest district in Belfast holds rich and varied culture offering visitors’ cobbled streets, historic pubs and trendy warehouse restaurants, encompassing period architecture, giving it a sense of character reflecting the hundreds of years that it has been habitated by man.
Belfast has the distinction of being mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide as one of the top ten “Cities on the rise” and is fast becoming a popular short-break destination. Low cost airlines fly into Belfast airport on a regular daily basis and the accommodation to be found in and around the city is amongst the best in the UK and Ireland. The rejuvenated city of Belfast awaits you.
