How To Spend: 36 Hours In Belfast
5 things you NEED to do in Belfast- some tips on how to spend your 36 hours there! Words & pictures by Kate...
How to spend: 36 hours in Belfast !
Bar hopping
Visit Giants Causeway
Christmas markets
Not long back we visited Belfast, a city, which I feel is very overlooked, you think Ireland and you immediately think Dublin which don’t get me wrong is beautiful however Belfast has so much to offer and our time spent there was awesome. Here are my top 5 tips on how to spend your time there!...
How did we get there you ask? We Flew via Flybe which was the most painless 50 minutes I’ve ever spent on a plane (I’m not the best when it comes to flying) it went so quick and everyone that worked for Flybe was super pleasant and helpful. You can get flights for as little as £70 for a return ticket to Belfast, MASSIVE BARGAINdon’t you think? We then hopped in a hire car and started our journey to The Culloden Hotel & spa, which only took around 15 minutes (full hotel review here if you're looking for somewhere to stay!).
W H A T W E D I D / 5 T H I N G S Y O U S H O U L D D O . . .
B E L F A S T C H R I S T M A S M A R K E T – Donegall Square, Belfast
The Christmas market is must see in December (yes, we know it's 11 months away but girls get this booked in your diary for fun festivities - we promise you won't regret it!), It’s held in the grounds of Belfast City Hall, strewn with pretty lights, as many Bratwursts as you can shake a stick at and an all round wonderful atmosphere, everyone seemed so cheery and kind, such a nice place to be if you want to be filled with Christmas cheer!
G E T T A T T O O E D B Y C H R I S C R O O K S
- 20 Botanic Avenue, Belfast
Okay so a given, not everyone wants a tattoo, however My boyfriend and I couldn’t visit Belfast without popping into White Dragon Tattoo on Botanical Avenue. It is a book in advance kind of deal and Chris only specialises in Japanese style tattoos, Paul managed to wangle his way in and get his hand done (which looks epic might I add) So if you are after a seriously cool piece of art on your body and a really nice bloke to do it, look no further!
V I S I T G I A N T S C A U S E W A Y - 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills
So I will quickly mention that Giants Causeway is about an hour or so drive out of Belfast however if you hire a car like we did then it’s the perfect opportunity to drive the Costal route and ogle the absolutely stunning scenery, it’s is totally worth the drive when you arrive, I’m a huge fan of National Trust days out (Yep I’m old before my time) and this one certainly didn’t fail, the rock formations are beyond cool, so if you have a bit of inner geek like myself, you will love Giants Causeway!
V I S I T G R A N N Y A N N I E ’ S – 81 Chichester Street, Belfast
I’ve never seen such a cool bar/Restaurant and trust me I visit a lot. Granny Annie’s blew my mind, we visited in November so the whole restaurant was decked out with Christmas Decorations and red lights but throughout the rest of the year the rustic décor is extremely cool. It also transforms into a live club in the evenings so if you are after some entertainment, take a look HERE. Oh and they also do the best Gin and Tonics…. Just sayin’. A must visit if you are in Belfast City Centre!
G O S H O P P I N G ( O B V S ) - 1 Victoria Square, Belfast
If you don’t go shopping while visiting a different city….WHY??? I love mooching around and finding independent boutiques, this trip was practically special because we were able to buy a good amount of Christmas gifts that we wouldn’t of been able to get our hands on back home. We also hit up Victoria Square Shopping Centre, which housed all the best brands and high street stores, if you are looking for all the best shops under on roof you have to visit Victoria Square.
Have you visited Belfast before? Where are you favourite places to go? Is Belfast on your travel bucket list?
