Going to have a Sat night and full day Sunday in Belfast in a few weeks time, anyone got any tips on interesting things to see/galleries? We are staying fairly central so should be on foot? Titanic museum id a possibilty. Also any nice pubs/cafes round Shaftesbury square?

anyone?

A Black cab tour is worthwhile, the cathedral quarter is worth a visit, for pubs and grub (Coppi being a particularly good Italian cichetti bar) tour of the city hall is meant to be good. For more grub options, Boojum has the best burritos in town, Bubbaque does slow cooked southern style bbq stuff. A walk up cave hill is worth it for the view on a nice day, Belfast castle does a nice lunch, and if you want to be really decadent high tea in the merchant hotel is classy, not in an anchorman kinda way 😀
Oh and if you want a nice view of the city on a bad day, try the viewing platform in Victoria Square.
Titanic centre is pretty good,the Thompson drydock is hugely impressive
A.

The Crown has a magnificent interior, worth a stop.

Don’t forget your hard hats 😉 !

Apparently the black taxi thing is ment to be good. My mate did it for me years ago, was cracking, thought Milltown cemetery was something else, and the peace wall is just surreal, ended up in some wee pub next to it that was like someones front room, that was just another planet from what I know…

Don’t think you’ll get to drive past a loyalist riot that I did though, but that’s proabably not a bad thing! I was keeking my drawers!

The Crown is worth a shout, thought the Rock bar on the falls was good too, as was the Felons(bus load of us there mind you), they’re just a local pubs though, might be a bit intimidating if you don’t know anybody.

Don’t really know Belfast well mind you, always been a piss up when i’ve been over, so no doubt others will have far more suggestions.

Aw aye, my mate would chin me if i didn’t advertise this! http://www.belfastceltic.org/celtictrail.html might not be up your street mind you, then again, might be. There’s a museum too, but that’s only open on certain days.

Albanach, Andy has mentioned a lot of he stuff that I would suggest, however there are some others that would be worth considering.

The Crumlin Road Gaol is fascinating if a little macabre. If the weather is good I would consider getting the train to Cultra (takes about 15 mins) and visiting the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. It has two areas obviously the transport side and the folk side is outdoors and features a number of reconstructed buildings from mostly the 1800’s. The buildings are all staffed by actors and they give a wonderful insight into life in rural Ulster at this time.

If the weather is poor I’d go to the Ulster Museum near Queens University in the south of the city. 20 min walk from the city centre. You can go to botanic gardens up here as well.

There is an Andy Warhol exhibition on in The Mac until the end of Apr.

As for pubs the Crown is a must and I know you may like folk music from other threads so Fibber Magees next door to the Crown would be best for some live music on the sat.

A walk up Cave Hill if the weather is good gives great views of the city and further afield and if you want we could hook you up with bikes and a quick guide round!

Some links to the stuff I’ve mentioned

http://www.gotobelfast.com/things-to-do

http://www.robinsonsbar.co.uk/fibber.html

http://www.redbull.co.uk/cs/Satellite/en_UK/Video/See-Gee-Atherton-Chasing-the-Pack-at-Red-Bull-021243290358389

http://www.nmni.com/uftm/Collections/buildings/Rural-Buildings

http://themaclive.com/

If you are going to the Titanic centre I’d recommend booking tickets now as most weekends sell out. If you have any questions or want to email me feel free. Email in profile

The Crown is worth a shout, thought the Rock bar on the falls was good too, as was the Felons(bus load of us there mind you), they’re just a local pubs though, might be a bit intimidating if you don’t know anybody.

Are you for real? The Rock and Felons are best avoided stick to city centre bars!

BlindMelon – Member
The Crown is worth a shout, thought the Rock bar on the falls was good too, as was the Felons(bus load of us there mind you), they’re just a local pubs though, might be a bit intimidating if you don’t know anybody.
Are you for real? The Rock and Felons are best avoided stick to city centre bars!

Read the last part of the bit you quoted, I clearly acknowledge that for touists on their lonesome.

above ideas all good. a drink in The Crown a must. Ginger, Deans Bistro or Cayenne all very good in my opinion for eating

Just making it clear for he OP 😀

BlindMelon – Member
Just making it clear for he OP

fair enough! 🙂

Excellent lads, thanks for taking the time to give all this advice. Spending most of Saturday on the north Antrim coast but back in Belfast on Sat night so would be cool to catch a trad session with a well earned pint. Getting an Andy Warhol exhibition in would be great! Sunday stroll through botanical gardens would be class as well followed by afternoon tea in The Merchant is right up the wife’s street. Lots to think about! Thanks again!

BlindMelon thanks for the offer of the bikes and a guide is very kind indeed but I reckon Easter Sunday will be busy enough for everyone! Thanks though.

No problem, hope you have a great time.

North coast? A steak in the harbour bistro, Portrush is a good shout. In Belfast, the crown is a must see. As I’m from the wrong side of town, I’d never set foot in the rock or the felons. Not something I’d recommend. Made in Belfast or the mourne seafood bar for food, or my favourite, love and death inc. Which is also a very fine cocktail bar and club. Boojum on botanic avenue round the corner from sbury sq, as is cayenne for foodies. Other bar recommendations would be whites tavern, the bot (a little out of town, studenty but good craic) fiddlers for granny grabbing, lavery’s in shaftesbury square for the definition of eclectic, the merchant is very overpriced, but an experience for a cocktail or afternoon tea (try the cloth ear the merchants pub instead), the apartment to watch the front of the city hall, filthy mcnastys is 5 mins walk from shaftesbury sq and has a nice beer garden.

Cultural stuff? Nah, I live there, haven’t a clue. Titanic, black taxi tour, open top bus, museums, cavehill for a walk (a bit out of town) botanic gardens, murals, the MAC, the cathedral quarter, queens uni buildings, stuff, things… Don’t expect a drink anywhere, clubs included after 1am. And about the Odyssey like the plague. Enjoy!

The Rock Bar?
Are you a Victoria Cross holder?