Two weekends ago me and my friend Sandra went off to Belfast for the weekend. We met there as she was traveling from Sligo and I was from Kildare. Prior to our trip we setup an itinerary where we would like to explore in Belfast. We met up at the Holiday Inn Express hotel which had free parking… heads up this is hard to find in Belfast so I would definitely recommend this hotel.
We didn’t have the best weather as it was drizzling but we made the best out of it. Once we settled in, we walked over to the George’s Market which is an indoor market not too far from our hotel. I really recommend it over the Christmas period, it’s very festive.
St. George’s Market
The market has a lot to offer. From food worldwide to handcrafted gifts, wallets, fresh vegetables, meats and fish. There is a sit down restaurant upstairs, too. And on a rainy day like it was the day we went a must to visit. We also ended up having lunch there. In case you forgot the pounds like we did, there is an ATM machine right outside the building beside the pharmacy.
We head Paella for our lunch. I was brave enough to try out the seafood one. I admit I have never had Calamari before and it was quite tasty. There are different sizes available, we bought the small portion which was plenty as we had a filling dessert after. The dessert was mini Dutch pancakes. You get twelve on a plate and you can choose from many different toppings or go for the traditional one which is butter and icing sugar.
Sightseeing Tour Bus
Once we were stuffed, we walked outside the building to catch the sightseeing bus that goes around Belfast city. We booked this online in advanced, it saves you a £1. There are 23 stops in total and the tour will take approximately 90 minutes. St. George’s Market is stop 10. We went all the way around and stopped at the Titanic Quarter to walk back into town. On the bus you will learn a lot about Belfast. You will pass the peace wall, all the different wall murals as well as the Shankill Memorial Garden. It’s definitely worth £11.50.
Titanic Quarters
We got off at stop 5, Titanic Belfast. We didn’t do the tour as it is quite pricey, but I might do it next time. I am in Belfast again twice next year for two concerts. We walked around the building for a bit, walked inside and had a look at the gift shop. Beside the Titanic quarters is a small pub. We sat down for a hot whiskey to warm up before heading off again.
Along the Titanic trail we walked into the SSE Arena and had a nose around. They have Lego shop in there. The W5 is also in there, as well as a cinema and a ten pin bowling area.
The Big Fish
Walking across the bridge away from the Titanic Quarter, you will see a big fish along the water. The salmon is 10 metre long. It’s there to celebrate the regeneration of the river Langan and the historic site. If you look very close, each tile tells a story of Belfast. We managed to get a selfie but they say to kiss the fish. There was just too many people around the fish at the time.
Along the way we passed the oldest pub of Belfast and the Albert clock. You may not know this but the tower is tilted a little just like the tower of Pisa.
Victoria Square
We ended up in the shopping district somehow. If you like a bit of shopping, then Victoria Square is your answer. There is no shortage of shops. There are also plenty of restaurants on the top floor. However over the weekend and Christmas I would recommend booking a table in advanced. We couldn’t get anything at all so ended up eating at the Christmas market.
Christmas Market at the City Hall
After the shopping we sat down for a coffee in Cafe Nero across from the City Hall. We then headed onto the market and enjoyed a dish at a French stall. I also ended up eating a chimney cake but couldn’t manage it all.We walked around all the stalls but didn’t buy anything. The evening we relaxed in the hotel lobby with a game and a nice glass of gin.
Botanic Gardens
Our hotel room came with breakfast. The breakfast was actually really nice, considering it was the Express Holiday Inn. I didn’t expect it to be that good. We had a lovely coffee and a fry. It was time to check out of the hotel in case we spent a bit longer in the gardens. Check out is 12pm. Again the weather was horrible but we walked to the Botanic Gardens anyway. It’s pretty much across from the hotel.
First stop was the Palm’s house. Even on rainy days, this is a great sight to visit because it’s indoors. I loved the old glass building with its old doors still intact. If you do visit Belfast, then this should be definitely on your list. We spent a good half an hour in there.
The Ulster Museum is also just around the corner from the Palm’s House. However we didn’t go. Instead we checked out the Tropical Ravine’s. You’ll find the oldest seeded plant in here which was planted in 1900. It is very toasty in the house, usually up to 28 degrees. I’d love to come back in the Summer when the park is covered in flowers.
