Itineraries for Your Trip to Belfast
2 Days in Belfast for First Timers
As a Brit growing up in the ‘90s, Northern Ireland wasn’t exactly top of my family’s vacation list. Belfast was still deep in the trenches of The Troubles at the time, and for many years, it remained the only one of the United Kingdom’s capital cities that I hadn’t visited. However, it was well worth the wait—in the years since, Belfast has re-emerged as a cultural powerhouse (albeit on a smaller scale than London and Edinburgh) with a thriving music scene, a booming nightlife, and one of the most impressive museums I’ve ever visited.
The compact city is ideal for exploring on a weekend, and two days in Belfast is just enough time to get under the city’s skin. Here’s what to do in Belfast for first-time visitors.
Bring a windbreaker—Belfast’s coastal weather can be notoriously windy.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a black cab tour of the Belfast murals.
Northern Ireland’s capital might be compact, but you can quickly rack up some steps if you explore everything on foot. A hop-on hop-off bus tour is one of the best things to do in Belfast for first-timers, taking you everywhere from St. George’s Market (a great spot for lunch from Friday to Sunday) to the landmark Albert Memorial Clock to the Ulster Museum and Belfast Botanical Gardens.
Ride the bus over to the Titanic Quarter to visit one of the must-see attractions in Belfast—the award-winning Titanic museum. With six floors of interactive exhibitions, including a theme-park-style ride and a moving tribute to those who lost their lives on board, we suggest planning at least two hours for your visit. Afterward, spend some time strolling along the waterfront and exploring on board the SS Nomadic, included with your museum ticket.
Stick around the Titanic Quarter to watch the sunset as you stroll along the Maritime Mile, home to landmarks such as The Great Light and the HMS Caroline, as well as several striking artworks. Start the evening with an Irish whiskey tasting at Titanic Distillers, including a guided tour of the distillery, housed in a historic pumphouse, before heading to one of the nearby restaurants with a view across the water. https://www.viator.com/tours/Belfast/Tour-and-Tasting-at-Titanic-Distillers-at-Thompson-Dock/d738-425766P1
Belfast’s foodie scene has taken off over the past decade, and a food-tasting tour is the ideal way to immerse yourself in Irish cuisine. Sample local oysters, traditional soda bread, Irish sausages, and local craft beer as you enjoy a walking tour of central Belfast, stopping at sights such as Belfast City Hall and Queen's Arcade along the way.
It’s impossible to understand the city without learning about its divided past, and if it’s your first time in Belfast, we suggest you set aside a couple of hours for a black cab tour. Local cabbies aim to tell the story of the Northern Irish conflict from both sides, taking you to West Belfast spots such as Falls Road, Shankill, and the Belfast Peace Wall, and often including moving first-hand accounts.
Ireland is known for its craic—local lingo for “a good time”—so there’s no better way to complete your 2-day Belfast itinerary than a night out in the Cathedral Quarter, the city’s cultural hub. A guided pub crawl is a great way to find out which local pubs serve the best Guinness, and you might even be treated to some live music or Irish dancing along the way.
