Trouble and terrorism were synonymous with Belfast for many years. Julia Sherwood visits a city that’s embracing a new suture: tourism-of titanic proportions.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t particularly aware of much about Belfast. An average understanding of the history of sectarianism, childhood memories of bombs and hunger strikes was pretty much the sum of my knowledge.
A revelation then, to arrive in a bustling city, a city with significant cultural, social, and retail opportunities. Yes, there is evidence of the conflict that tore Belfast apart, of the deep divisions that exist, and realistically always will. There are still 40 gates to separate the city, most of which are closed on a semi regular basis (outside office hours or on weekends). I can’t envisage the murals of Falls Road and Shankill ever being completely eradicated. The Bobby Sands mural is obviously one of the most significant, and what’s believed to be (and certainly looked like) a genuine Banksy has recently cropped up next to it.
The taxi tour we took of these area was balanced and insightful, and guide Keith Harper’s breadth of knowledge of the city was impressive. He says the political tour is the most popular, but he also showed us other, thriving areas of the city, some of which we went back to explore over the course of the weekend.
Lisburn Road was previously nominated for best Fashion Street by Google Street Maps- and it’s clear why. There’s boutiques and independent stores, bars and restaurants and several galleries. Guess when the ‘I love Saturdays’ events run- with street entertainment it turns the street into a mini carnival. It’s a 15 minute or so walk outside of the city centre, but they handily provided a shuttle bus if you’re returning to your hotel with a few bags. Which we can guarantee you will be.
The St Georges Street Market is every Friday to Sunday and definitely worth a visit. Live music, scores of food stalls, antique bits, and general stuff. We found the best tasting fudge ever and a Mr T tea towel there. CLICK HERE for more details.
More shopping, of the High Street variety, can be found at the Victoria Square centre. Another of the city’s new buildings has the added attraction of a huge Dome viewing platform, providing amazing panoramic views across the city. The streets around the centre are also worth a look- we found a range of vintage and indie stores there. Top picks have to be Liberty Blue- great for little frocks and general girlie gorgeousness and The Corium for gifts, band merchandise, kitsch jewellery, and the like. CLICK HERE for more details.
We also went for a stroll round the Cathedral Quarter. It’s here you will find many of the city’s restaurants and bars. There was a hell of a party going on in The Northern Whig when we popped in, and it’s worth checking it out for the huge Russian statues inside. (There’s also a saluting Lenin welcoming revellers to the Kremlin gay bar).
Around this area you will also find the cathedral (obvs) and it’s a short walk to the water. The Titanic was built in Belfast, and next year will commemorate the 115th anniversary of it’s launch. We visited the Pump House and dry dock (where 23 million gallons of water was pumped out in the 100 minutes in order for the ship to be fitted out) and there’s the start of the £20 billion redevelopment for the Titanic Quarter already evident. Situated close to the huge Odyssey Arena, it’ll become a fantastic addition to entertainment and tourism in the city. Now you know a little more about Belfast too, do you fancy a trip? CLICK HERE for more details.
Where to stay and eat:
There’s a vast range of hotels in the city. We stayed at Ten Square Hotel, a small boutique hotel opposite the architecturally stunning City Hall. The rooms are very contemporary and comfortable, with the bonus of free films. Our bathroom was stunning, with free standing bath and double sinks, fluffy robes, and great toiletries. There’s a full-sized bar and grill in the hotel, which was always busy (but never disruptive).
Just next to the hotel in Coco– a modern restaurant with a boutique bar vibes. The walls are covered in covetable graphic prints, and the service is friendly and unobtrusive. The wine list has just the right amount of choice, the well thought out menu is balanced and the knowledge of flavours and food evident in every delicious bite. If we lived in Belfast, we would be there every weekend. Seriously.
Ten Square Hotel, 10 Donegall Square South Belfast, BT1 5JD 028 9024 1001
Coco, 7-11 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8AA 02890311150
