Compare Belfast city breaks

When to visit Belfast

As with much of the United Kingdom, the weather in Belfast can be unreliable, so bring layers and an umbrella whenever you visit. You’re most likely to see good weather between April and September when average temperatures are in double figures.

Spring is a lovely season to visit to see the city’s green spaces in bloom, while temperatures reaching around 19C in summer will make sightseeing pleasant. However, remember that the summer school holidays start earlier here than in England so attractions will start to get crowded before peak summer season in England. The fortnight in the lead up to July 12 is also known as marching season and many locals leave the city to go on holiday.

If you’re looking for a cheap Belfast city break, consider visiting in autumn after the crowds of summer have departed and before festive markets and fairs start popping up in the run-up to Christmas.

What to do in Belfast

Pub crawls, street art and vibrant cultural centres will tussle for your attention on a Belfast city break. On a visit, be sure to learn all about one of the world’s most famous ships, discover what life was like in Northern Ireland in the early 20th century and tour an eerie prison.

Titanic Belfast

Opened in 2012 to commemorate the centenary of the Titanic’s maiden voyage, this state-of-the-art museum features captivating exhibits, including personal stories, projections, and a ride that takes you through a recreation of the shipyard where the ill-fated liner was built.

Book your tickets online to avoid the queues for this busy attraction and complement a visit here with a Titanic boat or walking tour. Behind the museum, you can see the slipways where Titanic was built and first launched.

HMS Caroline

This historic ship in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter survived the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and is now a museum.

All of the family will enjoy stepping back in time inside the recreated captain’s quarters, going below decks to the engine rooms, running around a themed play area and taking control of the ship in its virtual access suite. Make sure you go to the Navigating Bridge and the captain’s sea cabin, and watch its film on the Battle of Jutland.

Crumlin Road Gaol

Take a tour through Northern Ireland’s only remaining Victorian-era prison, which dates back to 1845. More than 25,000 prisoners were held here before it closed in 1996, including women and children, and you’ll visit the underground tunnel that led to the Crumlin Road Courthouse, the execution cell where men were hanged and the cells of the C-Wing.

If you’re feeling brave, book an evening paranormal tour to venture to spots in the building where paranormal activity has been reported.

Ulster Museum

A dinosaur skeleton, Peter the polar bear and an ancient Egyptian mummy called Takabuti will impress visitors of all ages in this free museum in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens.

On the ground floor, you can learn all about local history from 1700-1800, as well as The Troubles, while on the first floor you can see a collection of 6,000-year-old stone axes that were discovered near the site of the museum.

Belfast City Hall

Opened in 1906, City Hall’s impressive building was designed in the Baroque Revival style and made out of Portland stone. Free public tours will guide you around its equally extravagant interiors. Highlights include sitting on the mayor’s throne in the council chamber and its collection of stained-glass windows.

After a tour, look around its Titanic Memorial Gardens and, if you’re passing in the evening, admire the building illuminated, which accentuates its architectural features.

Where to stay in Belfast

For families

Families looking to stay in central Belfast should consider the leafy Queen’s Quarter around the university. You’ll find chain and boutique options here as well as family-friendly apartments, plus you’ll be close to the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens. Just do a little research on locations of the local university nightlife venues before booking.

If you’d like to combine a Belfast city break with seeing some of the surrounding countryside, you won’t have to venture too far. Around seven miles southeast of the city centre, you’ll find an excellent rural family hotel with a large pool and bouncy castle.

For travellers on a budget

South of the city centre, Queen’s Quarter is a great place to look for a cheap Belfast city break. Many budget options are on or close to Botanic Avenue, a central street in this university area with many good-value eating and drinking venues too.

The modern Titanic Quarter, where you’ll find Titanic Belfast and the W5 science centre, also has some low-cost places to stay, including budget chain hotels and self-catering apartments.

For food and drink

To be surrounded by some of Belfast’s top places to eat, stay in the city centre, close to the City Hall. St George’s Market is here, where you can peruse fresh food stalls on weekend mornings, as well as restaurants serving a broad range of cuisines, from Modern Irish dishes and mouth-watering seafood to vegetarian delights.

If you like your restaurants with a side order of cool, consider staying in the hip Cathedral Quarter. You’ll be able to feast on tapas, Venetian cicchetti, French food and more, and then pop into some lively places for a drink.

For nightlife

The arty Cathedral Quarter is one of the top spots for a night out in Belfast. Start your night by listening to live music in a historic pub, then move on to cocktails and clubbing. If it’s sunny, the Cathedral Quarter is also home to the largest beer garden in the city centre.

To combine history with a couple of drinks, stay in the city centre and go for a pint of Guinness in the Crown Liquor Saloon. Belfast’s most famous bar is owned by the National Trust and has original wooden snugs to sit in.

For culture

With exciting arts venues, street art and live music spots, the Cathedral Quarter is a fantastic place to stay if you’d like to walk to some of Belfast’s best cultural attractions. Highlights here include the MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre), with two theatres plus galleries, and the ornate Custom House.

Or, stay in the city centre to have the City Hall, Grand Opera House and St George’s Market on your doorstep. This is also where you’ll find Belfast’s most famous hotel, Europa Hotel, which was once known as the world’s most bombed hotel, and the city’s most famous pub, the Crown Liquor Saloon.