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Belfast Information and Belfast Tourism
(Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK)



Belfast is Ireland's second largest city and Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. In recent years this city has undergone a remarkable transformation and Belfast's economy is now booming. Many areas of Belfast have been redeveloped, new restaurants and hotels have opened, and impressive new shopping areas have been built.

With important 19th-century buildings and award-winning 20th-century architecture, Belfast offers excellent facilities and many modern developments, and attracts large numbers of tourists to Belfast each year. There are several excellent Belfast tourism and tourist information outlets in and around central Belfast. These Belfast tourism and tourist information outlets provide useful information about Belfast tourist attractions, Belfast landmarks, Belfast restaurants, Belfast sightseeing, Belfast travel, maps of Belfast and general Belfast tourism and tourist information.




Belfast is a large and vibrant city, remaining busy throughout the year and booking ahead for accommodation is strongly recommended. Many of Belfast's most popular hotels are often filled to capacity and reservations may be necessary several weeks in advance. The main tourist season in Belfast runs roughly from early spring to late summer, although Belfast is still popular during the autumn and winter months. Belfast hotels include a number of small chain and independent hotels, and numerous hotels are situated in the heart of Belfast, close to many of Belfast's main tourist attractions and famous landmarks, offering good views of Belfast.

The scenic River Lagan runs through central Belfast into the North Channel. Over the years, Belfast's important River Lagan has provided Belfast with much wealth and was an integral part of Belfast's thriving shipbuilding industry in the early 20th century. Undoubtedly the most famous ship ever to be made in Belfast was the ill-fated Titanic, which was built in the Belfast shipyards in 1911.

There are an enormous number of Belfast tourist attractions and Belfast landmarks in the Belfast area, many of which are located close to the Golden Mile - a long strip along Belfast's Great Victoria Street. Tourist attractions in Belfast include Belfast City Hall - a massive building in the centre of Donegall Square, featuring an enormous copper dome, Linen Hall Library - more than 200 years old, with a vast collection of early Irish material, Harbour Office - on the Belfast waterfront with large exhibitions about Belfast's rich maritime history, the Belfast Grand Opera House - opened in 1895, regularly hosting major concerts, operas, plays and theatrical events, Crown Liquor Saloon - a genuine Victorian public house full of period features, St. Anne's Cathedral - built in the late-19th century, featuring large amounts of marble and huge mosaics, Belfast Castle - built in 1934 by the Earl of Shaftesbury, with spectacular panoramic views across Belfast, and Belfast's impressive Odyssey complex - a multi-million pound development next to the River Lagan, which is one of the world's largest entertainment complexes. More information on Belfast Tourist Attractions and Belfast Landmarks.

Belfast also has a number of excellent museums and art galleries in the central Belfast area, providing interesting information on the history of Belfast and many other exhibitions. Some of the major museums in Belfast include Ulster Folk and Transport Museum - highly regarded as one of the best museums in Ireland, with cars, carriages, motorbikes, fighter planes and a superb exhibition about the Titanic, with many of the ship's artefacts, and the Ulster Museum - a large Belfast museum, with exhibitions including local Belfast history, archaeology, natural history and paintings.

There are also numerous parks and gardens in Belfast, most of which are within easy reach of Belfast city centre. These Belfast parks and gardens include Mount Stewart - a splendid manor house owned by the National Trust, surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens, the Belfast Botanic Garden - featuring important collections of exotic and tropical plants, and the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park - one of the most stunning and fragrant parks in Belfast, with over 20,000 rose bushes.

The friendly city of Belfast is full of things to see and do, for both tourists and visitors. With regular Belfast events and festivals, excellent shopping facilities in Belfast centre, regular markets, guided tours of Belfast and many attractions nearby, Belfast is now one of the most popular areas of Ireland to visit.

Belfast International Airport (BFS) Guide - useful Belfast International Airport (BFS) information.

George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) Guide - useful George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) information.

More Belfast Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: Northern Ireland
• Location: County Antrim
• Status: capital city of Northern Ireland and county town of Antrim
• Area: 115 square kilometres / 44 square miles
• Population: 305,000
• Language: mainly English, some Irish (Gaelic)
• Currency: pound sterling (GBP)
• Time zone: GMT / UTC
• Country dialling code: +44
• Telephone area code: 28
• Religion: mainly Protestant or Catholic
• Average daily January temperature: 7ºC / 45ºF
• Average daily July temperature: 22ºC / 72ºF

 
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