You'll find plenty to see and do in Belfast, but here are a few of our favourite places and activities!
Botanical Gardens
Belfast’s small but beautiful botanical gardens are only 2 minutes away from the hostel, and there are lots of free things to see!
The Palm House was designed by Charles Lanyon in the 1830’s, and houses both native and tropical plants.
The Tropical ravine, built in 1889, has several temperature zones, with a range of tropical plants growing, and lots of interesting information for visitors!
The Botanical Gardens are also the home of the Ulster Museum (see below),
a rose garden, and a children’s playground.
Ulster Museum
Fine art, applied art, archaeology, ethnography, Spanish Armada treasures, local history, industrial history, botany, zoology, geology and more,
the Ulster museum has it all!
Completely free to visit, the museum is 2 minutes from the hostel, at the entrance to the Botanical Gardens.
You can easily spend days in the museum (especially when it’s raining outside!), but as it costs nothing, you can also just pop in for 10 minutes to see the things you’re most interested in.
Cave Hill Country Park
Perfect for an easy morning hike, or afternoon wander,
Cavehill is easily acessed by bus from the hostel.
At the base of the hill, near the bus stop, is Belfast Castle, with its garden, cafe, and visitor information points.
From halfway up, in front of the cave, you have views across Belfast Lough,
and from the top you can see the entire city of Belfast, and beyond, to the Mourne Mountains!
Causeway Tour
You can book a fantastic full-day tour to the Giant’s Causeway with Allen’s Tours, or McCombs Tours (normally £30)
You’ll see the beautiful North Coast, Giant’s Causeway, Dark Hedges, and more!
Bring a good raincoat, your camera, and a packed lunch (you can also buy lunch on the tour, at the Giant’s Barn Restaurant).
Ireland’s Oldest Oak Tree
On a chilled day, we love to go for walks by the Lagan river.
The towpath is a traffic-free area, with just the ducks, trees, and occasional dog-walker to keep you company.
If you walk through Lagan Meadows, and Belvoir Park, you can find Ireland’s oldest tree (over 500 years!) – a freaky looking oak, with lots of crazy moss textures and burnt parts to stare at! FUN.
If you keep going, you can find the Giant’s Ring, an ancient passage tomb, older than the Egyptian Pyramids!
You can visit the Lockkeeper’s cottage & the Barge (a small museum explaining the history of the towpath and coal industry),
or stop at the Lockkeeper’s Cafe for a drink and a bite to eat.
Cathedral Quarter
Wandering around the artsy Cathedral Quarter, you’ll find murals from local and international street artists.
The Cathedral Quarter also houses the MAC Art Gallery (Free!) with regularly changing exhibitions, and some great independant coffee shops and cafes!
This is also the best area for traditional Irish music, in some of the oldest pubs in Belfast.
Rent a Bicycle
Rent a bicycle for the day, and cycle along the Lagan Towpath, a long traffic-free walking & cycle route that stretches from Lisburn to Jordanstown.
Heading towards Lisburn, there are several cafés and coffee stops, and plenty of nice places to stop and explore!
Titanic Museum
Discover the history of the Titanic, in its birthplace!
https://www.titanicbelfast.com/