One Month in Charming Belfast, Northern Ireland

Simply put, Belfast was a dream. I’ve wanted to explore the UK and Ireland more than any other area since I knew I wanted to travel, and when my friends reached out last year wanting to visit the UK for a month I couldn't have been happier. Unsurprisingly, Belfast, Northern Ireland was decently cheaper to stay in than Dublin or Galway or any other major cities in Ireland, so we opted for the cheaper option in a smaller city we knew less about. Also unsurprisingly, we enjoyed it worlds more than we would have enjoyed spending a month in a more touristy spot like Dublin.

Belfast was relatively small, but busy without being overwhelming, with a much more local feel than other hotspot destinations in Ireland/NI. It was also filled with history, and the city’s location was an awesome starting point to see some amazing scenery in Northern Ireland while still easily reaching other spots in the south of Ireland. If you’re looking for a more affordable Irish city to visit that still has all the charm and history of places like Dublin but with less crowds, Belfast is for you! I’m sharing all the details of our month-long stay to help you plan out your next visit (or to convince you to visit in the first place!).

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WHERE WE STAYED

We always make the conscious choice to stay on the outskirts of whatever city we’re staying in, mostly because the Airbnbs are cheaper and we enjoy being farther away from the craziness of city centers. Typically, if there’s a bus stop within a 5 minute walk that can get us into the city in 15 minutes or less, that’s a good area for us to stay–and that was exactly where we found ourselves staying in Belfast.

Specifically, we stayed on Cregagh Road, with a bus stop just a minute down the road. We had two decent grocery/all-purpose stores right across the street (literally right outside our window, as shown below), and the holy grail: a big Tesco within a 15 minute walk. There were some great cafes and smaller produce markets right on our street too, which were great for grabbing coffee, breakfast, and some fresh veggies and fruits. We absolutely loved the area–it was quiet but still lively, with some awesome little gems and easy access to the city center.

GETTING AROUND THE CITY

Belfast was the first city where I got a monthly bus pass, and now I’ll never take public transport any other way. It was about $65 USD for unlimited travel for the entire month, and while it seems steep to pay up front, we got our money’s worth probably within the first two weeks! It’s easy to think that paying each time you get on the bus won’t add up to much, but we used public transport almost every single day for four weeks, so it was totally worth it. Plus, it only took us maybe 10 minutes to get anywhere in the city by bus, since we usually would get off at the same two or three stops and walk the rest of the way.

Belfast was probably the most self-explanatory and most enjoyable city to get around in my opinion! Google Maps shows you live updates of bus routes near you, and I use the Citymapper app as well (lifesaver IMO), so it was incredibly easy to know which routes to take and which stops to get off at. Taxis were also super commonly used in the city, and while the popular apps were ones I’d never heard of (fonaCAB and ValueCabs, for example), Uber was an option as well.

THE STREETS OF BELFAST

It surprises me to say that Belfast almost rivaled Edinburgh in terms of how quaint and characteristic the city’s streets were! Belfast is the perfect size for me–about 640k people, which is similar to Boston, MA. Super walkable, crowded at times, but not so huge that you can’t see it all in a day or two. We loved just wandering down different streets, taking photos of all the unique old buildings and stopping into pubs for half pints of Guinness before heading out to explore again. There are tons of restaurants everywhere you go, too, which you can read about here!

BELFAST PUBS

Pubs are an art form in the UK (yes, Northern Ireland is part of the UK!), and Belfast has no shortage of them filling its streets. Usually dim, usually crowded, especially on weekend nights, the pubs in Belfast are full of charm and personality no matter which one you step into. Leather booths, dark wooden tables, stickers and signs and metal plates and framed photos lining the walls; it’s hard to find a bar here that doesn’t feel like a stereotypical Irish pub (and that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it?). You can find a specific list of my favorite Belfast pubs in this post, but you truly can’t go wrong picking one. As long as you’ve got a seat and a baby Guinness, you’re golden. Speaking of baby Guinness…

THE ART OF THE BABY GUINNESS

I’m truly ashamed to say that I didn’t know what a baby Guinness was before going to Belfast, but after our stay, it’s become my absolute favorite (and always the first) thing to order at a bar. It’s a shot of Irish cream and coffee liqueur, typically Kahlúa and Bailey’s, that when put together looks like a little baby pint of Guinness. It’s sweet, it’s chocolatey, and it’s the perfect start to any night at the pub! Trust me, once you start drinking them, it’s hard to stop. The obsession is real.

MUST-DOS IN BELFAST

After spending a month exploring Belfast, I’ve compiled my personal list of must-dos when you’re in the city. My list isn’t the end-all-be-all by far, but these were all the things I did during my stay that I’d fully recommend to anyone else traveling to Belfast for any period of time!

VISIT TITANIC BELFAST

Belfast was the birthplace of the iconic ship Titanic, and you can visit the site where she was launched in 1911, along with an entire museum dedicated to telling the story of the ship. The museum was closed during our stay, but we were still able to visit the harbor and walk through the SS Nomadic, the tender ship for the Titanic. It’s a really cool place to brush up on your history, and there are plenty of markets and cafes around if you want to spend more time in the area.

ST GEORGE’S MARKET

I’m always down for a farmers’ market, and St George’s was a real hit with the three of us during our stay! It’s indoors, which makes it a great option for rainy days, and there was so much to see, eat, and buy there. The booths there are filled with homemade spreads, dips, and antipasti, freshly made pastries and tarts, countless types of coffees and teas, and handmade goods, vintage finds, and unique art. There are truly so many different kinds of food vendors and shopping booths alike, so you’re bound to find something you love at this market!

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE LAMPPOST CAFE

We had afternoon tea toward the end of our stay in Belfast, and it was incredible! Such a fun meal and a great way to spend a couple hours, especially if you love spreads of finger foods. You can read a little more about our afternoon tea in this blog post - highly recommend!

EXPLORE COMMERCIAL COURT & CATHEDRAL QUARTER

This area is the heart of Belfast, with lively cobblestone streets filled with twinkling lights, neon umbrellas, and countless pubs and bars to choose from. We loved spending afternoons just wandering around the streets in this area, or going out for a night on the town every now and then. The area gets packed on weekends, but it’s a great time for sure!

PUB HOP DOWNTOWN

Going off of the above - you have to pub hop when you’re in Belfast. I, personally, will not allow anything otherwise. Like I said earlier, you can’t go wrong stopping in literally any pub you see and ordering a Guinness (or a baby Guinness if you’re a real one). In my opinion, the coolest pubs were in the Commercial Court area and on the side streets around High St.

GO TO BOOTLEGGERS

Seriously, guys, I still dream about Bootleggers. The sticky toffee pudding changed my life. They have pickleback shots on the menu. Their tacos have entire chicken tenders in them. What more could you ask for? Visit this spot if not only for the vibes inside, too. It’s like country-western meets Irish pub.

LOOK INTO BUS TOURS FROM THE CITY

Belfast is a perfect spot to take a bus tour up north–look into different options depending on what sort of scenery you want to see! The Wild Atlantic Way is a super popular route along the coast, and County Donegal was recommended to us multiple times for being absolutely beautiful. We personally took a day tour up to see Giants Causeway and the Dark Hedges, which you can read about here. Whatever you choose, don’t miss out on seeing some incredible Irish scenery!