We were based at the Maldron Hotel Belfast City which is a great location for exploring. We started our weekend with the DC Tours newly launched ‘Best of Belfast’ walking tour, something we always recommend when visiting a new city. It is always a great way to get your bearings, learn about the history of the city and also get some tips from the locals for where to eat and drink! We met our brilliant tour guide, James, at the iconic City Hall where the tour started and finished. The tour lasted a couple of hours (longer if you stop for a pint of Guinness and a chat with the locals!) and it is a perfect introduction to Belfast and its unique past. Along the way, we discovered fantastic street art, beautiful architecture, amazing history and the unique stories of Belfast’s citizens throughout the centuries. James also pointed out several Line of Duty filming locations as he knew we were big fans of the show.
Cathedral Quarter – Commercial Court
Not too far away you will find the Cathedral Quarter, otherwise known as Commercial Court. Here you will find lots of nice bars and restaurants and you will be welcomed by neon-lit umbrellas above! Dinner that evening was courtesy of Buba. Buba is an Eastern Mediterranean influenced restaurant serving up a wide variety of food. We shared some hot and cold mezze and a revamped kebab. They had a great selection for everyone to enjoy and delicious desserts to tempt your taste buds…oh and the cocktails are amazing too! There is also a great seafood-inspired restaurant that we were recommended by some locals called Prawnagraphic. It serves great seafood canapes and mains, and some delicious cocktails to accompany them. For a real Irish bar finale, head to The Thirsty Goat where you can dance and sing the night away.
Crumlin Road Goal Tour
On Saturday morning we took a short taxi ride to the Crumlin Road Gaol for the self-guided tour. Opened in 1846, the Gaol housed men, women and children, before closing its doors in 1996. During the tour you gain a unique and memorable insight into the daily lives and routines of both prisoners and staff. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Belfast.
Titanic Belfast
Once back in the city centre we stopped off for a refreshing pint of Guinness before walking along the Belfast Maritime Mile to the Titanic Quarter. Along the route Game of Thrones fans can enjoy the Glass of Thrones installations which are six giant, stained glass windows depicting some of the most iconic scenes from Game of Thrones created by Tourism Ireland to celebrate 10 years of filming in Northern Ireland. Finally, we arrived at Titanic Belfast for our self-guided tour located beside the Titanic Slipways, the Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices and Hamilton Graving Dock. This is the very place where Titanic was designed, built and launched! Titanic Belfast tells the story of Titanic from her conception, through her construction and launch, to her maiden voyage and subsequent place in history. Although we visited Titanic Belfast a couple of years ago, we enjoyed seeing it again and even noticed a few things we missed last time!
Crown Liquor Saloon
On our final evening, we enjoyed a couple of drinks in Robinsons Bar before dinner in our own private snug in the famous Crown Liquor Saloon. Dating back to the 1880s, The Crown is a gem of the Victorian era. It still boasts many of its original features, including gaslighting! The Crown is a grade A listed building owned by the National Trust and is a truly stunning example of a traditional Victorian gin palace.
New Tours for 2022
We had an amazing weekend and are definitely looking forward to planning our next trip back. There are a couple of new attractions opening, including the brand new Game of Thrones Studio Tour, opening in February 2022, and the reefLIVE Aquarium, opening soon in the Titanic Quarter, which we can’t wait to visit.
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