Getting There

By plane: Belfast has 2 airports; Belfast International and George Best City Airport. The international airport is the main gateway and it is situated 18 miles from the centre. A 24-hour bus service (No. 300) operates every 10 minutes from the airport to the centre.

By train: There are 2 train stations in the centre - Great Victoria Street Station and Central Station. Ironically, it is Great Victoria Street station which is more central to the city.

By bus: In keeping with the couplet theme, Belfast also has 2 bus stations - Laganside and Europa stations. Europa is where most of the buses to the city end up.

Getting Around

On foot: Belfast city centre is quite small and is easily traversable on foot.

By bus: The Metro bus service runs throughout the city and the surrounding areas. A day ticket costs £2.70 (9.30am-3pm Mon-Sat and all day on Sundays) or £3.50 (before 9.30am and after 3pm) and entitles you to free travel for the day.

By Taxi: There is an efficient taxi service in operation, but as the city centre is quite compact you might not have to use them.

Belfast boasts mild winters as well as mild summers. During the winter the average temperature is 6°C while in summer that figure climbs to 18°C. As Belfast is a coastal city, it means conditions are rarely conducive for snowfall. The best time to visit is in the spring, when temperatures are mild and rainfall is rarer.

Consulates / High Commissions

US: +44 (0)28 9038 6100
Canada: +44 (0)20 7258 6600*
Australia: +44 (0)20 7379 4334*
South Africa: +44 (0)20 7451 7299*
Germany: +44 (0)28 9024 4113
Spain: +44 (0)20 7589 8989*
Italy: +44 (0)28 9070 9415
New Zealand: +44 (0)28 9264 8098
France: +44 (0)20 7073 1250*

*Number is for embassy in London

Speranza, 16-19 Shaftesbury Square Specialising in Italian cuisine, this busy restaurant can seat up to 300 diners over 2 floors. There is a varied menu offering a tasty range of pizzas, pastas, salads and desserts, and the bar on the second floor offers agreeable surroundings to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. Open Mon-Sat 12pm-late, Sun 3pm-10pm

It's all in the timing... Benedicts, 7-21 Bradbury Place While hotel food can be a bit hit and miss, this isn't the case in this hotel restaurant. It's best known for its "beat the clock" promotion where, between 5.30pm and 7pm, the time you order is the price you pay. Get in when they open the doors and enjoy their fab main courses for just £5.50! Open Mon-Sat 12pm-late, Sun 3pm-10pm

Auntie Annie's, 44 Dublin Road Not many pubs can claim to be as popular during the day as they are at night, but here it is always buzzing. Great pub grub is served at lunch times, and particularly appealing for both the taste buds and the wallet is the Irish stew. Made fresh that day, it is served with fresh crusty bread. Open Mon-Sat 12pm-late, Sun 1pm-11pm

Suwanna Restaurant, 117 Great Victoria Street The food here is stunning and affordable, two words that go well together these days. Most of the food is made from fresh local produce and they've lots of vegetarian options too. Open Mon-Thu 6pm-10.30pm, Fri & Sat 6pm-11pm; closed Sun.

Doorsteps, 455-457 Lisburn Road This gourmet sandwich café has queues out the door come lunchtime, which is testament to the quality of its fare. They do the best sandwiches, wraps and rolls in the city and they're so deep-filled each one comes with a knife and fork! Open Mon-Sat 7.30am-3pm, Sun 11am-3pm

Whites Tavern, 2-4 Winecellar Entry A bar with something for everyone, Whites claims to be the oldest pub in Belfast. The downstairs bar has a traditional ambience and on any night of the week you're likely to find a troupe of Irish musicians in the corner who will strike up an impromptu tune on a moment's notice. Upstairs there is a nightclub, always buzzing on a Saturday night. Open daily from 12pm-11pm, and until 2am on weekends.

Potthouse Bar & Grill, 1 Hill Street Located in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, this 3-story complex consists of a bar, nightclub and private function rooms. The dance floors on all 3 levels are completely see-through, providing first time visitors with an amusing (albeit brief) distraction! Open Mon, Tues, Fri and Sat 10pm until late.

Carrickfergus Castle, Antrim Street, Carrickfergus A short trip by bus or train from the city sits the picturesque Carrickfergus Castle. Dating back to the 12th century, daily tours bring its fascinating and frequently violent past to life. Open Mon-Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 2pm–4pm; admission £3.

Belfast Wheel, City Hall There is no better way to unwind after a busy day than a ride on the Belfast Wheel. It is situated right beside the City Hall and rises to 200 feet, affording splendid panoramic views over the city. Open Sun-Thu 10am-9pm, Fri and Sat 10am-10pm; admission £6.50.

The Odyssey, 2 Queens Quay The Odyssey is a large entertainment and sports complex situated in the Titanic Quarter. There is a stadium which is home to the Belfast Giants ice hockey team, as well as numerous restaurants, bars and a bowling alley among other attractions. Open daily from 12pm-late

Go for a ride... Black Taxi Tours Belfast's infamous black taxi tours are rapidly becoming a 'must do' on all tourist check lists. They can be tailored to your requirements and a charismatic driver-come-tour guide will regale you with lesser-known tales of Belfast that will amuse and astonish in equal measure. For more information on black taxi tours call into the tourist office on Royal Avenue.

River Lagan Boat Trip A boat trip on the River Lagan is a novel way to experience the city. Beside the 'Big Fish' statue by the river you can hop on board the 'M.V. Joyce Too'. The friendly guide details the city's extensive maritime history, such as the construction of the ill fated passenger liner Titanic. The boat is heated and weather proof so don't worry about the cold or the rain. Sailing times 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm; tickets £10 per person.

January - Out to Lunch Festival This mini-festival features lunchtime music, comedy and theatre performances in pubs and other venues around Cathedral Quarter.

March - St. Patrick's Day Bigger and better every year, the multi-cultural Patrick's Day parade features samba dancers and Chinese dragons, and culminates in a free concert at Custom House Square in the city centre.

April/May - Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival This annual festival centres around the Cathedral Quarter, and features live music, comedy, literature readings, art displays and theatre performances.

May - Continental Market Market traders from all over Europe come to trade food and other goods from their homeland, such as sausages from Germany, paella from Spain and cheese from France.

June - Belfast City Carnival To celebrate the Mayor's term in office, a colourful carnival takes to the city streets. Musicians and dancers from all around Ireland take part, attracting huge crowds.

July-August - Féile an Phobail Féile an Phobail, also known as the West Belfast Festival, is the largest community festival in Europe. The Falls Road is the focal point for this celebration of Irish culture, and it features a parade, live music and poetry readings.

August - Tennents Vital Festival Ormeau Park is the new location of this popular music festival which was previously held in the Botanic Gardens. Attracting well-known music acts, it's attended by large numbers of revellers.

October - Halloween Belfast celebrates Halloween like no other city, with a week-long celebration finishing with a fireworks display over the River Lagan at the Odyssey complex.

October/November - Belfast Festival at Queen's Attracting over 100,000 visitors each year, the festival encompasses all art forms, from theatre, poetry and visual arts to classical, jazz and folk music.

December - Christmas Market at St. George's Something festive for everyone is available here, ranging from handmade jewellery to authentic knit wear to beauty products utilising local produce such as good old Irish seaweed!

Cathedral Quarter So called because it is dominated by the impressive St. Anne's Cathedral at its core, the Cathedral Quarter is at the centre of Belfast's cultural revival. The festivities of the Arts festival are mostly played out here and the cobbled streets have a wealth of trendy bars to visit also.

Lisburn Road The Lisburn Road has emerged as one of the most cosmopolitan areas of the city, and its "BT9" postcode is synonymous with prestige and status. The road and its side streets have numerous upmarket boutique stores, wine bars and coffee shops with outdoor seating, giving the area a distinctly Parisian feel.

Irish heritage Gaeltacht Quarter The area to the west of the city centre encompassing the Fall's Road is known as the Gaeltacht Quarter. It is the culmination of an initiative undertaken to spearhead the revival of Irish culture and language among the local people. Highlights include Conway Mill which displays local arts and crafts exhibitions, and An Chultúrlann, the "HQ" of the Quarter which has a restaurant, an art gallery and a theatre.

The Golden Mile Starting behind the City Hall, the Golden Mile encompasses Shaftesbury Square and Bradbury Place and finishes at Queen's University. It has the highest concentration of bars and nightclubs in the city, as well as several restaurants to suit all budgets.

Queen's Quarter This area in the south of the city centre is named after Queen's University, where the grandiose main building is located. The area is popular with students, ensuring the atmosphere is convivial and lively. The Queen's Quarter contains the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens, 28 acres of scenic inner city parkland.

Relax in the sun at City Hall Belfast is great for a lot of things, but along with the rest of Ireland, weather is not usually one of them. So when summery conditions do arrive, the good folk of Belfast seize every opportunity. The City Hall grounds offer perfect surroundings to lay back and enjoy the carnival atmosphere that permeates the city when the sun has his hat on.

Explore Belfast Castle Hop on any Antrim road bus from the City Hall to visit Belfast Castle. The castle is set in spectacular grounds, 400 metres above sea level, with great views overlooking Belfast Lough. The visitor centre on the 2nd floor is free to all and it details the history of the castle and the surrounding area. Open Monday to Saturday 9am-10pm and Sunday 9am to 6pm.

Visit the murals for free A short walk from the city centre, you can visit the political murals of the Nationalist Fall's Road and the Loyalist Shankill Road. The murals hark back to an era when Belfast was more known for its violence and political upheaval than anything else. Some of the more hard line murals have been repainted to commemorate the shared history of the island such as the Great Irish Famine.

Go for a bike ride Belfast is a great city to explore on a bike, with more cycle lanes being introduced and numerous parks to explore, such as Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park just off the Lagan towpath. Hiring a bike for a full day isn't too expensive, with a number of rental outfits found throughout the city.

Enjoy a Tuesday night movie Known locally as 'Crazy Tuesdays', all tickets are slashed by half the price to £2.50. A number of movie theatres across the city are involved, and these show a great selection of films including the top new releases.

Royal Avenue As Belfast's central thoroughfare, Royal Avenue offers Castlecourt shopping centre as well as popular clothing chains such as Topshop and Zara. It is approximately half a mile long and the street ends at the entrance to the City Hall.

Victoria Square, 1 Victoria Square Victoria Square is a leisure complex opened in March 2008 to much fanfare. The centre has a unique, open air feel and is a pleasure to walk around. The top floor has a spectacular viewing dome which affords splendid views over the city. Open Mon & Tues 9am-7pm, Wed- Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1pm-6pm.

Castlecourt, Royal Avenue The opening of Victoria Square has somewhat stolen some of Castlecourt's thunder, but has not diminished the quality of this Belfast shopping stalwart. It is a 4-floor complex which has over 90 stores and a large food court with several restaurants to suit all tastes. Open Mon & Tues 9am-7pm, Wed - Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm and Sun 1pm-6pm.

Junction One International Outlet Shopping, Antrim Approximately 40 minutes from the city centre lies Antrim which is home to Junction One, a 70 store shopping emporium. It has upmarket boutique stores such as Clockwork Orange as well as the usual high street brands. Open Mon - Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs & Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm and Sun 1pm-6pm.

Something for everyone... St. George's Market This is the oldest covered market in Ireland. Since undergoing a 4.5 million redevelopment in 1997, it has gone from strength to strength. The market on Fridays sells everything from antiques to clothes, whilst the Saturday food market purveys a plethora of local foods and specialities. Open Friday 6am-2pm and Saturday 9am-3pm.

Grab a morning pick-me-up in one of the nearby coffee shops, find a bench in the grounds of the City Hall and watch the world go by.

Make sure you're first in line at 10am for a ride on the Big Wheel next to the City Hall to enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city.

Hop off the wheel and then walk down Royal Avenue to explore the surrounding shopping areas. Buy a packed lunch; you'll need the energy this afternoon.

Buy a Metro day ticket and hop on a bus (numbers 1A-F) to Belfast Castle. It's a 20 minute walk uphill after alighting at the bus stop but it's well worth the exertion.

After your lunch, walk up to the summit of Cave Hill, locally known as the Napoleon's nose. The best view in Belfast is your reward.

Safely navigate your way back to civilisation and get a bus back into the city centre. Get off at the City Hall and make your way down Chichester Street to Victoria Square (below.)

Victoria Square offers great late night shopping opportunities and has a huge range of eateries for when you’re all shopped out.

Make your way to the Rotterdam bar for an early evening eye opener. Even if you don't drink, there's always a great atmosphere and a bit of live music on.

If you still have the energy, back towards the City Hall where you'll find the Golden Mile, a succession of nightclubs and bars with something for everyone.