Things to Do in Belfast
Belfast is a small city that rewards two days rather than five, and it sits within an hour of the Mournes, the Ards Peninsula and the start of the Antrim coast road. Do the city, then get out of it.
Published 18 August 2026
Belfast is compact. The centre is walkable end to end in half an hour, the main attractions cluster in three areas, and the countryside starts sooner than in any comparably sized British city. That combination makes it a good arrival point and a poor place to spend a whole week. The standard mistake is basing yourself here and day-tripping to the Causeway Coast, which is around an hour and a half each way you did not need to make.
Titanic Quarter
Titanic Belfast is the city’s headline attraction, built on the slipways where the ship was designed and launched. It is a purpose-built museum rather than a collection of artefacts, and it handles the industrial history of the city as much as the ship itself. Next door, the SS Nomadic is the last surviving White Star Line vessel. Allow half a day for both.
The political history
The black-taxi tours through West Belfast (the Falls and the Shankill, the murals, the peace walls) remain the most direct way to understand the city’s recent past, and the drivers are generally the point rather than the vehicle. Crumlin Road Gaol runs tours of the Victorian prison and the tunnel under the road to the courthouse.
The Cathedral Quarter
The old warehouse district north of the centre, now the city’s bar and music quarter: cobbled entries, the Duke of York, the Commercial Court, and live traditional music most nights. It is the best evening in the city by a distance, and small enough to cover on foot.
Getting above the city
Cave Hill rises directly behind north Belfast, and the walk up to McArt’s Fort, the basalt outcrop said to have inspired Swift’s sleeping giant, gives the definitive view over the city, the lough and, on a clear day, Scotland. It starts from Belfast Castle and takes a couple of hours return.
- Botanic Gardens and the Palm House: free, central, and next to the Ulster Museum.
- St George’s Market: Friday, Saturday and Sunday; the Victorian covered market and the best food in the city centre.
- Ulster Museum: free entry, and the clearest single account of Northern Irish history you will find.
What is within an hour
This is the argument for not staying in the city the whole time. From Belfast:
| Destination | Drive | Covered in |
|---|---|---|
| The Mournes (Newcastle) | 1 hr | Walks in Northern Ireland |
| Strangford Lough and Mount Stewart | 45 mins | Strangford Lough |
| The Glens of Antrim (Glenariff) | 1 hr 15 | The Causeway Coastal Route |
| The Giant’s Causeway | 1 hr 30 | The Causeway Coastal Route |
Where to stay outside the city
Belfast itself is hotels and apartments. Glamping is a countryside proposition here. We list 52 sites within twenty-five miles of the city centre, which covers the Ards Peninsula, the Lagan valley and the northern edge of the Mournes, out of 201 across the province.
Glamping within reach of Belfast
Within twenty-five miles of the city centre, best-rated first.
See all 52 sites (46 more not shown here).
Common questions
- How many days do you need in Belfast?
- Two is enough for the city itself: Titanic Quarter, a black-taxi tour and an evening in the Cathedral Quarter. Use any further nights on the coast or the Mournes instead.
- Is Belfast a good base for the Giant’s Causeway?
- Not really. It is around an hour and a half each way. Basing yourself on the north coast near Bushmills or Ballintoy makes far more sense.
- What is the best free thing to do in Belfast?
- The Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens are both free, and the walk up Cave Hill to McArt’s Fort costs nothing but gives the best view in the city.
- Can you go glamping near Belfast?
- Yes, though not in the city itself. The Ards Peninsula, the Lagan valley and the northern Mournes all have sites within an hour’s drive.
Keep reading
- Northern IrelandThings to Do in Northern IrelandA practical guide to Northern Ireland by region, the Causeway Coast, the Mournes, the Glens of Antrim, Strangford and the cities, with where to stay in each.
- Northern IrelandThe Causeway Coastal Route: Driving It in StagesHow to drive the Causeway Coastal Route between Belfast and Derry, the stages, the stops worth stopping for, how long to give it, and the glamping sites along the way.
- Northern IrelandStrangford Lough: What to Do and Where to StayA guide to Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula, Mount Stewart, the Portaferry ferry, the seals and birds, Castle Ward, and the glamping within reach.
- Northern IrelandCastlewellan Forest Park: The Lake, the Peace Maze and the WalksWhat to do at Castlewellan Forest Park in County Down, the lakeside circuit, the Peace Maze, the arboretum and the mountain-bike network, plus glamping within ten miles.