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After decades in the wilderness, Belfast is finally emerging from the
dark days of the past and is rapidly realising its tourist
potential.
Belfast is vying with the likes of Dublin, London and other
European city destinations, while the administrative centre of Northern
Ireland is surrounded by lush green countryside and outstanding coastline
that is as serene, dramatic and beautiful as anywhere you'll find in the Emerald
Isle.
For three decades, Belfast was often cast alongside scenes of violence and
bloodshed of the Troubles. But peace in the province has brought a change of
fortunes for Belfast as the city begins to capitalise on the peace dividend and
challenge preconceptions.
Today the city is in the process of rebuilding and
transformation, but while Belfast is reinventing itself as a cosmopolitan urban
city, it still proudly remembers and retains much of its defining character.
Events in April
see the Titanic Made in Belfast Festival with modern interactive exhibitions,
music and storytelling in celebration of the city's rich maritime history.
Belfast's Haarland & Wolf Shipyards were at one time among the greatest
ship builders in the world and it was here that the Titanic was built. Billed as
unsinkable, the Titanic was the largest ship of its day and was the pride of
Belfast when it was built. The Titanic was of course to sink on its maiden
voyage, but the locals, with typical dry humor will tell you, ‘it was fine when
it left here'.
The Titanic Made in Belfast festival runs from April 7th to April 14th with
an extensive programme of events commencing with a grand opening at Belfast City
Hall held by the Lord Mayor of Belfast along with the President of the Belfast
Titanic Society and the President of the French Society. Exhibitions explore the
construction of the Titanic, the people who helped build the ship and artifacts
relating to the Titanic's fateful voyage. There are also walking tours, bus
tours and boat tours of the Laganside and storytelling from two of Irelands'
best raconteurs; Pat Speight and Niall deBurca.
Along with much of Belfast City, these old ship yards are set for further big
things in the future with a huge development project set to transform the
‘Titanic Quarter' into a new, vibrant and cosmopolitan maritime quarter.
Huge amounts of investment in Belfast have resulted in a burgeoning sense of
self-confidence. House prices in Belfast are rising faster than most other UK
cities, the city's bar culture is once again thriving and Belfast is home to two
of the most celebrated chefs in the British Isles: Paul Rankin and Michael
Deane, whose restaurants including the Roscoff, Café Paul Rankin and Restaurant
Michael Deane head up a varied selection of superb Belfast eateries.
For its vibrancy and energy, Belfast's nightlife rival's Dublin and offers a
similar cocktail of historic and character filled pubs, traditional music and
chic modern bars. The historic pub tour run by the Belfast Welcome Centre is one
of the best tours in Ireland, taking you around some of the city's most iconic
places.
The tour stops at the famous Crown Liquor Saloon, this National Trust owned
property is a a real throw back to its Victorian heyday with tiled exterior, a
Crown mosaic over the door and stain class windows. Inside, the pub is lined
with secluded wooden snugs with bell pulls so that back in the late 1800s you
could get the next round in without struggling at the bar. The place is still
lit only by gas lamps giving it a real Victorian drinking den atmosphere. Also
on route is Belfast's oldest pub: Kelly's Cellars, established in 1720 and used
as a meeting place for 18th century revolutionaries and McHughs Bar, built in
the 1700s, it is situated in the oldest surviving building in Belfast. It has
since been much renovated but still maintains its character and serves excellent
food.
Belfast also boasts a great collection of hotels, the Europa in the heart of
the city centre is a landmark building and something of a Belfast institution
that has played host to Presidents, Royalty, celebrities and discerning
travelers for decades. Just four miles from the centre, the Stormont Hotel is
situated in leafy suburbs overlooking the landscaped gardens of Stormont Castle,
where the Northern Ireland Assembly sits. While the Culloden Hotel is a 5
star haven, set within acres of manicured gardens overlooking Belfast Lough and
the hills of the Antrim Coast.
Getting to Belfast has never been easier, Belfast
International Airport 20 miles north of the city, has trans-Atlantic flights
with scheduled flights to New York and Vancouver as well as flights to many
major European cities.
The city of Belfast provides a gateway to some of Ireland's most fascinating
and important sites including the world famous Giant's
Causeway, the burial place of Saint
Patrick in Downpatrick, St Patrick's first church in Armagh and Derry one of
Ireland's oldest inhabited sites.
Belfast and the province of Northern Ireland offers a vacation that is in
many ways unique in Ireland, while still being an authentically Irish
experience. The currency is different (British Sterling), the accents are
distinct but the charm and hospitality are still warmly Irish. Green is the
color, it is just a slightly different shade.
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