Spring 2020 facebook.com/ visitbelfastcity Hello! twitter@visitbelfast Dog Friendly Belfast No need to leave your Snapshot of Belfast furry friend behind! Check out our tips for the best photo 14 06 ops around the city. Celebrate St Patrick 12 in Belfast this March. Easter Events 40 Fun for all the family! 46 The Directory Sightseeing tours, Maritime Mile restaurants, cafés, Discover the city’s pubs or clubs… 24 shipbuilding heritage. we’ve got it covered. With special thanks to our strategic and corporate partners Translink, Diageo NI, Value Cabs, Victoria Square, Belfast One, Titanic Belfast, Hastings Hotels and Belfast Waterfront. Belfast City Guide is available free Belfast City Guide is produced by Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 9026 Disclaimer All information in this from the Visit Belfast Welcome Visit Belfast Fax: +44 (0)28 9024 9026 guide is correct at the time of Centre and outlets across the city. 9 Donegall Square North Email: [email protected] publication but is subject to change Belfast BT1 5GB www.visitbelfast.com without notice. Check online for Designed by McCadden Northern Ireland latest info at visitbelfast.com VISITBELFAST.COM 3 BELFAST BUCKET LIST MUST DO: Check out our guide to the best Belfast events not to be missed! FESTIVAL 01 CULTURE 06 Out to Lunch Féile an Earraigh 3–26 January 1–17 March Various Venues Various Venues Boasting a packed menu Belfast’s traditional spring of comedy, music and festival returns with a literature. feast of music, talks, cqaf.com screenings, tours and live entertainment. FESTIVAL 02 feilebelfast.com NI Science Festival FAMILY FUN 07 13–23 February DANCE 04 Various Venues Belfast Children’s Festival Offering a stimulating Riverdance 6–11 March range of events focusing 25th Anniversary Show Various Venues on the wonders of science, 19–22 February A packed programme of technology, engineering A powerful and stirring theatre, dance, visual art, and mathematics. reinvention of the original music, literature, comedy, nisciencefestival.com show, celebrated the world workshops and talks, over for its Grammy Award- guaranteed to inspire joy, winning music, thrilling creativity and curiosity. energy and passion of its youngatart.co.uk Irish and international dance. ticketmaster.ie MUSIC 05 Brilliant Corners DINING OUT 03 Belfast Jazz Festival 27 Feb – 7 March Belfast Restaurant Week Various Venues 17-23 February Serving up a multi-genre Various Venues musical banquet from Treat yourself during a 7 traditional big band day celebration of Belfast’s and straight-ahead food scene with special small ensembles to offers at over 40 venues the avant-garde. across the city centre. brilliantcorners belfastrestaurantweek.org belfast.com 4 VISITBELFAST.COM 04 FAMILY FUN 08 FASHION 10 CELEBRATION 13 Belfast Nashville Belfast FashionWeek Easter Celebrations Songwriters Festival 19–22 March 10–14 April 11–13 March Various Venues Various Venues Clayton Hotel A showcase of the Get out and enjoy lots of Celebrating the art of upcoming spring/summer ‘eggciting’ Easter events song writing in a series of fashion trends from unique taking place in Belfast and concerts, showcases and a local designers to High beyond for all the family. convention for songwriters. Street favourites. visitbelfast.com belfastnashville.com belfastfashionweek.com FAMILY FUN 14 CELEBRATION 09 FESTIVAL 11 Spring Fair Imagine! Belfast Festival 25–26 April of Ideas & Politics Malone House 23–29 March Enjoy the spring flower- Various Venues filled grounds of Barnett Belfast’s unique festival of Demesne with a great ideas and politics invites weekend of family fun and you to engage with the big entertainment. issues of our time. belfastcity.gov.uk/events imaginebelfast.com CINEMA 12 St Patrick’s Day Celebrations Belfast Film Festival 17 March 1–9 April Belfast City Centre Various Venues Belfast comes alive with An exciting and diverse colour for the annual selection of film from carnival parade and St across the world including Patrick’s Day concert. classic and premiere belfastcity.gov.uk/ screenings. stpatricks belfastfilmfestival.org VISITBELFAST.COM 5 SCENIC BELFAST SNAPSHOT OF BELFAST From unique street art to panoramic city views, Belfast is a photographer’s heaven. Local Instagrammer @penmanslens takes us on a photo tour of the city. changes colour to reflect holidays, celebrations and awareness days), have made this a must on any photographic tour of the city. Venture inside to enjoy a free tour of the equally inspiring interior. 4 Harland and Wolff Cranes A photography guide to the 1 Titanic Belfast city would not be complete The majestic Titanic without Belfast’s famous Belfast building that yellow cranes, Samson and presides over the River Goliath, which dominate the Lagan is one of the most skyline and are a symbol of Instagrammed buildings in the city. You can snap them Ireland. Its metallic, angular up close or in the background exterior, sweeping slipways of a wider city view. and reflective pools of water surrounding the 5 HMS Caroline structure provide many A moody sky can capture a an opportunity. 3 Umbrellas on stunning shot of World War Commercial Court One survivor HMS Caroline, Belfast’s answer to which you’ll find at the Portugal’s Umbrella Sky Alexandra Dock in Titanic Project can be found just off Quarter. You can also climb Commercial Court, facing aboard and learn about life the Duke of York pub, and of the crew 100 years ago you’ll find spectacular street through a range of exciting art on many of the walls of interactive exhibits. the surrounding streets so it’s worthwhile taking your own photo tour around the 2 Belfast City Hall Cathedral Quarter. Belfast City Hall’s classical Renaissance design and tastefully lit panelling (which 6 VISITBELFAST.COM 6 St George’s Market 11 Belfast Cathedral If you’re into food An interesting mix of photography, then the old and new, the foundation charming Victorian St stone of the Cathedral was George’s Market should laid in 1899 and the building be your first stop! Open itself, Romanesque in style, every Friday, Saturday 8 The Albert Clock continued to grow over the & Sunday, go and soak up Fountains years with the 40 metre the bustling atmosphere Belfast’s Albert Clock is stainless steel Spire of while sampling some often referred to as our Hope added in 2007. delicious local food and very own Leaning Tower You can get a great shot browsing the stalls. of Pisa, but it is in fact the with a colourful twilight sky. fountains beneath it that create a great opportunity to play around with shutter speed for some stunning water photography. 12 Cave Hill Just 5 miles from the city centre, this scenic 7 The Big Fish stretch feels a world away from the bustle of city life. One of Belfast’s most 9 Queen’s University Begin your adventure at famous pieces of public Lanyon Building the majestic Belfast Castle, art, the Big Fish, has a lot Designed by architect before climbing your way of photo potential! Get Charles Lanyon, Queen’s through forested paths to close, because the outer University’s gothic Lanyon ‘scales’ are made up of Building is well worth a McArt’s Fort for panoramic tiles depicting the history visit. Not an inch of this views across the city. and spirit of Belfast. Also, architecturally magnificent as legend would have it, building would be out of anyone who kisses the place on the set of Harry ‘Salmon of Knowledge’ Potter, making it a must will gain wisdom! for keen photographers. #VisitBelfast 10 Belfast’s Public Art Don’t forget to hashtag Belfast has over 150 pieces #VisitBelfast of imaginative public art when you share your scattered across the city, photos on our Facebook, but a few picture worthy Twitter and Instagram pieces to check out include accounts - we will always the ‘Spirit of Belfast’ in repost our favourites! Cornmarket, ‘Beacon of Hope’ on Oxford St and ‘Rise’ at the Donegall Rd junction of the M1. VISITBELFAST.COM 7 BELFAST BUCKET LIST MUST SEE: Check out our essential list of places not to be missed this spring in Belfast. HISTORY 01 Belfast City Hall The Visitor Exhibition offers a journey from the city’s past to present, showing the vibrancy and diversity of Belfast City Hall across six themed zones. Free guided tours of Belfast City Hall are also available. SEE MAP D4 EXPERIENCE 02 Titanic Belfast This state-of-the-art 03 visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic, from construction to her launch SHOPPING 04 MARITIME 06 and subsequent place in Victoria Square HMS Caroline history. An exceptional shopping Discover the fascinating SEE MAP E2 experience with spectacular history of this World War views, anchored by House One survivor and learn MARKETS 03 of Fraser department store. about life of the crew 100 St George’s Market Four levels of shopping, years ago through a range Browse stalls full of the great places to eat and of exciting interactive finest fresh produce, drink and an 8 screen exhibits. local arts and crafts and Odeon cinema. SEE MAP F1 delicious hot food at the SEE MAP D4 charming Victorian St George’s Market every EXPERIENCE 05 Friday, Saturday and Crumlin Road Gaol Sunday. Try life behind bars with SEE MAP D4 a tour of the 150 year old gaol and learn first-hand how this Victorian prison evolved through history. SEE MAP B2 8 VISITBELFAST.COM 09 TIME OUT 07 MUSIC 09 SPORT 11 Belfast Castle Traditional Music Trail Belfast Giants Enjoy a walk around the With two professional Ice Hockey gardens and scenic trails musicians as your guides, Bring all the family and which offer unobstructed walk through cobble- get ready to cheer on views over the city and stoned streets, past the city’s own Stena Line Belfast Lough.