Belfast City
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Below is a list of some places that may be of interest to you during your visit to Belfast:
Queen's University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast has a record of academic achievement which stretches back more than 150 years. Founded by Queen Victoria, the Queen's University in Ireland, was designed to be a non-denominational alternative to Trinity College Dublin which was controlled by the Anglican Church.
The University was made up of three Queen's Colleges - in Cork, Galway and Belfast. Although it was the first University in the north of Ireland, Queen's drew on a tradition of learning which goes back to 1810 and the foundation of the Belfast Academical Institution.
Founded in 1845, Queen's opened in 1849 when the first students entered the magnificent new college building designed and built by Charles Lanyon. Since then, the University estate has grown to more than 300 buildings - many of them listed for their architectural importance. The first batch of students numbered 90. Today there are over 24,000.
City Hall
The hall is fronted by a statue of a rather dour 'we are not amused' Queen Victoria. The bronze figures on either side of her symbolise the textile and shipbuilding industries, while the child at the back represents education. At the northeastern corner of the grounds is a statue of Sir Edward Harland, the Yorkshire-born marine engineer who founded the Harland & Wolff shipyards and who served as mayor of Belfast in 1885-86. To his south stands a memorial to the victims of the Titanic.
Belfast Titanic Trail
Take a journey through the history of shipbuilding in Belfast, and in particular, the story of the firm which built Titanic, Harland and Wolff. Learn about Titanic itself, from the visionaries who conceived her, to the men who designed and built her, to her ill-fated maiden voyage. . The Titanic was a remarkable ship and, despite her tragic sinking five days later, she remains a source of enduring pride in the City where she was built - Belfast.
The Crown Bar
The Crown Liquor Saloon in Great Victoria Street, Belfast is one of Victorian gin palaces which once flourished in the industrial cities of Britain. Today wonderfully preserved and owned by the National Trust, the Crown is still well used by the people of Belfast.
Belfast Castle
Extensive renovation between 1978 and 1988 has left the interior comfortably modern rather than intriguingly antique, and the castle is now a popular venue for wedding receptions.
Upstairs is the Cave Hill Visitor Centre with a few displays on the folklore, history, archaeology and natural history of the park. Downstairs is the Cellar Restaurant and a small antiques shop (hnoon-22:00 Mon-Sat, noon-17:00 Sun). Legend has it that the castle's residents will experience good fortune only as long as a white cat lives there, a tale commemorated in the beautiful formal gardens by nine portrayals of cats in mosaic, painting, sculpture and garden furniture.
The Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50-60 million years ago.
Whiskey Tours
Whiskey Tours is the exclusive online destination for Irelands three top tourist destinations. Each unique centre recreates the tradition that is Irish Whiskey with complimentary Whiskey tasting after each guided tour. Please check the virtual tour here.
Ice Hockey
Ever since the opening of Odyssey, Belfast's millennium building, Ice Hockey has becoming an increasingly popular spectator's sport. The Odyssey Arena is the home to the Belfast Giants who play in the Sekonda Ice Hockey Superleague.
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