Sarah Arnold 漏 Hunter Bros / 老澳门六合彩开奖记录
Belfast and Northern Ireland were once synonymous with words like "terrorist attack" and "bombing" but it鈥檚 a completely different place today. It鈥檚 been over 25 years since the ceasefires and 22 since the Good Friday Agreement came into effect which, combined, brought peace to our little nation.
I didn鈥檛 grow up in Belfast but in the lake county of Fermanagh, about 80 miles west or "in the sticks" as Belfast natives often say. Instead, I moved there to attend university and have been a city resident for over 10 years. My first memories of the city were in the car with my parents in the '90s, and as soon as the motorway lanes went from two to three, one of them would ensure the car doors were locked. The city didn鈥檛 have a great reputation, even locally. But all that has changed and now Belfast is the city that鈥檚 behind Game of Thrones and its street art would rival that of anywhere else in the world. The creativity and arts sectors have transformed the city over the last two decades.
I should note that Belfast is a city of "quarters" including Cathedral Quarter, Linen Quarter, Queen鈥檚 Quarter, Titanic Quarter, Market Quarter and the Gaeltacht Quarter. It doesn鈥檛 take a mathematician to work out there鈥檚 more than four 鈥 and there鈥檚 much to visit in all of them.
Cathedral Quarter 鈥 Temple Bar with fewer people
Cathedral Quarter, aptly named after St Anne鈥檚 Cathedral, was once an area in which there wasn鈥檛 much to do; it wasn鈥檛 a vibrant part of town. Today, it鈥檚 the opposite of that. The cobbled streets and tiny walkways with fairy lights swinging between them are thriving due to an increased workforce in the area and the new University of Ulster campus.
The Duke of York, a pub with antique wooden furnishings and walls lined with Guinness paraphernalia would have you believe that it serves the finest in the country. That accolade is actually given to , by the main bus and train station (a pint and a burger by its fireplace is a must in winter). The Duke of York was once an "old man鈥檚 pub" but is now a hive for post-work drinks, and you can sit outside in the alleyway to admire some of the finest street art in the city.
This art is not the murals that line sectarian interfaces but pieces that celebrate Northern Ireland. One such piece of art celebrates Northern Ireland's achievements in sport and television. Jamie Dornan is depicted in The Fall, there鈥檚 a scene from Game of Thrones and it wouldn鈥檛 be Northern Ireland if George Best didn鈥檛 appear somewhere. Along other streets are artworks depicting other matters, some lighthearted and others more serious, such as racism and poor working conditions.
One of the treasures of this area is the . On weekend nights, the popular bar is crammed with people but on Sundays there are traditional music sessions in front of their fireplace and they may be playing to only you. The bar supplies an array of local ales and Yard Bird upstairs has something for those needing an upgrade from Nando's. Nearby North Street is going through a transformation; part of it has recently been demolished but Belfast鈥檚 finest second-hand book shop, Keats & Chapman, remains. It has long been a lunchtime hideout for me; a place where I can find books on genres I never thought I cared about.
is the coffee shop for the area and it is a hipster鈥檚 paradise, but don鈥檛 let that intimidate you. The large table at the centre of the shop is where those with laptops congregate using the free wifi while sipping on coffee from a glass jug. On the periphery of the shop, people are catching up with those dear to them while munching on local traybakes. Nearby St Anne鈥檚 Square offers a wealth of eateries. One of my personal favorites is the two-course business lunch at . The service is impeccable, portions are large and value for money is 10 out of 10.
Queen鈥檚 Quarter 鈥 a regenerated student area
A mile-and-a-half from St Anne's Square is Queen鈥檚 University. It was once an area where I raced between classes or stopped for frozen yogurt while simultaneously avoiding study. Completed in 1849, the central Lanyon Building, stands out among all others. Its Tudor and Gothic architecture was based on other UK universities and non-students can wander around the grounds to admire it.
This wander will inevitably lead into Belfast鈥檚 Botanical Gardens. It鈥檚 recently had its share of investment (拢3.8 million) with the recently-reopened Tropical Ravine showcasing a unique collection of biodiversity in the Victorian building. It鈥檚 also a popular spot for students and workers to spend their off-time in the summer, eating ice cream and enjoying picnics.
You can鈥檛 go hungry in this part of town; the student vibe ensures that high-quality food comes with a lower price tag. Across the road from the Ulster Museum (the go-to place for a history lesson on the province) is Caf茅 Conor with its high ceilings (it used to be a studio for local artist, William Conor). Have a hearty breakfast to prepare you for a day of walking through south Belfast.
Belfast鈥檚 best Italian is in this part of town. resides among university seminar rooms. I鈥檝e enjoyed many celebratory meals here and, at one point, it was the only place I鈥檇 be happy to dine out at. Inside, you鈥檙e taken to Italy; the decor is Venetian and often there are queues of patrons waiting to eat. The quantity of food in each portion matches the quality here, and stone-baked pizzas and bowls brimming with pasta are aplenty.
Titanic Quarter: now the home of 'Game of Thrones'
With Belfast comes the memory of the doomed Titanic. Today, the people of Belfast own it and use it to their benefit. The city now has its own Titanic Quarter that鈥檚 built on reclaimed land. It鈥檚 a hub for creativity and tech start-up companies employing thousands of locals.
Outside of the museum Titanic Belfast, there鈥檚 so much more to see. An evening walk along the shoreline of the River Lagan reveals many lesser-known spots. You鈥檒l walk by where they filmed Game of Thrones (and, if you look closely, you鈥檒l see preparations for the prequel), Titanic鈥檚 Dock & Pump House and HMS Caroline, the last surviving ship from the WWI Battle of Jutland.
From many bedrooms at the , there are views across the Game of Thrones, Kings Landing set. This location was used throughout season eight, and the damage from the dragon is laid bare for passers-by to see. The hotel itself is a tribute to the Titanic, and it should be 鈥 it was previously the home of the drawing offices for Harland and Wolff, the company that built the infamous ship.
My favorite activity at the hotel is the afternoon tea 鈥 it is a real novelty. It鈥檚 enjoyed in one of the old presentation rooms but has views over what was previously one of the drawing rooms, which is now a bar. The majestic bar鈥檚 ceilings are three storeys high 鈥 they were unchanged in the transformation 鈥 and it was here that the Titanic was designed.
Belfast is a city with so much to give. In times when other UK cities were experiencing times of growth, the conflict in Belfast saw it lag behind. But now, thanks to big investments in all facets of the city, from the film and television sector to embracing and marketing the most famous ship of all, Belfast has, for the most part, made sure its historic issues are but a memory.
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This article was first published Oct 7, 2019 and updated Jan 26, 2022.
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