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Cathedral QuarterCity/Region: Belfast
Once the city's center for trade and its warehouse district, the heart of Belfast's cultural and tourist hub is Cathedral Quarter, so named because of the presence of St Anne's Cathedral. There are some lovely examples of Victorian and Art Deco architecture, several galleries, dedicated performing arts venues, good restaurants and bars, and the area plays host to the Belfast Film Festival and the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival annually. Given some time, the area could rival Dublin's Temple
Bar district.
Address: City center, between Royal Avenue and the Dunbar Link
Website: www.cqaf.com
Belfast Botanic Gardens and the Ulster MuseumCity/Region: Belfast
The Belfast Botanic Gardens date back to 1828, but were only opened to the public in 1895. The Gardens boast the Palm House, a cast iron glasshouse built in 1852, rose gardens, green walkways and the Tropical Ravine greenhouse built in 1889. The Gardens are popular with office workers, students, locals and tourists alike, and at the main entrance to the Gardens is the fascinating Ulster Museum. Founded in 1821, the Ulster Museum is a treasure trove of fascinating exhibits on a range of subjects (including Irish and local history), as well as an excellent art collection. *Special note: the Museum is closed until spring 2009 for refurbishment.
Address: Between Botanic Avenue and Stranmillis Road
Phone Number: (028) 9038 3000 (Museum); (028) 9032 4902 (Gardens)
Website: www.ulstermuseum.org.uk
Transport: Citybus 69
Hours: Gardens: Monday to Friday 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm; weekends 1pm to 5pm (April to September). Closes 4pm October to March. The museum is closed until spring 2009
Admission: Gardens: Free
Belfast ZooCity/Region: Belfast
The Belfast Zoo is packed with animals from all over the world - from sea lions to giraffes - in a range of habitats, and offers a fun-filled day out for the family. The zoo also hosts a number of exciting events throughout the year such as reptile displays, birds of prey displays and more, and has active breeding and conservation projects.
Address: Antrim Road
Phone Number: (028) 9077 6277
Email Address: challism@belfastcity.gov.uk
Website: www.belfastzoo.co.uk
Hours: Daily 10am to 7pm (1 April to 30 September), closing at 4pm in winter (1 October to 31 March)
Admission: Summer: £7.50 (adults), £4 (children under 18). Winter: £6.30 (adults), £3.20 (children under 18). Concessions and packages available
St George's MarketCity/Region: Belfast
Built between 1890 and 1896, St George's Market is one of the city's oldest attractions and the last Victorian covered market in the region. After painstaking (and expensive) restoration, the market has reopened. On Fridays, the Variety Market, as the name suggests, offers a range of different items from antiques to clothes, while the City Food and Garden Market is on Saturdays and offers the freshest local, international and specialty foods.
Address: May Street
Phone Number: (028) 9032 0202
Email Address: markets@belfastcity.gov.uk
Website: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/stgeorgesmarket/index.asp
Transport: Free market shuttle-bus runs every 20 minutes between the city center (outside Boots the Chemist, Donegall Place or HMV, Castle Place) and the market
Hours: Variety Market: Fridays 6am to 1pm. City Food and Garden Market: Saturdays 9am to 3pm
Admission: Free
Giant's RingCity/Region: Belfast
The fascinating and mysterious Giant's Ring, near Shaw's Bridge, is made up of a circular enclosure nearly 656 feet (200m) in diameter with five entrances, and an older Neolithic passage tomb dating back to roughly 3,000 BC. Although the exact purpose of the henge is not known, some say that it served as a meeting point and ritual area, and several packages and urns full of bones have been excavated in the surroundings. There are beautiful views across the Lagan Valley and the Ring is a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike to relax, picnic, cycle or walk.
Address: Ballynahatty, near Shaw's Bridge
Admission: Free
Ulster American Folk ParkCity/Region: Belfast
The Ulster American Folk Park is an open-air museum that focuses on the large-scale emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th and 19th centuries, and is the biggest of its kind in Europe. Displays illustrate the everyday life of the emigrants through reconstructed original and replica buildings, a full-size replica of a sailing ship and daily demonstrations of printing, cooking, spinning and blacksmithing. There is also a fascinating indoor museum and a dockside gallery. The park also hosts a number of events, including popular music festivals such as the Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival.
Address: Mellon Road, Castletown
Phone Number: (028) 8224 3292
Website: www.folkpark.com
Hours: Monday to Friday 10.30am to 3.30pm, closing at 4.30pm in summer. Museum closes at 5pm in summer and 6pm in winter.
Admission: £4.50 (adults), £2.50 (children 5-16). Other concessions available
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