Readers Digest
Magazine subscription Podcast
HomeLifestyleTravel

A mini guide to: Belfast

BY Laura Dean-Osgood

1st Jan 2015 Travel

A mini guide to: Belfast

We’ve picked a few of the best things to see and do on a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland's capital city. 

Eat

The Barking Dog
Image via Pinterest

The cocktails at the Barking Dog on Malone Street have become the stuff of local legend and are a perfect way to start your meal at this cosy restaurant.

Soak up the warm atmosphere and choose from a varied menu including laid-back fish and chip suppers or tapas sharers, or the more adventurous steak tartar or squid ink linguine.

All their dishes are lovingly created using locally sourced products.

 

Get active

Cable wakeboarding
Image via Surfer Today

Book a lesson at Cable and Wake, and enjoy some adrenalin-pumping watersports in the Titanic Docks. If you’ve never heard of cable wakeboarding, just imagine waterskiing without the boat. Powered cables pull you along as you ride the wake on your board.

Under the guidance of an experienced pro, you’ll start on the beginner’s cable and work your way up… literally—trying your hand at jumps and tricks. And if you catch the cable wakeboarding bug in Belfast, you’ll be able to get your fix at watersports centres nationwide.

 

Drink

Fibber Magee
Image via Fibber Magee

If it’s a salt-of-the-earth sort of pub you’re after, head to Fibber Magee tucked away in the corner of Blackstaff Square. The lively bar, popular with locals and visitors alike, hosts traditional live music throughout the week, and you’ll be sure to be dancing by the end of the night.

Peruse the hundreds of pieces of memorabilia that line the walls with a pint of Guinness in hand, and chat to the friendly locals. Get there early though, as the fantastic music can mean it’s standing room only by the evening.

 

Family fun

Titanic museum
Image via Titanic Belfast

The Northern Irish capital is famed for being the birthplace of the HMS Titanic, which sank in the Atlantic in 1912. The six-storey visitor centre is the largest Titanic exhibition in the world.

Kids will love the interactive experiences and live links to underwater adventures, while the whole family can enjoy the amazing views from the slipways where the ship herself was launched.

 

Secret treat

Winterfell tour
Image via Winterfell Tours

The stunning, magical scenery of Northern Ireland may well look familiar to die-hard Game of Thrones fans as the hit series was filmed largely in these parts. So the Winterfell Location Tour, which starts in Belfast is the perfect outing for fans.

You’ll take in the 16th-century castles, mountain ranges and forests that contribute to the show’s mood and unyielding popularity.

 

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. Read our disclaimer

Loading up next...
Stories by email|Subscription
Readers Digest

Launched in 1922, Reader's Digest has built 100 years of trust with a loyal audience and has become the largest circulating magazine in the world

Readers Digest
Reader’s Digest is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards, please contact 0203 289 0940. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk