A trip to Northern Ireland offers many possibilities. Whether you choose to venture beyond reality to the locations where the famous television series Game of Thrones was filmed, or whether you decide to enjoy a night out on the town on a pub crawl, you can always find interesting things to do in a city as culturally gifted as Belfast. History seeps into its streets, while excursions just beyond its borders call thrill-seekers to take giant leaps.
Visit Belfast: get started
Start with a day trip to the ruins of Dunluce castle along Giant’s Causeway coastline, made up of 40,000 columns of basalt and located just an hour from Belfast. Next, take a few hours to get the gist of the Titanic Belfast museum or the Memorial Garden—dedicated to the famous sunken ship—and a few more to learn about the ancient fossils preserved at the Ulster Museum. Lastly, see what makes Belfast so unique on a taxi tour to various political murals throughout the city, and grab a few treats at St George’s Market!
Belfast travel guide
Destination facts
Language
English, Gaelic and Ulster-Scots, an Irish dialect.
What to bring back
When in Belfast, it is customary to bring back souvenirs. Sweet tooths will appreciate Irish fudge, fantasy lovers will cherish any kind of Game of Thrones-related merch, and a few cans of Guinness will go a long way.
What to eat
Start off your mornings with ulster fry, a platter consisting of fried eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, and both potato and soda bread. For a hearty fill, go the traditional route with an Irish stew (lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions and more) or champ, a soft pudding-like mixture of potatoes, scallions, butter and milk.
Fun fact
The city of Belfast birthed the RMS Titanic, which, in the 1910s, was longer than the height of the world’s tallest building. It was also the largest manmade moveable object of its time.
Important info
For more information on all necessary travel documents and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.
