Belfast

United Kingdom

Things to do in Belfast:

View the Gallery Wheel & City Hall (night)

Belfast Restaurants

Cheap (29)

Bookfinders

It may be a bit shabby but this cosy bookshop-come-caf� is a real find, attracting a lot of arty types. Try the homemade vegetable soup followed by a toastie oozing with melted cheese. � read more
Affordable (43)

Common Grounds

This not-for-profit, community-run caf� is the perfect spot for a long lunch. The sandwiches are delicious and the staff are all extremely friendly. read more
Good quality (31)

Beatrice Kennedy

This small restaurant is ideal for an intimate meal - the food is some of the best in the city. Situated close to the striking Queen's University buildings, it attracts a lot of... read more

Belfast Nightlife

Chilled (34)

The House

This small bar is found in the arty suburb of Stranmillis and is perfect for a quiet drink. Strategically located in an old Victorian house, it's wonderfully cosy. read more
Live Music (27)

The King's Head

Situated a couple of miles from the city centre at the top of the affluent Lisburn Road, this large bar complex has excellent live music. They mostly put on covers bands but you might hear anything... read more
Clubbing (34)

Lavery's

Over the last 30 years Lavery's has constantly been one of the best bars in the city, boasting five bars across three levels. The ageing d�cor may leave something to be desired, but the beer and... read more

This Month in Belfast (March):

By Chris Sherry, Ulster Tatler

Shopping: Situated on the fringe of the Cathedral Quarter, Miss Moran's is a mecca for smokers. A mini-museum in itself, it stocks hard-to-find pieces and Zippo lighters galore (4 Church Lane).

Sightseeing: Famous the world over, where better to celebrate Paddy's day than in its native Ireland? St Patrick's Day festivities will kick off all over the city on 17 March, and bars will celebrate with traditional live music and lots of Guinness. Worth checking out are Maddens in Berry Street and The John Hewitt in Donegall Street.

Key areas: With a rich array of Victorian architecture and a wide variety of bars and restaurants off from the tourist track, check out the Ormeau Road. When your feet get tired, seek refuge in the lovely French restaurant L'Etoile (tel: 028 9020 1300).

Day trips: Less than an hour's drive from Belfast, the beautiful seaside town of Portaferry is well worth a visit. Enjoy a pint in one of the many bars and then take the short ferry ride across to the equally charming town of Strangford.

Belfast News & Gossip

Guinness Belfast Nashville Festival

24-28 FEB
BELFAST

Belfast and Nashville may be worlds (well, continents) apart, but you'll certainly be able to draw some similarities at the end of February, with the return of the Guinness Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival. For a week crammed with craic and country music, look no further. More than 100 songwriters will play in 30 different venues across the city, in a celebration of country music. Artists from Northern Ireland and the American South - the home of country music - are scheduled to play, including Irish duo The Lost Brothers, Carlene Carter (Johnny Cash's stepdaugher, pictured), fledgling American singer Holly Williams and talented local boy Iain Archer. www.belfastnashville.com

Belfast Trivia

March: London's Sloane Square was named after Northern Ireland's Sir Hans Sloane, the man largely responsible for the formula for chocolate bars.
February: There are more pubs and restaurants per head of population in Belfast than there are in the whole of Finland.
January: Not known for its tropical climes, Belfast's Sirocco Works actually invented air conditioning. The Royal Victoria Hospital became the first building in the world to be kitted out with air conditioning.