1. Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located within the beautiful Botanic Gardens, is the perfect afternoon activity that doesn’t cost a dime. Founded in 1821, it is currently Northern Ireland’s oldest museum and features displays in art, local history, treasures from the Spanish Armada, botany, and geology. For anyone unfamiliar with the area, the museum offers a large range of information regarding local history and the history of the unionist & nationalist conflict. The museum also has collection called “Art of the Troubles,” which includes work by artists in response to the Troubles, the time period of the city’s heightened violence that began in the 1960s.
2. Black Taxi Tours
In Belfast, Black Taxi Tours are a main attraction. These tours will take you to different areas of the city, but the most well known tour is of the political murals of the Falls and Shankill. These areas are either unionist/protestant or nationalist/catholic and are completely segregated. The most famous ‘peace line’ in Belfast lies between these two neighborhoods. While many believe that the Troubles are completely over, this wall, taller than the Berlin Wall in most areas, is a reminder of the segregation that still exists. Furthermore, both neighborhoods (as well as sections of the wall) feature an array of political murals, some highlighting their own history and others focusing on international issues.
3. The Giant’s Ring
The Giant’s Ring is a henge monument located just outside of Belfast. It is a man-built circular enclosure that dates back to around 2700BC, predating the Egyptian Pyramids. While the activities that took place inside the mound can only be speculated upon, it is thought that it served as a meeting place or as a memorial to the dead. Just east of the center of the circle is a five stone tomb. Furthermore, a ritual site was excavated in the area adjacent to the site in the early 1990s. These days, the ring is part of a series of paths near the River Lagan and is a beautiful rural site for those who want to escape the urban environment for an afternoon.
4. Friar’s Bush Cemetery
Friar’s Bush is Belfast’s oldest Christian burial ground, with some graves dating back to the early mediaeval period. There is a legend that St. Patrick built a church on the grounds, while it is also said that an order of friars established on the land. This site can be found on a map dating back to as early as the 1500s. Furthermore, throughout the penal laws that discriminated against Catholics practicing their religion in the 1600s, Catholics would often meet in secret for mass at this site. It is also a burial site for many victims of the Great Irish Famine of 1845-51. Taking a tour of this site is a great way to spend an afternoon and learn more about Belfast’s complex history.
5. St. George’s Market
St. George’s Market emerged as long ago as the 1600s, and the present award-winning market was built between 1890 and 1896. Friday includes a variety market, with products ranging from antiques to fresh produce and coffee. On Saturdays, you can enjoy the ‘city food,’ and the craft and garden market, while Sundays include food, crafts, and antiques. It was voted the UK’s Best Large Indoor Market in 2015 and is a great way to get a taste of Belfast’s food and culture.