Belfast Serviced Apartments Out & About

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Location & getting around Belfast:

Belfast is a developing City and although it is the 2^nd largest city in Ireland (behind Dublin) it is currently only the 17^th largest city in the UK – by this admission Belfast is relatively small and so getting about is very easy.

Belfast is served by an international and domestic airport both of which are easily accessible via public transport. Depending upon which airline you chose to fly to Belfast with your destination airport will vary. Many people that visit Belfast from the UK travel using budget airlines and the 2 major ones of these are Ryanair and Easyjet with the former flying into Belfast City Airport (now know as the George Best) and the latter flying into Belfast International Airport.

Getting to the city centre from both airports is relatively easy with buses going approximately every 20 minutes, although the distance is rather different, with the George Best airport being only a few miles from the centre whereas the International airport is around 16 miles away (about 35 minutes drive). For this reason taxi prices from the International airport can be quite high and Serviced City Pads recommend that if you are on your own or just a few you take a bus as these are reliable, punctual and cheap in comparison, and they take only a few moments longer to get to the city – the buses also drive through the centre of Belfast City Centre and have numerous drop off points (the drivers are more than helpful and when getting on the bus they can recommend where best to get off according to where your final destination is).

If there are a group of you a taxi may work out to be a viable option. When at the George Best Airport the same applies although a taxi to the city centre will cost less than £10, and offers the benefit of being able to drop you at your door.

Belfast has one main train and bus terminal located at the back of the Europa Hotel Complex, where you can get transport to all corners of Northern Ireland and the majority of places in the Republic of Ireland - the station is easily within walking distance from anywhere in the city centre.

Once you have found where you are staying and feel the need to explore, Belfast is a city that is easily navigated on foot. All of the main shops, restaurants and bars are situated right in the heart of the city centre and spread out from what Serviced City Pads would call the ‘epicentre’ of Belfast – the City Hall. This is a great point of reference for your bearings as this is also the site for the Big Wheel which can be seen for miles around. If you feel your legs getting tired there are numerous taxis’s circulating the city all day every day.

One opportunity Serviced City Pads Recommend not to miss when staying in Belfast is to take one of the Bus or walking tours which operate daily. These tours offer a view of the city as well as a comprehensive guide to the history and places of interest in the City. They will take you to areas such as the Harland and Wolff Shipyards where the Titanic was built, the Falls & Shankill roads where much of the Troubles boiled over from the late 60’s to the late 90’s to other more recent developments such as the Waterfront Hall, The Odyssey Arena or the newly finished Victoria square. You can find more information or make advanced bookings on these tours (discounted prices for advanced booking) from http://www.belfastcitysightseeing.com

Belfast Shopping:

Belfast has fast become one of the best places to shop in the UK. Since the troubles finished in the late 90’s many international companies have taken up home in Belfast where before they were once very wary of doing. For this reason there has been an overwhelming growth in the shopping industry over the last decade.

As Belfast is a relatively small City you will find that all the shops are very close together and easily accessible on foot. You will find all major brand name shops that you would expect in other major cities in the UK as well as some hidden gems and private boutiques scattered throughout the city.

Belfast has shops lining all streets in the city centre as well as some large self contained shopping complex’s offering all and anything to everyone’s tastes and needs. The major shopping Complex’s in the city are Castle Court and the newly finished Victoria Square. (Further information and company listings can be found at http://www.victoriasquare.com and http://uk.westfield.com/castlecourt )

If it is a definitive guide to shopping in Belfast that you are after then take a look at http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/tourismguides/docs/BelfastShoppingGuide09.pdf which has all and more than enough information on shopping in Belfast and the surrounding areas. Only make sure that you don’t go too crazy on the spending as there is much, much more to Belfast than the shopping!

Eating Out:

Belfast has many fine dining establishments for you to choose from with something to cater to everyone’s tastes and budgets. There is cuisine on offer from every corner of the world and there are some fantastic places spread across the city centre.

Belfast is home to Deanes Restaurant & Bar – The only Michelin Star restaurant in Belfast – Which has been recently revamped and receiving some rave reviews at the moment. This restaurant, established in 1997, has been frequented by some major celebs and foodies since the doors first opened and was founded by Michael Deane who has had a long and successful career in many kitchens throughout the world. For food of the highest calibre and an evening not quickly forgotten then Deanes is a place that must be visited – if you can get a table that is!

If it’s Thai food that you are after then look no further that the Bo Tree Thai Restaurant. This restaurant offers some of the best authentic Thai food west of Bangkok and is situated in the trendy University Quarter in the premises of a previous bank. The decor is elegant and the Bo Tree offers an ambient atmosphere for the diner.

Another fantastic restaurant is Cayenne. This vibrant establishment is the brain child of TV favourite Paul and Jeanne Rankin. Many of us will know Paul from ready steady cook and his own show Gormet Ireland. Paul was the first chef from Northern Ireland to be awarded a Michelin star and Cayenne is his second restaurant opened in Belfast – the first being Roscoffs where he won that star. Cayenne is the type of place where you can spend many hours eating and chatting or a place where you can just pop in for a bowl of noodles and a beer.

If you want a definitive guide to eating out in Belfast you can take a look at http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/tourismguides/docs/BelfastRestaurantGuide.pdf where they have spent a lot of time bringing together all the best eateries in Belfast for all visitors to this historic city.

Pubs & Clubs:

Now we come to what Ireland seems to be most famous for – the beer and the Craic! You won’t meet a friendlier bunch of people as you will in Belfast. Historically a working class city the locals know all too well the need to relax and unwind. Belfast has a huge selection of bars & Clubs to cater for all tastes from the smart & stylish bars to the nite-clubs and Gastro pubs.

The majority of bars and clubs are within walking distance of each other which is perfect when you want to visit as many different places as possible in a short time - Perfect for a pub crawl. Some of the bars in Belfast have been around for hundreds of years and you will find that the majority of staff will be able to give you a brief history of their establishment – who needs tour guides!

Some of the traditional bars Serviced City Pads would personally recommend to visit would be the Crown and Robinson’s Bars located on Great Victoria Street directly opposite the Europa Hotel and Travel link centre. The Crown is the only bar in the UK protected and operated by the national trust. This historically listed building offer some of the finest finishing’s you will find in any bar in the world – a real must see. Robinsons too is one of the nicest bars you could imagine and with great pub grub, friendly staff, live sports and live music all weekend you may never want to leave!

For those of you who want everything in one place then the Botanic Inn is the place for you. The Bot as everyone knows it has been around for hundreds of years and is probably the busiest bar in the whole of Belfast. People from 18-80 will be found enjoying great food (they have a cracking Sunday carvery), great craic and an almost endless list of drinks. The Bot has all the live sports on big screens, live bands and music going all day every day. The Bot also has a nite-club upstairs for those of you who feel like a bit of dancing and is opened till around 2am at the weekends. Don’t worry about finding it because everyone in Belfast can give you directions, it’s that popular!

As for clubs then there is a wide array for all to enjoy. If you like your cheesy 60’s, 70’s & 80’s music then Groovy Train @ The M-Club on a Friday night is a must, or if you are more partial to dance then Shine @ Queens University Union is on most Saturday nights. There is also the slick Milk Club and there are plenty of bars and clubs at the Odyssey Arena as well as restaurants and a cinema.

Some of the most stylish Clubs to immerge in Belfast in recent years include Mynt club, The Beach Club, Ollies, The Pot House & the Sugar Room. There are also numerous cocktail bars in the city with the best from the bunch probably coming from The Northern Whig or The Apartment both right in the heart of the city centre with The Apartment facing out onto the City Hall and with great views of the Big Wheel. For more information please check out http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/results.shtml/el/Belfast%3BCounty%20Antrim where you can get a definitive guide to all the bars and clubs in the city as well as ratings and reviews from people who have actually visited them.

Sports:

Belfast is home to quite a few different sports for any avid fan. They of course have Gaelic football and Hurling two of Ireland’s national sports as well as Rugby and football teams from Northern Irelands Premier League and also in more recent years Belfast has become home to the Giants Ice hockey team, who play all their home matches at the Odyssey Arena.

If you visit Belfast at the right time you may be able to take in all of the sporting attractions but there is no better experience than visiting Casement Park home to Antrim’s Gaelic and Hurling teams. For an authentic atmosphere and a not to be forgotten day catching one of the Antrim teams playing is a must see. Both are fast paced, skilful games that are exhilarating for the spectators and ticket prices are much lower than that of a football game at Old Trafford or Anfield. It is a great day out for the family and if you visit their website @ http://antrim.gaa.ie you can get details of fixtures and events on at the Park.

Arts & Culture:

Belfast has a long running arts & culture scene which are supported with great local and international backing. As well as the main stream cinema there are also Noir and independent film houses showing all local, national and international grass route films; Numerous galleries, art exhibitions, museums, concert halls; as well as a major arena, Waterfront Hall and Opera House. Belfast is home to numerous festivals held at various times throughout the year. Why not check out the world renowned Belfast Festival at Queen’s which has been going for nearly 50 years and is every bit as good as its counterparts in Dublin & Edinburgh.