If you’re heading up to Belfast for the weekend, Penny McCormick shares a glossy guide of where to see and stay …
MORNING
7.35 am Hop on the early train from Connolly (from €13.99) and you’re in Belfast in time for coffee (at 9.48am), without the hassle of finding a parking space. As your first port of call, I recommend a visit to St George’s Market. It’s one of Belfast’s oldest attractions having been built between 1890 and 1896. At the weekend it has a great buzz, augmented with live music, and plenty of retail inspiration from antiques to plants as well as crafts and authentic food.
LUNCH
12pm Ready for some refuelling? Why not head to Parisien for a bite to eat on its balcony which has great views of Belfast’s City Hall – the café is part of the Galgorm group, a byword for great hospitality and fun! Opened in 1906, the City Hall has a permanent exhibition and offers guided tours for history buffs, while visitors can also take in the Titanic Memorial Garden. Alternatively one of my favourite cafés is Daisies which serves the best cannoli I’ve tasted outside of Italy. It’s also a chocolate confectioner so a great place to source some sweet gifts to take home. Upstairs from Daisies, you’ll see The Cut Tailoring where many women I know have had bespoke suits made by Patricia Grogan.
SHOPPING
1.30pm From there, walk around to the Queen’s Arcade, built in 1880, which has had a glow-up and is home to lots of posh jewellery boutiques including Lunn’s and Gucci. Do take a detour to Wellington Street where you’ll find Envoy of Belfast – great for sourcing pieces by Acne Studios, Casey Casey and other European brands. If shopping at Victoria Square, don’t miss taking the lift up to the huge dome for amazing views across the city.
My preferred shopping district is on the Lisburn Road, where you’ll find independent boutiques (Please Don’t Tell and Blush) and homeware stores such as Herbert Gould and Maven, (pictured) as well as charity shops and fabulous pre-loved stores (Labels and Deja Vu).
AFTERNOON
3.30pm Time for some culture? It’s best to know which quarter you want to explore; the Cathedral Quarter’s maze of cobblestone’s streets is lovely for a wander and attractions include the Metropolitan Arts Centre (the MAC), the Oh Yeah Music Centre and St Anne’s Cathedral. There are plenty of great cafés too – Established Coffee being a favourite.
If you haven’t been to the Titanic Quarter don’t miss the new (free) exhibition “Dockers & Dolls – The Art of Terry Bradley”. It runs until August 31 in The Andrews Gallery and incorporates some of the city’s maritime history with Bradley’s work relating to mental health awareness. Another exhibition to take in is “Glass Runway” at Craft NI Gallery, Belfast, a collaboration between glass artists and fashion designers across Ireland which address gender equality, diversity and inclusion by exploring glass as a wearable material.
DINNER
7.30pm In my opinion, Shu on the Lisburn Road is always an elegant experience serving up some great people watching with a French-influenced menu.
For a no-frills setting and a superb menu, Waterman on Hill Street, in the Cathedral Quarter also contains a cookery school and is representative of how much Belfast’s food scene has evolved. For a special occasion, book The Muddlers Club, Waring Street, well in advance of your visit. It’s a hot ticket and table and comes with a well-deserved Michelin star.
COCKTAIL HOUR
10pm For a panoramic view of the city, I often take visitors to The Observatory cocktail lounge in Grand Central Hotel, officially the tallest bar in Ireland, located in the Linen Quarter – a great place for pre-theatre dinner and drinks before catching a show in the Grand Opera House. Notable mentions for dinner include Michael Deane’s Eipic for special occasions or his new eatery Mr Deane’s for a more casual bistro menu.
The Rattlebag, at the Bullitt hotel has recently been named in the top 40 bars in the world by the inaugural Pinnacle Guide (described as “the Michelin Guide for bars”). Expect a livelier crowd with an impressive cocktail list. Order head bartender Matt Knight’s Sgroppino-inspired cocktail which incorporates watermelon sorbet, orange blossom tonic and bitter red Campari – this concoction recently won him the title of Irish champion in the Campari Red Hands cocktail competition held in Cork.
For music lovers, another favourite is Bert’s Bar & Restaurant at The Merchant hotel – which has a speakeasy vibe, great menu (try the carb-filled tartiflette) and jazz music. Whiskey lovers should note that Belfast Whiskey Week takes place from July 19-27 during which tasting sessions, distillery tours and food collaborations are part of its interesting programme.
THE NEXT DAY
11am After a lazy morning and leisurely breakfast, head to the Queen’s Quarter for a stroll around the university area. One of the latest additions to the campus is The Seamus Heaney Centre (on University Road) which houses a Poetry Library and has a great programme of events. From there, do visit the Victoria Palm House in the Botanic Gardens – the Gardens will be the setting for Belfast’s biggest celebration of cultural diversity in August for the Belfast Mela, August 17-25.
Take in the Ulster Museum, where two important Caravaggio paintings are on display as part of the “National Treasures” bicentenary celebrations for the National Gallery, London. If you are in the vicinity, bibliophiles and stationery lovers should visit Books Paper Scissors across the road from the museum.
AFTERNOON TEA TIME
2pm Treat yourself to a special lunch or afternoon tea before getting the train back to Dublin. Two options: The Merchant Hotel has recently launched its new Indian Odyssey Afternoon Tea, £44, which includes exotic fruits and spices presented in traditional patisseries with exuberant colours as well as more traditional fare. The setting, in the Great Room, always impresses guests and is ornate with many original Victorian features. Afterwards pop downstairs to explore the the Art Loves boutique which sells gorgeous kimonos, jewellery and original gifts.
LUNCH
You should grab lunch before you travel back to Dublin and Ox restaurant is a must-do for foodies. At the moment there is a great value Summer Tasting menu, £90 or a two-course menu for £40 or three-courses for £45. Expect delicate flavours, attentive service and a flawless setting which is neither imposing or too cool for school.
WHERE TO STAY
voco Belfast
Belfast’s newest hotel, voco Belfast, officially opened last week and is in the historic Gasworks district, just off the Ormeau Road. Harland & Wolff’s iconic cranes, Samson and Goliath, are visible from bedroom windows, meaning the Titanic area is within walking distance, as are other museums and landmarks.
I was impressed with the interior design. Formerly the Gasworks hotel, voco has been given a glow-up courtesy of an impressive £3.6m refurbishment. O’Donnell O’Neill Design was responsible for the design-led vibe which features creative lighting, pops of colour, posh seating and plenty of co-working spaces. As for the guest rooms, the beds are Elvis-worthy (ie supersized) with Smart TVs, Antipodes amenities and 5mile Coffee. Breakfast is in Pomo restaurant which serves Italian-influenced dishes for lunch and dinner. There’s a pretty deck for cocktails and sundowners too. Meaning to invite in Latin, voco is part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, and is the voco brand’s first hotel in Ireland. I found it lived up to its name. Overnight rates are from £130 per room. www.inua.ie
room2 Belfast
Since opening last year, apparently room2 Belfast has become the number one hotel in Belfast on TripAdvisor. It offers 175 rooms spread across nine floors, a café/restaurant, coffee roastery, meeting and workspaces, gym, bar and lounge. Keeping in line with Lamington Group’s commitment to sustainability, room2 is eco-friendly and follows WELL building design principles with solar energy generation, and the sourcing of local materials, products and artworks, among its design details. It’s very much a “hometel” – each bedroom features a kitchenette and living space for a flexible stay. There are also lots of co-working spaces for corporate travellers. Overnight rates start from £155. www.room2.com
Regency House
For a posh stay in the Queen’s Quarter of the city, consider Regency House, also a new hotel in the city, which is just a short stroll from Queen’s University and the Botanic Gardens. Comfort is guaranteed at this five-star boutique hotel, where suites come with private kitchens, dining and living spaces. There’s also a butler service, resident’s lounge and small courtyard.
Alongside the hotel increasing its room offering, completed works will also see enhanced facilities for guests, including an all-day dining restaurant (opening later this year), and a piano bar and wellness suite. If you don’t stay at the hotel why not sample its brunch offering which takes place once a month on Saturday – the next dates are Saturday July 20 and Saturday August 17. Guests can relax over brunch dishes and the sound of live jazz performances. Costing £34.50 per person this includes a set menu and welcome cocktail. Overnight stays start from £360 with breakfast delivered to your suite. www.theregencybelfast.com
READ MORE: The Cool Girls Guide To Belfast