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That Other Irish City - Belfast

By Joel Chusid

Located on the same island as Dublin, Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is often overlooked by Americans traveling to Europe. Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, is the larger of the two, and is used to hosting American tourists, where they usually start or end their trip, taking in a number of other Irish points as well. But Belfast remains somewhat mysterious to most Americans, who equate it with danger. Yes, in the 70’s and 80’s and even in the 90’s, it was frequently in the news, often for bombings and other violence between the Protestants and Catholics who live in close proximity. These problems go back decades, but of late tensions have lessened.  Today Belfast is peaceful, quiet, and welcoming. In fact, local guides claim it’s the second safest city in the world for tourists. (Tokyo is first.) Even during the height of “The Troubles,” no tourist was ever lost to sectarian violence.

The city is riding a wave of development, with its first five star hotel having just having opened a few months ago, excellent restaurants, friendly residents, and plenty of sights and attractions, both in town and a short drive away to fill up several days. There’s a “Titanic” connection and also the recent history makes for some interesting touring.

I’ve visited Belfast twice before, but the third time is the charm.

I flew into Dublin Airport nonstop from New York on a flight not much longer than one to Los Angeles. An Aircoach bus right outside the terminal takes you to central Belfast in about 2 ½ hours, making several stops. There’s no real border between North and South any longer; only the license plates change colors the and money switches from euros to pounds sterling.  By train, the two cities are just a couple of hours apart.

Belfast itself has two airports, one for short-haul flights and the other for long distance operations. Continental Airlines is the only U.S. carrier serving Belfast, with nonstop Boeing 757 (that’s a narrow body aircraft) service from Newark and Belfast. Using Dublin, however, you can fly wide body aircraft nonstop from  6 U.S. gateways on American, Continental, Delta, US Airways, and of course the flag carrier, Aer Lingus. What’s unusual about Dublin Airport is that returning passengers pre-clear U.S. immigration before boarding as is done in some Caribbean destinations.

During my visit, the city was quite cool, but not cold, mostly overcast, with occasional sun or a shower, actually a welcome change from the steamy U.S. summer. That’s why Ireland is so amazingly green, and yes, there are palm trees to be seen throughout Belfast and the countryside.  It gets dark late in early summer, past 10pm, affording very full days.

Belfast is compact, and has several neighborhoods, or quarters, and they are easy to explore. I walked everywhere or took public buses, which were quite easy to navigate. A local bus ran about $2.00 a ride. In the Central City, as downtown is referred, there are pedestrian shopping streets, and a few blocks away, the beautiful Grand Opera House, right down the street from the Hotel Europa, which used to have the distinction of being the most bombed hotel in the world, but it was overtaken some time ago by one in Sarajevo.  The Europa hasn’t been bombed in a while, so don’t worry, but you can buy souvenir books or postcards that illustrate those days gone by.  Nearby is the famous Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast’s most famous historical pub, and you can stop in for a pint or a pub lunch. The Belfast Welcome Center at 47 Donegall Place is a must visit, as it has helpful staff, free information, internet access, a bureau de change (for some reason, Ireland uses the French pronunciation!) and loads of souvenirs.

By far, the most impressive building in the Central City is the City Hall, and tours are offered at certain times of the day. Constructed in 1903, it’s quite a dramatic place, designed in Classical Renaissance style. The interior woodwork was done by the same people who did it for the Titanic. Speaking of the Titanic, Belfast is where the ship was built, back in 1906 by Harland & Wolff. It took the next few years to outfit the ship, and it was launched in 1912. There is an interesting exhibit on the ship at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, along with trolleys, old railroad cars, and the like. The dock area, where Harland & Wolf is located, is being redeveloped as the “Titanic Quarter” complete with a mockup of the ship, but also condominiums, shops, and hotels. There are also Titanic boat rides in the harbor, to see where the ship was launched.

The Cathedral Quarter is full of wonderful architecture, and is undergoing redevelopment, as are many other areas in the city. One sees plenty of the brick row houses, and impressive Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian buildings. There’s a leaning tower, numerous architectural gems along Waring Street (where the new five star hotel is located), St. Anne’s Cathedral, numerous pubs and trendy restaurants, and not too far away up the hill, Stormont (the former Parliament building).

Queens Quarter centers around Queens University, well worth a visit, and the surrounding lively area, which is full of restaurants, boutiques, and cafes along Botanic and University Avenues. The area includes the Botanic Gardens and the Ulster Museum. I stayed in this area, and it was quote centrally located and accessible. Downtown is about a 15 minute walk.

West Belfast is an area more known for recent history, the Shankill Road and Falls Road area neighborhoods. Read any book about Northern Irish history, and these places play a prominent role.  You’ll notice the famous Black Taxis, which are sort of communal taxies (there are different taxis for Protestant and Catholic areas), that ply these roads from the center.  These parts of West Belfast are where Protestants live in close proximity to Catholics, and as such, have been flash points in the past. A “peace wall” has been built, separating the two communities, although it can be crossed during the day. On my last trip, I couldn’t cross this line. Now the crossing was uneventful.

Protestant, or Loyalist areas, are recognized by their red, white, and blue curbs, flying of the British flag, or murals supporting the UK. East Belfast is also overwhelmingly Protestant.

The Catholic areas of West Belfast feature murals supporting republican causes. Scattered memorials and burned buildings are a poignant reminder of the past. Outsiders can generally visit these areas without fear, although it’s advisable to avoid political discussions and not to wander into unfamiliar poorer residential areas off main streets, especially at night.

The “Hop On, Hop Off” bus tours are excellent with friendly drivers and guides with pithy commentaries, cost about $15, make 16 stops where one can get off and pick up another bus a few minutes later. Tickets are good for 24 hours, but the city is also compact enough that a lot can be seen on foot. The Black Taxi tours, which hit the recent historical points, cost $48 a car, which makes it reasonable for a small group, and more personalized. There are also cycling tours, and as the city is relatively flat, they are relatively easy (www.irishcycletours.com).

There are many excellent restaurants in Belfast, both in the center, at hotels, and throughout the various quarters. In the Central City, I joined friends for a birthday lunch at The Apartment, 2 Donegal Square West, across from the City hall (www.apartmentbelfast.com).  It was trendy, and the food was imaginative and reasonably priced. In the Botanic area, Villa Italia is a favorite, as the queue outside shows, and Beatrice Kennedy’s at 22 University Road is a very special and romantic place. Madison’s, 59-63 Botanic Avenue, is a popular place with live entertainment in the evening, and is also a hotel (www.madisonshotel.com). Café Renoir, 95 Botanic Avenue (www.cafe-renoir.com) just down the street is a good spot for informal dishes and pizza, although the more elegant AMPM a few doors down the street was a step up (www.ampmbelfast.com). There are plenty of inexpensive places, from Starbucks and Quiznos to ubiquitous coffee and sandwich shops and 7-11 type places. Pubs offer inexpensive and hearty pub lunches. Meals in the fast food places run about $10, in the casual eateries $30, and in the finer places, $50-$75. Tipping is customary at 10%. Of course, Belfast is full of pubs and bars everywhere, as drinking is quite popular. And one word for the health conscious: although the Irish are trying to move toward healthier eating, and plenty of healthy and vegan food is available, but be prepared for delicious Irish butter, heavy cream, and a choice of brown or white sugar (as opposed to low cal sweetener)! Of course, beer, including Guiness, is ubiquitous! Most wines tend to be imported from Southern Hemisphere wineries, South Africa, New Zealand and Chile, for example.

Looking at accommodations, The Merchant is Belfast’s newest and only five star boutique property. Built in the former Bank of Ulster Building, dating to 1860, in the Cathedral quarter, it features 21 rooms and suites furnished with antiques, private dining rooms, a billiards room, an art gallery, plus magnificent dining options. There’s even a Bentley available on call. Rates begin at $400 (www.themerchanthotel.com).

Other options include The famous Europa (www.europahotel-activehotels.com), the ultra trendy Malmaison (www.malmaison-belfast.com), centrally-located Jury’s (www.jurysdoyle.com), a Radisson, two Holiday Inns, and a Days Inn. Numerous bed and breakfasts are available throughout the city. I stayed at the comfortable Tara Lodge, 36 Cromwell Road, just off Botanic Avenue, which considers itself a large B&B, but is more like a hotel. The rooms were clean, the staff friendly, and the breakfast was excellent (www.taralodge.com).  Rates are about $120 per night. For budget travelers, there is an outstanding Hostelling International hostel on Donegall Road in Shaftesbury Square (www.hihostels.org) in Belfast, and five more in Northern Ireland plus a number of other hostels (www.hostelworld.com).

Shoppers won’t be disappointed, with Marks and Spencer, Boots, Virgin Megastore, lots of local brand stores, and Donegall Arcade, a large indoor shopping center on the “high” street. Typical souvenirs include linen, woolens, CD’s of Irish music (I found some good Irish pop music), famous Belfast crystal, and Irish gourmet items and liquor.

Northern Ireland is not that large, and deserves exploring outside of Belfast. Picture perfect towns dot the countryside, and scenery is spectacular. One can see Scotland from the coast on clear days. The Glens of Antrim are stunningly beautiful and mysterious, with waterfalls, paths, and exquisite scenery. By far, the most popular sight is the Giant’s Causeway, on the north coast, a dramatic collection of basalt columns forming a causeway that extends into the sea. Visitors have been coming since the 1700’s  (www.northantrim.com/giantscauseway.htm).

We had lunch at the Causeway Hotel, right near the entrance, and it was quite good.  Just a short distance away is the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, easy enough for the timid to traverse (http://www.northantrim.com/carrick_a_rede.htm).

Also right down the road the famous Bushmills Distillery is worth a visit. Roads are generally good, but beware of the winding, roller coaster coast road. Driving is on the left, of course, and although traffic is light in this area, watch those roundabouts!

Tourism Ireland handles promotion for both Northern and the Republic of Ireland. Their website, www.discoverireland.com, is full of information, with interactive features, links, and even music and weather reports. For Belfast, check out www.gotobelfast.com.

Belfast’s time is now. Come on and check it out for some craic*! (*craic, unfortunately pronounced “crack,” means “fun” in Northern Ireland)

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