City or town
Things to see in Belfast (United Kingdom): 57 places and when to go
Belfast is a city in United Kingdom with around 450,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 57 places in and around it, mainly History (15), Food and drink (12), Nature (9). The best known are Newtownabbey, Hillsborough Castle and Belfast Castle. The best time to come is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 58 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 01. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- United Kingdom · 54.6, -5.96
- Population
- About 450,000
- Places
- 57 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- History (15) · Food and drink (12) · Nature (9) · Architecture (9) · Wildlife (7) · Museums and art (6)
- Best time
- April to September.
- Also possible
- February to March, October and December.
- Nearest airport
- EDI Ingliston, Edinburgh, 223 km as the crow flies
What to see in Belfast
The places in and around Belfast, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- NewtownabbeyHistory6.3 km
- Hillsborough CastleCastle in Royal Hillsborough, County Down, Northern Ireland17 km
- Belfast CastleMansion in Cavehill country Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland4.9 km
- SS Nomadic1911 ship's tender3.2 km
- Carrickfergus CastleIrish castle16 km
- St Anne's Cathedral, BelfastChurch building in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland2.0 km
- St Peter's Cathedral, BelfastRoman Catholic cathedral church for the Diocese of Down and Connor in Northern Ireland1.0 km
- CavehillHill overlooking the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland5.4 km
- HMS Caroline1914 C-class light cruiser4.0 km
- Ulster MuseumPart of the National Museum of Northern Ireland2.5 km
- Belfast ZooZoo in Northern Ireland6.5 km
- DivisMountain in the United Kingdom4.0 km
- Giant's RingNeolithic henge monument6.7 km
- Albert Memorial Clock, BelfastClock tower in Belfast2.3 km
- Titanic Memorial, BelfastMemorial in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland2.0 km
- Divis TowerTower block in Belfast, Northern Ireland1.2 km
- Christ Church Cathedral, LisburnChurch in Lisburn, United Kingdom11 km
- St George's MarketBelfast2.5 km
- Slieve TrueMountain in United Kingdom15 km
- Ulster Folk and Transport MuseumsRailway museum in Northern Ireland12 km
- Castle EspieNature reserve in United Kingdom19 km
- HM Prison BelfastPrison in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland1.6 km
- Drumbo round towerRound tower in County Down, Northern Ireland9.3 km
- Blackhead LighthouseLighthouse in Whitehead, County Antrim, Northern Ireland25 km
And the other 33, by what you come to do:
- History: Belfast Cenotaph, Knockagh Monument, Crumlin Road Courthouse
- Architecture: Governor's Bridge, Belfast, King's Bridge, Belfast, Dargan Bridge, Belfast, Queen Elizabeth Bridge, Belfast, Queen's Bridge, Belfast
- Temples: St Thomas' Church, Belfast, St Patrick's Church, Belfast
- Nature: Belvoir Park Forest, Belshaw's Quarry Nature Reserve, Bog Meadows, Lagan Meadows, Slievenacloy Nature Reserve
- Museums and art: Irish Republican History Museum, Northern Ireland War Memorial, Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum
- Food and drink: Bell's Brewery, Boundary Brewery, Bullhouse Brewing Co., Farmageddon Brewing Company, Hercules Brewing Company, Hilden Brewing Company, Knockout Brewing, Modest Beer, Norn Iron Brewing Company, Out of Office Brewing Company, Titanic Distillers
- Hiking: Connswater Community Greenway, Lagan Towpath
- With kids: Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, PJ Land
When to go to Belfast
The best time to visit Belfast is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanBetter not7:34
- FebPossible9:25
- MarPossible11:28
- AprBest time13:48
- MayBest time15:49
- JunBest time16:58
- JulBest time16:29
- AugBest time14:41
- SepBest time12:25
- OctPossible10:10
- NovBetter not8:06
- DecPossible7:01
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 16 h 58 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 01. In April, 57 of the 57 places are at their best.
When to go to United Kingdom in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Belfast
The nearest main airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI, Ingliston, Edinburgh), 223 km as the crow flies. How to get around United Kingdom (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Donaghadee21 places23 km
- Ballygally9 places33 km
- Randalstown13 places34 km
- Banbridge10 places35 km
- Portaferry22 places36 km
- Castlewellan26 places37 km
And all of United Kingdom, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Belfast?
The best known: Newtownabbey, Hillsborough Castle, Belfast Castle, SS Nomadic, Carrickfergus Castle. In all, 57 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Belfast?
April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 58 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 01.
How do you get to Belfast?
The nearest main airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI), 223 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Belfast as the destination and these 57 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
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- History4915 places for history in United Kingdom, from Stonehenge to spots hardly anyone knows. Best time: April to September. Each with its own season by altitude and dayligh
- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.