Belfast, Northern Ireland

Donegall Square

Each side of the square is named according to its geographical location, that is, North, South, East and West. In the center of the square stands the city hall-a wonderful building in the Baroque style. Construction took place from 1889 to 1906, in honor of Queen Victoria granting Belfast city status. Part of the buildings had to be demolished to make way for the project. Opposite City Hall is the city’s oldest library, the Linen Hall Library, founded in 1788. This is one of the most famous buildings in Belfast. The The Titanic Memorial complex is also noteworthy, installed in memory of the sinking of the “Titanic,” which was built in Belfast shipyards. The names of the people who perished in this disaster are engraved on the monument’s base.

Belfast Castle

Belfast Castle is located on the grounds of Cavehill Country Park in Northern Ireland, at an altitude of 120 meters above sea level. Originally, Belfast Castle, built at the end of the 12th century, stood within the city limits, and Sir Arthur Chichester, a prominent politician and Baron of Belfast, lived there. In 1708 the castle burned down completely, and instead of restoring it at the same location, the Chichester dynasty decided to build their new residence outside the city, inspired by the local scenery. Construction of the new castle did not begin until 1811 and took more than half a century. In 1978, the Belfast City Council approved a major refurbishment of the castle building, investing over two million pounds in the project. Ten years later, Belfast Castle was officially reopened.

Town Hall

Visitors enter the town hall through impressive stone gates and a marble-clad vestibule. Next comes a grand staircase, for which four types of marble were used-three from Italy and one from Greece. On the large stained-glass windows along the staircase are depicted the most significant events in the city’s history. The main dome rises to a height of about 53 meters. Beneath it is the so-called Whispering Gallery, similar to the one in St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It got its name due to architectural features that allow you to hear everything that is whispered at the opposite wall. Above the gallery there is a ring of stained-glass windows depicting the signs of the zodiac.

Albert Tower

The Albert Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1865-1870 in honor of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. It stands 35 meters high. The tower was constructed in a fusion style of French and Italian Gothic. Inside the tower there is a bell weighing two tons, which can be heard when the clock strikes. The clock face is a copy of the one installed in London on Big Ben. The tower has one special feature. When the building was designed, the designers overlooked the fact that the ground in that area is swampy, and the wooden piles did not fully withstand the enormous weight of the upper part, burdened with massive decorations. The tower began to tilt, and some of the ornaments had to be removed. As a result, today, much like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it has a slight lean of 1.25 cm.

St. Anne’s Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Anne was opened at the end of the 19th century on the site of an older church; today, it is an imposing building in the Irish-Romanesque style. Its calling card is its unique mosaic stained-glass windows. During the Second World War, the cathedral suffered greatly during bombing raids. Reconstruction proceeded slowly and painfully due to ongoing funding problems; however, to a large extent thanks to donations, it was restored to its original grandeur. Today, the Cathedral of Saint Anne remains a center of Irish Protestantism. And tourists often come here to hear the sounds of the magnificent organ.

Titanic Museum

Titanic Belfast is a maritime ships museum located on the grounds of the Titanic Quarter shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The museum opened very recently-on 1 April 2012. Here, on a site with a total area of 14,000 square meters, you can see all kinds of exhibits, galleries, and photographs related to the history of the legendary Titanic, as well as its sister ships-the large liners Olympic and Britannic. The museum’s exhibitions provide a detailed account of facts and myths in Titanic’s history, starting from the time of its construction and continuing through its demise during the night of 14 to 15 April 1912.

Zoo

The Belfast Zoo is located in a fairly secluded spot on the north-eastern slope of Cavehill Mountain, offering a magnificent view of the city. Such a setting provides a calm, peaceful, and secluded environment for the animals. Here, on grounds of nearly 22 hectares, more than a thousand animals live, including such rare species as the western lowland gorilla, the red lemur, the giant anteater, the spectacled panda, the Sumatran tiger, and kangaroos. Most of the animals at the Belfast Zoo are threatened with extinction in their natural habitats. The zoo carries out work to preserve their species and takes part in more than 90 European and international breeding programs, which help ensure the survival of rare animals.

Ulster Museum

The Ulster Museum, located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens in Belfast, occupies an area of about 8000 square meters and is the largest museum in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Museum’s collection of zoological exhibits includes a large number of birds, mammals, invertebrates, and insects found across Ireland. It also features an impressive archive of books and manuscripts related to Irish natural history. In addition, the museum houses excellent exhibitions of applied arts, archaeology, and ethnography. The museum’s true pride is a well-preserved Triceratops skeleton, which was added to the exhibition in 2009.

City pubs

The list of “Belfast sights” can also include authentic city pubs, but there’s no point in describing them-here you just need to go. The most interesting and atmospheric of them are located in the “Golden Mile” area, which starts at the Europa Hotel and ends at the student quarters on University Road. It should be noted that this area is not worth choosing for walks after dark.

Black Mountain

Black Mountain is one of the region’s most iconic attractions. It is a large hill offering views over the city of Belfast. All around, you can find small slopes and farms, abandoned silicon mining pits, as well as Axe Field, named for its shape, which resembles the outline of an ancient axe. Another attraction is the old triangular-shaped standing stones. While strolling through these picturesque places, you can spot many different birds, such as kestrels, larks, and even steppe eagles. Patterns of stones in the fields and rock carvings serve as a reminder of those distant times when human civilization was taking shape. However, what impresses most is the view from the top of the hill over Belfast and the surrounding areas.

Shopping mall at Victoria Square

Victoria Shopping Centre, located on Victoria Square in Belfast, is the largest shopping and entertainment centre in Northern Ireland. The original design is particularly noteworthy-its key feature is a massive 35-metre-diameter glass dome, which makes the illumination especially striking at dusk. Here, on an area of 75,000 square metres, around a hundred shops of the most diverse specializations are located. In addition to shops, there is an “Odeon” cinema and a dozen cafés.

Belfast City Sightseeing Tour

During the excursion you will see the city hall building, a wonderful example of classical Renaissance architecture, the Cathedral of St. Anne, which was built over the course of 77 years and is a delightful work of architecture, and, of course, the magnificent building of the Royal University, created in Tudor style in 1849. A visit to the “Titanic” museum is also scheduled, where you will learn about the history of its construction, its launch, and the sinking of the most famously ill-fated liner.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can check it after booking your cruise in your “Customer Personal Account”.