Belfast at its Best

Day 1 - Easy journey to Heathrow once again on the Elizabeth Line from Woolwich (approx. 55mins) Heathrow was quiet as we dropped our bags and made our way through Fast Track Security. We were flying Club so off to the Lounge we went, which was busy. Great BA flight from LHR to Belfast, crew very attentive. Did wait about 20mins for a cab at the airport to take us into town, cab driver very friendly and fare was about £18.00 Checked into Hotel Maldon great location very central, they upgraded us to a deluxe room top floor, also gave us lots of goodies including a lovely bottle of Prosecco Decided to explore the Christmas Market, which I would recommend and main shopping street Victoria Square. We then made our way to dinner at Chubby Cherub which was excellent, for food and service, back to the Hotel and a nightcap in the Bar! Loving Belfast so far, people are so friendly and welcoming.

Day 2 - Lovely breakfast in the Hotel, great selection! This morning, we had prebooked the Political tour in a black cab, met our guide/driver (Jacky) at 10am for our 60-minute tour that turned into 90 minutes. We learnt so much about the history of Northern Ireland which gave us a better insight into the atrocious that occurred on both sides. We visited the Catholic side (Falls Road) first, names we heard for years; in the media then went onto the Shankill Road area the Protestant side. The murals on both sides are amazing and have so much history past and present attached to them. What shocked us the most was there is still a wall separating the two sides which is locked at 19.30 to 5.00am it was hard to comprehend how this was still in use. This tour was so informative, I would 100% recommend. We were dropped back and decided after that we need a Mulled wine at the Crown pub an original old Gin House and the oldest Pub in Belfast! We then walked to the Queens University area, which consist of Ulster Museum, an absolute must for all ages and its free, the Botanical Gardens, that part of the city is very vibrant as it’s a student area, has lots of street cafes and trendy bars. Dinner that night was at Stix & Stones which was amazing! Another great day in Belfast

Day 3 – We booked a 8hr tour which included: 1. Dunlunce Castle - Was used as a military stronghold and as a home for several families over the centuries and a Military stronghold. The castle was built to defend against enemy forces. The Castle was home to many families however it was left derelict and is now used for filming Game of Thrones. 2. Giant Causeway- Lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. There are several ways you can get to the Causeway there is a fairly easy walk, a much harder one and the little shuttle bus (£1.00) that takes you down and back up. We opted for the bus as it was very slippery and my with my dodgy leg I thought it safer! I must say I was quite disappointed it wasn’t as specular as I thought it would be. However I would still say it’s a must visit if you are in Northern Ireland. 3. Dark Hedges – En route back to Belfast you will find the Dark Hedges these are ancient beech trees that were planted in the 1600’s that line a drive. December probably isnt the best time to visit as you don’t get the true effect, I would imagine springtime would be spectacular. This is also another Game of Throne’s location. 4. Titanic Museum – The Titanic Belfast visitor attraction extends over nine galleries. Drawing together special effects, dark rides, full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features you will explore the Titanic story in a fresh and insightful way from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her infamous maiden voyage and catastrophic demise. The journey goes beyond the aftermath of the sinking, to the discovery of the wreck and continues into the present day in the Ocean Exploration Centre. This was my favourite part of the tour; I personally didn’t think 2hrs was enough and would recommend at least ½ or even a full day for the Museum and surrounding area. Excellent Museum for any age group. Dinner tonight was at Sweet Afton a great pub serving excellent food and great service.

Day 4 - Check out, grab cab, arrive at Airport, enjoy the delights of the small business class lounge, bumpy flight home. Belfast you have been a blast, would 100% recommend to any age group for a short break. Had no idea what to expect just had the best time.

Highlights - Political Tour, Titanic Museum, Ulster Museum, Food, Service and the lovely warm and friendly people.