24 hours in Belfast: where to explore, eat, drink & sleep

One third of Northern Ireland’s population calls Belfast home, yet the city feels spacious and calm, a marked difference from its turbulent past. Easy enough to explore over a day or two, the city itself is roughly divided into four cultural areas known as quarters, with each boasting an array of attractions or museums. Some are home to historical bars, while others offer great food markets. Here's how to make the most of 24 hours in Belfast.

How to spend 24 hours in Belfast

Check out the Titanic Quarter

Set along the waterfront is an area currently going through a huge regeneration with offices, new housing, and hotels constantly springing up alongside the docks and the River Lagan. It’s here where the Titanic Museum sits, too, with a whole building dedicated to the famous ship and its infamous journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Don't miss it to get an informative overview of the perilous trip.

Visit the Cathedral Quarter

Known for its cobbled streets, quaint restaurants, and namesake, St Anne’s Cathedral, this pretty area of town is ideal for whiling away a few hours on a sunny day. The cathedral itself is worth venturing inside for its intricately painted domed ceiling right above the baptism font. 

Have lunch at St George's Market

Overflowing with an array of food and drinks stalls, this place will whip up an appetite in no time. Choose from Cuban sandwiches, Ecuadorian coffee and Dutch pancakes, and don't miss a Belfast bap—a huge bread roll filled with bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, and black or white pudding. 

Head to the Queen’s Quarter

Named after Queen’s University, this part of town is home to the city's flourishing botanical gardens that include the Palm House Conservatory, a cast-iron glasshouse that will appeal to anyone who appreciates the Wes Anderson aesthetic, and, of course, botany lovers. The house, which predates the glasshouse at Kew Gardens in London, also reminds me of the pretty crystal castle in Madrid’s Retiro Park.

Don't miss the Gaeltacht Quarter

My favorite area is the Gaeltacht Quarter, known for its history and political messages. Located around Falls Road and West Belfast, it features Belfast's murals—large paintings that showcase the complex past and conflicts between Unionists and Nationalists caused by the partition of Northern Ireland. 

Street art in Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter

I took myself on a walking tour of the area, but I heard you can also do black taxi tours, which would provide greater context. 

End the day at The Crown Bar

One of the most beautiful pubs I’ve ever seen in my life, The Crown Bar, previously known as The Liquor Saloon, dates back to 1826 and is now owned by The National Trust. Once a Victorian Gin Palace, the pub serves a range of ales and spirits in the most gorgeous of settings. 

The Crown Bar

Once inside, be delighted by carmine-painted shells, brocade walls, patterned mosaics, and an exquisite gold ceiling. Wherever you cast your gaze, the creativity and colours are overwhelmingly beautiful from every angle.

Sleep at the Fitzwilliam Hotel

I booked a deluxe junior suite at the Fitzwilliam Hotel, right in the centre of town. My room had floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out across Grosvenor Road and Great Victoria Street, two of the main roads of the city, providing great views and an easy way to get to grips with my location. 

My suite at the Fitzwilliam Hotel

Blissfully quiet, well-decorated, and with a fabulous bathtub, this is my top pick for a whirlwind 24 hours in Belfast. Rooms from $178/£134 a night.