Guides › UK › Belfast, Northern Ireland
City guide

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast is the capital, largest city and main port of Northern Ireland. It stands on the banks of the river Lagan, and is connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel.

Type City

Why go

  • Capital and largest city in Northern Ireland.
  • 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.

History

Belfast is the capital, largest city and main port of Northern Ireland. It stands on the banks of the river Lagan, and is connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel. The city is the most populous in Northern Ireland and the second-largest, after Dublin, on the island of Ireland, with a recorded population in 2021 of 345,418 and of 704,406 for the greater metropolitan area.

Must-see attractions

The Square, Hillsborough BT26 6GT, United Kingdom
Outdoor

Restaurants & places to go

1 more place in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Belfast International Airport (BFS) 12 mi to the centre
Belfast, NIR, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 5 airlines (easyJet, Jet2.com, Thomas Cook Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo…) · direct flights to 29 destinations incl. Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Faro, Malaga, Newark… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 5 airlines, 29 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) 2.5 mi to the centre
Belfast BT3 9JH, UK — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 6 airlines (Flybe, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways…) · direct flights to 18 destinations incl. London, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, East Midlands… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 6 airlines, 18 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Belfast Cruise Terminal
Ferry terminal · 2.5 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Stena Line Freight - VT1 South
Ferry terminal · 2.5 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Stena Line Victoria Terminal 2
Ferry terminal · 2.6 mi from the centre · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Stena Line Victoria Terminal 4
Ferry terminal · 3.2 mi from the centre · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Belfast - Cairnryan
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Stena Line Ferry, Cairnryan => Belfast
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Stena Line Ferry, Belfast => Cairnryan
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Belfast - Isle of Man Steam Packet
Ferry route · Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Outdoor
Heysham - Belfast (Freight only)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Stena Belfast - Heysham (Freight only)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Belfast - Liverpool (Birkenhead)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor
Belfast - Liverpool (Stena Line)
Ferry route · Stena Line Ltd
Outdoor

Where things are

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Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. We do not yet hold airport or rail details for Belfast, Northern Ireland — check the official tourism sources below for the best routes in. By water: 4 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Belfast Cruise Terminal, 2.5 mi); routes include Belfast - Cairnryan, Stena Line Ferry, Cairnryan => Belfast, Stena Line Ferry, Belfast => Cairnryan.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Belfast, Northern Ireland. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Broker, marketplace · Operator network worldwide · Online charter marketplace, part of Directional Aviation; instant quotes.
Marketplace · Operator network · Transparent on-demand jet charter marketplace showing the operator and tail.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing
Sightseeing