When thinking about spending time away from London and ignoring the mountain of class readings we needed to finish, my friends and I thought, “Hey, let’s just go to Belfast. We can spend the week drinking Guinness and eating curry chips!” In all seriousness though, Belfast had been on my list of places to visit for a long time. Its rich history and perseverance during the Troubles is very enticing and makes it a compelling place to visit. And we were off.
We got there at 8 am on a Monday morning (don’t ask me how we got up at 2 am, took the coach to Stansted at 4 am and got on the flight at 7 am because it all happened in an extremely caffeinated haze). I remember thinking, “This city smells different, the air is saltier.” Being this close to the sea would do that. It looked and felt like all big cities do: people in a perpetual rush to get somewhere and annoyed at tourists, big and small cafes everywhere to deliver people’s morning fixes and pubs. Lots and lots of pubs. Decorated in honour of Halloween. Exciting time to be in a new city.
The weather was kind to us, we did not get rained upon on our very first day. After grabbing our 3rd coffee of the day at a very aesthetic cafe called Trait (and a little sweet treat, of course, because caffeine and sugar is an elite combination) we headed to our first exploration venture: City Hall. We were lucky enough to see the Lord Mayor in-person there before our tour. We did not know it was him at first but seeing a gold chain embellished with so many jewels around his neck, we could guess (we later found out during the tour that it weighed one stone). This iconic Baroque Revival style building seemed very grandiose and lived up to expectations. The most exciting room for me was the Council Chamber where we sat in the seats of the 60 elected council members who meet there for their monthly council meetings. We also explored the permanent exhibition in the building.
Lunch was quick, as we needed to be on time for our next activity: a 3 hour walking tour of the city, that explained the political conflict and gave us more insight into the Troubles. The way it would work is we would spend the first half exploring the Irish Republic/Catholic side of the border with one guide, and then we would cross the border and spend the second half with another guide who would explain the British/Protestant side. Highly fascinating. It really was 3 hours long. Maybe more than that so we decided to call it a day there as all four of us were super hungry, so we decided to grab dinner at an amazing burger place called Tribal Burgers. Best meal of the trip for me. We hungout at a pub nearby before heading back to our hostel.
Day 2 was very chill. We slept in (highly needed after such a long day) and our first activity was heading out to brunch. A gargantuan Belfast Bap and some hot chocolate at Harlem Cafe was definitely the best way to start the day. We spent the day exploring the nooks and crannies of the city centre. Window shopping, reading in a park, reading in a cafe (Dilly & Dolly Cafe is highly recommended for some Instagrammable pictures), browsing books at a local charity store and buying gifts to bring home for loved ones was how the day was spent. Dinner was at a really fancy dumpling restaurant called Dumpling Library. Their cocktail menu had a backstory for every one of their creations. Really cute.
The next day we were up early as the itinerary for the day was a trip to Giant’s Causeway. We got to explore some other spots on the way to the destination (Game of Thrones fans: if you ever find yourself in Belfast, go on this day trip and you will see many filming locations) and once we got there, we had quite a lot of time to explore the cliffs. It was raining by the time we reached so I took the shortest route up the cliffs, clicked some pictures of the clouds and the sea and headed down to a cafe. Clearly, I am not an outdoors person. On the way back, we stopped at a whiskey distillery where we tried different types of whiskey. My insides were on fire by the end of it. We freshened up back at the hostel and then it was time for my most anticipated meal: curry chips. They really do live up to their reputation. Absolutely delicious. Do not leave Belfast without trying curry chips. We played card games before going to sleep.
Our last day began with lunch at a food market called Common Market. The only activity on the agenda that day was making charm bracelets at Monday’s Child, an independent jewellery shop. We received such a warm welcome and mimosas on our arrival. Deciding which charms to include as part of my bracelet was such a hard decision as they were all so cute. We learned how to work with pliers and jump rings to attach charms to the bracelet. The staff was super friendly and helpful. They really made our day with their hospitality. A highly recommended activity to do with friends. Our next and final stop in Belfast was the Ulster Museum. We took our sweet time exploring all floors, from history to art. I always make it a point to visit at least one museum in every new city I go to and this did not disappoint. The Ulster Museum was a very good way to end the trip. We had dinner at a pizza place (really, really good tiramisu) across the street from the museum before heading to the airport to catch the flight home.
All in all, it was a fun break from studies. We explored a new city and its culture and learned new things while having fun. Even though it is an industrial city, Belfast has a range of things to offer to tourists. Perfect for a quick trip.
What did you do for fall break? I would love some recommendations for next time!
