Just catching up on posts and thought I'd chip in about the recent trip I had to Belfast.
Myself and the OH were over from Glasgow for a friend's wedding and managed to fit in some sightseeing despite only being in the city for a short stay.
Sightseeing
Arriving in the city on a Thursday afternoon, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then hopped on one of the city bus tours. We found this very worthwhile being guided round the more obvious aspects of the city such as the Falls and Shankhill communities as well as identifying places of interest to us like Belfast Castle and the Titanic Museum.
On a negative note, I'm afraid I can't really recommend visiting Belfast Castle based on our experience. Beautiful as the Scots baronial style building and gardens are, we were restricted in how much of it we could see as they were hosting a wedding reception on the afternoon we visited and so, our time in the castle tearoom was actually longer than the time we spent in the castle itself!
Hotel
We stayed at the La Mon hotel just outside of the city and although the rooms were spacious and clean, I would suggest the rooms are a short step up from that available at a Premier Inn and the difference in price is due to the "country club" aspect of the hotel which we also tried out, enjoying the use of the gym, swimming pool and sauna/ steam room facilities. However, a taxi journey from the city centre costs the better part of £15 and on that basis, I'd suggest finding somewhere a bit closer to the city itself.
Hosting the wedding itself and the reception thereafter, the La Mon was flawless in its presentation of the event. The evening meal was lovely and much to my delight, far surpassed the quality of mass prepared food, which it clearly had to be when catering for so many people.
Nomadic
Both the OH and I were very much looking forward to visiting the Titanic Museum but on the advice of a taxi driver, we decided against it and instead, attended at what for us, was the highlight of our trip to the city: a tour round the SS Nomadic. The SS Nomadic is the last surviving vessel in the White Star Line and was used as a tender ship to transport passengers to the Olympic and indeed, the Titanic. The Nomadic itself is steeped in history, having seen service in both world wars, been used as a restaurant and nightclub in Paris and so much more! The ship itself has been lovingly restored and is approximately 1/4 the size of the Titanic and was built in the same Belfast docks as the more famous vessel and is referred to as 'Titanic's little sister'. Unquestionably, this is one of Belfast's most under-publicised attractions and for us, really is a major selling point for the city.
Our time in Belfast was far too short and it is undoubtedly a city that we will visit again as we are keen to see so much more of the city such as the Crumlin Road gaol, Ulster museum and I think that next time we have to visit the Titanic museum, just to make our own minds up!
