2-day itinerary in Belfast and surroundings!

Northern Ireland and one of the coolest day trips to take from Ireland. Below, you'll find a 2-day itinerary for Belfast and the surrounding area!

Before talking about the 2-day itinerary in Belfast, let me give you some practical information for visiting Northern Ireland. The country is part of the United Kingdom, is not a signatory of the Schengen Agreement, is not part of the European Union, and Brazilians do not need a visa to travel to the country.

Oh, did you know that the currency there is not the Euro?! Just like in Scotland and England, the official currency of the country is the British pound. If you're still in Brazil and are sure you'll be visiting one of these countries, it's best to exchange real directly for pounds, so you'll only need to do the currency exchange once and “lose” less money. If you're already in Europe and have euros, you can exchange some for pounds.

2-day itinerary in Belfast

Day 1

On the first day of the 2-day Belfast itinerary, I think it's a good idea to explore attractions within the city, such as the Titanic Museum and the waterfront area. Here's the full list:

• St George’s Market

  
  

This is a place to take your time and savor not only Irish cuisine but also dishes from around the world. Markets like St George's are great for new experiences and discovering different flavors. On weekends, there’s usually live music, and the place can be quite lively.

• Titanic Museum

  
  

It is the most complete experience in the world to learn everything about the history of the most famous ship of all time. The "Titanic Experience" consists of 9 interactive galleries that take visitors on an incredible journey.

The museum operates at different hours depending on the time of year. In January, it is open only from Friday to Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. In February, March, November, and December, it is open from Thursday to Monday, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. From April to September, it is open every day of the week, but the hours may vary slightly. Note: it is also closed on December 24th, 25th, and 26th.

The ticket price for the "Titanic Experience", https://titanicbelfast.com/,  is £19 for adults, £8.50 for children aged 5 to 16, and free for children under 5 years old. The ticket also includes a visit to the SS Nomadic ship.

• Victoria Square

  
  

It is the main square of the city. Around it, you will find many shops and restaurants.

• Admire the Various Street Art Murals Spread Across the City

  
  

The best day to see the murals is Sunday, as many of them are painted on store doors, and stores are closed on Sundays, so the murals are visible.

• Peace Wall

  
  

Between the 1960s and 1990s, Northern Ireland went through a terrible Civil War, and the wall was built to divide the Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. It is beautiful to walk along Cupar Way (the avenue where it was built) and admire the artwork, read the messages left, and you can even bring a pen and write your tribute. It is in the Catholic part, on Falls Road, where you will find the murals of Nelson Mandela.

• Belfast City Hall

  
  

My last suggestion for the first day of the 2-day Belfast itinerary is to visit the city hall building, located in Donegall Square. Outside, you will see the statue of Queen Victoria and the goddess Ériu, who gave Ireland its name, Éire.

Day 2

My suggestion for the second day of the Belfast itinerary is to explore some places outside the city, but nearby. You can even take a tour of the Game of Thrones filming locations; in this case, set aside a full day, as the tour usually starts in the morning and ends in the late afternoon.

If you're not a fan of the series or simply don't want to take the tour, rent a car or book a specific tour to visit two attractions that are a "must-see": Rope Bridge and Giant's Causeway.

Giant’s Causeway was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. There, you will see the Atlantic Ocean, thousands of basalt stone pillars, and many cliffs. It’s hard to describe the scenery, but I can guarantee you that it’s beautiful!

The name "Giant's Causeway" comes from a legend. The story goes that an Irish giant wanted to fight a Scottish giant, but they couldn’t cross the sea to face each other because there wasn’t a big enough boat. So, the Irish giant built the causeway. The Scottish giant crossed the sea and reached Ireland.

However, the Irish giant got scared to face his much stronger opponent. So, he and his wife came up with a plan. She dressed the giant as a baby, and when the Scottish giant saw the size of the Irish giant’s child, he thought, "If the baby is this big, imagine the father." He ran back to his country. As he was leaving, he destroyed the causeway so the Irish giant couldn't follow him.

The other attraction you need to include in your 2-day Belfast itinerary is the Rope Bridge. The scenery here is also incredible, lots of green, the ocean, and a bridge made of rope and wooden planks for you to cross. It’s exhilarating!

Both attractions are close to each other, less than 20 minutes by car. They both have parking and facilities, including restrooms and a café.

All set! Now you can create your 2-day itinerary in Belfast and explore the main tourist spots in the city! Don’t forget to visit the Rope Bridge and Giant’s Causeway, as they are truly unmissable! Got any questions? Leave them in the comments!

Kisses and see you soon!