First time in Belfast — what locals actually recommend
If it's your first weekend in Belfast, this is the locals' shortlist — the sights worth the queue, the food you can't skip, and the neighbourhood walks that show you the place.
Top spots in Belfast
Black Cab Mural Tour
CultureWest Belfast
Falls and Shankill peace-line murals with a driver who lived the Troubles.
Titanic Belfast
CultureTitanic Quarter
Six-floor experience on the slipway where RMS Titanic was built.
Botanic Gardens & Palm House
OutdoorsUniversity Quarter
1840 curvilinear glasshouse beside Queen's University red brick.
St George's Market
Food & DrinkMarkets
Friday–Sunday Victorian covered market — Belfast Bap, oysters and live jazz.
Where to eat
Maggie May's
$Ulster fry · Botanic Avenue
The proper Ulster fry — soda farl, potato bread, white pudding, the lot.
Mourne Seafood Bar
$$Seafood · Bank Square
Day-boat oysters and chowder — start with the seafood platter.
OX
$$$$Modern Irish · Oxford Street
Michelin-starred riverside tasting menu — wild and foraged focus.
Made in Belfast
$$Modern Irish · Cathedral Quarter
Quirky vintage interiors and a roaring weekend brunch.
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Titanic Belfast, Black Cab Mural Tour, Botanic Gardens & Palm House. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Belfast and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.