10 things to do, see and eat in Belfast

Nick and I have been to Belfast before and were thrilled to find out we would return while serving on Logos Hope. Our excitement was mainly over catching up with local friends, but it was also fun to explore the area again and bring Ivy to a new country. We did some things we've done before...and a lot a new things. So, if you plan to go to Belfast, here are my recommendations:

Ivy ate Fish & Chips at The Ivy

1. Eat lunch at The Ivy. Obviously Ivy was happy to eat at a restaurant named after her. The ambiance was incredible with colorful wallpaper, gold trim, leather and tufted seats, metal hardware, painted wainscoting and lots of plants. It’s basically my dream interior design if I had the eye and money to replicate this look in my own home. The food was yummy, but the restaurant was an entire experience on its own.

2. Visit Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic. Just a warning...don’t go to the Titanic Belfast thinking it’s a museum. They do have some things on display that are really interesting, but the purpose of this place is more of an exhibition. There are lots of photos and lots of things to read. It’s really amazing, but you need to go prepared to stand still and read walls and plaques for hours. Next to it is the SS Nomadic, Titanic’s tender, which you can walk through and get a bit more history.

3. Warm up with hot chocolate at Hotel Chocolat. This was warm and delicious on a cold day. We loved sitting in the floor to ceiling windows and people watching. Plus, there is an entire store where you can shop for every flavor of chocolate you can imagine.

Hot Chocolate at Hotel Chocolat

4. Wander around Victoria Square. This area has great shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. You can definitely spend a day here. Be sure to make it up into the glass dome for a 360 degree view of the city center and don’t miss shopping at Mark’s & Spencer’s. We have probably become one of their top customers in the food area. I didn't really understand scones until this trip and now I'm hooked.

5. Take a Hop-on-hop-off bus tour. This was the perfect way to sit back and relax while seeing all the highlights of Belfast. I always love a good tour bus and believe it’s a good first-day sightseeing choice so that you know what highlights are worth going back to see again.

6. Shop at St Georges Market. I'm ruined for Ice Cream Sundae's for the rest of my life. We got a sundae here that went like this...a layer of biscoff crumbs, a layer of white chocolate chips, a layer of caramel sauce, a layer of vanilla ice cream, a layer of homemade marshmallow fluff (toasted right then and there), then another layer of biscoff crumbs, white chocolate chips and caramel sauce. Every single bite had hints of crunchy, cold, warm and sweet. It was honestly incredible. I keep thinking about it and can't wait to get home and replicate it. I'm definitely going to host an Ice Cream Sundae party in Greenville ASAP. Oh, and off the topic of ice cream, St George's Market had lots of other foods and drinks, gifts and homemade crafts, etc. It's a great place to go get gifts and souvenirs.

Buying treats at St George's Market

7. Eat “Poor Bear” flavored ice cream at Mauds. Ok, I realize it's another ice cream recommendation. But, if you like vanilla and honeycomb, you’ll love this flavor. I’m pretty picky about my ice cream. I only like it if it's almost equally ice cream to toppings so that every bite has some crunch or chew to it. You can see why the previous ice cream sundae mentioned was mind-blowing for me. Although “Poor Bear” didn’t have the 50/50 ice cream to toppings ratio I would normally like, it was really the perfect blend of creamy and crunchy. So, if that sundae I mentioned sounds a little too intense, start with Poor Bear at Mauds and go from there.

8. Visit the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens. We never actually got here but I really wanted to go, so I'll keep it on my list. We plan to visit Belfast again at some point and will try again next time.

9. Have a cup of tea at Merchant Hotel. This was such a treat. The ambiance was so warm, cozy and elegant. My friend Michaela treated me to a pot of tea and a plate of scones. It was so nice to get away from the ship for some meaningful girl time.

Sipping a pot of tea at The Merchant Hotel

10. Take a mini roadtrip to Giants Causeway. We didn’t make it here either, this time, but we did visit back in 2014. It’s not one of the wonders of the world, but it’s interesting enough to be added. If you’re this close, you definitely need to make this part of your trip.

Want a few more ideas for your visit to Belfast? Click HERE to check out my post from our previous trip!