It’s become a tradition with my boyfriend and I that we celebrate birthdays by actually doing something rather than by giving gifts. Over the years we have gone for meals and afternoon teas and to concerts and plays to celebrate our birthdays and have had some lovely experiences.

Last weekend was booked in quite a while ago as the weekend that my birthday would be celebrated and I was very excited when we began to drive towards the Northern border. Apart from driving through on the way to Donegal last year I hadn’t been to Northern Ireland since I was a child and I had been wanting to visit for a while now. Just one hour and 45 minutes after leaving Dublin we pulled into the compact city of Belfast.

We stayed in the Tara Lodge which was located in the leafy red-bricked Queens Quarter, just off Botanic Road. We arrived (enthusiastically!) two hours before check in but Botanic Road was dotted with lovely little bars, cafes, restaurants and vintage shops and a great place to go for a wander while waiting for our room at the guesthouse to be ready. We were also able to track down an ATM where we could withdraw some Sterling to see us through the weekend. Queen’s University campus is just five minutes away and the area has a really safe and pleasant feel.

The original structure of Queens University, the Lanyon Building, is an impressively imposing red brick building, complete with gargoyles and cast iron windows. However, the highlight of visiting Queens was the Botanic gardens which are located right next to the University. The captivating scent of hundreds of hyacinths laid in extensive flowerbeds set to the front of the beautiful Victorian cast iron Palm House made us forget about the rain that was beginning to drizzle. The Palm House itself was a charming experience. Misty light surrounded a variety of different plants across two wings; the cool wing and the tropical wing, which provided countless photo opportunities.

After checking into our guesthouse we moseyed into the city centre towards Donegall Square where we admired the impressive architecture of Belfast City Hall and The Grand Opera House on Great Victoria Street. The real gem however proved to be the famous Crown Bar. Although I was suspicious that we were visiting a marked tourist trap I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of sitting in an opulent stained glass decorated snug with an ornate carved mahogany ceiling. Although the drink selection is not particularly special, it is well worth holding out for a private snug to enjoy a drink or two.

Dinner was a special experience and one that I will dedicate a post to soon. We enjoyed a five course tasting menu in Ox, one of only two Michelin star restaurants in the city. Looking out from the huge glass windows onto the River Lagan it was a wonderful setting to match the exceptional food and company.

The Hudson bar was another find and a great place to enjoy a drink. It is a mammoth place consisting of a large beer garden, fast food area and three floors of bars decorated in a cool eclectic style. We settled ourselves in the top cocktail bar where we were happy to watch the highly skilled barman whip up some of the best cocktails that we have tried in a long time. Although relatively new to Belfast’s night time scene this is a carefully considered and very enjoyable spot. Well worth visiting whether you are with a large group or just in a couple as we were.

The next morning after enjoying a traditional Northern Irish breakfast which included deliciously fresh soda bread (smothered in butter!) and potato farls, we were picked up by our black cab driver to explore the city’s notorious Falls Road and Shankill Road areas. Over the next three hours we received a highly comprehensive history of Northern Irish politics from our driver who brought every aspect of Irish history vibrantly to life. He showed us wall murals from both sides of the divide and the dubiously named Peace Wall which runs straight down the middle between the Catholic and Protestant areas, while all the time informing us with facts and anecdotes. Although he was himself from the Catholic side of the city his information was more impartial than I expected it to be and he was quick to underlilne the sad reality that any violence that remains in the present day is largely fuelled by drug gangs rather than for political reasons.

 

We booked this tour through the reception at the Tara Lodge. Although it was supposed to be a one hour and 30 minute experience out cab driver entertained us for a much longer period. He stated that as we had showed such an interest and engaged in asking him questions he just kept going and before we knew it we had spent over three hours in the back of his cab! The quoted price had been £15 per person so he kindly settled on £20 each for his time and we called it a day.

After a walk through the city centre and a quick look in the Castle Court shopping centre our Belfast trip had come to an end. However there are sill so many things in the city that we didn’t get to see I will definately be back. We didn’t get an opportunity to visit the famous Titanic Quarter which promises such rich history, or to see the impressive architecture of Stormont. There is also the other Michelin Star restaurant in the city, Eipic, but I might have to wait for another birthday for that treat!