Moored in the Lagan is The Belfast Barge, quiet and unassuming it doesn't blow its own trumpet but…read moreit really should. There are 3 elements to the Belfast Barge which was news to me when I visited last week. Much more than just a boat The Belfast Barge is a successful restaurant, a museum and an events venue. Next week they are hosting a comedy night in their events venue, which will be very cosy. The museum is full of maritime facts and history depicting Northern Irekand's ship building and boating heritage. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. The restaurant is fully licensed and acts as a café bar during the day and at night live music and cabaret dominate the barge, the boat will literally be rocking!

A unique performance space. I have seen comedy performances and gigs here. It's holds a lot of…read morepeople and worth going to if you get a chance #Comedy #Music

What a lovely wee shop right in the heart of Queens University! I absolutely loved all the local…read morecrafts on sale. There also seems to be a focus on education with science kits and great literature on offer. I really liked everything they stocked. I was having a nosey for Christmas gifts and I got loads of great ideas. If this is the first port of call for people visiting Belfast it's certainly a good snippet of the City. The staff are great too - I overheard the last working giving out directions to tourists! It warmed my heart! Lovely! You might not have been in here before but I urge you to pay it a visit!

As per the Queen's University Belfast (QUB) website "The Queen's Welcome Centre is a Northern…read moreIreland Tourist Board Local Information Office for South Belfast. It hosts a regular programme of exhibitions and serves as an information point for visitors and tourists, as well as offering a varied selection of souvenirs and gifts." It's a great gift shop full of locally made arts and crafts as well as QUB merchandise. You can arrange a guided tour of the beautiful QUB buildings via the Welcome Centre. Staff are friendly and helpful and you can pick up lots of leaflets and information about what's happening in Belfast. Lovely shop and information point.

The (Warzone) Centre has a subterranean feel despite being located up a flight of stairs in Little…read moreVictoria Street. It's not well signposted, so could easily be missed. I would describe this place as being like marmite, you'll either love it or hate it. To really appreciate The Centre you need to fully understand it's history, ethics and reason for existence. It was created in 1986 and has opened and closed over the years, changing location a few times. Born out of a need to serve 'alternative culture' in Belfast, it's home to music gigs, art workshops, Giros Vegetarian Cafe, talks, lectures, meetings, gatherings and art exhibitions. It fills a space and need in Belfast which just isn't being met anywhere else and is run by volunteers. Atmosphere is grungy and dark with mural painted walls and twinkly fairy lights strung across the ceiling. To visualise the appearance and vibe of this place think - punk, gothic, rock, band posters, creative, different, alternative and absolutely not mainstream - and you'll be someway there. I've attended a couple of Vegan Event talks here which were excellent and sampled some delicious spicy vegetarian stew from Giros - thanks to the generous Colin W for sharing it with me! There's a stage, Giros Cafe kitchen and counter, tables, chairs and plenty of floor space. Anyone can book this Centre for an event, to do so you just email: warzonegigcollective@riseup.net For information on upcoming events visit the Warzone website or Facebook page at: http://www.warzonecollective.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Warzone-gig-collective/156649134364054 I would also recommend keeping an eye on the Plant Based Living Facebook page for event information: https://www.facebook.com/Plant-Based-Living-1561868980720956/

The Warzone Centre is a pretty cool venue. It has a bit of a feel of a community hall or really…read moregrungy trendy art venue. The whole place is decorated with some awesome artwork in a very street art/graffiti type vibe. As a venue itself its of moderate size and seems capable of handling a variety of types of event. I attended a vegan talk there last night and it was my first time in the centre. (I hadn't even realised it was there!) Definitely a trendy, heart of the city kind of place. I'd recommend it for any number of events.

If you are into the history of the Titanic Ocean Liner and Belfast, Ireland, then this is your spot…read moreto stay in. Driving in at first doesn't impress and it begs the question, am I in the right place ? The red brick building looks old next to the very modern Titanic Museum. But, once you enter this amazingly beautiful back in time hotel, you know it is really something to write about when visiting Northern Ireland ! The decor is so tastefully done to transport you back to the days of the launching of the Titanic. From the ocean liner lamps to the rivets on the doors. From the grand open air bar to the ocean liner models. All will impress you and bring you back in time. There is also plenty of open space to sit and relax or even play a game of chess ! Our room had a California King size bed with a beautiful art deco black/white tile bathroom. Our room was bright and airy with notably high ceilings. Nice 55" flat screen tv and a nice desk. Good closet space as well a room safe. Note: One thing I didn't like was the standard European low water pressure for the shower ! Plus, be very careful entering and exiting the tub/shower. Slipping is very possible. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The dining area is clean and the food is good. There is even a window to look into the kitchen galley to see the food being prepared ! I would definitely stay here the next time I'm in Belfast !

Bedroom and bathroom were the biggest we've had in our 4 city tour of Ireland. There was also a…read moreseparate bath tub which was a very welcome surprise. The dinner food that was served left a lot to be desired. My main entree was a bit overcooked and therefore was dry. I asked for extra sauce and after an enormous time waiting for it, I finally asked the server what happened and she said they ran out and the the cooked just made enough for the meals that were prepared. So therefore both food and service was a fail.

Great gallery space. I always try to get here during Late Night Art (First Thursday of the Month)…read more A wide range of work form photography, Installations, Video, Sculpture, Performance, Print making, Graffiti etc etc. I have seen some really experimental work here. The staff are helpful and are usually up for talking about the work or if you have any questions. It is one of my favourite galleries in Belfast. #Recommended

Platform is a studio and art gallery with charitable status located numerous flights of stairs…read moreabove ground level at 1 Queen Street in central Belfast. I visited on Thursday 2 November 2017 and thoroughly enjoyed the diverse range of contemporary art on display. A group show entitled, And This Too, exploring the theme of modern conflict was running. The exhibition showcased work by seven artists; Sean Campbell, Jill Gibbon, Brendan Jamison, Ciaran Magill, Mark Revels, Gail Ritchie and David Turner. It included installations, paintings and sculptures, all of which were entertaining and intriguing, especially Sean Campbell's Lego installation of the American Flag (I Wouldn't Start From Here), and Ciaran Magill's eerily beautiful, poignant paintings of Northern Ireland landscapes. A fantastic gallery and studio space generating creative artwork - absolutely essential for art aficionados when in Belfast.

We visited the Ulster Museum after we had done quite a few other attractions and decided to only…read morefocus on one of the displays, namely the section dedicated to the Troubles. Extremely informative and well-presented.

Great museum with a wide variety of things- like a national museum. So many genres, and we got…read moreextra lucky that there was an exhibit of current artists with art for sale. That exhibit was gigantic and impressive. Only downside of the museum was no acoustical/ absorption to buffer the screeching children. It was well worth a visit if you have spare time in Belfast.

Always wondered what was in here. Not the most inviting place. I have by passed it for years and…read morethought it was like a water works or something. Was in it today for a charity sale. Inside is nice and bright. There is even a climbing wall!. It is used by a local Scout Group.

This is quite an interesting venue. It has so many applications... rehearsal space, offices, cafe,…read moremusic venue, gallery and music museum. It is great that it exists and that Belfast has stuck its neck out and is trying to make the music center work. Its not really a place that you can just go into and hang out, unlike the Black Box where you can just go into anytime and it not be unusual.... It is now looking the part after having a couple of years of being renovated in stages. I think it serves its purpose pretty well as it is just a new venture and is making baby steps to have more of a presence in the local scene.

The Oh Yeah Centre is the brain child/labour of love of Stuart Bailie, former editor of the NME…read more Based in the former home of Oh Yeah Records, a punk label from the 1980s, the centre provides a home for local music. Their main aim is to help support and promote the local music industry and they do that pretty well. The range of activities and events it stages is vast. There are gigs, obviously, some of which are aimed at under 18s (something Belfast sorely needed), rehearsal rooms for hire for bands who need space and equipment, a cafe and space for kids to come in, listen to music and hang out, and their crown jewel - the music exhibition. The exhibition basically charts Northern Ireland music from its traditional roots, to modern heroes like Snow Patrol (say what you like about them, at least they're flying the flag!). Recently, the whole thing was expanded and now features video confessionals from civilians like you and me, recounting their favourite gigs, lyrics, Northern Irish bands and so on. The building is also home to small businesses as well, such as Start Together Studios and Small Town America Records - both of which are success stories in their own right and would find it difficult to get city centre premises otherwise. The exhibition is free and open to the public every day except Sunday, so if you have even a passing interest in anything musical, I'd give it a whirl.

Burgers are ubiquitous and far too common in the US, but that doesn't mean it's where you…read morenecessarily come across the best. I've had my fair share of memorable burgers from coast to coast in America, but just glancing at a picture of the beef shin burger transports me back across the pond to the Barking Dog. I remember the few days I spent in Belfast fondly and of the many memories, my meal at the Barking Dog was a definite highlight. In a rather quaint and charming neighborhood, I took a nice short stroll from my Airbnb and came across this gem of an establishment and decided I had to check it out. I had a nice beer to start, and it wasn't a Guinness because stouts aren't my thing, but whatever it was I remember it being excellent and local. Undoubtedly you could make this place a regular haunt and there is no shortage of drinks and food options to make this a go-to for a date, celebration, or a quick meal. The staff are welcoming, kind, and helpful and the general atmosphere is chill. The food for me was ethereal - a burger isn't just a burger here and what you get when you bite into the beef shin burger is a little slice of Heaven. Moist and tender are a given but the taste is just so divine with the caramelized onion, cheddar, and horseradish mayo melding into an union of perfection. It's hard not to describe one of the most memorable meals of my life in such hyperbole but the vivid recall I have of this particular place is uncanny and merits all the praise I can heap upon the fine folks that run the place. If timing had worked out, I would have eaten as meals here as I could have but I'll thank my lucky stars for at least giving me one opportunity to eat such a wonderful burger at such a wonderful eatery. A+ and a definite must when visiting Belfast.

Party of five in Belfast for the Irish world dance competition what a wonderful evening!! On a…read moreSunday for dinner we could not connect on the phone for reservations and the owner was very accommodating and we got a table within 45 minutes!! We started with toppers which were fabulous and moved on to the Schinberger, roasted chicken, and ravioli all absolutely wonderful!! Where is waitresses were very attentive and do not ever skip the espresso crème brûlée it is to die for!!