Spontaneity is now my thing well at least for now until something goes wrong, that is lol.
In the past, I would profusely take months to plan a holiday. I would take the time to plan it down to a tee. From making sure that I have picked the most perfectly located hotel to ensuring that each day had a well-rounded robust itinerary. I would plan everything!
But this weekend was different. My husband was visiting Belfast for a week to speak at the Power of Video Conference and I decided at last minute to join him for a few days. I needed a change of scenery.
Belfast is nothing like I imagined. Not completely sure what expectations I had but I was very pleasantly surprised!! The Irish are the friendliest bunch of people I have EVER met!! So welcoming!!
In a sense Belfast felt a lot like home, London, I mean. And for some reason, this was such a comforting feeling for me and made the trip even more special.
So this is an impromptu guide of what I got up to in the three days I was there, just in case any of you were interested in visiting Belfast and were stuck on ideas as to what to do, what to wear, where to eat etc. It’s all in here!
WHAT TO WEAR
We travelled to Belfast last week (June). When I landed in Belfast I was in a turtleneck jumper, jeans and my favourite pair of trainers. And I was sweating. Belfast was warm; it was about 17 degrees! In hindsight, I maybe should have worn lighter clothes, but that serves me right for not checking the weather forecast.
However according to those who live here, the weather varies and can be rather unpredictable so I would still recommend packing a jumper and an umbrella just in case of rain. Other than these specifics, I would say pack as if you were visiting London, so jeans, long sleeves, light jacket and t-shirts.
WHERE WE STAYED
Picture not my own
So before I arrived, my husband was staying at the Galgorm Resort and Spa. He absolutely loved it and I know a lot of the people following him on Snapchat were super impressed with the hotel hence I wanted to share the name of that hotel with you.
Also, it is worth saying that the hotel is known for having the most incredible spa in Belfast, so it is definitely worth the visit even if you don’t stay there.
For the few days I was in Belfast however, we stayed in Ramada Plaza, which was perfectly located. Everywhere was so easy to get to and we walked or took an Uber to most places. Uber for some reason that weekend was free, so that was an added bonus!!
Top highlights from Ramada
I would definitely recommend this hotel if you are visiting Belfast for a few days. I loved it!
WHAT TO DO IN BELFAST
So as I said we were there for the Power of Video Conference but we had a few days before the conference to discover Belfast 🙂
I think you really only need a few days to do the whole of Belfast. It is not a big city and like I said everything is within reach.
For me, there were a few highlights and activities that will more than abundantly fill your time, whilst your there.
The first one is the Titanic Experience. If there’s one thing Belfast is known for it is this!! The experience allows you to explore the shipyard, walk the decks, and ‘travel to the depths of the ocean’. For someone who had never seen the film Titanic until after this event, I didn’t think I would be able to relate to the experience. But I did! It was really good. Really thankful Titanic Belfast for hosting us. It usually costs £15.50 per person for the experience and I would say for the price it is worth doing if you have 1 or 2 hours to spare.
Another thing that is really worth doing and is just 40 minutes drive outside Belfast, is the Game of Thrones tour. Everyone I know loves G.O.T! And we’re no different, or should I say my husband is no different! To visit the set has always been a dream of his. So you can imagine his face when we got there…….
As part of theWinterfell Tours, we got to dress up in costumes, do some Archery and have a medieval lunch in a teepee. It was such an authentic experience.
Winterfell Tours offer a variety of experiences but the one we did was the Archery Movie Set Experience. The staff there were really friendly and passionate about what they do which was very contagious! It is usually £29 per person and the tour lasts about 2 hours.
After we did this we then went on to visit Audley Castle, which was literally 10 minutes away by car. Just to manage expectations here, the castle is closed and you can’t enter it BUT the scenery here is just breathtaking especially on a warm day. And the plus is that it is absolutely free!!
Those were the activities I got up to and enjoyed. If I had more ‘free time’ I would have definitely done the Black Taxi Tour, which according to the locals is the most authentic way to see and understand Northern Ireland. I guess that’s a good excuse for me to come back!
WHERE TO EAT
I love food, there’s no denying that! So when I travel, I usually plan what restaurants I want to visit but I didn’t have the chance to do that this time round! But the good thing about Belfast is that it is like London, it has such eclectic taste and so there’s food for everybody to enjoy. Prices for food vary but let us just say that it wasn’t anything like Iceland price wise which was good! I would say that you probably need about £100/150 per person for 3 full days of food (based on you having breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Here are few restaurants/cafes that we visited, that I would recommend if you’re looking for somewhere to try
WHAT ARE THE COSTS
The currency is British Pounds. As I mentioned I stayed there for 3 days and flew with EasyJet and Ryanair (prices for a return started from £38) and I stayed at the Ramada Plaza.
Costs were covered by Power of Video and their sponsors, for which I am grateful but all views in this blog post are my own.
If you have any other questions related to Belfast that I haven’t mentioned, please leave them down below and I’ll get back to you!
Let me know if you want me to do more travel blogs and I will 🙂
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