Belfast was my very first holiday which inspired all my further travels. It was my first adventure which triggered my love of travelling solo. Northern Ireland ticked some boxes for me when I was first starting out my solo travels, until my sister decided she wanted to come along! Belfast meant: cheap flights, minimum air time and English language which made me feel much more comfortable and prepared to navigate the area by myself.
I did not exactly want to stay in a hostel dorm for my first solo adventure as I could imagine nothing more anxiety-provoking! I booked a twin room in the hostel meaning that I could have my own room and a little privacy, just with an extra bed. Stupidly, I was led astray by the website images and never imagined this would be a bunk bed room. But hey, I consider this trip as my first lesson in ‘slumming it.’ And actually, it wasn’t too bad as I viewed the hostel as a roof over my head for the evening and nothing more. This was located about a 10 minute walk from the city centre although the city has good bus routes. Here is the handy map which I used to locate the city. It includes most tourist attractions.
So, where did I visit? See below for some of the sights and activities of Belfast as well as some great places to eat and drink.
1. The Big Fish or Big Salmon
It is said in Belfast that kissing this fish, made of mosaic tile pieces, brings good luck. However, upon approaching the fish myself I did trip up the step and fall over, so who knows!
2. Titanic Museum
This museum is outside of the city centre but was still accessible by foot, although took a little while. Cross over the bridge next to the Big Fish. The museum will help you learn more about The Titanic itself and the whole industry of building ocean liners. There is a little ride inside this museum, taking you through the history of building techniques. You can also opt to include entry to nearby SS Nomadic or go separately another day.
3. Colin Glen Forest (Gruffalo Walking Trail)
I was initially very excited to find the Gruffalo trail but upon arrival I was slightly disappointed, I must admit. We took a Glider bus from the city centre and saw some murals on the journey. The forest was beautiful but the characters were slightly more terrifying than their TV counterparts. It’s definitely the eyes… In addition to this, fox didn’t even have a head when we visited! We decided to just carry on and explore the forest anyway which had a lot of pretty streams and a ‘Stick Man’ trail.
4. Victoria Square Shopping Centre & Dome
Apart from all the shops and restaurants, this shopping centre also has a dome located at the very top of the building. There is a walkway which is free to enter and and offers fabulous panoramic views of the city including the Albert Memorial Clock and famous Harland & Wolff cranes.
5. Belfast City Hall
The City Hall is in the centre of the city and you cannot miss it. There are some lovely statues in its front gardens where many people just wandered or ate lunch. We grabbed some vegan sandwiches from the local ‘Centra’ store just opposite. The City Hall is also very close to the Glider bus stations.
6. Seal Sculptures
These were not listed on any map but we stumbled across them by chance whilst walking past the water front. So cute and aptly located across from the Big Fish!
Places To Eat & Drink
- St George’s Market – has many stalls including some vegan food, jewellery, hand made crafts and gifts. Traders can be found here.
- Victoria Square Shopping Centre – many chain restaurants located here which serve vegan options including Zizzi’s, Frankie & Benny’s, Pizza Express and Nandos. We ate a vegan pizza at Zizzi’s with creamy ‘cheese’ and a delicious vegan burger from Frankie & Benny’s before their dedicated vegan menu was released.
- Lavery’s – this was a great place to eat with vegan items clearly labelled and staff very attentive. The food was lovely with a good variety of options – including a vegan chocolate torte! We opted for the Sloppy Joe burger and lentil pie.
- The Broken Shaker – inside was like an amazing 1970s bar with yellow lighting, but we only swung by for a quick cocktail.
- Centra – these are similar to ‘Spar’ shops, but quite a few of their locations stock vegan sandwiches and snacks to grab and go.
Useful information
- Northern Ireland is part of the UK and uses the currency GBP (£)
- There is a bus from the airport directly to the centre of Belfast – this is the Airport Express 300. Timetables and prices can be found here.
- Be weary of your language and behaviour – some of the areas closer to the border are very divided in terms of identifying as Irish or British and you will notice this with the display of different flags or murals.
The Solo Vegan 
