Historic Sites in Belfast

"Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse across the street (and allegedly the origin of the judge's phrase 'take him down'), through the echoing halls and cramped cells of C-Wing, to the truly chilling execution chamber. Advance tour bookings are recommended. The jail's pedestrian entrance is on Crumlin Rd; the car-park entrance is reached via Cliftonpark Ave to the north."

"Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse across the street (and allegedly the origin of the judge's..."

"The Northern Ireland Assembly sits at this Grade A-listed parliament building nicknamed the “House on the Hill” in the leafy Stormont Estate. The ceremonious Neoclassical complex is fronted by a statue of the Irish Unionist politician Lord Carson, standing on an axis with the portico and approached by the kilometre-long Prince of Wales Avenue. There are six pillars in the portico, each representing one of Northern Ireland’s counties, while the building is 365 feet wide, each for day of the year."

"Take a free voyage through Stormont Parliament Buildings, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the authoritative body for Northern Ireland. Here you can have a free tour which gives you an insight into the history of the Parliament Buildings."

"Take the kids out for some fresh air within easy reach of Belfast city centre at Barnett Demesne, located next to Malone House. The park features an arboretum, daffodil garden, eco-trail, orienteering routes and a children’s playground – or for those looking for a little bit more adventure, you can try the bike trails and jump parks. The park, which is named after William Barnett who was the last owner of Malone House, is popular for family walks due to its proximity to the River Lagan, Shaw’s Bridge and nearby Clement Wilson Park."

"The Barnett Demesne route explores an historic estate in Lagan Valley Regional Park, taking in Malone House, meadows, woodland and along the River Lagan. From the Malone House car park, follow the path around the front of the house and alongside the security fence. Follow this path downhill pausing on the way to admire the views over the Lagan Valley, across to Minnowburn Beeches and, the wildflower meadows on your right."

"Take the kids out for some fresh air within easy reach of Belfast city centre at Barnett Demesne, located next to Malone House. The park features an arboretum, daffodil garden, ecotrail, orienteering routes and a children’s playground (near Shaw’s Bridge), or for those looking for a little bit more adventure, you can try the bike trails and jump parks."

"I’m including the Tropical Ravine House as a separate attraction, as I honestly never knew it existed despite it having been around since way back in 1889. I guess it just didn’t stand out as the Palm House did. But I ended up calling in recently with my nephew who refused to go into the Ulster Museum next door because his dork of a dad always spends hours looking at rocks/fossils."

"In the Botanic Gardens is the unique Tropical Ravine, a huge red-brick greenhouse built in 1889. It was designed by the gardens' curator Charles McKimm to house tropical ferns, orchids, lilies and banana plants..."

"Famed for its role as Winterfell in Game of Thrones, 1760s-built Castle Ward House has a superb setting overlooking the bay west of Strangford. The estate's history is relayed in entertaining 45-minute upstairs/downstairs tours of the house and servants' quarters, starting on the hour (upstairs) and half-hour (downstairs).On the extensive grounds are a Victorian laundry museum, a farmyard, 16th-century Plantation tower Old Castle Ward, 15th-century tower house Castle Audley, along with walking and cycling trails."

"With a 500-acre park, an artificial lake, a Neoclassical temple, and a vast house in Bath stone magically set on the slopes running down…"

"The magnificent 18th-century Mount Stewart is one of Northern Ireland’s grandest stately homes. A three-year restoration project has seen the house transformed to how it looked in its 1930 heyday, by unveiling the central hall's original 1840s Scrabo stone floor, repairing the delicate plaster work and returning the cream colour scheme. The house overlooks formal gardens filled with colourful sub-tropical plants.Mount Stewart is on the A20, 3km northwest of Greyabbey. Buses from Belfast to Portaferry stop at the gate."

"A dynamic three-year makeover, costing £7.5 million and completed in 2015, has opened a new chapter in the history of Mount Stewart,…"

"Completed in 1857, the building has been used by various governmental departments, including the Belfast Board of Works, the Inland Revenue, and an Income Tax Office. Designed in 1847 by English architect Charles Lanyon and finished in 1857 at a cost of £30,000. Throughout the years the building has undergone numerous alterations."

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"The breakfast menu at The National contains a simply mouth-watering selection of classic breakfasts and brunch dishes with a twist. From a traditional fry to rhubarb crumble pancake stacks or a turkey and mozzarella butty, there’s plenty to choose from whether you want to try something new or stick to what you know. Dine in The National’s ultra cool interior with sharp industrial and minimal design."

"Tuck into mouthwatering COQ Burgers (think chunky friend chicken burgers with all the trimmings and loaded fries on the side) in The National’s spacious beer garden. Their outdoor areas also plays host to entertainment and live music. No booking required."

"Ulster Sports Club is home to pool tables, live sports screenings and epic gigs. You could literally spend all day here, with craft beers and deep fried bites before the night really kicks off."

"While Belfast has come a long way in recent decades, the so-called Troubles remain a major part of the history of the city. The Irish Republican History Museum was established in 2007 and recounts the story of just one side of the struggle—the Republican cause. The museum offers artifacts from the Troubles and highlights the role of women during the difficult moment in Northern Ireland’s history."

"The Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum is located in Conway Mill in West Belfast. The museum first opened in 2007 but it located in a former linen mill that dates to 1842. It opened on the anniversary of the death of the main benefactor of the museum, Eileen Hickey."

"Just next to the Botanic Gardens entrance is the Ulster Museum, a free to visit Belfast tourist attraction, that is definitely worth seeing. I vaguely remember visiting the Ulster Museum for a school trip as a kid, and my main takeaway was the displays of dinosaur bones, and more so the Egyptian mummy (Takabuti). A literal real-life (dead) mummy, wrapped in creepy bandages, and lying all stiff and weird in an open sarcophagus."

"Explore Art, History and Nature Zones and get up close and personal with an Egyptian Mummy at this big museum set in beautiful Botanic Gardens."

"Come face to face with dinosaurs, meet an ancient Egyptian mummy and see modern masterpieces with a visit to the Ulster Museum."

"Farmhouses, forges, churches, mills and a complete village have been reconstructed at this excellent museum, with human and animal extras combining to give a powerful impression of Irish life over the past few hundred years. From industrial times, there are red-brick terraces from 19th-century Belfast and Dromore. Another highlight is the Picture House, a silent cinema that was housed in a County Down hayloft from 1909 to 1931. There's even a corner shop dating from 1889 selling sweets from glass jars."

"Devoted to the province's social history, the excellent Ulster Folk and Transport Museum vividly brings Northern Ireland's past to life."