I love Dublin. There is always something to do whether it’s live music or dance, a great place to eat, a fun place to get a drink, or an awesome little shop to look around. It’s a bustling city with a lot of people. It’s exciting and fun, but it can be very overwhelming. So when it was time for us to hop on a bus to Belfast for the weekend, I couldn’t wait. I was very ready for a change of pace and our weekend trip to Belfast was exactly what I needed.
Now, I do have to give a quick honorable mention to the Battle of the Boyne battlefield that we stopped at on our way up to Belfast. It was really nice to have some time in the countryside to relax after having been in a big city for a little over a week. When the tour was over, a few of us just sat on the grass looking for four leaf clovers and enjoying the beautiful weather. It was much needed relaxation time. But this post isn’t about the Battle of the Boyne.
Belfast is a great city. When we got off the bus, I immediately felt a sense of relief and calm. The city was quiet and clean. The first night, a few of us went to this cool Italian restaurant for dinner. As we walked there, I felt at peace in the city and I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it was the fact that I’d felt so overwhelmed by all of the people in Dublin the day before. Maybe it was because the city was so nice. Either way, I really enjoyed my time there.
On our full day in Belfast we had a walking tour in the morning and the Titanic museum in the afternoon, both of which were fabulous. The walking tour was super interesting (see my other post on that), and the Titanic museum was a lot of fun. They even had a ride inside of it, athough it had no drops or jump scares which was a little disappointing.
Between the two activities, we ate at a cute restaurant by the large mall in the center of the city. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was great. For dinner that night, we went to another Italian place called The Chubby Cherub which was gorgeous on the inside. There were lights everywhere and lemon trees between the tables. It felt like being in a fairy tale. The food was great too.
For anyone from the Twin Cities like me, I would compare Dublin to Minneapolis and Belfast to St. Paul. Both are beautiful cities in their own respects, but very different. Dublin is full of people; tourists more specifically. The streets in Temple Bar especially are constantly packed. This can be fun on a Friday or Saturday night, but can be pretty annoying when you’re just trying to get somewhere. Belfast is much more quiet. There are people out on the streets, but not nearly as many are tourists. Of course these things all depend on the area in the city you’re in, but I felt this most places in the city.
I was sad that we didn’t have more time to explore Belfast, but it was a lot of fun while we were there. I guess that just means I’ll have to come back in the future!