“Northern Ireland is the world’s best kept secret, both in the character of its people and its scenery.” ~ Liam Neeson

The Irish Isles always had a fascination for me and this past week I got a chance to visit the city of Belfast in Northern Island. Belfast is one of those hidden gems of a city which is ignored in favour of it’s southern cousin of Dublin. Nestled in the heart of Northern Ireland, Belfast stands as a testament to resilience, vibrant culture, and rich history. Once known primarily for its troubled past, this city has undergone a remarkable transformation, emerging as a thriving hub of creativity, innovation, and warmth. From its iconic landmarks to its bustling streets, Belfast offers visitors a captivating blend of old-world charm and modern energy.

The weather cooperated and helped us see and appreciate this beautiful city with it’s sights, night life and history. The Titanic Belfast which sits on the site where the ocean liner was built in what is now called the Titanic Quarter. It is on the derelict site where shipbuilders Harland and Wolff had the yards where the construction of the three ships Olympic, Titanic and Britannic were built. Also present there are the two giant cranes Samson and Goliath which were used by the shipbuilders.

The journey through the museum takes you back through history right from the planning, design, construction and eventually the sinking of the supposedly “unsinkable” Titanic. The Shipyard ride in a cable car takes you back to the time and place when the Titanic was built. The sounds, smells, the voices, the stories of the workers in the yard who worked in such environments that would never be allowed today, all made the whole experience so real. It makes it so much more tragic to know after 14,000 men worked day and night for 1098 days to build this ship and it sank just 4 days after departing on it’s maiden voyage across the Atlantic ocean with the loss of more than 1500 souls.

Right in the middle of the city of Belfast are the Botanic Gardens with the Ulster Museum on it’s ground and the Queen’s University right next to it. The gardens are not vast but they have a green house with so many unique plants. The Ulster Museum has a large collection of art, history and nature exhibits which are laid out quite well.. gives the history of the island, the troubles, the peoples of the country, the natural history of the isles of Ireland.

The city tour takes you through the different streets of the city giving the traveller an insight into the problems the city and country faced with what they called “the troubles” caused by sectarian issues. I was surprised to see the segregation of the two communities and the murals dedicated to the martyrs on both sides. Now that peace has arrived and calm reigns in the city, the peace wall which is 5 miles long which were erected to bring peace between the Nationalist and Loyalist communities. Today it is reminder of the challenges that Belfast faces in terms of reconciliation and healing.

The City hall in the city centre is a majestic building – home to the city administration. The entry to this building is free and it houses an exhibition which gives the history of the city, the prominent and famous names associated with Belfast and Northern Island. It is a must see landmark and looks gorgeous on a lovely day.

One thing that struck me about Belfast was the culture of hospitality. The people of Belfast are so friendly, and welcoming. There are so many small and big places to eat, drink and chill. The night life is amazing with the small pubs and restaurants all buzzing with life.

The best part of the trip was the bus trip to the northern coast. The journey through the countryside especially on a lovely day we had, was so beautiful. We stopped at the Carrickfergus Castle with a quaint harbour with sailboats moored in it. We also got a chance to see the Dark Hedges made famous by the tv series Game of Thrones. And the trip culminated at the amazing Giants Causeway. It is a natural wonder on the north coast of Northern Ireland, 3 miles northeast of the town of Bushmills. It is an UNESCO heritage site where interlocking basalt columns, formed by an ancient volcanic fissure eruption with hexagonal columns coming up from the sea. The walk from the visitor centre to the causeway takes at least 10 to 15 minutes but the road is well paved and the scenery on the way is breath-taking making the walk very enjoyable. I wonder what it would like on a wet driech day.

On the whole the trip to Belfast was unique in many ways and I would not hesitate to go again. A country which is proud of it’s culture, history and faith is now on a journey to heal from the wounds of the past and flourish in the future.