If you haven't already been bored to tears with my latest holiday photos on Instagram then I'm sure you will be soon. For anyone who missed it, back in January I spent 3 amazing days in the beautiful city of Belfast all on my own. It was amazing and little bit scary at the same time but I am SO glad I did it
I got the chance to walk around most of the city, and I ticked a fair few things off my list. Three days however is not a massive amount of time to really see the guts of a city so there were also quite a few things I didn't get chance to do.
But before we talk about that, what are the top 5 things I think you should do in Belfast?
- Free walking tour - If you know me you will know this is the first thing I usually check myself onto in a new city. Virtually all small cities will run a free walking tour and in my opinion they are the best way to not only get your bearings in a new place, but to also meet people from absolutely everywhere!
They are also super budget friendly which is always a bonus in my book, just tip the tour guide what you think the experience was worth at the end!
- Drink at the crown - So this is probably one of the most beautiful pubs I've ever seen, honestly it's unreal. I won't go into too much detail as I think this is one of those things you need to see with your own eyes, but believe me when I say this is worth stopping for. Another bar I would highly recommend is the 5 points. It's slightly out of the city centre but there is live music on every night and the atmosphere is fantastic!
- Tour of Falls Road - Whether you walk it alone or with an organised group, a wander around this residential area is a must. The history here is unreal and it will likely shock you, especially if you've grown up in mainland Britain as it's not really talked about at all. Brits, take note of what happened here because you won't be taught about it at school. There are multiple memorials in this area so please think about that and be respectful whilst touring the Falls.
- The Giants Causeway - Okay so not technically in Belfast but it's just too close to miss! The Causeway will probably be like nothing else you have ever seen before and it is well worth a trip in my opinion. It's so beautiful I actually teared up a bit whilst I was there and I'm not even ashamed to say that. Yes it's touristy but who cares? It's amazing.
- Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge - Again not in Belfast but virtually down the road from The Giants Causeway so you might as well do them both. This creeky little bridge is suspended around 100 ft above sea level and is owned by the National Trust. Whilst you'll likely have to queue to cross, no trip to this area of Ireland is complete without tiptoeing over to Carrick-A-Rede Island.
- Wander around the cathedral district - Filled with bustling pubs and bars, a quick trip to the cathedral district is a must. Here you will find the most famous pub in Belfast - The Duke Of York. It will probably be busy but it has everything you could want from a little Irish pub.
As I said, I didn't really have time see everything I planned to. This usually happens when I go travelling to be honest, I always find more and more things I want to do whilst I'm out there and no amount of planning would help me fit it all in. So what do I do when I fall in love with a place and still have half an unchecked to do list? I go back. And that is exactly what I'll be doing this Wednesday!
So what am I going to make sure I see this time?
- Crumlin Road Gaol - A must for any history geek, Crumlin Road Gaol was in operation for 150 years. In this time it had housed over 25,000 prisoners which included men, women, and even children.
- Titanic Museum - I actually missed this museum off on purpose whilst I was in Belfast last month as I had heard nothing but bad reviews. That being said they were mostly from Belfast residents who had likely been a thousand times before on school trips and such, so I'm going to give it a go and see what it's all about.
- Political Tour - Whilst on my free walking tour I was told about the Political Tour which can also be taken. The tour is lead for the first half by an ex IRA member and in the second half it is lead by an ex Loyalist. I would really like to make time for this next week as it would be very interesting to hear about The Troubles from people on both sides who were actively involved in it.
- Kelley's Cellars - This was firmly at the top of my to do list in January so I'm not really sure how I missed it but this time I am going to prioritise a trip to this 250 year old pub.
As always I would love to hear what you would recommend I see whilst in Belfast. What did I miss from this list? Let me know in the comments or over on Twitter!
Belfast Town Hall
I got the chance to walk around most of the city, and I ticked a fair few things off my list. Three days however is not a massive amount of time to really see the guts of a city so there were also quite a few things I didn't get chance to do.
But before we talk about that, what are the top 5 things I think you should do in Belfast?
- Free walking tour - If you know me you will know this is the first thing I usually check myself onto in a new city. Virtually all small cities will run a free walking tour and in my opinion they are the best way to not only get your bearings in a new place, but to also meet people from absolutely everywhere!
They are also super budget friendly which is always a bonus in my book, just tip the tour guide what you think the experience was worth at the end!
- Drink at the crown - So this is probably one of the most beautiful pubs I've ever seen, honestly it's unreal. I won't go into too much detail as I think this is one of those things you need to see with your own eyes, but believe me when I say this is worth stopping for. Another bar I would highly recommend is the 5 points. It's slightly out of the city centre but there is live music on every night and the atmosphere is fantastic!
The Giants Causeway
- The Giants Causeway - Okay so not technically in Belfast but it's just too close to miss! The Causeway will probably be like nothing else you have ever seen before and it is well worth a trip in my opinion. It's so beautiful I actually teared up a bit whilst I was there and I'm not even ashamed to say that. Yes it's touristy but who cares? It's amazing.
- Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge - Again not in Belfast but virtually down the road from The Giants Causeway so you might as well do them both. This creeky little bridge is suspended around 100 ft above sea level and is owned by the National Trust. Whilst you'll likely have to queue to cross, no trip to this area of Ireland is complete without tiptoeing over to Carrick-A-Rede Island.
- Wander around the cathedral district - Filled with bustling pubs and bars, a quick trip to the cathedral district is a must. Here you will find the most famous pub in Belfast - The Duke Of York. It will probably be busy but it has everything you could want from a little Irish pub.
Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge
So what am I going to make sure I see this time?
- Crumlin Road Gaol - A must for any history geek, Crumlin Road Gaol was in operation for 150 years. In this time it had housed over 25,000 prisoners which included men, women, and even children.
- Titanic Museum - I actually missed this museum off on purpose whilst I was in Belfast last month as I had heard nothing but bad reviews. That being said they were mostly from Belfast residents who had likely been a thousand times before on school trips and such, so I'm going to give it a go and see what it's all about.
Bobby Sands Mural Falls Road
- Political Tour - Whilst on my free walking tour I was told about the Political Tour which can also be taken. The tour is lead for the first half by an ex IRA member and in the second half it is lead by an ex Loyalist. I would really like to make time for this next week as it would be very interesting to hear about The Troubles from people on both sides who were actively involved in it.
- Kelley's Cellars - This was firmly at the top of my to do list in January so I'm not really sure how I missed it but this time I am going to prioritise a trip to this 250 year old pub.
As always I would love to hear what you would recommend I see whilst in Belfast. What did I miss from this list? Let me know in the comments or over on Twitter!
Thanks for reading!
x
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Well I've been single for quite a few months now. It's not something I really expected to happen but I think it's safe to say I have been absolutely loving single life! The shake up over the summer was a bit dramatic to say the least but I'm here, I'm fine, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
So in celebration of my first valentines day out of a relationship I thought I would talk about my favorite things about being a single pringle (shoot me for using that phrase please).
I can starfish to my heart's content - There really is something beautiful about waking up on a saturday morning in a big cosy double bed and not having to share a single inch of it with anyone else.
My $$$ is my own - I am saving money like an absolute trooper. Okay that's a bit of a lie because I'm actually spending a fortune on travel (see here for details) but I don't have to fork out for dinners, presents, or anything else that comes with being in a relationship. I'm still saving for a mortgage but when the time does finally come to buy a house it will be mine and mine alone.
I can start and actually finish a whole series - There are so many TV shows I've watched in the last few months that I know I just wouldn't have had chance to watch all the way through If I had a boyfriend.
Absolute freedom - There's something terrifyingly amazing about having the freedom to do whatever you want. Do I want to go to the shops on my own? Yes? Great, off I go! Do I want to take a little city break on my own? Yep? Fucking go for it! For someone who could barely get on public transport of their own last year I have come a bloody long way.
I can sleep with who I want, when I want - This doesn't always mean sex. I can spend endless nights awake putting the world to rights with friends, family, and people I've only just met. The best conversations happen when you're eyes are full of sleep and your body is crying out for rest. Also the one penis for life club rejected me so there is that...
I've been given the chance to rediscover who I really am - And I'm now planning out who I want to be. It's very easy to give all of yourself to someone else and lose who you really are when you're in a relationship. I will never again lose the beautiful brave girl I've become.
Getting those qualifications - Somehow I manage to have time to go to college. I know I moan like hell about my college course and believe me I can not wait until it's over, but by the summer I will have a qualification in marketing and I will be one step closer to having my dream job. I'm going to be a rich lady one day.
It's been a crazy time but it's been amazing. I've bloomed into a happy, independent, confident person, and whilst my life isn't always smooth sailing I can honestly say that losing a partner and finding myself has been the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Happy valentines day to every loved up couple out there, and also to every single person falling in love with themselves ♥
Thanks for reading!
x
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