Belfast surprises first-time visitors. The centre is small and walkable, the welcome is famously warm, and within a few days you can cover the shipyard that built Titanic, the murals and peace walls of the Troubles, a Victorian market and a free national museum, then head out to the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway or the sets of Game of Thrones. The trick is to book the big-ticket days early, leave room for the weather and give yourself time to talk to people. Here is how to plan it.
How many days
Three full days are the sweet spot: one for Titanic and the river, one for the city’s history and centre, and one for the north coast. Four days let you add the Game of Thrones Studio Tour or Hillsborough Castle without rushing. With two days, do Titanic Belfast and a black taxi tour on the first, and the Causeway day trip on the second.
What to book ahead
Book Titanic Belfast first, as entry is by timed slot and the Tiqets ticket cannot be refunded or moved. The Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones locations tour leaves at 8:45am from beside City Hall and can be cancelled up to seventy-two hours ahead, so it is safe to reserve early. The Game of Thrones Studio Tour coach runs three times a day from Donegall Square North, and the morning departures fill first. Crumlin Road Gaol tours have limited places, and the black taxi tour is easy to book a day or two out. If you drive yourself to the Causeway, pre-book the National Trust Visitor Experience for parking.
Getting around
You will walk most places in the centre. City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, St George’s Market and the shopping streets are all within fifteen minutes of each other, and Titanic Belfast is about twenty-five minutes along the river. Translink’s buses fill the gaps, including the 26 routes to the Titanic Quarter and frequent services to Queen’s University and the Ulster Museum. Taxis are inexpensive for short hops, and the black taxi tour doubles as transport to the west of the city. You do not need a car in Belfast, and the day tours make one unnecessary for the coast too.
Day one: Titanic and the river
Take an early slot at Titanic Belfast, then visit SS Nomadic, which opens from 11am in winter, and walk the slipways where Titanic was built. Have lunch or a drink in Drawing Office Two at the Titanic Hotel, then walk back along the Lagan towards the city, stopping at St George’s Market if it is a Friday to Sunday.
Day two: the city’s story
Start with a free tour at Belfast City Hall, then take a black taxi tour of the Falls and Shankill roads, the murals and the peace walls. In the afternoon, tour Crumlin Road Gaol, which opens until 3pm, to see the cells and the tunnel to the courthouse. Finish in the Cathedral Quarter for dinner and live music.
Day three: the Causeway Coast
Join the day tour from City Hall for Carrickfergus, the Antrim Coast Road, Carnlough, Cushendun, the Carrick-a-Rede viewpoint, the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle and the Dark Hedges. Wear grippy shoes for the stones and carry waterproofs.
Day four: Westeros or a royal residence
Fans should take the coach to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Banbridge for the real sets of Winterfell and Dragonstone. Otherwise, catch the express bus to Hillsborough Castle, open from Wednesday to Sunday, for the State Rooms and gardens. Spend a rainy afternoon at the free Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens.
When to go
November is quiet, mild and often wet, with short days but far fewer visitors at Titanic and the Causeway. Note that City Hall closes on the morning of Sunday 8 November 2026 for Remembrance, and Titanic Belfast closes from 24 to 26 December. Summer brings long evenings and busier tours. Pack layers and a rain jacket in any season, and expect friendly conversation everywhere you go.
