Beautiful Belfast

It takes more than a weekend to soak up the sights, history and hospitality of Belfast...

-  SUE HAYWARD

Jumping on a plane without showing passport felt a strange experience as we boarded our easyJet flight at Luton, and less than an hour later we touched down at Belfast International Airport.

No time difference, no jet lag, and we were in the city centre two hours after taking off.

The capital of Northern Ireland, home of the Harland and Wolff shipyard where RMS Titanic was built, compact, easy to get around and packed with great pubs and seafood restaurants.

Our first stop, and one you must pre-book, was the world famous Titanic Experience. Make sure you allow plenty of time for this we spent over three hours there and I could easily have gone round again.

From learning the story of how the luxury ocean liner, RMS Titanic was built, to taking a ride through the shipyard's history, it was an amazing immersive experience to see the decks of the Titanic, as well as learning about some of those who lost their lives.

It's fascinating, deeply moving and an absolute must if you're visiting Belfast (titanicbelfast.com adult tickets are £24.95).

Belfast's City Hall is a stunning building to admire while you sit in the grounds with a coffee watching the world go by, and you can go inside on one of its free guided tours.

A rare chance to climb its great staircase, explore and learn about the history of this beautiful building (belfastcity.gov.uk).