North of Donnegal Sq., next to Sarnie’s. Vegetarian options available. Coffee £2-3. Sandwiches and wraps £2-3. Panini £5. Open M-F 8am-5:30pm, Sa 9am-5:30pm, Su noon-5pm.
DOORSTEPS
64 Ann St.
RESTAURANT
028 9024 5544 www.doorsteps.com
A good place to head for hearty sandwiches quick on the spot. Grab and go with any of the cold cuts and either sit outside or take it away. The decor of the restaurant won’t intrigue your appetite nearly as much as the food.
2 blocks west of Queen’s Bridge. Vegetarian options available. Coffee £1.20-1.65. Sandwiches £3-3.50. Open daily 7am-5:30pm.
NIGHTLIFE
Belfast’s nightlife thrives in the university district and the Cathedral Quarter. On the weekends it’ll seem like everyone in town is out, and toward one or two in the morning, you’ll find it harder to get into clubs—and even harder to move once you get in. Drinks abound, and Belfast at 3am sees a lot of singing, staggering, and general merriment. Taxi drivers seem to get a little bit picky in the early hours as well, so try to sober up (or at least look it) when attempting to hail a cab.
The University District
LAVERY’S
12-16 Bradbury Pl.
PUB, CLUB
028 9087 1106 www.laverysbelfast.com
Everybody’s heard of it, and if they haven’t been there themselves it’s only because they haven’t gotten off the binky yet. Lavery’s is huge, with three floors (a bar, music venue, and club), all of which feel spacious...until the weekends, when the crowd spills out the door. Happy hours Monday-Thursday means all drinks are £2.85. During the week, the third floor is an awesome pool hall.
At the bottom of Shaftsbury Sq. Outdoor seating available. Pints £3.20. Open M-Sa 11:30am-1am, Su 12:30pm-midnight.
KATY DALY’S, THE SPRING AND AIRBRAKE, LIMELIGHT
17 Ormeau Ave.
CLUB
028 9032 7007 www.cdleisure.co.uk
Three spots in one! (Well, you still have to pay for each of them, but they’re all right together.) Bar-hop without ever leaving the block: start at Katy Daly’s bar and check out how many piercings the person next to you has, then move over to the S and A for some live music, and end at Limelight, where all drinks are £2 on Fridays.
4 blocks south of Donegall Sq. Katy Daly’s open M-Sa noon-1am, Su 6pm-midnight. Spring and Airbrake open Tu 9pm-2am; other nights vary. Limelight open Tu 9pm-2am, Th 9pm-2am, F-Sa 10pm-2am.
THE BOTANIC INN
23-27 Malone Rd.
BAR, CLUB
028 9058 9740 www.botanicinnlimited.com
Belfast’s sports bar, “the Bot” gets packed on the weekends and during sporting events. Check out signed rugby jerseys, boxing gloves and a trophy case. Show up on Sunday for the carvery menu (£6), and wash it down with some local Belfast Ale. Framed photos of burly men in short-shorts abound.
Follow University St. to the south until it becomes Malone Rd. Nightclub upstairs open on the weekends from 10pm. Pints £3.10-3.60. Open M-Sa 11:30am-1am, Su noon-midnight.
THE STIFF KITTEN
1 Bankmore Sq.
CLUB
028 9023 8700 www.thestiffkitten.com
That is some LOUD techno music. The Stiff Kitten on a Saturday compares with Berlin or Amsterdam in terms of pulse-pounding tracks and streaming lights. When you get tired of dancing, head over to the Blue Bar where you can sit down, or head next door to the SK bar, where all age groups mingle in a much more relaxed environment. Who needs perfect hearing anyway?
Walk south from Donegall Sq. on Bedford St. Come on Th and F, for £1.50 and £2 drinks respectively. Open M noon-1am, Tu noon-2am, W noon-1am, Th-F noon-2:30am, Sa noon-3am.
The Golden Mile
THE SPANIARD
3 Skipper St.
BAR
028 9023 2448 www.thespaniardbar.com
If you can get in over the steep 25+ age requirement, this is the place to be. A hugely popular bar, it’s filled with pictures of Salvador Dalí (you get the feeling all of the bartenders wish they had his mustache) and old vinyl. Try the “Extraordinary,” with Havana Cuba rum, squeezed lime, and ginger beer.
Walk west on Donegall Sq. N., down Chichester St. 3 blocks. Make a left onto Victoria St. and follow until you make a left onto High St. Walk 1 block and turn right onto Skipper St. 25+. Pints £3.30. Open M-Sa noon-1am, Su noon-midnight.
RAIN
10-14 Tomb St.
CLUB
028 078 1051 8625 www.inforainclub.co.uk
The most excellent late-night club spot for Belfastians, Rain is a two-story club powerhouse complete with sunken dance floors, a packed beer garden, and a line out the door that gets longer throughout the night. Arrive early if you want to pay a smaller cover.
Near the river Lagan in the Cathedral quarter. M-Th and Su £2 drinks all night. Sa drinks full price. Open daily 9pm-3am.
THE FRONT PAGE
11 Donegall St.
PUB, CLUB
028 9024 6369 www.thefrontpagebar.co.uk
Downstairs, you’ll find quiet beer drinkers watching their horses at the track. At the club upstairs, a younger crowd grooves everynight at 7pm, with live music and DJs in the place of track condition discussions.
Near the intersection of Donegall and Academy St. Wheelchair accessibility limited to downstairs. Pints £3. Open M-Sa 11:30am-1am, Su 11:30am-11:30pm.
RONNIE DREW’S
78-83 May St.
PUB, BAR
028 9024 2046 www.ronniedrews.com
Right next door to St. George’s market, RD’s is a bit out of the way, but the booths are comfy, and, more importantly, the drinks are cheap. Come on Thursday or Friday nights to listen to some trad before heading out to the more expensive spots.
From Donegall Sq. S., walk down May St. for 3½ blocks. Dinner deal includes any entree and 2 drinks. Pints £2.75. Lunch meals £6. Dinner deal £10. Open M-Th 9am-11pm, F-Sa 9am-1am, Su 9am-midnight.
The Shopping District
FILTHY MCNASTY’S
45 Dublin Rd.
PUB
Mannequins in body suits and tutus guard the entrance to this trendy club. FM’s is scheduled to open up a big, open-air venue to handle their live-music schedule, so look for that. An alternative crowd hangs out here, and if you wanna get really McNasty, shots are just £3.
Weekly specials on the board. Pints £3.30. Open daily noon-1am.
THE APARTMENT
2-4 Donegall Sq. W.
BAR
028 9050 9777 www.apartmentbelfast.com
On the top floor of The Apartment all that separates you from the night air below are big glass panes. And while the exterior of City Hall below is Victorian, the interior of this bar could have come straight out of 1972. Long, flat furniture and funky ’70s soul make it a hotspot for an older, slightly more cash-heavy crowd.
Su £0.50 off all cocktails. Open M-F 7:30am-1am, Sa 9am-1am, Su 10am-midnight.
CROWN BAR
46 Great Victoria St.
BAR
028 9024 3187 www.crownbar.com
One of the most famous bars in Belfast, there are ornaments on the Crown’s ornaments. A Victorian era bar with 10 famous “snugs,” or enclosed wooden booths, you’ll want to call ahead if you’re with a group or want to get a snug at peak hours. Take pictures next to the impressive wood and tile work or simply get your snuggie on.
Lunch menu £3-9. Pints £3.50-4. Open M-Sa noon-3pm. Bar open M-Sa noon-10:30pm, Su 12:30-9pm.
The Entries
THE DUKE OF YORK
2-10 Commercial Ct.
PUB
028 9024 1062
There’s so many bar mirrors inside, you’ll think you had “Jameson” tattooed on your forehead—the Duke of York takes bric-a-brac to a whole new level. See live music on Friday and Saturday, and maybe you’ll catch the next Snow Patrol (they got their start here).
Just off of Donegall St. Pints £3.10. Open M-Sa 11:30am-1am, Su 2pm-mi
dnight.
THE MORNING STAR
17 Pottinger’s Entry
PUB
028 9023 5986 www.morningstar.com
While the party here’s not exactly a bumptastic grindfest, Morning Star’s an excellent place to have a few afternoon beers or, alternatively, get a massive plate from the ample buffet (£5). If you’re feeling like you could eat a horse, go for cow instead and order the 24 oz. rumpsteak. The old men betting on the horses will be pissed were you to eat their entertainment.
Walk up Donegall Pl. and turn right onto Castle St. Follow to the intersection of High St. and Pottingers Entry. Pints £2.50-3.10. Open M-Th 10:30am-11pm, F-Su 10:30am-1am (but you have until 1:30am to finish your drinks).
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: Belfast Welcome Centre is one of the only tourism offices (and by far the biggest) in Belfast and is also the only place to go for luggage storage ( £3 for up to 4 hrs., £4.50 for over 4hrs). Aside from taking in your bags and bothering to be open every day except Christmas, the BWC provides all the tourism info you could ever want, assistance booking tours, a gift shop, currency exchange and internet cafe. They must be listening to a lot of Vanilla Ice over there, because their mantra seems to be, “You got a problem? Yo, I’ll solve it.” (47 Donegall Pl. Just up the main road extending away from city hall on the left. 028 9024 6609 www.gotobelfast.com Touchscreen information kiosk available. 2 24hr. ATMs located outside Belfast Welcome Centre. Open Oct-May M-Sa 9am-5:30pm, Su 11am-4pm and June-Sept M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 11am-4pm.)
• TOURS: Operating since 1992, McComb’s Tours has the longest running Giant’s causeway tour, and their guides are friendly and knowledgable. However, just because they’ve been around since 1992 doesn’t mean they’re behind the times, all of their buses are less than two years old. Take the causeway tour (£20 full day, £18 express) or the City Tour (£12). 20% discount available for patrons of the International Youth Hostel, in which McComb’s has their office. (22-32 Donegall Rd. 028 9031 5333 www.mccombstravel.com; [email protected] Open daily 8am-10pm.)
• BANKS: Bank of Ireland. (28 University Rd. 2 24hr. ATMs. Open M-Tu 9:30am-4:30pm, W 10am-4:30pm, Th-F 9:30am-4:30pm.) First Trust Bank. (Across the street from the front of city hall. 2 24hr. ATMs. Open M-Tu 9:30am-4:30pm, W 10am-4:30pm, Th-F 9:30am-4:30pm.) Belfast GPO has currency exchange. (12-16 Bridge St. 028 9032 0337 postoffice.co.uk Open M-Sa 9am-5:30pm.)
• INTERNET ACCESS: Revelations gives a discount to students and hostelers, if your hostel doesn’t have internet already. (27 Shaftesbury Sq. 028 9032 0337 www.revelations.co.uk; [email protected] £1.10 per 15min., per 20min. for students and hostelers. Open M-F 8am-10pm, Sa 10am-6pm, Su 11am-7pm.)
• POST OFFICES: Belfast GPO can tend to all of your postal service needs. (12-16 Bridge St. 028 9032 0337 postoffice.co.uk Open M-Sa 9am-5:30pm.) You can also head to the Bedford Street branch of the post office. (16-22 Bedford St. 028 9032 2293 Open M-F 9am-5:30pm.)
Emergency!
• POLICE STATION: (Ann St. 0845 600 8000 for switchboard, 999 for emergen cies. www.psni.co.uk 24hr. assistance.)
• PHARMACIES: At Boots, wade through an enormous make-up section and head upstairs to get to the pharmacy. ( 35-47 Donegall St. 028 9024 2332 www.belfasttrust.hscni.net Open M-F 8am-9pm, Sa 8am-7pm, Su 1-6pm.)
• HOSPITALS: Belfast City Hospital (Lisburn Rd. 028 9032 9241 for switchboard, 999 for emergencies. www.belfasttrust.hscni.net Open 24hr.)
Getting There
By Plane
Belfast International Airport (Belfast BT29 4AB 028 9448 4848 www.belfastairport.com; [email protected] Passengers who require additional mobility assistance should call +44 (0) 28 9448 4957.) has flights all over Europe, the US, and beyond, and features the following airlines: Air Lingus (0871 7185 000 www.aerlingus.com) with flights to and from Barcelona, Faro, Lanzarote (Arrecife), London Heathrow, Malaga, Munich, Rome Leonardo Da Vinci, Tenerife; Continental (0845 607 6760 (UK) or 1 890 925 252 (ROI) www.continental.com/uk) with flights to and from New York; easyJet (0905 821 0905 www.easyJet.com), with flights to and from Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bristol, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Glasgow, Ibiza, Krakow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Malaga, Newcastle, Nice, Palma Majorca, Paris Charles de Gaulle; Jet2.com (0871 226 1 737 www.jet2.com), with flights to Blackpool, Chambery, Dubrovnik, Ibiza, Jersey, Leeds Bradford, Mahon, Murcia, Newquay, Palma Majorca, Pisa, Toulouse, Tenerife; Manx2.com (0871 200 0440 www.manx2.com) with flights to and from the Isle of Man, Galway, Cork; Thomas Cook (0871 895 0055 www.thomascook.com), with flights to and from Lanzarote, Alicante, Antalya, Bodrum, Corfu, Cancun, Dalaman, Faro, Fuerteventura, Heraklion, Ibiza, Larnaca, Las Palmas, Mahon, Monastir, Palma, Puerto Plata, Reus, Rhodes, Sanford Orlando, Sharm el Sheikh, Tenerife, Toulouse, Veronal; Thompson Airways (0871 895 0055 www.thomson.co.uk), with flights to and from Lanzarote, Malaga, Bodrum, Bourgas, Dalaman, Grenoble, Lapland, Las Palmas, Naples, Palma, Reus, Tenerife.
By Train
Belfast Central Train Station runs all over Northern Ireland and down to the Republic as well. Major destinations include Dublin (2hr.), Londonderry (2¼hr.) and Neary (50min.). Check the website for times and prices, as both are subject to frequent change. (Central Station, E. Bridge St. 209 066 6630 www.translink.co.uk Open M-Sa 6:20am-8:10pm, Su 10am-7:30pm.)
Getting Around
Transportation cards and tickets are available at the pink kiosks in Donegall Sq. W. ( Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 9am-5:20pm) and around the city.
By Bus
Belfast has two bus services. Many local bus routes connect through Laganside Bus Station, Queens Square Metro bus service (9066 6630 www.translink.co.uk) operates from Donegall Sq. Twelve main routes cover Belfast. Ulsterbus “blue buses” cover the suburbs. ( Day passes £3. Travel within the city center £1, under 16 £.50, beyond city center £2.30. Nightlink buses travel from Donegall Sq. W. to towns outside Belfast ( £3.50. Sa 1 and 2am.)
By Taxi
Metered taxis run through the city 24hr. Look for the following companies: Value Cabs (9080 9080); City Cab (9024 2000); Fon a Cab (9033 3333).
By Bicycle
For bike rental, head to McConvey Cycles. (183 Ormeau Rd. 9033 0322 www.mcconvey.com Locks included. M and F-Su £20; otherwise £10 per day, £40 per week. £50 deposit. Open M-W 9am-6pm, Th 9am-8pm, F-Sa 9am-6pm.)
essentials
entrance requirements
• PASSPORT: Required for citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US.
• VISA: Required for citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US only for stays of longer than 90 days.
• WORK PERMIT : Required for all foreigners planning to work in the UK.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Time Differences
Great Britain and Ireland are on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and observes Daylight Saving Time. This means that they are 5hr. ahead of New York City, 8hr. ahead of Los Angeles, 10hr. behind Sydney, and 11hr. behind New Zealand (note that Australia observes Daylight Savings Time from October to March, the opposite of the Northern Hemispheres—therefore, it is 9 hours ahead of Britain from March to October and 11 hours ahead from October to March, for an average of 10 hours).
MONEY
Tipping and Bargaining
Tips in restaurants are often included in the bill (sometimes as a “service charge”). If gratuity is not included, you should tip your server about 12.5%. Taxi drivers should receive a 10% tip, and bellhops and chambermaids usually expect £1-3. To the great relief of many budget travelers, tipping is not expected at pubs and bars in Britain and Ireland. Bargaining is generally unheard of in UK shops.
Taxes
The UK has a 17.5% value added tax (VAT), a sales tax applied to everything but food, books, medicine, and children’s clothing. The tax is included in the amount indicated on the price tag. The prices stated in Let’s Go include VAT. Upon exiting Britain, non-EU citizens can reclaim VAT (minus an administrative fee) thro
ugh the Retail Export Scheme, although the complex procedure is probably only worthwhile for large purchases. You can obtain refunds only for goods you take out of the country (not for accommodations or meals). Participating shops display a “Tax-Free Shopping” sign and may have a minimum purchase of £50-100 before they offer refunds. To clam a refund, fill out the form you are given in the shop and present it with the goods and receipts at customs upon departure (look for the Tax-Free Refund desk at the airport). At peak times, this process can take up to an hour. You must leave the country within three months of your purchase in order to claim a refund, and you must apply before leaving the UK.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 37