Belfast Castle, Belfast (must see)
Belfast Castle is a striking 19th-century estate located on the slopes of Cave Hill, offering sweeping views over the city and Belfast Lough. Completed in 1870, the current structure was commissioned by the 3rd Marquess of Donegall after the original city-centre castle was destroyed by fire. Designed in the Scottish Baronial style, the castle features turrets, gables, and ornate stonework, reflecting the Victorian taste for romantic architecture and countryside retreats.
The castle grounds are part of the larger Cave Hill Country Park, a scenic expanse popular with hikers and nature lovers. Several walking trails lead through wooded areas and past dramatic cliffs, eventually reaching the summit of Cave Hill itself, famously believed to have inspired Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The castle’s elevated position provides one of the best panoramic views of Belfast, making it a popular stop for photographers and visitors seeking a peaceful break from the urban centre.
Inside the castle, visitors can explore a small exhibition on its history and enjoy refreshments at the cellar café. The estate is also known for its manicured gardens and whimsical cat-themed sculptures, which pay homage to a local legend claiming good fortune for any home that houses a white cat. Outdoor picnic areas and a playground make the site family-friendly, while the formal rooms and banquet facilities continue to serve as a venue for weddings and events.
Belfast Castle is open daily and free to enter, offering a blend of local legend, architecture, and natural beauty within easy reach of the city.
The castle grounds are part of the larger Cave Hill Country Park, a scenic expanse popular with hikers and nature lovers. Several walking trails lead through wooded areas and past dramatic cliffs, eventually reaching the summit of Cave Hill itself, famously believed to have inspired Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The castle’s elevated position provides one of the best panoramic views of Belfast, making it a popular stop for photographers and visitors seeking a peaceful break from the urban centre.
Inside the castle, visitors can explore a small exhibition on its history and enjoy refreshments at the cellar café. The estate is also known for its manicured gardens and whimsical cat-themed sculptures, which pay homage to a local legend claiming good fortune for any home that houses a white cat. Outdoor picnic areas and a playground make the site family-friendly, while the formal rooms and banquet facilities continue to serve as a venue for weddings and events.
Belfast Castle is open daily and free to enter, offering a blend of local legend, architecture, and natural beauty within easy reach of the city.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Belfast. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Belfast Castle on Map
Sight Name: Belfast Castle
Sight Location: Belfast, Ireland (See walking tours in Belfast)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Belfast, Ireland (See walking tours in Belfast)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Belfast, Ireland
Create Your Own Walk in Belfast
Creating your own self-guided walk in Belfast is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Belfast Victorian Architecture Jewels
Described as “modestly scaled, undemonstrative, somewhat solid in aspect, and usually restrained (sometimes even austere) in its use of external decoration”, the urban landscape of Belfast has been influenced by the demands of shipbuilding and linen industry, much as transitioning between culture, arts, commerce, and education. Still, the architectural spectrum of the city is quite broad and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Belfast Introduction Walking Tour
For over a century, the political situation of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, has been the source of strife, first between the Crown-loyal Protestants and Irish Catholics, and more recently between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Sitting on the banks of the River Lagan where it meets the Irish Sea, the city owes its name to this coastal condition, with "Belfast"... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Sitting on the banks of the River Lagan where it meets the Irish Sea, the city owes its name to this coastal condition, with "Belfast"... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
The Troubles and Peace Process Landmarks
Decades past the official end of The Troubles in Belfast, the price of peace in Northern Ireland remains high. One of the means with which to secure it, back in 1969, was erecting a wall to physically separate the capital's warring Protestant and Catholic communities. Known since as the Peace Wall, the structure has become a popular tourist attraction for the multiple murals painted thereon... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles