Belfast, Northern Ireland · United Kingdom

Belfast City Guide - Titanic Quarter and Street Art

Belfast is a city that built things and still likes to talk about it. This guide sorts it by theme, from the Titanic Quarter and the murals to cobbled pubs, a Victorian market hall and a prison you can walk through.

Published October 20, 2026

William Murphy uploaded and derivative work: MrPanyGoff - CC BY-SA 2.0

Two yellow cranes stand over the east bank of the Lagan. Locals call them Samson and Goliath, and you can see them from half the city. They are a good place to start, because Belfast is a city that built things and still likes to talk about it.

This **Belfast city guide** sorts the city by theme rather than by checklist. Shipyards and the Titanic story come first, then the murals and their context, then cobbled pubs, a Victorian market hall and a prison you can walk through. Everything sits close together. The centre is compact enough to cross on foot, so a long weekend covers a lot without rushing.

What Is the Titanic Quarter and Why Visit It?

The Titanic Quarter is the old Harland and Wolff shipyard on Queen's Island, where the Titanic and her sister ships were designed, built and launched. The slipways are still there, marked out on the ground in the size of the hulls. Standing on them gives you the scale in a way no photograph does.

**Titanic Belfast** is the museum at its heart, the angular silver building shaped like four ship prows. The galleries follow the city's industrial boom, the shipyard floor, the launch, the sinking and the search for the wreck. Expect immersive galleries and plenty of personal stories from the workers. Book a time slot on the [museum website](https://www.titanicbelfast.com/), since popular days fill early.

Give the area a generous half day. Walk to the SS Nomadic, the small steamship that once ferried passengers out to the Titanic at Cherbourg and is the last White Star Line vessel left afloat. Further along, the Thompson Dry Dock shows how vast the ships were. The old Harland and Wolff drawing offices, where the plans were drawn, have been turned into a hotel, so check its own page if you want to look inside.

Where Can You See the Belfast Murals?

Murals are part of the city's public face. You find them on gable ends in west and north Belfast, along the peace walls and in the city centre, where contemporary street art fills lanes and car park walls.

The **Belfast murals** are a large body of public art painted on houses, walls and community buildings across the city. Many relate to the history of the twentieth century and to community identity, while others honour sports heroes, writers, local figures or international causes. They change over time, as old works are painted over and fresh ones appear. Context matters, and the best sources are official ones. The Ulster Museum covers this period of history in its galleries, and licensed local guides and black taxi tours lead visits to the main mural areas, each offering their own interpretation of what you see. The peace walls, tall barriers between some neighbourhoods, are covered in art and messages left by visitors. Follow local official advice when you plan a visit, and go with a registered guide if it is your first time.

For a lighter contrast, head to the Cathedral Quarter. Hill Street and the lanes around Commercial Court carry big, colourful works by local and visiting artists. The [official tourism board](https://visitbelfast.com/) lists walking and taxi tours run by accredited operators.

What to Do in the Cathedral Quarter?

The Cathedral Quarter is the old merchant district north of the centre, built around warehouses, print works and narrow entries. It is where Belfast goes out in the evening. St Anne's Cathedral anchors it, and at night a thin steel spike called the Spire of Hope glows above the roof.

The streets around it are cobbled and short. The Duke of York hides down Commercial Court, a pub full of period character. The Dirty Onion sits in a restored historic warehouse with a beer garden. Traditional music sessions start in several pubs most evenings. Times vary, so check each venue's own page before you go.

Then there are the **pub snugs**, which a first-timer often walks past without noticing. A snug is a small, partitioned booth inside a pub, with its own door and sometimes a bell to call the barman, built so drinkers could talk in private. The finest Victorian example is the Crown Liquor Saloon on Great Victoria Street, opposite the Europa. It has carved wooden snugs, painted glass, mosaic floors and gas lamps, and it is cared for by the National Trust. Try to get a snug outside peak hours. It feels like drinking in a jewellery box.

Is St George's Market Worth a Visit?

Yes, and it rewards an empty stomach. **St George's Market** is a red brick Victorian covered market close to the river on May Street, the last of its kind in the city. Under the glass roof you find fish counters, farm produce, cheeses, breads, crafts and stalls cooking breakfast to order.

The market trades on certain days only. Check the [market page](https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/Things-to-Do/Markets/St-George-s-Market/Information-about-St-George-s-Market) on the council site before planning around it. Try a soda farl or a potato bread sandwich, two local staples.

From here the riverside opens up. The Waterfront Hall sits a short walk away, and the Lagan towpath runs south for walkers and cyclists. Near Donegall Quay, the Big Fish sculpture is covered in ceramic tiles printed with scenes from the city's past. Lean in and read a few. For lunch, the Linen Quarter and Ormeau Avenue have cafes and bakeries a few minutes on foot.

Among the most relaxed **things to do in Belfast** is a slow loop of City Hall. The Edwardian building fills Donegall Square, its grounds are open to the public and office workers eat lunch on the lawns. Look for the Titanic memorial garden on the east side.

What Is Crumlin Road Gaol Like to Visit?

**Crumlin Road Gaol** is a restored Victorian prison in north Belfast, designed by Charles Lanyon and in use for well over a century. It closed as a working jail and reopened as a visitor attraction, with guided tours through the cells, the governor's office and the execution room.

The tour covers the building, the people held there and its place in local history. Interpretation comes from the site's own guides, who mix architecture with personal stories. The most memorable moment is the tunnel. It runs under Crumlin Road to the courthouse opposite, so prisoners could be moved without stepping outside. Look across at the courthouse, whose columned front faces the gaol.

Tours run on a schedule, so book through the [visitor attraction site](https://www.crumlinroadgaol.com/). Wear comfortable shoes, because the floors are stone, and bring a layer. The wings stay cool even on warm days.

If you have time left, two contrasts sit across town. The Ulster Museum, in the Botanic Gardens, mixes art, natural history and the modern history galleries mentioned earlier. Belfast Castle, on the slopes of Cave Hill, offers woodland trails and wide views over the lough.

Ready to Plan Your Own Belfast Days?

Belfast rewards a slow pace. Mix the shipyards with the markets, the murals with the snugs, and the city starts to make sense. Create your own itinerary with Keptour, add the places that catch your eye, arrange them into days and share the plan with whoever is coming along. Start with the theme that pulls you most and build outward from there. Leave one evening free for a session in a Cathedral Quarter pub.

City BreakCultureFood and Drink