We will be visiting Belfast for only 3 days in Aug. What should we do while we are in there? I understand that we should take a driving tour to see the country side. Where should we go and for how long?? <BR> <BR>Thanks for your suggestions!!!!

First stop, the Belfast Tourism Visitors Center. It's new and extremely helpful. <BR>Take a Black Taxi tour of Belfast. Walk around this fascinating city. Stop into the Crown Bar for a pint. Drive along the Antrim Coast -- one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Or go to the Ulster Folk Park and Transport Museum. You could spend the day just there. Drive out to Downpatrick and visit the new St. Patrick's interpretation center and Down Cathedral. Lots to do.

I second the vote for the Antrim Coast road. Take a full day to do it. If you like whiskey, plan to do the tour at Bushmill's (free samples at the end!). It's not far off the Antrim Coast route. <BR> <BR>Take a tour of the Belfast City Hall (probably the nicest city hall in Europe). And then continue exploring Belfast. It's a great city. Have lunch at Nick's Warehouse, and I also second a drink at the Crown. If you're there on a Friday night, go down to the Rotterdam for some live music. <BR> <BR>If you like hiking, head for Newcastle, where you can catch a trail to hike up the Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains. You can also drive up to the Silent Valley (get out of your car and take the bus tour up to the reservoir). <BR> <BR>Downpatrick is where St. Patrick is buried (there is some controversary about this, but I'll stick with D'patrick). Aside from his grave (up at the church on the hill--you'll see it), and the interpretation center, you'll be done with D'patrick pretty quickly. <BR> <BR>One of the nicest villages/towns in N. Ireland is Hillsborough. I just like to wander around there. <BR> <BR>I went to the Ulster Folk Park last year, and was disappointed. We left after about 1 hour. <BR> <BR>There have been several previous postings on what to do in Northern Ireland, so I would suggest doing a search. <BR> <BR>One word of warning, August is still marching season. I won't go into detail, except to say that some roads get closed down, and tempers can flare. You won't be in any danger, but you will see more police/Army activity during this time than at any other.

Tom, I second the above mention of the Black Taxi tours of Belfast...super fascinating... one of the highlights of our trip. Also the Antrim Coast is spectacular.

What great ideas for our short visit to Belfast!!!! Thanks ever so much for taking the time to share your experiences with me--If you have any other suggestions please let me know.

We liked the Ulster Folk Museum (we were probably the only people there that day, so the guides, etc. had time to chat with us and answer all our questions - if it had been busy and crowded, we wouldn't have bothered them with questions - which made it a lot more interesting). The Antrim Coast is gorgeous; do go down into one of the glens (the Glen of Antrim is pretty spectacular; wear good gripping shoes, as the falls make walkways slippery). In Bushmills is Dunluce Castle, which is pretty interesting (imagine your kitchen falling into the sea...); Glenariff offers Red Bay Castle. In Cushendall is Ossian's Grave (supposedly, the Little People live in the hill, too). The Bushmill's Distillery is a great tour; in town is Bushmills Inn, with an incredible gourmet restaurant (peat fire in the reception area). Along the north coast in Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, Rathlin Island and the Giant's Causeway.

Good stuff from Elvira. I love the Carrick-a-Rede bridge, although my husband, who's scared of heights, refuses to ever cross it again. <BR> <BR>Other suggestions for food in Belfast: Ask someone to point you toward where Roscoff's used to be. The same chef still runs it, but he's changed the name. One of the best restaurants in town. For fish and chips, Bishops. There's also a good Chinese place--it's on Donegall Pass (just off the Dublin Road), and I can't remember the name, but it's the only Chinese restaurant in N.I. that refuses to serve chips (people ask for chips instead of rice). <BR> <BR>Pizza Express does some pretty good pastas. The restaurant's name does not fit the place. It's actually very nice and modern. <BR> <BR>Outside Belfast, ask how to get to the Pheasant or the Tiddy Doffer or Daft Eddie's (the later is on a small island). <BR> <BR>There's a small village about 30 minutes (non-rush hour) outside of Belfast called Killyleagh. There's a castle smack in the middle of town, and it's one of the few privately owned castles left. Granted, they have recently started renting out rooms, but I wouldn't recommend it as a place to stay (I've heard it's cold and damp, and you get charged extra for electricity). Across the street is a great pub--the Dufferin Arms. Ask in there about accommodation if you're looking for a place to stay. The former owners of the pub run a B&B-type establishment next door. <BR> <BR>Up in the mountains is a little hotel called the Slieve Croob Inn. If you're looking to get away from everyone, you can't go wrong with a night at this place. Ask for one of the cottages. We stayed there for a wedding, and our cottages slept 6 (one pull-out bed), and had a fireplace. Just a short walk to the hotel. Can't remember if you get breakfast with the cottages.

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The new name for Roscoffs is Cayenne, and the Chinese in Donegall Pass is called the Sun Kee.