Belfast is the second-largest city on the island of Ireland. It is the largest city in Northern Ireland, of which it is the capital, and in the province of Ulster. he city is situated at the south-western end of Belfast Lough, a long natural inlet ideal for the shipping trade that made the city famous, and near the mouth of the River Lagan. It is flanked by long stretches of hills, the Holywood Hills on the south and the Antrim Hills on the north. The city straddles the County Antrim and County Down boundary. The city recently gained the status of being the 2nd most popular city in the UK for short breaks. The name Belfast originates from the Irish Béal Feirste, or the mouth of the Farset (feirste is the genitive of the word fearsaid, "a spindle"), the river on which the city was built. Interestingly, the river Farset has been superseded by the River Lagan as the most important river; the Farset now languishes under the High Street in obscurity. Bridge Street indicates where there was originally a bridge across the Farset.

	Country:	Northern Ireland
	Location:	Northeast
	Country Code:	+44
	Population:	276,459
	Language:	English
	Currency:	GBP Sterling (£)
	Time Zone:	GMT
	Train Station:	Great Victoria Street, Belfast Central
	Tourism:	Belfast Tourism

By Car From Dublin, Follow signs to Belfast (N1,M1), Upon arrival at Newry follow A1 to Hillsborough, Take first exit at Hillsborough roundabout to join M1 to Belfast, Follow signs for Belfast City Centre.

By Train The majority of trains call at Great Victoria Street Station in the centre, with the exception of trains from Dublin and Larne which terminate at Central Station near the Waterfront Hall on East Bridge Street, a little way east of the centre. From Central Station you can hop on a connecting train to Great Victoria Street Station.

By Air Belfast is served by two airports . Most flights arrive at Belfast International Airport, nineteen miles west of the city in Aldergrove; from here, there are airport buses to Europa bus station. A handful of carriers use the tiny Belfast City Airport, three miles northeast of the centre.

By Ferry The port of Belfast is an ideal destination if you wish to travel to Ireland, northern or southern. Regular scheduled sailings from Britain with Stena Line, Seacat and the Isle of Man steam Packet Company mean you can effortlessly reach your destination, from Scotland via Stranraer or Troon and the Isle of Man via Douglas. Around two thirds of Northern Ireland's sea borne trade, and a quarter of that for Ireland as a whole is handled at Belfast ferry port which receives over 9000 vessels each year.

• Ulster Museum
• Belfast Cathedral
• Belfast City Hall
• Exploris Aquarium

Belfast is a place for getting out and about, and has plenty to experience. This need not take more than a couple of days in the city itself, although Belfast is a good base from which to visit virtually anywhere else in the North. In the centre, concentrate on the glories that the industrial revolution brought: grandiose architecture and magnificent Victorian pubs. To the south are the lively and influential Queen's University and the extensive collections of the Ulster Museum, set in the grounds of the Botanic Gardens . A climb up Cave Hill, to the north, rewards you with marvellous views of the city spread out around the curve of the natural harbour, Belfast Lough.