72 Hours in Belfast: The Best Pubs, Restaurants & Spots To Soak Up Culture In Northern Ireland’s Capital

I recently visited Northern Ireland for the first time, and I had so much fun. We spent 3 full days in the city of Belfast, discovering cultural must-sees, excellent drinking spots and the hidden dining spots that I’ve not stopped thinking about since I returned home (more on these later)

The main reason for my trip? To attend AVA Festival (Audio Visual Arts Festival and Conference) – a two-day celebration of cutting-edge electronic music, set against the striking industrial backdrop of Belfast’s historic Titanic Slipways. The festival is both a love letter to Ireland’s thriving electronic scene and a platform for some of the biggest names in global rave culture. And best of all? Not a trace of the usual festival aggro — just good energy, from start to finish. 

AVA felt like the cultural event of the year for young people in Northern Ireland, a place where style, spirit and joy came together. The sun was shining, the crowd was glowing, and amidst all the dancing, there were multiple powerful moments of artists showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.

This year’s highlight was dancing under the open sky to the legendary headline act Underworld, as they closed their set with the euphoric, era-defining anthem Born Slippy (yes, that track from Trainspotting). Another standout was Belfast-born Sally C, who brought relentless energy, the best dancers and a crowd that was completely locked in.

Another joy: the festival doesn’t kick off until 3pm and wraps up by 11pm, meaning we had plenty of time to explore the city of Belfast by day and continue raving at night. The city itself is incredibly walkable, making this one of the most convenient festival experiences I’ve ever had. Mornings were spent strolling left along the embankment into the city centre, hunting down good coffee, wandering the streets on casual sightseeing missions, and – more often than not – ending up in some of the best pubs I’ve ever been to.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of three ways to spend three days in Belfast, from the museums genuinely worth carving out time for to whiskey tasting at the city’s first active distillery in 90 years (an unexpected highlight!). Whether you’re plotting a spontaneous weekend getaway or thinking ahead to AVA 2026 (which, frankly, you should be making a note of), consider this your unofficial guide to getting under the skin of Northern Ireland’s capital...

DAY 1

Check Into... Titanic Hotel. If you can, I’d say a night at the luxury Titanic Hotel is absolutely worth it. Sitting in the Titanic Quarter (fun fact: despite the name, there are actually only three ‘quarters’ in the city), the building itself is stunning – all elegant period features and rich with maritime history. It’s actually the restored building that once housed the architectural offices of Harland & Wolff, the shipbuilders behind the RMS Titanic. Conveniently, it also overlooks the AVA Festival site. The bar and restaurant have a classic, old-world feel, which made for quite a surreal contrast to the techno rave unfolding right outside during the weekend I was there. Best of all, it’s directly opposite Belfast’s famous Titanic Museum, which stands at the exact height the original ship did as it was being built.

Discover More History At... Belfast City Hall – a lovely 30-minute stroll away down the embankment. It’s well worth stepping inside. The small but insightful museum is free to wander around and gives a brilliant context to the city’s history, from its industrial roots right through to the modern day. Plus, the building itself is gorgeous, think grand marble floors and stained-glass windows – the perfect pitstop for a bit of culture before you hit the pubs later.

Grab A Coffee... At Trait. It’s just a short walk away from City Hall and serves great coffee and an equally good selection of pastries and cakes. Close by is also Neighbourhood Coffee, if you need a second caffeine fix. From there, you can while away a few hours meandering the shops and streets, working up an appetite for lunch.

Have A Long Lunch At... Roam. I stumbled across this restaurant by chance, it’s tucked away off a main street in central Belfast and easy to miss, but I’m so glad I found it. The staff were genuinely lovely, the food was outstanding and the wine list was the kind you want to work your way through slowly. One standout dish was the citrus-cured sea trout – a new addition to the menu at the time, and it completely delivered. If I didn’t have a festival to get to, I could have spent all afternoon sitting in Roam...

For Your Cocktail Fix... Head to Rattlebag, an award-winning cocktail den. The menu is curated to perfection and the mood is cosy, intimate and makes you feel like you’ve really discovered something special. The house martini is not to be missed. After a packed day, you’ll probably be ready to head back to the hotel to grab a light bite in the Wolff Grill restaurant, before starting all over again tomorrow.

DAY 2

Start Your Day With... Room service (is there any better way to have breakfast?) making the most of the room before it’s time to check out. Because to get the most out of your 72 hours in the city, I’d suggest switching up locations for night two, so next...

Explore A New Area Of The City In... the Cathedral Quarter. For your final night, head east of the river to this historic district, checking into The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, a row of Victorian townhouses brought together to form what the hotel describes as a “Bohemian Bolthole”, and honestly, I couldn’t have put it better myself. The founder, Melanie Harrison, is a walking encyclopaedia of Belfast’s history and culture, and she kindly gave us a tour of the place. Like so much of the city, the hotel is steeped in stories of the people who’ve shaped Belfast into what it is today. The corridors are lined with vintage fur coats – a playful nod to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (author C.S. Lewis was from Belfast) – and each room is named after musicians with ties to the city. I stayed in the Stairway to Heaven room, named after the Led Zeppelin track, first performed at Belfast’s Ulster Hall. Even if you don’t manage to stay the night, it’s worth popping in for a coffee or an evening drink at the bar, and if you’re lucky, you might catch Melanie...

Get Your Whiskey Fix At... Titanic Distillers. I’ll admit, I was a little apprehensive about this visit at first – I’m not usually a whiskey fan – but what followed was a genuinely fascinating couple of hours. During our tour, we heard the incredible story of one of Belfast’s own: a former bus driver who won the lottery and used his winnings to revive one of the city’s long-forgotten industries: whiskey making. Titanic Distillers is the first working distillery to open in Belfast in 90 years, and it’s brilliant. The team are not only passionate about the craft but also about Belfast itself, using the city’s rich industrial heritage as inspiration for shaping its future.

Line Your Stomach At... Maggie Mays – you’ll see these classic cafes dotted across the city. For a quick, simple, delicious meal (think jacket potatoes, sandwiches and chilli con carne), Maggie will sort you out. (Oh, did I also mention it’s BYOB?)

Start Your Pub Crawl At... Maddens and Bittles Bar – both known for serving some of the freshest pints of Guinness in the city, and two of the best pubs I visited, thanks to local recommendations. After asking just about everyone we met for their top pubs, I managed to build up a solid list of spots to work through. Another favourite was The Garrick: a proper old-school pub with plenty of character and outdoor tables, where we managed to soak up the rare but glorious Irish sunshine.

Grab A Burger At... Bunsen Burgers. No gimmicks, no unnecessary extras – just proper smash burgers done exactly as they should be. Laidback, lively, and exactly what you want before heading into a rave.

DAY 3

Have Breakfast At... The Pocket. If you fancy a break from the usual hotel breakfast, this brunch spot is absolutely worth the detour. It’s a lovely morning walk into town, just enough to feel like you’ve earned your feast. And if you’re not in the mood for a full meal, their cakes and pastries are seriously tempting...

Pick Up Gifts To Take Home At... St Georges Market. Open on weekends until mid-afternoon, this market is home to a mix of independent makers and artisans selling everything from jewellery and pottery to knitwear and photography. And if you’re feeling peckish, there’s a great selection of food stalls tucked at the back – perfect for grabbing a quick bite.

Soak Up Culture At... The Ulster Museum. Free to access, the museum houses art, historical artefacts and specimens from around the world. It also has a brilliant ongoing exhibition called The Troubles and Beyond – an powerful, in-depth account of Northern Ireland’s history from 1969 to the present day.

Find A City Escape At... The Botanic Gardens, which are just a short walk away and well worth a visit. The tropical greenhouses in particular are beautiful: a peaceful escape filled with lush greenery and exotic plants.

Grab A Last Bite At... Orto, a light, airy pizza spot with a laidback feel – and, as a coeliac, I have to give a special mention to their gluten-free dough, which was genuinely phenomenal. The perfect final meal to round off a brilliant weekend in Belfast.