Though scarred by three decades of civil unrest, the former battleground of West Belfast is one of the most compelling places to visit in Northern Ireland. Falls Rd and Shankill Rd are adorned with famous murals expressing local political and religious passions, and divided by the infamous Peace Line, separating Catholic and Protestant communities. Take a taxi tour of the district, or pick up a map from the tourist office and explore on foot.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.99 MILES
The stunning, star-shaped Titanic Belfast is the city's number-one tourist draw. Standing majestically at the head of the slipway where the Titanic was…
1 MILES
Belfast's classical Renaissance-style City Hall was built in fine, white Portland stone in 1906. Highlights of the free, 45-minute guided tour include the…
1.22 MILES
You could spend hours browsing this state-of-the-art museum, but if you're pressed for time don't miss the Armada Room, with artefacts retrieved from the…
0.83 MILES
There are not many historical monuments that you can enjoy while savouring a pint of Guinness, but the National Trust's Crown Liquor Saloon is one of them…
3.56 MILES
The view from the summit of Cave Hill (368m) takes in the whole sprawl of the city, the docks, Belfast Lough and the Mourne Mountains – on a clear day you…
1.32 MILES
The showpiece of Belfast's green oasis is Charles Lanyon's beautiful Palm House, built in 1839 and completed in 1852, with its birdcage dome, a…
1.05 MILES
Guided tours of Belfast's notorious Crumlin Road Gaol take you from the tunnel beneath Crumlin Rd, built in 1850 to convey prisoners from the courthouse…
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14.51 MILES
The magnificent 18th-century Mount Stewart is one of Northern Ireland’s grandest stately homes. Entertaining tours tell the story of the house and its…
Nearby Belfast attractions
0.16 MILES
The red-brick Sinn Féin Headquarters has the famous mural of a smiling Bobby Sands, the hunger striker who was elected as MP for West Belfast just a few…
0.29 MILES
Conway Mill is a restored 19th-century flax mill that now houses artists' studios and work spaces for local enterprises. It also contains the Eileen…
3. Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum
0.29 MILES
Named for the late Republican activist who envisaged the museum, the collection here contains artefacts, newspaper articles, photos and archives relating…
0.35 MILES
Housed in a red-brick, former Presbyterian church, this Irish language and cultural centre is the focus for West Belfast's community activity. It's a cosy…
0.47 MILES
The Solidarity Wall is a collection of murals expressing Republican sympathies with, among others, the Palestinians, the Kurds and the Basques.
0.62 MILES
The most visible sign of the divisions that have scarred the area for so long are the so-called 'peace walls' that controversially divide Belfast's…
0.81 MILES
One of Belfast's great Victorian landmarks is the Grand Opera House. Opened in 1895 and completely refurbished in the 1970s, it sustained severe IRA-bomb…
0.83 MILES
There are not many historical monuments that you can enjoy while savouring a pint of Guinness, but the National Trust's Crown Liquor Saloon is one of them…