Other Tours Available
Each tour is available upon request for a group of between 4 and 20 guests.
Email Dolores to enquire
CreativeToursBelfast@gmail.com
Cathedral Quarter Arts Trail
The Cathedral Quarter of Belfast is now very much the city’s cultural quarter. It is also the heart of old Belfast the town.
Take this tour for a thorough and fun exploration of its narrow entries, cross open squares, view historic and landmark buildings, to discover public sculptures and street art, learn about many of the city’s famous writers and hear about our wealth of current music.
Starting on Waring Street, opposite The Merchant Hotel, this two-hour tour will take in the Oh Yeah Music Centre, The MAC, Writer’s Square, Exchange Place, the ‘Four Corners’ and more, before ending in Joy’s Entry.
Introducing Belfast
Starting from City Hall, this two-hour tour gives an enjoyable introduction to Belfast’s and the not to be missed highlights
of the city centre. You’ll see key buildings, areas and popular attractions, while hearing information on the industries that helped develop a small town into a prosperous industrial Victorian city. You’ll find out what makes Belfast a vibrant place to visit today.
You will visit the Cathedral Quarter, see the city’s three oldest pubs, newest shopping centre and cultural space, walk by the riverside to see the port and Lagan footbridge. The tour will end by the ‘Big Fish’ or ‘Salmon of Knowledge’.
Belfast’s Historic Entries, Street Art and Music
Explore the city’s oldest area, by the banks of the Lagan and Farset rivers, strolling through its narrow streets, known as ‘entries’. Belfast is one of the world’s top city destinations for colourful street art painted by both local and international artists. The modern street artwork in the entries shed light on many fascinating stories from Belfast’s past. These include the city’s liberal past in the late 1700s and how the town refused to become a slave trading port, the city’s years of conflict, and our well-known poets and writers.
This two-hour tour around the heart of old Belfast town will also include in a visit to the city’s music hub to view its NI Music Exhibition to help understand hear why Belfast is now a designated UNESCO City of Music.
Artists and Activists – Belfast Changemakers
Take this guided walk around Belfast’s historic centre, now known as the Cathedral Quarter, to look at artworks or emblems that speak to the campaigning work of some of our changemakers across the years. These few streets bear witness to artists and activists from the 17 th century to more recent days who have helped to bring about change across many areas.
On this entertaining two-hour tour you will explore the area’s historic entries, open squares and historic buildings to examine sculptures, street art, written words and plaques. Your guide will help you to interpret what these works reveal. For example, the group will be introduced to Thomas McCabe who prevented Belfast from becoming a slave trading port in 1786; John Hewitt, a 20th century poet and campaigner for social change; members of a long-ago secret society; and Belfast’s ‘Godfather of Punk’.
The Merchants Who Grew A City Belfast’s Industrial Heritage
Take this enjoyable walking tour around the oldest parts of Belfast central in the city’s industrial heritage, and become acquainted with key figures from the 1700s to the early 1900s who pioneered new and successful businesses that resulted in the growth and industrialisation of Belfast. For example, meet the Mulholland family behind the then largest linen business in the world. Make the acquaintance of William Ritchie and Edward Harland, two giants of the city’s shipbuilding industry.
Hear about the Dunville family behind one of the city’s biggest whiskey companies – a tale of fame, fortune, tragedy and revival. Hear how the oldest newspaper in the English language was brought to life in 1737 by Francis Joy.
Come explore our industrial heritage, see the legacy left behind by the early merchants and learn about the part played by the city’s rivers and port.
Queen’s Quarter
Focusing on the bustling area surrounding Queen’s University, in the south of the city, this tour will begin by visiting the main campus of the university, examining some of its best-known and historic buildings. You will also walk around the beautiful Botanic Park, with its Palm House and Tropical Ravine, see the Ulster Museum, and explore Botanic Village.
A two-hour tour starting at the front door of the University Lanyon Building.