A reinvention for a new age

Mar 22 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

Liza Williams is amazed by the variety Belfast has to offer

BELFAST as a city presents visitors with a dichotomy. Steeped in history and beauty, yet dogged with very recent memories of bitter religious and political turmoil, it is not your average city break.

But Northern Ireland’s capital is currently going through a reinvention, not by covering up its past social issues, but by embracing their legacy and giving visitors the opportunity to experience the whole city.

From Edwardian landmarks such as the magnificent City Hall, to stark visual reminders of The Troubles, Belfast offers tourists a genuinely fascinating rich tapestry to appreciate. Great shopping and nightlife to rival Dublin also gives visitors the luxuries and entertainment you would expect from a modern European city.

I travelled from Liverpool John Lennon Airport aboard one of Ryanair’s regular flights to Belfast for my two-day whistle stop tour.

On arrival our party was whisked to The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, 15 miles away from the city.

Stretched out through picturesque grounds, the unique folk museum depicts life at the turn of the 20th Century in a Northern Irish settlement. Houses, shops, a bank, church and many other features of the town Ballycultra have been painstakingly restored to create an atmosphere of life in 1910.

The transport museum displays Ireland’s most comprehensive collection, from horse drawn carts to huge steam trains.

Visitors can learn more about the history of ship building in Northern Ireland and explore the story of the Titanic, which was made in Belfast.

To appreciate the whole museum could easily have taken all day but we and our guides were keen to make our way to the city centre and soon settled in our hotel, close to Belfast’s magnificent City Hall and the city’s new addition, the Wheel of Belfast.

Unfortunately City Hall is closed until 2009 for renovation but we were still able to enjoy its picturesque grounds and ride on the wheel.

The new structure has caused controversy, with its proximity to the historic hall, but a ride provides the most magnificent views over the city’s beautiful skyline, a perfect way to end my first day in Northern Ireland.

Eager to sample the city’s much talked about nightlife, we headed out on the town and were not disappointed.

Belfast offers an array of top restaurants, pubs and live music venues. One highlight is the Crown Bar – the only pub owned and preserved by the National Trust in the UK.

Made by Italian craftsmen, travellers from around the world have enjoyed the ornate interior and its Victorian opulence since 1885. The snug booths and homely atmosphere have made it famous, and it even has a live webcam, so patrons can take a piece of it with them, thousands of miles away.

The stark reality of Belfast is that violence and turmoil is still raw. As a visitor to any city, most tourists will enter museums and see relics of war and unrest encased behind glass.

But signs of The Troubles in parts of Belfast are everywhere, in some cases the paint still seems fresh.

As the city begins to recover from years of unrest, it is now possible for people to share their experiences.

Regular tours are organised, taking visitors to places which would have been no go areas a few years ago.

To see the city’s endless murals and the enormous peace wall that still separates parts of Belfast was shocking and sobering. We were taken around both Catholic and Protestant areas, including Shankill Road and Falls Road to gain a balanced view of how Loyalists and Nationalists were embroiled in the turmoil, and how both sides have been portrayed.

Our guide, Damian Forsythe, grew up in Belfast and talked frankly of events first hand, keen to answer any questions we had. It was clear from our tour that the city is keen to move on and embrace what the future has in store, but not by papering over events of the last 50 years.

As I reflected on the urban Belfast before me, yet another side of the region began to make an impression.

Belfast is surrounded with beautiful countryside, perfectly illustrated by the village of Hillsborough, just 10 miles away from city life. Set in the rolling hills is Hillsborough Castle, a superbly grand stately home, which has been the scene for many critical political meetings, including the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The castle is the official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the Queen and other royal guests take residence within it during their visits to the region.

Visitors can have a guided tour through the home and it also plays host to many conferences and events.

As a city break Belfast can offer as much or as little as you like, but my recommendation would be to take in the huge variety of experience this beautiful city has to offer.

My whistle stop tour has given me a taste and I will definitely be returning soon.

LIZA WILLIAMS travelled courtesy of Ryanair and Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau and stayed in the Jurys Inn. A guided tour of several aspects of the city was given by Damian Forsythe of Belfast Best Travel, who can be contacted at belfastbesttravel@btinternet.com

For more information log on to www.Belfast.com