Belfast City

People always say that when you land in George Best Belfast City Airport that you immediately feel at home because the warmth of the people is second to none.

This is no exaggeration.

Belfast is a vibrant city and it boasts all sorts of accommodation from luxury hotels to very affordable bed and breakfasts, world class attractions, rooftop bars, alfresco dining, cookery schools, walking tours, bus tours, museums and of course shopping.

The city centre is full of cool bars, iconic alleyways, beer gardens, concert venue, world cuisine, buskers, traditional Irish music sessions, comedy nights, the famous St George’s Market, art venues, universities and colleges and of course some of the friendliest people in the world.

Belfast is perhaps most renowned for Titanic Belfast, Belfast City Hall, the Cathedral Quarter, St George’s Market, Christmas Markets, Belfast Castle, CS Lewis Square, Botanic Gardens, Crumlin Road Gaol, the Falls Road and pubs such as The Duke of York, The Dirty Onion, The Dark Horse and the Crown Bar.

This is a city which warrants your attention. The nightlife is superb, its architecture is so beautiful, the people are so unique and the craic is always great!

Belfast has something for everyone – regardless of age. There are lots of family activities, it’s a perfect getaway for couples, for groups of friends, for foodies.

Cornwall Airport Newquay is delighted that Aer Lingus will be flying this route all-year-round. Fly Newquay to Belfast and not only will you get to experience what this intriguing city has to offer but you’ll also be to explore all of the below and much more…Northern Ireland is a very cool destination. But you have to experience it to fully grasp
how beautiful it is.

North Coast:

Another bucket-list reason to fly to Belfast from Cornwall Airport Newquay is that you are a mere drive from the iconic North Coast where you can tour the world famous Giant’s Causeway, experience Game of Thrones® Tours, visit the waterfalls of Glenariff Forest Park, go surfing, paddle-boarding and freediving, go on fishing trips, hire electric bikes, kayaking and golf at the world famous Royal Portrush Golf Course. The golf course, which is overlooked by the ruins of the 13^th century Dunluce Castle, and when asked about it, Rory McIlroy said: “It’s spectacular. It’s awesome.”

There’s a wide range of accommodation available from boutique hotels, stylish B&Bs,
luxury self-catering properties, guesthouses and glamping. You’ll discover
harbours, you can take boat trips from Ballycastle to see the puffins and other wildlife on Rathlin Island, walk the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and much more.

East Coast:

Depending of course what you like doing but from Belfast, you can be in the heart of the Mourne Mountains within an hour. This majestic mountain range of sweeping hills and grand peaks is described by Lonely Planet as “one of the most beautiful corners of Northern Ireland”.

This is a part of Northern Ireland for the nature lovers among us and if you like taking part in a range of activities, then County Down is for you. You can hike the Mournes, cycle the scenic route, challenge yourself on the numerous mountain biking trails, face the Mourne Wall Challenge, go camping, visit Tollymore Forest Park, visit National Trust beaches, go on a sea tour, admire the sheer genius of the traditional stonewall building which you’ll be surrounded by, explore Game of Thrones® Territory, stay in a variety of accommodation types from glamping to luxury hotels and everything in between.

You can also experience gardens and trails, farmhouse kitchens, go on sea kayaking and food experiences, guided walking experiences, enjoy secret dining experiences, go fishing and so much more.

Your dining experience in County Down will also be pretty special as you’ll be treated to lots of seasonal local produce, fresh fish and local meat.

The Sperrins Area of Outstanding Beauty:

Everywhere in Northern Ireland is so accessible. In the heart of NI is the Sperrin Mountains which form the rooftop of County Tyrone – again, so easily accessible by car from Belfast and you will love this place. Here, you slow down. The scenery is breath-taking, the views are unspoilt. There’s a local saying: “The Sperrins are good for whatever ails you.”

It’s here that not only do you look all around you – but you must look up! The Sperrins is an official ‘Dark Sky’ area – it is the best place for star gazing and tourists have been flocking to the OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory at Davagh Forest – a haven for walkers, nature lovers, night sky worshippers and mountain bikers. At the observatory there are holographic displays, sky maps, virtual reality headsets and of course, it has its own gigantic star-gazing
telescope.

Like the Mournes, you’ll love touring the Sperrins, in fact, National Geographic included the Sperrins in its top 101 scenic drives in the world. This is a very special place in Northern Ireland so fly into Belfast with Aer Lingus from Cornwall Airport Newquay and go on a journey unique to Northern Ireland.

The Lakeland County:

Think castles, National Trust properties, forests, waterways, lakes, islands, the stairway to heaven, caves, geopark and you’ll be thinking about County Fermanagh – Northern Ireland’s Lakelands County.

Fly into Belfast with Aer Lingus from Newquay, all-year-round, and experience the sheer beauty of this wonderful county. You can travel
to Fermanagh’s main town Enniskillen by bus from Belfast or you can drive – it’s approximately two hours.

County Fermanagh is a haven for natives of Northern Ireland as well as tourists. Its beauty is memorable, adventurous and breath-taking. The county’s landscape has been described as ‘an intricate patchwork quilt of woodland, forest, parkland and wetland’. People travel from all over Ireland, and further afield, to experience the extensive walking trails, the numerous outdoor land and water based adventure activities.

People can enjoy pottery, island hopping, historical monuments and storytelling, National Trust estates, the world-famous Marble Arch Caves and the Ulster Canal.

Fermanagh offers a wealth of attractions, unique shopping experiences, a variety of home-produced foods, a burgeoning music scene and is
a perfect location for the ultimate boat trip and phenomenal fishing.

The Orchard County – Ireland’s Ecclesiastical Capital:

County Armagh is known as the Orchard County of Ireland and the Georgian Armagh city, an historic city renowned for its two majestic cathedrals and its seven hills, is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.

This is a city which offers a very different experience to Dublin and Belfast but yet it’s accessible to both cities. When you fly into Belfast with
Emerald Airlines from Newquay Airport Cornwall, you’re about an hour from Armagh city – give or take 10 mins depending on traffic.

There are lots of stories to unravel in Armagh. From St Patrick to the Kings of Ulster to studying the skies from the city’s planetarium.

Known as the Orchard County, it offers you a place to think, the chance to unwind, recharge your batteries and have fun. It is a county where sport is high on the agenda with road bowls, Gaelic, rugby and soccer. It celebrates the county’s home grown produce such as the famous Bramley Apple which was awarded PGI status in 2012. Such food and drink festivals allows people to unlock the stories of the land.

Co Armagh has castles, farm tours, cider tours, private dining events, forest parks, lakes, fishing, superb accommodation, beautiful country roads to cycle around, walking trails and much more.

Legenderry:

The locals either call it Derry or Londonderry but in 2012 when the city celebrated a year long celebration for the 2013 City of Culture initiative, it was coined Legenderry and the name has kind of stuck.

There are lively pubs in the city, a thriving music scene throughout County Derry, it’s a place of cultural revival, the Bogside murals, the Peace Bridge and more.

The city’s history, its walls, spectacular views of the Atlantic, its bird sanctuaries, forests at Banagher and Ness Wood, waterfalls and much more will give you an experience to remember.

Derry has it all. It has award-winning museums and theatres and lots of water attractions, like Stand Up Paddle boarding, boat tours and the world-famous Clipper Race visits the city. You’ve murals, walking tours of the city and of course there are statues and murals you’ll enjoy. And of course, if you travel around Halloween, you’ll witness one of the most famous Halloween celebrations.

Derry is so accessible from Belfast so when you fly from Newquay you can
make your way to Derry by car, bus or train. This is a city well worth
exploring. Pack your bags and have a Legenderry time.

And while you’re in this neck of the woods and fancy some time beyond the walls, enjoy distilleries, breweries, adventure activities, beaches, cheese making tours, tree trekking and horseback riding.

The only problem with visiting Northern Ireland, you might want to stay!

See our blog section for more things to do when you arrive in Northern Ireland from Cornwall.