Belfast on a Budget
Free murals, a free covered market, and a city that doesn’t really need you to spend much to see the best of it.
Belfast is genuinely one of the more affordable UK cities to visit, several of its most powerful sights don’t charge a penny. Here’s how to keep the rest of the costs down without missing anything worthwhile.
The murals, the Peace Walls and the Cathedral Quarter are all free
Walking the political murals along the Falls Road and Shankill Road costs nothing on your own, though a black taxi tour with a guide is worth the fee for the context. St Anne’s Cathedral’s exterior and the cobbled streets of the Cathedral Quarter are free to wander too.
Visit outside the summer peak for lower prices
Summer brings Belfast’s highest hotel prices and heaviest crowds, particularly around big events. Spring and autumn instead offer noticeably lower rates and thinner crowds, and the city’s indoor sights work just as well regardless of weather.
Walk the centre, budget for the coast
Central Belfast is genuinely compact and walkable, most major sights sit within a comfortable stroll of each other. A coach tour or car hire is worth budgeting for if the Giant’s Causeway is part of the plan, it’s the one cost that’s hard to avoid.
St George’s Market beats a tourist-strip meal
St George’s Market’s food stalls offer widely good, affordable options on market days, considerably cheaper than a sit-down restaurant near the main attractions. An Ulster fry from a proper local café is worth seeking out too, a filling, honestly priced Belfast institution.
Consider the Titanic Quarter or the Holylands
Hotels right in the city centre sit at the top of the price range given the location. The Titanic Quarter and the Holylands near Queen’s University both run noticeably cheaper while staying well connected to the centre.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
