South Belfast

Treasure trove

For anyone in need of retail therapy south Belfast is a treasure trove of specialist shops, from antiques to fabulous fashion boutiques, gift and craft stores to designer shoe shops, delicatessens to interior design stores, unique jewellers to specialist book stores.

The Lisburn Road has been called the ‘Style Mile’ of Belfast.  Stroll along its length and you will find an eclectic mix of designer stores and boutiques.

Map of Lisburn Road

Botanic Avenue is a distinct assortment of second hand fashion and books stores and is always bustling with life due to the close proximity to the University.  It is well worth a visit to pick up one off gifts and accessories. For antique lovers Donegall Pass is a must see, home to numerous antiques stores. The cluster of shops is a ‘find’ of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian furniture, silver, clocks and paintings.

St George’s Market is the only surviving original market in Belfast and was voted 3rd Best Food Market in the UK by the Observer Food Magazine. The Market is held every Friday morning 6am to 1pm and Saturday morning 8am to 1pm. 

A Night on the Tiles

"If you haven’t had a night out in Belfast, you haven’t lived” - Sara Cox, BBC Radio One DJ.

Sara’s right, this is a great city to party and south Belfast is one of the most popular and lively areas to socialise in Belfast. Teeming with bars, clubs, pubs and restaurants it has something for all tastes!  If clubbing is more to your taste bi-monthly Shine based in the Queen’s Student Union is ‘unbelievably hip’ (Guardian Weekend).  Or get into the retro scene at the Empire Bar & Music Hall Glamarama on Fridays. 

Botanic Inn – or the Bot as it is affectionately known, the Eglantine Inn, the Taphouse, the Globe and the Parlour attract lively young crowds. The twenty/thirty something’s can enjoy a Cosmo at the trendy Tatu Bar, Chelsea Wine Bar, Bar 12, Welly Boot and Madison’s or lazy afternoons can be spent by the River Lagan at Cutters Wharf.  The Menagerie is a quirky bar with an varied crowd who like to party to world music, jungle and dub reggae.  Famous Belfast DJ David Holmes has even been known to pop in to see what’s going on from time to time. 

Catch Some Live Music

For music Lovers the Elmwood Hall across from Queen’s University is home to the Ulster Orchestra, an impressive symphony orchestra which has a growing international reputation. Many of the bars scattered around south are also renowned for their live sets, the newly refurbished King’s Head has dedicated ‘Live Lounge’, whilst the Errigle, the Pavilion or ‘Big House’ as it is known locally play host to interesting live music and a mixed age group. 

Gastro-tastic

South Belfast is home to some of the best restaurants in Ireland.  We have restaurants to suit every palette and every pocket so whether you’re looking for a humble fish and chip, a famous Ulster Fry, some fancy fusion cooking or even dining at the table of one of our celebrity chefs, you have it all on a plate in south Belfast.

Café Culture

When you need a break from the retail therapy the Lisburn Road, Botanic Avenue, Ormeau and Stranmillis Road have a bustling café culture. Take a stroll down any of these main routes and you will be spoilt for choice by the numerous coffee shops, café’s, delicatessens and sandwich bars.  Many of them offer the al fresco option so kick back, order a latte and watch the world go by. 

If you are visiting south Belfast in autumn you must attend Ireland’s largest arts and entertainment festival The Belfast Festival at Queen’s. With something for every age and taste it is an unmissable event.

Safari in the City?

How many times have you visited places and wondered what it was really like to live and work there?  If walking isn’t your cup of tea why not try a Black Taxi Driver tour or a bus tour with Mini-Coach or get on your bike with McConvey Cycles and take to the city on two wheels.

Visit Queen’s Quarter

The Queen’s Quarter surrounds one of the oldest Universities in the UK, Queen’s University.  The Queen’s Quarter is best known for being home to students and the international Belfast Festival at Queen’s – Ireland’s largest arts festival. No visit to south Belfast would be complete without visiting Queen’s University.  When visiting the University, Queen’s Visitors’ Centre is an excellent first stop.  A self-guided tour leaflet, “Walkabout Queen’s” is available. This University area is always bustling with life so why not sit in one of the many café’s or bars and watch the world go by.

Art Attack

When it comes to galleries you are spoilt for choice in south Belfast. The resident arts community and ‘Free to View’ galleries ensure maximum exposure. Those must see galleries include the Ulster Museum which has the largest exhibition space in Belfast and is located in Botanic Gardens and near to Queens University; Ormeau Baths Gallery on Ormeau Avenue, near the city centre, not only a chance to dip into the Victorian past but also catch some contemporary works of Art; the Crescent Arts Centre on Ormeau Road contains the Fenderesky Gallery showing some contemporary works by both Irish and International Artists. Lawrence Street Workshops for Arts and Crafts is located in Botanic Avenue and housed in century old stables.  The bustling workshops are a haven for local artists.If you have some money in your pocket or would just like to window shop, South Belfast also has quite a number of commercial galleries.

Therapy Hours

Shopping hours in Belfast are, in general, between 09.00 and 18.00 Monday to Saturday.  City centre shops are open late on Thursdays until 21.00 and from 13.00 to 17.00 on Sundays, while late opening in the suburbs will only happen at Christmas. At Christmas the city centre shops will be open until midnight.  Forestside, an out of town shopping centre is open 09.00 to 22.00 Monday to Saturday and Sunday 13.00 to 20.00.

Second Hand Shops

Belfast has a long tradition of buying and selling second-hand clothes, predominantly at Smithfield and St George’s markets. However, there are still few second-hand shops located in the city centre, especially in comparison with other cities in Ireland and Britain. Most second-hand stores are charity shops, selling clothing donated for a good cause. One place that sells vintage clothing in the city is the Clothes Agency in the Spires Centre and Mall in Wellington Street. The flamboyant shop also sells clothes and accessories made by young local designers. A good place for bargain hunting is the Lisburn Road in south Belfast, which contains numerous charity shops. Combat Cancer is the largest, and alongside clothing it sells bric-a-brac and the odd piece of furniture. It is very popular with locals and students alike, offering everything from the conventional to the eccentric.

Also on the Lisburn Road is Déjà Vu, for a long time the only designer second-hand store in the city. It buys and sells good quality designer outfits, shoes, accessories and eveningwear for a commission. It recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary with a large fashion show in Queen’s University Common Room. A shop in aid of Barnardos has recently opened close to Déjà Vu. It also sells designer outfits and Cherie Blair donated one of her dresses to it.

Botanic Avenue, near Queen’s University, has a charity clothes store. The Rusty Zip is a commercial retailer, specialising in vintage clothing from the 60s, 70s and 80s. It also has pieces from earlier periods.

St George’s Market

St George’s Market is the oldest covered market in Ireland and is open every Friday & Saturday. Every Saturday the market is a sea of colour when the City Food and Garden Market, a flower and food spectacular, opens with over 100 stalls selling everything form the finest organic meats and vegetables to a huge selection of flowers, plants and shrubs. 

You'll find everything from gourmet treats and deli delights to freshly cut flowers plus celebrity chefs and live music every week! The City Food and Garden Market is open each Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Every Friday is the Variety Market with its combination of superb food, including the freshest fish and seafood’s, creamy Irish cheeses, cured meats and world class butchers and bakers. This market has picked up two prestigious awards, the 2002 Ballygowan Irish Food Writers Guild Supreme Contribution to Irish Food and Third Best Market in the UK in the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2004.

The Friday market continues to go from strength to strength, with 23 fish stalls, 14 butchers and stalls selling everything form clothes to antiques, second hand books to wonderful Irish Cheeses, crepes and pastries. There is even a stall selling 1950’s posters!