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Apologies for sticking this in here, but I cannot seem to find or if there is a 'General Travel' forum these days.

Was hoping someone could advise me on a good place to stay? The city centre seems very small anyway from Google maps and walking distances, but also, is it better to stay nearer south Belfast for pus etc, or stick to the city centre? I fancy checking out An Culturann - the Irish langauge centre , also is there a great pub for folk music? Also, that black cab tour looks fairly fascinating. We're only there for three nights, but even getting in a bit of the scenery outside Belfast might be ok ; is there a nice wee walks somewhere outside the city centre that anyone could recommend?

Sorry, this is a bit scattered but I believe I'm there when we play Ireland in rugby - imagine that should be on in most places??And the Sunday has Celtic-Rangers. Is it true that I would need to find a Rangers or a Celtic pub to watch the Old Firm game in, as most neutral pubs don't show the game for the hassle?

Thank you.

 

 

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46 minutes ago, weekevie04 said:

Haha to all!

I went to a non-dom school of 50/50 RC/COS stock, and my 'team' is Partick Thistle, and Arbroath ;) Although if you ask me about independence, I'll no be able to keep my mouth shut about that.

I was raised into a big Pape family. Went to a pape school. Went to Belfast, and stayed and swallied in a Hun area. :P Even stood having a pint beside Alex Higgins in a right Hun pub.

:ok:I had a braw time. I liked the city. 

Edited by Ormond
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4 hours ago, Ormond said:

I was raised into a big Pape family. Went to a pape school. Went to Belfast, and stayed and swallied in a Hun area. :P Even stood having a pint beside Alex Higgins in a right Hun pub.

:ok:I had a braw time. I liked the city. 

Good to hear that!

Looking forward to it.

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48 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

Boney M ‘s big hit . 

I dont know what is worse, me automatically associating a thread ‘ Belfast’ with a Boney M song or

 

Stocky for buying it 😀

 

In my defence I was 15.......   . 

Not their biggest hit either... ;-)

 

Man check out his flares......

 

Edited by stocky
listened to song
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Had a couple of cracking weekends in Belfast, stayed both times at the Hilton which was a good location but think it’s pricey ( only reason we were there was mate got cheap rates )

Both weekends were a bit of a drunken haze but our local was Robinson’s which was an old style boozer, don’t remember if it was a Celtic or Rangers pub. There was a door at the back of the pub thorough to Fibber McGhee’s which was a small music venue 

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12 hours ago, DOUBLE A said:

Had a couple of cracking weekends in Belfast, stayed both times at the Hilton which was a good location but think it’s pricey ( only reason we were there was mate got cheap rates )

Both weekends were a bit of a drunken haze but our local was Robinson’s which was an old style boozer, don’t remember if it was a Celtic or Rangers pub. There was a door at the back of the pub thorough to Fibber McGhee’s which was a small music venue 

I was in Robinson where the Northern Ireland game was on in one room and the Republic game on in an another but it's a good pub as is the Beaten Docket which is close by as is The Crown. There's a huge Holiday Inn right in the city centre (though it used to be a Days Inn so it's more Holiday Inn Express) which is fine though just watch when you leave or you end up in Sandy Row which is very, very Unionist and I did get asked in pub where I was from, though the Northern Ireland supporters' club which isn't far from there is good for a pint.

Falls and Shankhill are interesting, I used to visit a factory up the top of the Falls go there but bus and then get one of the Black cabs back down in to the centre. Getting out if the city is worthwhile with the coastal route being wonderful. As for eating out in my trip there (which for the avoidance of doubt were all work related) I can't remember a meal in a restaurant where I thought I'd go back so can't help with that.

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2 hours ago, Larky Masher said:

I was in Robinson where the Northern Ireland game was on in one room and the Republic game on in an another but it's a good pub as is the Beaten Docket which is close by as is The Crown. There's a huge Holiday Inn right in the city centre (though it used to be a Days Inn so it's more Holiday Inn Express) which is fine though just watch when you leave or you end up in Sandy Row which is very, very Unionist and I did get asked in pub where I was from, though the Northern Ireland supporters' club which isn't far from there is good for a pint.

Presumably you got a pass being originally from Larkhall then?   I've been to Belfast a couple of times, last one was a couple of years ago and while it was fine and the people very friendly, I did get the impression that a lot were trying to work out, well, what school you went to.

Crumlin Road jail is well worth a visit.

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3 hours ago, Larky Masher said:

There's a huge Holiday Inn right in the city centre (though it used to be a Days Inn so it's more Holiday Inn Express) which is fine though just watch when you leave or you end up in Sandy Row which is very, very Unionist and I did get asked in pub where I was from, though the Northern Ireland supporters' club which isn't far from there is good for a pint.

That was the digs I stayed in at the end of that Sandy Row. It’s basically joined onto the main bus station, isn’t it?

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Just now, Larky Masher said:

That's the Europa but it's only a couple of hundred yards away, the Holiday Inn is right at the beginning of Sandy Row itself.

No, I know where the Europa is because I remember it from being the most bombed hotel in Europe. I am definitely talking about the one at the foot of Sandy Row. It was a long time ago I stayed in it though so it’s probably changed names a couple of times. It must be 15ish years ago I was there. 

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Just now, Ormond said:

No, I know where the Europa is because I remember it from being the most bombed hotel in Europe. I am definitely talking about the one at the foot of Sandy Row. It was a long time ago I stayed in it though so it’s probably changed names a couple of times. It must be 15ish years ago I was there. 

Bus station is now behind the Europa the last time I was there the Days/Holiday Inn was surrounded by an open air car park which might have been a bus station at one time (look at it on Google earth and you'll see it).

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I've been a few times & always found friendly enough people either side of the 'wall'. My wife's family are all Irish & so we (she in particular) probably feel more naturally at ease in Republican areas, but me & her & our kids all have Yorkshire accents which have never been an issue for us. My experience has more been about funny comments rather than dangerous ones - I went to the Irish Republicanism museum at Conway Mill (well worth a visit) & the lady on the desk, hearing our accents, said something along the lines of "ah you're very welcome here - we were at war with the British state, not the British people, so just have a good look around".

Me & my lad did get a "you're not from around here boys are you?" from someone in a bar when I was at Casement Park for a GAA game - turns out they just wanted to tell me where I could find all you can drink vodka for £2 a shot down the road.

There are some nice walks around Strangford Lough - Newtownards is nice but there are loads of little villages up & down with quiet spots to stroll around. In the interests of political balance, there's the Somme Heritage Centre near there as well.

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1 hour ago, Larky Masher said:

Bus station is now behind the Europa the last time I was there the Days/Holiday Inn was surrounded by an open air car park which might have been a bus station at one time (look at it on Google earth and you'll see it).

You are correct that the Europa is smack bang next to the bus station. I never realised it was so close. It’s the same station that I remember because the Holiday Inn as you say at the bottom of Sandy Row was where I stayed and I could see the bus station through the gap. 

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