There are few better ways to see a city than by walking it's streets with a knowledgeable local guide. First populated over 5000 years ago during the bronze age, but mainly growing from the 17th century onwards, Belfast's history spans the industrial revolution, ship building, the Troubles and now, a vigourous revival, highlighted by being nominated as one of Lonely Planet's must see venues in 2018.

No trip to Belfast would be complete without a black taxi tour of the interface areas of the city where much of recent "Troubles" were played out. This is a simply fascinating activity, especially for those of an age who lived through this difficult period. There are lots of tours available - we've linked to a simple google search.

Titanic Belfast is a visitor attraction opened in 2012, on the site of the White Star shipyard where RMS Titanic, Olympic & Britannic were built and launched. It was voted the world's top tourist attraction in 2017 and happens to also host the Critical Care Reviews Meeting! Please note, a 2 hour tour of the exhibition is an optional extra for delegates on the Thursday evening of the meeting.

Crumulin Road Gaol was built between 1843 and 1845 in North Belfast and played a central role in Belfast's history. It housed prisoners from Famine times right up to the "Troubles", where an underground tunnel connected the Gaol with the courthouse opposite. Seventeen prisoners were executed in the prison, the last being hanged in 1961.

Dating from 1608, Bushmills distillery is the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. Take a tour and see the many intricate steps involved in producing fine Irish Whiskey. Book ahead though as it's very busy!

The rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede was first erected by fishermen more than 350 years ago where they fished for Atlantic salmon on the tiny island of Carrickarede. The bridge spans 20 metres (66 ft) and is 30 metres (98 ft) high.

Dunluce Castle dates from the 13th century, and was first built by Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster.

The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north coast of Ireland. It consists of about 40,000 interlocking basalt hexagonal columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.

While we have highlighted several of the top attractions Belfast and the surrounding area has to offer, there are many more activities and sight seeing opportunities than we can list. For your convenience we have linked to the top tourist features as voted by the users of tripadvisor.

While the hit American fantasy series Game of Thrones has been filmed at various locations around the world, Titanic studios, Belfast, has been home to it's cast and crew for almost the past 10 years. Situated just 200 metres from Titanic, Titanic Studio is visible on the top left image as the large yellow & grey structure. The Dark Hedges, pictured above, is just one of many filming locations used throughout Northern Ireland.

Acclaimed Irish poet and playwright Seamus Heaney hailed from Bellaghy, Co. Derry. Formerly a professor at Havard and Professor of Poetry at Oxford University, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. He has been described as "the greatest poet of our age". Following his death in 2013, the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, an exhibition of his life and work, was opened in Bellaghy, just 45 minutes drive from Belfast.

With a vast selection of fantastic restaurants suitable for all price ranges Belfast has quickly made it's mark on the culinary scene. From Michelin starred to smaller establishments, all tastes are accounted for. Be warned, restaurants can book out very quickly, so don't delay too long. We have linked once more to tripadvisor so you can get an independent view of where to eat.