Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most sights of interest are located in four areas: the Titanic Quarter to the north of the
city center, the sectarian neighborhoods to the west of the city center, central Belfast, and
south Belfast (clustered around Queen's University).
Upuntilthemid-1990s,thisdistrictwasabarrenwastelandofcementslabsandrustingin-
dustrial relics. But during the Celtic Tiger boom years (which spilled over into the North),
shrewd investors saw the real-estate potential and began building posh, high-rise condos.
The first landmark project to be completed was the Odyssey entertainment complex
(in 2000). To draw more visitors and commemorate the proud shipbuilding industry of
the Victorian and Edwardian Ages, another flagship attraction was needed. The 100th an-
niversary of the
Titanic
disaster in 2012 provided the perfect opportunity, and the result is
a brand-new attraction called Titanic Belfast.
This huge millennium-project complex offers a food pavilion, bowling alley, and W5
science center with interactive, educational exhibits for youngsters. Where else can a
kid play a harp with laser-light strings? The “W5” stands for “who, what, when, where,
and why” (£7.90, kids-£5.90, Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-18:00,
2 Queen's Quay, 10-minute walk north of Belfast's Central Station, tel. 028/9046-7790,
www.w5online.co.uk
). There's also a 12-screen cinema, laser-tag gaming area, and an
8,000-seat arena where the Belfast Giants professional ice hockey team skates from
September to March on Friday or Saturday nights (£15 game tickets, tel. 028/9073-9074,
