Travel in city Belfast

Visiting Belfast for a romantic break is probably not the first place that comes to mind. Instead, you probably picture west Belfast's segrated areas with their murals that were most affected by the Troubles. However, there is another side to Belfast, showcased in the recent Sky original series The Lovers, which visited some of Belfast's more charming spots.

Belfast did not have the best of starts to 2024. Never mind the mass public sector strikes, the not-unrelated fact of Northern Ireland being without a functioning government (the government returned, the strikes were settled, or suspended … for now), at the end of January, one of the city’s most respected – revered – publicans, Pedro Donald, who over the years had brought us the John Hewitt, La Boca, the Sunflower and the American Bar, announced that he was leaving for Amsterdam. There may not be bombs and bullets any more, he said, but Belfast was “a dump and derelict”. Indeed, apart from a few good years between the Good Friday agreement and the financial crash, the city was in many ways no further on than when he started in the trade in 1984.

Traveling by train is one of Ireland’s great if under-appreciated pleasures.

More than 170,000 passengers expected to travel as holidays get underway.

Whether you’re a repeat or first-time visitor to Northern Ireland’s capital, Belfast, the city’s neighbourhoods offer so much – from the centre with its trove of shopping options and ever-evolving food scene to the cultural edge of the burgeoning Gaeltacht Quarter.

The ICCA UK & Ireland Chapter Conference will take place from 26 to 28 February, 2025 in Leeds.

This spring, a first-of-its-kind tour is kicking off in Austin, Texas at SXSW Festival, a tour designed to showcase the power of small businesses in hospitality through cinema. Using a mobile pop-up vehicle and projector, hospitality software company eviivo Collective plans to spotlight “10 of the world’s best independent properties,” on outdoor screens through eight global cities: Austin, Belfast, Canterbury, London, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, Brussels and Belgium via the eviivo Collective 2.0 World Tour.

From regenerative farming and organic kitchen gardens to foraged, fermented and plant-based foods, fine-dining menus are increasingly inspired by nature. Eschewing additives and processing, chefs are paying homage to wholefood ingredients, showcasing the likes of heritage grains, heirloom veggies and rare-breed organic meats in creative dishes that are both indulgent and nourishing.

If we adopted a child’s-eye view of the world, how would we choose to have fun? It’s likely to be about more than the usual incentives, such as an ice cream, suggests research from Nature Communications. According to the journal, children as young as four seek experiences that deliver positive results, guide action, answer questions about the world — and are just plain fun. Whether it’s getting up-close with crustaceans on a rockpooling adventure, diving into a good book at a literature festival, learning to surf, taking to the stage or gazing at the stars, these 12 UK-based experiences deliver hands-on learning and creativity. 

Happy hump day, folks – let’s get into it. I was reading this latest report from Skift’s director of research Wouter Geerts: Airbnb vs Vrbo in 20 Charts, and here are a few stats I find interesting.

The addition of the four new destinations comes in response to continued demand from customers and independent travel agents. The additions provide them with even more choice when it comes to booking a sunshine holiday or city break in Summer 24 and Summer 25.

Recruitment event on Tuesday, 28th November.

Ireland is a country of contrasts. To the west, its ocean coastline has towering sea cliffs, powder-soft beaches, medieval castles, historic villages and forlornly beautiful islands where locals still nurture ancient traditions. The midlands harbor lesser-seen towns and meandering blue trails that follow the path of the River Shannon along rich green countryside. Dublin and Belfast to the east and north offer all the rich culture and diversity you’d expect to find in a large, modern metropolis.

Belfast City Airport has announced it will expand its portfolio of sunshine routes with flights to Alicante taking off with easyJet in summer 2024.

The Dean Hotel Group, which runs a handful of high-end properties in Ireland, has sold a majority stake to an investment vehicle backed by Elliott Management.

Ahead of the new year, we’ve crossed the world to find the 30 most exciting destinations for 2024, from Norway to Nova Scotia. With landmark hotels opening, ambitious rewilding projects under way and new train routes making travel easier than ever, there’s a lot to choose from for your next trip — whether you’re looking to connect with nature in Norway, scale Himalayan peaks in Sikkim or savour the culinary stars of Lima.

The UK’s most famous breakfast is undoubtedly the fry-up, but what it involves depends a lot on where you have it, with the core quartet of eggs, bacon, sausages and black pudding served up alongside numerous regional additions: fried bread or bubble and squeak in England; square sausage, tattie scones and white pudding or haggis in Scotland; cockles and laverbread and a fried slice in Wales; and potato and soda breads in Northern Ireland. But this, of course, isn’t the whole story, and from Turkish eggs to French toast, there’s never been a bigger choice for those heading out for breakfast. Here's our pick of the best ways to start your day.

Voted BEST SKI RESORT IN THE WORLD again at the 2022 World Ski Awards. Verbier, in Switzerland, draws legends, royalty, pop stars (James Blunt has a chairlift named after him) and, yes, us ordinary folk too. Part of the largest ski area in Switzerland, “Four Valleys” has 410 kms of slopes that cater for all levels of skiers and boarders. These include the Medran with its cruisy blues, Les Savoleyres with lovely sweeping reds, and the more challenging black runs of Mont Fort. The resort is also known for its off-piste skiing – particularly the testing Mont Gelé – and each year Verbier hosts the finals of the Freeride World Tour. The mountain views are spectacular, particularly from the 3,300 metre high Mont Fort peak, one of the few places in the Alps where you can see the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc mountains simultaneously. 

Remote, wild and rugged, Donegal is a place like no other in Ireland. Home to some of the most spectacular scenery the country has to offer, the country’s northernmost county must not be missed.

As any jaded traveler will tell you, there are some stays that are luxurious and a great experience, and there are others— albeit few and far between- that leave you blown away.

British regional airline Flybe on Saturday ceased trading for the second time in three years, cancelling all flights and 276 workers made redundant.