Introduction
Spend your last weekend of freedom enjoying the hidden delights of the beautiful city of Belfast. And we recommend you get in quick because a Belfast hen party is becoming top of every group’s wishlist!
Belfast is one of the UK’s most vibrant and exciting cities. Since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, there has been substantial investment and redevelopment in many areas in the city, including the Cathedral Quarter, Victoria Square and, of course, the world-famous Titanic Quarter. If you’re considering having the city as your host, let us convince you with 12 reasons to book a Belfast hen party:
1. Afternoon Tea @ The Titanic
Practically every person on earth is aware of the world-leading Titanic Museum now standing proudly on former Harland and Wolff shipbuilding site in the city centre. But what they don’t know is that it’s the perfect place to chill out as part of your Belfast hen party. It may seem like an odd location but bear with us.
As well as being the perfect spot for photos (the outside façade stands a 126ft tall to reflect the actual size of the Titanic), it offers a very popular afternoon tea package. Yes, ladies, you and your Belfast hen party squad can relax in the surroundings of the Titanic Suite, sipping prosecco and stuffing your chops with those tiny little cakes afternoon teas are full of.
Not only can you eat all of the cakes, but you can do it while pretending you’re Kate Winslet. What’s not to love?Â
2. Glow ups are guaranteed at Clarins Spa
The beautiful surroundings of Victoria Square’s shopping centre are an excellent place to spend Belfast hen party afternoon with the ladies.
As well as a multitude of shops, restaurants and cafes, there are a range of beauty treatments and services available from the high-end companies located within Frasers. These include the, quite frankly, gorgeous smelling Clarins Spa, where you can treat yourself to some face and body pampering to get yourself ready for the Big Day. Or, just to rejuvenate you from the night before. Either way, it’s all good.Â
3. Gin Cocktails @ The Crown
The Crown started life as a Gin Palace in Ye Olde Victorian days, when, we assume, people wanted to spent their Belfast hen party drinking gin in fancy AF surroundings.
Fast forward to 2021 and we’re still doing it. However, while other, lesser bars have been refurbished to within an inch of their lives in order to drag them to modernity, The Crown has retained its Victorian-era charm and interiors.
The pub is a Grade A listed building and even has working gas lights. In other words: it’s iconic. Drinking there is like being transported back to the days of Queen Victoria, but without all the cholera and stuff.Â
4. Get your adventure on @ Colin Glen
Colin Glen isn’t some random Irish bloke that offers ‘special’ adventures for unsuspecting tourists, so don’t panic. Colin Glen is an activity park on the outskirts of the city, providing a range of adrenaline-pumping pursuits for members of fun-loving Belfast hen parties.
You can choose from The Black Bull Run, Ireland’s first Alpine roller coaster, the River Rapid, Ireland’s longest zipline, or something that takes a wee bit longer, such as SKYTrek or Laser Tag.
Whatever you choose, just make sure no one breaks anything worse than a few nails. Nails can be repaired in minutes by a good technician. Legs, not so much.Â
5. Get Cosy @ The Haymarket
Everyone loves visiting the chicest new bar in town, especially when its as well done as The Haymarket. The all-new drinks and street food venue has 5 bars. That’s right: 5. Bars. And one of those is a Gin Bar. What more does a Belfast hen party need, I ask you?
As well as the choice of bars, yummy street food and a great atmosphere, The Haymarket also offers indoor and outdoor space so you can enjoy everything on offer regardless of the weather.Â
6. Get your history on with Wee Toast Tours
If your Belfast hen party girls are interested in finding out more about the beautiful city but would prefer to do it while being wheeled around in a covered kart with a glass of wine in hand, then get yourself booked up with Wee Toast Tours.
Now, we should mention at this point that *you* must do the driving but it’s apparently not illegal to drink and kart in NI. Score! Your Belfast hen party can either bring your own tipples or rent out the kart’s very own keg for some liquid refreshment.
There’s a choice of historic routes around Belfast, or you can make requests if there’s something you really want to see that’s not included. Â
7. Get your munch on with Belfast Food Tours
Northern Ireland’s capital city has a great reputation for its exciting food scene. If your Belfast hen party is a weekend affair, why not experience all the best food and drink stops across the city on a four-hour tour? This way, you get to try everything in a variety of places without having to spend three weeks researching them, making bookings, and working out the logistics of getting 6 *slightly* tipsy friends from one stop to another.
The tour allows you to experience offerings from 25 dishes and drinks from some of Belfast’s top chefs.Â
8. Learn the city’s past on a Black Taxi Mural Tour
Visitors to Belfast are often reluctant to ask about The Troubles, despite being largely familiar with the basic facts. If you and your Belfast hen party really want to get to know the city, you should start with its past in order to learn how it has moved so far forward.
While some are reticent to wander around some areas on their own, booking a wonderful cab tour to see the famous political murals and peace walls allows you to experience this in comfort and style. The tours also offer the chance to speak to people with real experience of The Troubles, which is something not many have the chance to do.Â
9. Day Trippin’ to Giants Causeway
OK, so we’re cheating a bit here as this isn’t actually *in* Belfast. However, it’s only 60 miles away and it’s too good to pass up the opportunity to see this jaw-dropping sight with your Belfast hen party while you’re in the general area (and by this, we mean Northern Ireland’¦).
You can, of course, make your own way there on the train, but no one wants to put up with that when you can chill out on a dedicated tour, right? After all, hen nights are about enjoying yourself, not scouring timetables.
There are numerous tour companies with a GC day tour on offer and they range from all day affairs to shorter excursions but the one thing they all have in common is time to explore and wonder at the UNESCO World Heritage Site on the beautiful north coast.
You will not regret it. No one ever has.Â
10. Go local at St George’s Market
This stunning covered Victorian market is widely regarded as one of the best the UK has to offer. It’s one of the oldest attractions in the city and it’s extremely popular with locals, as well as first-time and returning visitors. No Belfast hen party can really be complete without paying a visit to check out the local produce, food, drinks, cultural gifts and, of course, the famous Friday fish market.
Even if you’re not a seafood enthusiast, just the spectacle of the best fish market in Ireland makes it worth the trip. You’ll see things you didn’t even know existed. St George’s dates back to at least 1896 and is stronger than ever, showcasing the very best on offer from Belfast and the wider Emerald Isle.Â
11. Spy on Belfast from The Observatory
Treat the Belfast hen party to the unforgettable evening views across the city from The Liquor Lounge at the Grand Central Hotel. Grab your heels, your LDB, and your girls, and de-stress in the sumptuous bar.
The signature cocktails are named after famous local attractions, like Gas Works and Botanic Gardens, and you can test them all while gazing out across the pretty lights of Belfast by night.
The bar is open until 1am and it’s honestly such a beautiful place to spend a memorable night on the ultimate Belfast hen party.Â
12. Hop on the Sightseeing Bus
It might be a cliché, but one of the best ways to do a quick, no stress tour of some of the city’s most loved attractions is to jump aboard one of its multi-stop bus tours.
Plus, as far as we’re concerned, the Belfast hen party gals don’t just have the option of hopping off the bus at a stop dedicated to, say, the Grand Opera House, but also to jump off for a gin at any of the bars around the Grand Opera House.
This, we certainly found, made the journey that *wee* bit more special. But we’re partial to fitting in a sneaky wine in the middle of any activity we’re part of. And we like to think you’re built the same way. Slainte!Â
Conclusion
We like to think we’ve got you covered for the best Belfast hen party experiences you can have in the city. Now you’ve got the itinerary on lock, what accommodation are you going to book??
