Belfast Nightlife: Places and Districts to Go Out in Belfast

  Belfast at Night

With its mix of historic pubs, stylish new bars and large dance clubs, Belfast’s nightlife is both lively and enjoyable. What’s more, given the increase in the number of budget flights to the city’s two airports, it’s quickly become a popular destination for a cheap party getaway.

Many of the best bars, pubs and live music venues are concentrated on Great Victoria Street, Shaftesbury Square and Bradbury Place at the southern end of the so-called Golden Mile, which ensure that the area can get very raucous on the weekend.

Belfast is also home to some of the country’s oldest saloon bars and gin palaces in the narrow alleyways (nicknamed ‘the entries’) around Anne Street in the Cathedral quarter. Travelers will find the traditional Irish drinking culture to be rife in these parts.

South of the city center, Queen’s quarter – which comprises the area around the university – has both hip cocktail bars, where Belfast’s coolest crowd sway to a soundtrack of funky house, and some of the cheapest, most casual student venues.

The university neighborhood is probably the best spot to stay out until the ‘wee’ hours as many of the large mainstream clubs and trendy late-night DJ bars are clustered in this area. For live music, the pubs along Great Victoria Street often have performance from bands or traditional Irish groups.

Adding to Belfast’s already energetic nightlife, the brand-new Odyssey building has created an entertainment district along Queen’s Quay in the north-east of the city where a host of restaurants, bars and nightclubs offer a fun (and affordable) night out, all under one roof.

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