Tips for Enjoying a Night out in Belfast | Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Although Belfast is a relatively small city, it has a very vibrant and bustling nightlife. There are plenty of pubs located around the city centre as well as nightclubs and bars. The youthful population loves to party and in most pubs and bars you will find that free live music is playing.
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by rovingI
Most of the bars in Belfast are open until 1am most days of the week; however some might close earlier at around 11:30pm. Most of the nightclubs are open until 2am and some will stay open even later. Drinks are much more affordable than in the larger UK cities such as London and there are a wide range of nightlife venues to suit your personal style and taste in music.
The Kitchen Bar
This is one of the most historic bars in the city of Belfast as it was founded back to 1859. It was one of the preferred nightlife spots of the musicians who would perform at Belfast’s Empire Music Hall. It is located within an old converted warehouse and it has a lot of charm and charisma. It also serves traditional Irish food so that you can stop there for dinner before heading out on your night out.
The Stiff Kitten
If you are looking for a big night out on a small budget, head down to the Stiff Kitten on a Tuesday or Thursday night. This bar is targeted towards students and these are its cheap drink nights. It also features great music and has big name DJs on weekends. The crowd here at this nightclub is young, energetic and friendly.
Live Music and Dancing
There are many clubs in Belfast which offer excellent live music and dancing. The M Club is one of the most popular venues in Belfast and offers different music throughout the week. If you are heading down there on a weekend you can be sure that it will be absolutely packed.
Another great venue is The Limelight which showcases up and coming artists. Some of the coolest bands have had their early gigs here, such as Oasis, the Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Blur. Another great place for dancing is Roxy Nightclub, which is located on Great Victoria Street. It has a chic loft feeling to it and excellent DJs every Saturday who play crowd-pleasing dance floor anthems.
Go On a Pub Crawl
If you are visiting the city of Belfast for the first time you might want to consider going on a pub crawl. This can be a great way to experience the nightlife for several reasons. When you are new to a city you don’t know which bars are the best to visit, so it is nice to have an experienced guide who will show you the way around. Also, going on a pub crawl with other travellers can be a great way to make new friends if you are traveling on your own.
There is a Belfast Pub Crawl which will take you around to some of the most famous bars, pub and nightclubs in the city including The Parlour, The Bot, The Elms, Filthy McNasty’s and The Taphouse. You will get free entry and four free drinks throughout the night.
Safety Tips
As always when you are going on a night out in an unfamiliar city, keep your wits about you and plan ahead. Make sure that you stick together with your friends and have the number of a taxi ready for when you go back to your accommodation.
Have a great time enjoying the vibrant nightlife of Belfast!
If you are planning on checking out the nightlife while you are staying in Belfast accommodation, here are some tips for enjoying the scene of this vibrant city.
View Tips for Enjoying a Night out in Belfast Northern Ireland, United Kingdom in a larger map