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If Belfast isn’t on your city break list yet, it should be: Northern Ireland’s capital is the unexpected hot ticket of 2026.
Last month, Belfast hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture. (Locals just call it The Fleadh.)
Traditionally held south of the border, it was the first time the show had come to town.
And for eight days, streets long associated with division filled instead with joy – a poignant reminder of just how much this place has changed.
Coming only weeks after the July Twelfth marching season, the contrast was striking. The Fleadh flipped the narrative.
Amid pipes, drums and fiddles – and a reported record-breaking 1.6m visitors – Belfast felt like a city increasingly comfortable embracing multiple traditions and identities at once.
But its appeal extends far beyond one festival. This ‘new cool’ isn’t the self-conscious £7 matcha and luxury cocktail bar kind.
Former industrial buildings are becoming breweries and cultural venues, some of them dedicated to promoting the Irish language, Gaeilge.
Independent shops, food markets and creative businesses are thriving, and a generation of chefs who left Northern Ireland to work in London and beyond are returning home to open genuinely exciting new restaurants.
Belfast has the quality of a city that’s cool without appearing to try.
You can really feel it at Kelly’s Cellar’s, Belfast’s oldest pub. Outside, a band is playing to a crowd singing along to Whiskey In A Jar.
‘Ten years ago, there would have been armed police on every corner,’ one local tells me. ‘It wasn’t like this.’
I glance to where he is pointing. A group of lads are dancing, arms around each other. Later, they join us. Labourers, here for a birthday.
Before long they’re offering recommendations, buying rounds and drawing me into conversation. Belfast hospitality, it turns out, is no stereotype.
As the crowd outside sways to Dirty Old Town, I get oysters from the excellent Mourne Seafood Bar next door before reluctantly tearing myself away for my dinner reservation.
Less than 15 minutes later, I’m standing in the grounds of Culloden Estate & Spa. It’s close enough to dip into the city, but far enough away to feel like an escape.
Built in 1876 as a private residence before it was transformed into Northern Ireland’s first five-star hotel, it is still one of the region’s best-known luxury addresses.
Just this week, it was named Northern Ireland’s Hotel of the Year at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards 2026.
Set in 13 acres in the Holywood hills overlooking Belfast Lough, the grounds are dotted with sculptures and contemporary artworks, curated by Oliver Gormley, who also creates a biannual art festival at the hotel.
A pop-up Bollinger champagne bar in the gardens sets the tone, with white parasols, chilled champagne and views across the lough.
Inside, the hotel is grand: sweeping staircase, high ceilings, open fireplaces and oil paintings.
A warm welcome extends throughout my stay, and the service is stand-out.
Despite its 98 rooms, Culloden still manages to feel like a boutique hotel.
Staff remember names, ask how your day was and seem genuinely invested in the answer.
‘If people knew how well looked-after they’d be here, they’d book immediately,’ a fellow guest remarks.
The hotel is midway through a significant (yet discreet) refurbishment, with investment going into the spa, gym and bedrooms.
The first refreshed rooms, in the Garden Wing, feel a cut above what most call entry level, with smart interiors and views across the grounds to the lough.
Space is an added luxury here — another benefit to being out of the city.
My elegant, comfortable suite has a full-width picture window framing the lough – stunning. Or it would be, if the enormous widescreen TV didn’t sit between me on the sofa and the view itself.
I move it down to the floor for an unhindered view of sunset over the water, and I am delighted that the housekeeping team leaves it there for the rest of my stay.
Irish art hangs on the walls, chic coffee table books and Yeats poetry collections are stacked around the room.
A casualty of current hotel trends is the minibar and I’m afraid the trend continues here.
Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but I miss them. Can we blame Nick Jones? The Soho House founder had minibars and coffee machines removed from the rooms of his hotels, calling them ‘messy convenience stores’, which did amuse me, even while I vehemently disagreed.
Personally though, I’d rather have a guilt-free £15 splurge at midnight on crisps and a miniature Baileys than have to spend £60 on a burger and wine I don’t really want from room service – even if, as at, Soho House, you can order limitless tea and coffee via WhatsApp to be delivered to your room.
Still, at Culloden, while there’s no WhatsApp room service, there’s a Nespresso machine, plenty of capsules and Lotus biscuits, and an ice bucket arrives within minutes when requested.
In place of a minibar are thoughtful local touches: a hand-written welcome note, freshly baked cakes, Keogh’s Guinness and Steak crisps, NearyNógs soda bread chocolate and a Born & Bred Shipyard candle. All is (almost) forgiven.
Food is a big part of Culloden’s appeal. Breakfast is excellent, with local produce taking centre stage.
The full Irish breakfast, with thick cut bacon and hot potato farls, sits alongside lighter options including whiskey-spiked porridge and local dairy yoghurt with waggle dance honey.
Dinner at Vespers was generally excellent. A beautifully presented steak tartare was not just pretty, with its piped egg border, but bursting with flavour.
Carrots that sounded elaborately and deliciously dressed on the menu arrived almost plain, and my Dover sole was plated slightly inelegantly (real first world problems here at Culloden) but the cockle bisque sauce that accompanied it was sensational and the puddings are inspired.
Away from Culloden, you can find more of Northern Ireland’s increasingly inspired culinary scene at Michelin-starred, but relatively reasonably priced OX, where a four-course tasting menu starts at £90.
The Muddlers Club and Noble are also worth booking.
One early morning was spent at DOMA oyster farm at Dundrum Bay, witnessing the magic created by master French oyster farmer Michael Charrit, who applies French cultivation precision to Irish terroirs, the wild, nutrient-rich waters resulting in the Ostra Regal Gold, one of the finest oysters in the world.
The farm is not usually open to the public, but you can see the oyster cages lining the east coast and watch the tractors heading out at 4am for the harvesting, shaking, turning and hand-inspecting of the oysters – a fascinating glimpse of this industry that, besides the introduction of tractors and trucks, is still so manual, remaining unchanged over centuries.
Elsewhere, keep Saturday morning free for the St George’s Food and Craft market, where you can shop local producers and artists to a backdrop of live trad music.
The final winddown after a lively few days came at the Culloden spa, by way of their newly introduced floating sound bath. Wrapped in a warm robe, floating gently on an inflatable bed to the hypnotic sound of singing bowls, meditating while the setting sun filled the pool with golden light was transcendental. A real highlight.
Belfast, I will be back.
Everything you need to know, at a glance
Getting there
Fly direct to Belfast from over a dozen airports across England, Scotland and Wales. Return fares are as little as £30 with easyJet.
Check-in/out: 3pm and 11am.
Who it’s for
Couples celebrating something, often anniversaries of the dozens of weddings held here each year. Mother-and-daughter spa breakers; well-behaved families with kids and grown-up families marking big birthdays. Well-heeled Holywood locals come for the gym and spa.
Nice to have
A sound bar in the spa. Floating in the pool to a sound bath while the evening sun poured through the windows was one of the most memorable moments of the stay.
Books. Alongside expected coffee table volumes (including Northern Ireland On A Plate, a culinary celebration featuring Culloden’s executive chef Mark Begley) there was a collection of Yeats and Irish love poetry. A charming touch.
Liberal charging points bedside plugs and USBs on both sides.
Van Morrison. His connection to Culloden is well known locally. The lady at the airport car rental desk mentions it the moment she hears where we are staying. ‘But he doesn’t like to be approached,’ she warns. Fine by me. Knowing Irish music royalty had taken up residence at Culloden was enough. Other stars in the guest book range from Meryl Streep and Ed Sheeran to the cast of Game of Thrones, which was filmed up the coast.
Needs to have
A well-stocked mini bar. See above.
Expanded experience in the spa. The treatment and relaxation areas are dark, serene and excellent, though additional features such as a more varied thermal suite and cooling or ice features and more luxe adults-only areas would elevate the spa to destination.
USB speaker in the room… always a welcome touch.
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