| Northern Ireland - a place which to many people, | | | | location for revellers and people looking for |
| conjures up images of warfare and civil unrest. | | | | somewhere to spend an active weekend, in the |
| Thirty years of bloodshed has indeed tarnished | | | | trendy clubs and bars which inhabit the city. |
| the image of Northern Ireland throughout the | | | | Belfast is not alone in seeing its popularity rise - |
| world. The good news is that this beautiful little | | | | the whole of Northern Ireland is seeing a dramatic |
| country is now climbing slowly but surely out of | | | | increase in visiting tourists from a ll over the |
| the misery of its bitter past. In place of bombed | | | | world. A drive along the wonderful Antrim |
| out buildings, now stand wonderful examples of | | | | coastline, with its marvelous views over the Irish |
| new architecture in the capital city of Belfast. A | | | | sea, never ceases to impress. The intriguing and |
| whole new skyline has developed over the past 3 | | | | mysterious Giants Causeway is also a must-see if |
| or 4 years, turning Belfast into a fine example of | | | | visiting Northern Ireland. |
| a modern city. Exciting new restaurants and bars | | | | Northern Ireland is a land of surprisingly few |
| seem to spring up every month in this new and | | | | people. There are only approximately 1.5 million |
| vibrant city. Fantastic new venues have been built | | | | people in this small country. Flying into Northern |
| along the river Lagan in Belfast, such as the | | | | Ireland on a clear day, you can look down on a |
| Waterfront Hall and the Odyssey Centre - a | | | | vast patchwork of green fields - you would be |
| multifunction entertainment and educational centre | | | | forgiven for thinking that no-one lives here at all. |
| which is a landmark for this developing city. | | | | But any visitors can be sure of a friendly |
| To many, a visit to Belfast was a thought which | | | | welcome. The hospitality of the Irish and of |
| provoked a degree of trepidation and the fear of | | | | course the Northern Irish, is legendary. Very few |
| being hurt in one of the many explosions which | | | | people come away from their first visit to |
| rocked this city throughout the 70s, and 80's. | | | | Northern Ireland without being bowled over by |
| Nowadays the only loud bangs are the mechanical | | | | just how friendly and helpful the locals are. |
| diggers and construction machinery being used to | | | | So make no mistake, if you're looking for a new |
| transform Belfast into one of the most dynamic | | | | destination to visit or a fun-filled weekend, then |
| cities in the UK. | | | | look no further than Northern Ireland, a location |
| Belfast was always a poor relation to Dublin when | | | | which has successfully turned itself around from a |
| it came to nightlife and a place for tourists to visit. | | | | place to avoid, to a place which leaves a |
| However it is progressively catching up as a | | | | wonderful lasting impression on its visitors! |