Well, as I often say, you can never have enough room for gifts. Or something like. Well, after a…read moretrip to this perfect little gift emporium, I might just have proven them right...I was entirely tempted to buy the whole shop. Right from the moment I opened the shop door, and that beautiful sweet scent of some astounding fragrance hit me right up the nose, I knew this was going to be a titillating visit. Filled with mental notes to self, such as, 'Oooh, check out those handmade cards over there, complete with little sequins in the shape of hearts and stars!', and 'Ooooh, they have such pretty napkins', and indeed 'Bags. I don't need a bag. Wait, my sister needs a bag for her formal. Oooh baby'...yes, it was a tumultuous experience for me. In an incredibly good way. Not only does Home have the most exquisite gifts and greetings cards, but it also encompasses the luxury (yet affordable) home decor end of things, with the likes of dining tables / chairs, dressers and cushions available to purchase. And if that's not enough, they offer a wedding list service, a flower arranging service and a gift wrapping service. Arriba! Yes, thank you every much to anything and everything. I love it all.

From the owner: Gorgeous gifts for all occasions including new born babies, weddings, birthdays or merely a lovely…read morethank you for that someone special. Our ranges include East of India, Yankee Candles, Maxwell Williams, leather gloves, stunning jewellery & beautiful scarves. We also stock lovely gifts and furniture for the home. We offer a gift wrap service, wedding lists, unique floral arrangements, as well as numerous items that can be personalised.

Nice place. Parked around the back where there are about 3 spaces…read more Strange location. Down a wee side street. Bright,clean and fresh inside. There is a take away downstairs and a gift shop. Upstairs there is two rooms to sit in. One is brighter decorated the other is darker like a study. Staff are helpful,chatty and friendly. Service was a tad slow. You can help yourself to water from glass containers. The food had a lovely taste and came with a wee bowl of crisps. Sandwiches where £6.50. I thought a tad on the expensive side compared to other hipster paces such as this and also the amount of food you got for the price. Though as I said taste was on point.

I can't believe I am the first person to review The Cove. This is a true Yelpers paradise. This wee…read moregift shop is literally full to the brim with antiques, cards, gifts and presents that your mum would like. Thy have a huge rang of vintage items set outside the store, this is what actually caught my attention. It's a bit like an upmarket car boot sale. There didn't really seem to be a theme to the items. There was a mix of furniture, household decorations and general bric-a-brac. I loved it - there is something really exciting about sifting through all their products. Almost like a treasure hunt. Antiques collectors would love this place. It also had a range of vintage camera equipment that was behind lock and key. Upstairs houses more modern handmade gifts, cards and part accessories. If you want a unique gift for a loved one or are decorating your home and want something a little different look no further than The Cove! Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Yes this shop is great. My first car was a Morris Minor, dark blue. I got a little Corgi car…read morejust like it, even the registration number is similar!

Utopia is my first port-of-call when I know someone's birthday is coming up, or at Christmas…read moretime...you're pretty much guaranteed to find something in here you know that person will like. The variety is huge - massive wooden chess sets to quirky key rings and everything in between. There's nothing cheap or tacky, just beautiful gifts at incredibly affordable prices. The last time I was (it was only last week, due to their being a friend's birthday on the horizon), I was served by the most friendly lady I've ever had the pleasure of speaking to. She really was genuinely lovely, and that really made the trip for me. There's nothing better than decent customer service, and I definitely experienced some top class service that day. With some of the loveliest ranges in town, and wonderfully helpful staff, Utopia really is a must see...you won't be disappointed.

Yeah I have no complaints about Utopia. I'm glad there is only one of its kind in Belfast as that…read morekeeps the family who run it in trade and the customers flocking back. I love to go in at Christmas time as my mum has a thing for Christmas decorations and this is the best place in town to get a quality piece at a really good price. It houses such a mixture of goodies you could spend hours just browsing. There is a massive selection if ornaments such as statues of dogs, animals and fairies. They also have a large collection of really nice inexpensive costume jewellery. You can pick up anything in here from a rubber chicken to a ceramic panda. It is definitely the place to go for gifts of any sort. I was bought a poker set from here many moons ago and I still treasure it as although it wasn't really expensive it has the feel of a luxury item.

This is a quirky wee treasure trove, full to its original rafters with gifts, cards, homeware,…read morejewellery and accessories. If you're lucky you'll spot its resident cat roaming around and adding to the loveliness of the place. I always pop in for a wee look around when I visit Portpatrick and I tend to bring home some lovely jam and gifts for friends and family. There's a real community feel about Portpatrick and I've heard that Campbell's restaurant across the road gets its ornate and handmade cutlery from the Lighthouse Pottery. Some things are a little on the pricey side, but that's often understandable when you take a look at the care, attention and detail put into many of the hand-crafted gems on offer.

Oh. My. Word. I think I'm in love. No, I KNOW I'm in love....with this extra-fabulous shop. Sigh…read more Trade Winds is quite possibly my favourite ever gift shop. It stocks such a wide range of, well, everything really, that you'd never be tired looking. It was pretty busy when I went in yesterday, with mainly young girls eyeing up all the beautiful gifts / toys / accessories / jewellery, and their mums keeping a careful watch over them. Amongst the wide variety of stock were gift bags, cards, candles, novelty toys and games, funky clocks, wall-hangings, beaded curtains, bags...and so much more. I discovered the cutest little wooden cat light pull for £3 some odds, and immediately knew I had to buy it. Nothing to do with the fact that it was incredibly sweet and lovely, and everything to do with the fact that my mum had smashed the previous one off the bathroom wall, causing it to break into a thousand pieces. Indeed. Staff were exceptionally pleasant, but kept a business like atmosphere about the place. That sounds like a bad thing, but I guarantee is really wasn't...it was an incredibly well run shop. All I need now is an excuse to go back. Mmmm, when is the next birthday I have to buy for...?

Well what a wonderful wee shop, highly attractive both outside and in. I could have spent hours in…read morethis delightful wonderland looking at all their pretty pieces of pleasantry. What captivated me most were the gorgeous jewellery boxes, sweet note pads / writing books (teeny tiny small ones to super big ones) and amazing mirrors (even one whose frame was made from vines of trees.) All the items were being sold for very reasonable prices. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how cheap most of it was. Maybe that's what a day shopping on the Lisburn road does to you though! I'll definitely be back in here when I've (a) more time and (b) more money. The staff were pleasantly talkative and left us to our own devices after greeting us, not in your face nosy or shyly secretive, just a nice in between. A superb shop selling some splendid stock!

I la la la laaaave this gorgeous, enchanting little gift shop. It leaves you bedazzled and…read moreenthralled, and wishing you had a slightly bigger limit on your credit card (seriously, £300 is *nothing*...). The Lavender Box combines beautiful jewellery (the likes of Pom, Coeur de Lion, Pilgrim), with stunning gifts (I spotted the cutest wooden Noah's Ark, and the animals all had their own places), and exquisite clothing / shoes. It truly has it all. The front section of the shop is home to the gifts, filled with fancy knick-knacks such as candles, ornaments, figurines, stationery etc., as well as the jewellery. Cabinet after cabinet bursting with the most dazzling jewellery (there was 20% off some items the day we were in, but I managed to behave myself). The back section of the shop is home to a beautiful range of very unique clothes. Not really my style, but very classy and elegant, with a bit of a retro feel to them. Alongside these lie a good range of Irregular Choice shoes, which, as most of you will know, are a gorgeously kitsch, and somewhat pricey shoe label (and to die for). Oooooh shoe lust... The owner / sales assistant was very friendly, though her attention was diverted to a customer who was trying on a pair of Irregular Choice boots, and couldn't make up her mind which colour to choose. Nevertheless, she spoke to us, and was very amiable, and I commended her for dealing with the Irregular Choice boot lady (jealous...), who obviously needed her help much more than I or my sister. La la la laaaave it even more now. Absence makes the heart grow fonder 'n' all that...

Obsessed with this shop! There were so many and all had different items. Staff was super friendly…read moreand welcoming, decent pricing and wide selection of merch to choose from. Can't wait to visit Ireland again!

Whoooo Hoooooo! Carolls I love you! There are two reasons why:…read more 1. I'm Irish and proud and when I walk past Carrolls and see the Belfast t-shirts and the tourists mulling around I get a great sense of pride. I am proud that if a Spanish/French/Ethiopian wanted to purchase something, nay anything with a shamrock on it they could get it here. I'm proud that pencils and pencil cases, hairbands, rubbers, sweets, aprons and the like with sheep/shamrocks/leprahauns on them can all be purchased here! 2. The Irish tunes that are being pumped outta this place from opening until closing fill me with happiness and make me want to sing along as I am walking past in the pissy rain on dull and gray winters afternoon - sure you couldn't beat it. For all things Irish Caroll is yer man/woman?

The Wicker Man is a lovely traditional gift shop on Belfast's busy High Street. The company was…read moreestablished in 1994 in the hope of promoting local businesses and selling local art work. Nowadays the store sells work from artists in Ireland both North and South. They sell some intriguing items including beautiful Beleek pottery, some gorgeous Celtic jewellery, as well as work by some enterprising local artists. You can find work by Carrick artist Thomas Joseph, Belfast artist Gary Anderson as well as the exceptionally popular Anna Nielsen prints. The jewellery sold here is really gorgeous, it's very well made and you should try here if you're interested in buying the likes of a claddagh ring or a Celtic knot brooch. The stock is in no way limited to the usual array of touristy nick nacks, even I shop here if I'm after a particular work of art. But for those visiting the Emerald Isle you can choose from a huge range of typical Irish souveneirs. For something different they also have some beautiful picture frames and clocks. If you've never been here before and are a fan of our great wee country then you should definitely not miss it. The staff will greet you with a warm welcome and make you feel more than comfortable. Great shop, great stock, great prices, great people!

We finally found yarn in Belfast! In the heart of the city we were lucky enough to pop in out of…read morethe rain and get dessert and coffee at College Street Cafe! Don't miss it! The walk on over to Wicker Man for some beautiful boucle yarn!! We all grabbed a few balls!!

Rumour's Coffee House has recently opened up in what for many years, used to be the old 'Twilight…read moreZone' gaming centre. It has a great position right in the centre of the town, with fantastic views of the castle and Belfast Lough. The inside is bright and has lots of seating. They offer the usual teas and coffees, with an amazing range of milkshakes, soft drinks and hot chocolate. I had a bacon butty when I visited which was delicious, but they also have a good range of sandwiches, sweet treats, and waffles! Limited parking is available on the street outside, and further up Main Street. Failing that there is lots of free parking available in the Castle Car Park, just a short walk away.

Superb coffee and I'm a coffee snob! Moist scones with good jam. A great view to boot.read more