CS Lewis Square is not much more than a small park. However, it is free to enter and roam as well…read moreas filled with a handful of statues which bring figures of his Chronicles of Narnia to life. I came in the morning and was effectively the only person around. I spent about 15-20 minutes in total walking around, attempting to take the perfect pictures, and otherwise admiring the work. If I knew folks heading to Belfast, I would recommend they try to work in a visit, especially if they were already in the area. I would not advise drastically changing your schedule to incorporate nor spending heavy for transit to get there if it were significantly out of the way. Hopefully that guidance helps in planning if you should or should not plan a visit!

We stopped by CS Lewis Square during our vacation. It is a nice dedication to CS Lewis. There are a…read morefew unique art/statue pieces dedicated to his different stories. There isn't a lot here but it's cool to get some really nice pictures. It doesn't cost anything and takes no more than 15 minutes to see each of the statues. Well worth getting off the bus walking over to it taking a look and waiting for the next bus. Especially if you are a CS Lewis fan.

It looks like a jewelry box but it's actually the Jaffe Memorial Fountain. Striking and brightly…read morecolorful it was originally erected in 1874 by Sir Otto Jaffe to honor his father, Daniel Jaffe. It was initially placed in Victoria Square but was later moved to the Botanic Gardens, where it remained until 2008 It is intricate and elegant, made of Portland stone with each of the smaller columns featuring a female figure that represents each of the four seasons. It stands at the Victoria Street entrance to the Victoria Square shopping center. The original yellow and white were apparently selected to reflect the aesthetic preferences of the Victorian era, as these were popular colors to symbolize purity and light and optimism. It is indeed a fountain but in September it was dry. I'm not sure if it is ever filled with water. [Review 1883 of 2024 - 866 in United Kingdom - 22905 overall]

I bet you've walked past this wee gem hundreds of times but never given it a second look, I'm right…read morearen't I? Well now it's time to be enlightened. This is the Jaffa Fountain, not named after everyone's favourite cake/biscuit but actually named after Belfast's first Lord Mayor Otto Jaffa. The fountain itself was actually built in 1879 and it was erected in its current location, but here's the strange part. As industrial and commercial Belfast grew it was moved out to Botanic Gardens - mature students might recognise it from those days. Once Victoria Square was commissioned the decision was made to bring the old fellow back to its rightful place. I for one am glad they did as I think it provides a welcome nod to Belfast's past in the centre of its current commercial renaissance.

Start by walking along the Promenade or Beach toward the Castle…read more Admire the broad view as it stretches and hugs the coastline. Step over to Fenella beach on the other side of the harbor and climb up a few rough steps to the pathway that circles the Castle. It's a very even path and there are great views of the ocean and rocks all around the Castle. You may even see a basking shark or the resident Dolphins. The pathway will take you round to the carpark and entrance. Now go inside, collect your audio thingy and scamper around the castle - but watch out for rabbit holes. The ruins are fantastic and there is not a bad view which ever way you turn. You will see the pathway below around the Castle. Doing inside and out with take about 1.5 hours. There are plenty of benches in the grounds for weary legs.

Next stop on our highlight tour of the Isle of Man, only an hour away from the capital Douglas, is…read morethe relaxed seaside town of Peel. One of the biggest draw cards to come here is Peel Castle. The proud remains of this stronghold dominate the harbour front and the view from the old castle walls is spectacular. The entrance to the vast grounds is through the old gatehouse. After paying 5 pounds at the ticket booth, you can explore the site on your own. An audio guide is included in the entrance fee and at various points you will find numbers that you can key into your device for a lot of interesting facts and figures. Luckily, the most famous resident of the castle Moddey Dhoo - the howling black ghost dog -was well behind bars and did not trouble the visitors, only a very friendly black cat showed up and was very keen to accompany people around the castle. So why should you come here? Well first of all, it is a great place to soak up the atmosphere, learn about the Viking heritage of the Manx island or about the early Christianization, but beside that it is also a great place to relax. We visited the castle on a bright sunny day and we walked around for nearly 2 hours sitting on the green grass, enjoying the views over the island and the Irish Sea, listening to our audio guides and chatting with other visitors. So, if you are into history and like ancient castles with a view, this place is a must on your Isle of Man tourist list.

When you live in Newtownards you will pass the building a million and one times but not really…read morenotice it - which is a real shame as this is a historical building and part of the history and heritage of Newtownards. These are the remains of a Dominican Priory founded in 1244. Hugh Montgomery established a newtown within the grounds of the old priory and this flourished and was used as a central area for the new market town. The restoration of the building began in 1609 by Montgomery and this can be seen within the building on a carved stone. The ruins of the old tower and part of this old building can still be seen. If you look closely you can see Montgomery's monogram ad some bible references etched into the stone. In 1988 part of the old door was restored by the Ulster Heritage Center and the door will be opened on request, it is worth a look as this is a fine example of our ulster-Scot heritage and was, at one time, a big tourist attraction.

As other reviewers have said The Priory is slap bang in the middle of Newtownards yet you could…read morepass it without even registering as an important part of our culture and heritage. Although the budget is tight down at the old Tourist board they could do with digging into their pockets and forking out for a few signs to properly promote this place. The reason I say this is that The Priory is actually a really interesting place, I did not realise the significance of this place until I paid it a long overdue visit. The Priory is an example of a Dominican (Black) Piory and is one of the only remaining examples in Northern Ireland. The Priory is worth a visit if only for the convenience of the place, whether you are a day-tripper or a local The priory will at very least give you an insight into the regions culture.

Belfast City Hall is the city center district and located in a business area, but with expanding…read moreresidential and entertainment. Plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, churches, and historical locations surrounding the city hall. Inside is very beautiful layout architecture with a beautiful dome plus plenty of glass windows artwork. Inside the surrounding garden within, there are: Titanic Memorial Garden, Korea War Memorial, Victoria Memorial, Boer War Memorial Royal Irish Riffles, and couple statues on the other side plus city ground for you to seat and admire the city hall.

This was a beautiful building, inside and out. I loved the stained glass windows and…read morearchitecture! There were many different rooms to explore, with museum-like pictures and information to view. The toilets are free!

Went to the Crumlin road jail as it's the top ranked attraction on trip advisor. It was…read moreinteresting that the site is owned by the Govt but run by a private company. It cost £6.50 (had a £2 discount coupon). The last tour of the day is at 4:30pm but it's also cool that the main building is open till late because of the restaurant located inside. Hearing about what went on was truly horrific but overall this was an okay experience for me. I think I was expecting more info about the troubles and the political prisoners but that wasn't really our tour guide's focus. He also started the tour by asking for volunteers but nothing was done involving a volunteer! It's an hour's tour and the visit to the tunnel plus the hangman info was the most interesting bits of the tour for me. Another tip - Don't miss checking out the beautiful but now derelict courthouse opposite the street. The govt sold it for £1 but it's going to take a fair bit of bob to put it back to rights! So overall it was interesting tour but maybe Note: #222 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016

I had been meaning to come here for absolutely years, and just never got around to it…read more I am a huge fan of anything of historical interest, however my first visit, surprisingly, was for the Ghost tour this Halloween! I booked the tickets online and came along this October hoping for a spooky experience. We were greeted at the gates by security who explained how to get around into the car park, and got parked up with no issues. We waited in the coffee shop 'The Crum' - and had a wine and beer each prior to the tour. When the tour started, we were initially taken into a holding area, and then began by being taken into the tunnel linking the jail to the courthouse, where allegedly, paranormal activity has taken place! Unfortunately (or thankfully, maybe) we experienced no such activity on our trip. We were then taken into a side room where an employee was said to have met a grisly end, and we were instructed to record audio on our phones. Next, we were taken to one of the wings where we could see the cells (and inside the cells) and last but not least, we were shown to the condemned man's cell, and behind the book case to the gallows, before being taken down into the basement. We didn't experience any ghostly going's on in our trip, but I would definitely come back again, this time during the day, so I can get a proper look at the inside of the jail, since the tour I did was in the dark or low light. Recommended!

It was such a fantastic opportunity to be able to sign the peace wall whilst on a tour of the…read moremurals. We learned so much about the troubles and the significance of the peace wall.

I enjoyed the art work and background here, however, like many countries, there is a migrant and/or…read morehomeless problem. As our group exited the bus, some folks not paying attention almost stepped into human feces. Outside of that issue, everything else was good.

The tower itself is closed to the public but the grounds are accessible at any time,I'm not a hippy…read moreor anything but I really want to get up early some morning in the summer and walk up to scrabo tower and have a bowl of cornflakes as the sun rises. The views on a sunny day are fantastic over Belfast,comber and the Irish sea. The walks through the quarries and through killyneither woods are long and challenging in places, great for a bit of exercise and peace and quiet , bring food and a disposable bbq there's lots of picnic tables throughout the park. Great place to bring your kids or walk your dog. Would benefit from a shop here for drinks and snacks. You can have dinner in the golf club though.

My beloved Scrabo has been part of my life since I was dragged up to it on a school trip, I…read moreremember being able to actually run up the hill to the tower in my youth, but years of kebabs mean I take a slower pace these days, the view from the hill and the Tower itself is pretty spectacular, if you can avoid looking down at West Winds, mind you, you can always pretend you're looking down from the Enola Gay. The forest park is pretty spectacular, a nature lovers dream, certainly a nature minded friend was in his element describing all that he saw with great gusto. The only downside, is that the car park at the top of the hill can be full on busy days, and crossing the road can be dangerous as you get ignorant twats from the golf club trying to run you over.

Carlingford is currently the home of President Joe Biden's Irish cousins. Great people. Just 8…read moremiles away. Carlingford is also a fine example of a medieval walled town, built at the time of the Normans in the 12th century. The Vikings had invaded Ireland in the 9th Century and historical records establish that they occupied Carlingford Lough. The name Carlingford is Scandinavian translating into 'Fjord of Carlinn'. The Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169 as allies of Irish King Dermot MacMurrough. By 1184 they had reached Carlingford. A Norman Knight, Sir John de Courcy claimed this part of Louth for himself. Sir John was a busy beggar. He arrived in Ireland in 1176 and by the time of his expulsion in 1204, he had conquered considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for the Benedictines (yes the monks that created champagne and benedictine), the Cistercians and he also built strongholds at Dundrum Castle in County Down and at Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim. The very first historical reference to Carlingford dates to 1184 when Sir John gave the rights of the ferry at Carlingford to the Abbot of Downpatrick indicating that the harbour was in use as a ferry point. However, the town of Carlingford only developed after the castle known as King John's Castle was built. The castle today is a ruin, but it's still obvious what it was nearly a thousand years ago - a place of defence. As for its creator Sir John De Courcy, well he returned to Ireland, sailing across the Irish sea from the Isle of Man in July 1205 with Norse soldiers and a hundred boats. John and his army landed at Strangford and laid siege to Dundrum Castle in vain, because the defences he himself had made were too strong. King John then had John de Courcy imprisoned and he spent the rest of his life in poverty so the clerics he was so generous toward left him broke. He was subsequently released when he "crossed himself" to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. De Courcy died in obscurity just outside what is now Craigavon - I suppose anyone who dies there still departs in obscurity as the best thing about Craigavon, even a thousand years later, is still the road out of it.

As you drive into Carlingford King John's Castle sets the scene for the magnificent historical…read morevalue of this town. The views from the ledge are amazing and worth the bit of climbing to get up to it! Transports you back in time as you see all the way over to Warrenpoint and soak up the atmosphere from days gone by. Look out for the plaques dotted around to learn more!