Derived from the Irish words Béal Feirste, meaning “mouth of sandbars”, Belfast has become the ideal place to live since its humble beginnings, because of its abundant supply of water. It is the capital, as well as the largest city in Ireland, covering an area of 44.4sq miles (115 km2) and with a population of 500,000 in its metropolitan area.
Belfast boasts many architectural buildings in the Victorian-Edwardian style, including the main Lanyon Building, at Queen’s University Belfast and the Linenhall Library. In addition, two of the city’s grandest structures are the Ulster Bank, built in 1860 and located at Waring Street and the Northern Bank, built in 1769, off Donegall Street. Belfast is also redeveloping some of its oldest structures, mostly situated in the Cathedral Quarter area, to further improve tourism. During the Industrial Revolution, the city boomed, due to the shipbuilding industry and it has built some of the largest ships in the world, including the famous Titanic.
Belfast is also home to some of the greatest poets and novelists, including John Keats and the great C.S. Lewis, creator of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. It is also worth noting that the city has several achievements in the field of scientific research, specifically in cancer research. Milk of Magnesia, a mineral supplement, developed to maintain the body’s magnesium balance, was also invented here.
Getting to Belfast by air from other European countries is easy. You can fly there by Continental Airlines, BMI, Austrian Airlines, Spanair or Thomson Airways.