Belfast is a surprisingly good place to shop. Start at Donegall Place, where the streets are lined with shops and the Victorian arcades are filled with gift and jewelry stores. Good buys are to be had on Belleek china, linen, and crystal from County Tyrone. Shops are typically open weekdays from 9 or 9:30am to 5 or 5:30pm, and open later on weekends.
The main shopping street is Royal Avenue, home of several well-known chain stores, while the Westfield Castlecourt Shopping Centre on Royal Avenue and the glass-domed Victoria Square shopping center are Belfast’s main downtown multi-story shopping malls.
Built in 1896, the iron-and-glass St. George’s Market (May Street at Oxford Street, [tel] 028/9043-5704) has a number of different street markets. On Fridays, there’s the Variety Market (6am–3pm), packed with 250 stalls of fresh produce, antiques, clothing, and bric-a-brac. On Saturdays, the City Food and Craft Market (9am–3pm) specializes in artisan foods, with plenty of tempting fresh snacks on offer, plus an assortment of local crafts. The Sunday Market (10am–4pm) is a happy combination of the two, although the balance tends to be in favor of crafts.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
