Warm welcome to Belfast city

I ALWAYS associated Belfast with the eight-hour gruelling road trips of old. Today though, thanks to the motorway, it’s four hours from Cork, door to door. OK, so with two kids in the car we all felt the last half hour of driving — but it was worth every second of it.

Belfast is alive and thriving — a compact, accessible city with the vibe of a small town. Our two taxi drivers blew us away with their chat, banter and general willingness to offer help and assistance. Our hotel check-in too was unforgettable. I have never been as spoilt. I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s a city that’s hard to beat when it comes to hospitality.

It’s beautiful too. Driving past Queens University en route to the city for the first time, you are immersed in a city that is steeped in history. From museums to cathedrals, cobbled streets to red brick Victorian terraces, it’s a must for culture.