Why Belfast should be your next cultural city break

There’s always been art on the streets of Belfast. The political murals on gable walls in Nationalist and Unionist areas are famous worldwide, and art often provided a way of bringing people together, forging an alternative view of the city that was never just about the stereotype of bombed-out buildings and gun-toting soldiers prior to the 1998 Peace Agreement.

I think about this over a caramel square in the Linen Hall Library cafe, contemplating the display of political posters stretching up several floors in the stairwell. Founded in 1788 in a former linen warehouse, the Linen Hall is the oldest library in Belfast. Not only does it have a vast collection of books and cosy places to read them, it also runs regular exhibitions, events and tours, and holds the definitive archive of the Troubles. “The very words the Linen Hall Library represent not just books but better hopes for the way we live”, said poet and former patron Seamus Heaney.

And its caramel squares are the best in Belfast, says author Jan Carson, whose most recent novel, The Raptures, was published earlier this year. “I should know. I’ve tried most of them,” she tells me. “I’ve a very soft spot for the Linen Hall. As well as being the jewel in the crown of Belfast’s literary landscape it was one of the first places I read my work in public, and they still host wonderful talks and readings.”

Alongside the famous political murals, these days you’re just as likely to see paintings of hares and RuPaul on the streets, with artists travelling from all over the world to leave their mark on the city. Follow a handy guide from VisitBelfast or join a two-hour walking tour every Sunday with Seedhead Arts. Political mural tours are still on offer – get ferried around by Black Cab or take a walking tour with Experience Belfast for an insight into the city’s wider history and iconic landmarks.

I spend a very enjoyable hour tracking down art in the streets around St Anne’s Cathedral, from Dan Kitchener’s urban streetscape to Conor Harrington’s men duelling over a convoy of wheelie bins. The ‘Cathedral Quarter’ is home to lots of quirky restaurants, bars and venues and Late Night Art Belfast runs the first Thursday of every month, when over a dozen local galleries open their doors until 9pm.