An American couple recently visited Belfast after it was ranked as one of the friendliest cities in the UK.
Belfast was named the seventh most friendly city in Britain by Condé Nast Traveller magazine last year. The couple's experience lived up to the city's reputation, and Cara, who along with husband Jeremy runs The Magic Geekdom Youtube channel, said: "It is funny though because I feel like so many people we have talked to here, everyone has just been so friendly. It is a very very friendly city and everyone has given us so many recommendations and places to go."
Although they couldn't explore all the recommended spots, they did visit City Hall, which Cara described as a "stunning building", and the Botanic Gardens, which she found "just so beautiful and peaceful". They also admired the picturesque grounds of Queen's University.
However, three things stood out to the couple during their visit.
Guinness
One of them was trying Guinness, which they did at The Dirty Onion pub, one of the oldest buildings in Belfast, dating back to 1780.
Cara, who hadn't had Guinness in a long time, decided to try a half pint, saying: "My first Guinness in a very long time because I didn't think I'd like it but maybe I will like it now. It is supposed to be better here, right?" Taking a sip of her drink, she was impressed and commented: "Ohh, that's good! It is creamy, yeah that is nice, we might be having a few of these today. We probably could have gone for pints, huh?"
On their second day in town, they paid a visit to the popular Duke of York pub. Detailing the reason for their visit, Jeremy said: "We have finally made it to the pub that essentially everyone has told us if you are in Belfast you have to come to the Duke of York."
Cara chimed in with a recommendation from the locals: "And we have had multiple people tell us, everyone in Belfast, that this is the best place to get a Guinness, so cheers!"
Never one to conceal her excitement, Cara, after savouring a deep gulp, said: "How do they do it? It just tastes so nice."
Titanic Belfast
Venturing off into the Titanic Quarter, the iconic Titanic Belfast is an essential stop for visitors.
The duo headed there following their Guinness tasting session and Cara remarked on the transition: "We went from the cosy fire at the pub to exploring what is maybe one of the most well done museums we have ever been to."
Both were captivated by the architecture of the building, envisioned as ship prows. Cara said: "It basically told the entire story of the Titanic from it being built to them discovering the wreckage later on and it was just so fantastically well done, so respectfully done and truly truly highly recommend it if you are visiting Belfast."
The construction of the Titanic commenced in Belfast back in 1909 where eight Harland and Wolff workers tragically lost their lives on the job.
St George's Market
St George's Market, one of Belfast's oldest and most cherished attractions, has been a crowd-pleaser since the Victorian era. The market underwent a significant £4.5million refurbishment in 1997, although its history stretches back to 1604 when the first market was established on the site.
Cara, while making her way to the market, shared her impressions: "We walked to St George's Market and so far the city is beautiful there is so much neat architecture here."
Upon entering the bustling market, she was struck by its scale and vibrancy, saying: "Wow, it is massive in here. This is like sensory overload; there are so many cool independent shops and so many amazing looking food options – they have it all."
Jeremy, after savouring a "really good" breakfast bap from Sizzle and Roll, said he understood why the market is an award-winner.
The experience was shared on YouTube, where viewers expressed their fondness for the city. One viewer reminisced: "So nice to see you in my hometown, knocking about my childhood haunts."
Another shared their own positive experience, adding: "I visited Belfast a couple of years ago and loved it." And yet another encouraged further exploration: "If you think this was good, you really need to travel all of Ireland."
English (United States) ·