Travel expert Rory King, who has visited around 70 to 80 countries, has urged everyone to visit Belfast, describing the Northern Ireland capital as "cheap and cheerful" and "an incredible city."
King, founder of Rory's Travel Club, said the city is "busy seven nights a week now" and highly recommended that everyone "take the flight and experience Belfast."
Why Belfast is a must-visit
Belfast is famously the birthplace of the RMS Titanic and is home to the Crumlin Road Gaol, a former prison-turned-museum. City Hall stands as the centrepiece of the city, which earned the moniker 'Linenopolis' in the 19th century when it was the global centre of linen production.
Beyond its rich heritage, the city is brimming with pubs offering live music, colourful markets, and a maze of cobbled streets to explore, as well as its waterfront.
Affordable city break
King highlighted the affordability of a trip to Belfast, noting: "You can get cheap flights with Ryanair for around £30 and a hotel for two people from around £100." He added: "Anywhere you go in Ireland, you're going to have fun."
Fellow jet-setter Henrik Jeppesen, who has visited every single country in the world and ticked off more than 2,000 destinations, also hailed the bustling city as one of the best in the world.
High praise from a seasoned traveller
"I absolutely loved Belfast when I visited. I still remember it as being one of the best and most surprising cities I've been to," Jeppesen said. "The city is so charming, and it has a very rich history."
He added: "I really loved it there, and the people make the place special. They are really fantastic, and I met, I don't know how many Northern Irish people - they're just fantastic, talkative and lovely. Then the feeling about walking the streets, beautiful buildings - it's really a lovely city with the atmosphere, and the food was great."
Jeppesen concluded: "The city of Belfast is one of the great cities of Europe, and of all the cities I've visited, I haven't felt that they've been that special like Belfast has."
An overlooked gem
Noting why Belfast could be seen as an overlooked city in the UK, Jeppesen said: "You hear so much negativity in the media from the conflict back in the day, so it doesn't really stand out as a place you want to visit; people think about London, Dublin or Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a fantastic city, but I think Belfast is highly underrated. It's so simple and easy to get to, so if you want a quick weekend break, it makes so much sense to explore the city."
