Belfast

The Northern Irish capital is a city which has been reborn in recent decades, emerging from a turbulent 20th century history as a vibrant destination with a rich cultural landscape. The award-winning Titanic Museum is a highlight for many visitors, but you should also make time to visit the Ulster Museum and the Botanic Gardens, explore the historic Linen Quarter with a growing reputation for bars and restaurants, and perhaps spend a day at the elegant Georgian estate of Hillsborough Castle, the official Northern Ireland residence of HM The Queen, or Mount Stewart, where Edith, Lady Londonderry, created a wonderful garden with tracts of woodland and a lake.