Holiday rentals in Hyde Park

Tucked in the southeastern corner of the Antrim and Newtownabbey district and 20 minutes northwest of Belfast, Hyde Park is on the edge of the suburbs, with easy access to the city and country. Many come to this part of Northern Ireland for the wildflower meadows, walkabouts, and the coastal mountain rambles amid the sound of woodland waterfalls and the Irish Sea crashing on rocks. Hyde Park has several trails nearby through Castlereagh, Cave Hill, and Collinward. You’ll also discover legendary golf courses in the area.

Belfast City Hall has exhibitions on the city’s history, an art collection, and beautiful stained-glass windows. The main green space in Belfast City Centre is the City Hall grounds where markets and concerts are held. And you’ll find history and politics commemorated on the Belfast Murals throughout town. The creative and cultural hub is the Belfast Cathedral Quarter, where you can visit St Anne’s Cathedral, pop into a pub for fresh oysters or Irish whiskey, or dine at a five-star restaurant. The River Lagan flows through the centre of Belfast, with the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean coasts within reach. Popular water recreation includes rowing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and diving.

Like much of Ireland, Hyde Park can see rain most days of the year, but temperatures rarely drop below freezing. April through October is the best time to visit Hyde Park and Belfast due to optimal weather and less chance of daily rain. October to January is usually the wettest period, while March to May sees temperatures rising and gardens beginning to bloom. In March, there are St. Patrick’s Day events, and in May, the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival celebrates the Tall Ships and the area’s nautical history. In October, the Belfast International Arts Festival has theatre, dance, music, and talks, and the Sound of Belfast in November showcases local musicians. The Belfast Christmas Market is open for shopping and festivities from mid-November until just before Christmas. Temperatures maintain a chill but are generally not too unpleasant.

Causeway Coast Drive and Castle Crawl

A drive along the Causeway Coast is one of the best ways to experience Northern Ireland’s natural splendour while visiting a few castles. The 12th-century Carrickfergus Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval structures in the country. Romantics fall in love with the brooding ruins of Dunluce Castle. So do fans when they recognise shots of it and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge in an epic fantasy series. You might even test your courage by crossing the 20-metre bridge that swings 30 metres above the rocks. The drive culminates with the Giant’s Causeway — a UNESCO World Heritage Site said to be 60 million years old. You’ll feel the Atlantic breezes while looking down at the large hexagonal basalt stepping stones formed by volcanic activity.

Titanic Tributes

The Titanic Belfast building and Maritime Mile is located where the Titanic was conceived, built, and launched. On a self-guided tour, you have the opportunity to hear, touch, smell, and see some of what occurred on 5 April 1912 when more than 1,500 lives were tragically lost. At Belfast City Hall, you can stop by the Titanic Memorial Garden, funded by the public, shipyard workers, and victims’ families. And in St. Anne’s Cathedral, see the Titanic Pall, a funeral tapestry featuring a large embroidered cross composed of many smaller ones representing the victims. Its deep indigo colour symbolises the midnight sea when the ship sank in the northern Atlantic.

St George’s Market

St George’s Market dates from the 17th century and has won local and national awards. On the weekends, you can enjoy live music and hundreds of stalls selling fresh produce, fish, organic and continental food products, books, antiques, clothes, pottery, jewellery, gifts, and souvenirs.