Ulster Hall

Ulster Hall sits in the heart of Belfast, a Victorian red-brick building that's been hosting everything from classical concerts to rock gigs since 1862. Step inside and you'll find a proper working concert venue with genuine character - the kind of place where the acoustics feel lived-in rather than clinical. The main auditorium is the draw here, all ornate plasterwork and period detail, though what you experience depends entirely on what's on.

This isn't a museum you wander round passively. It's a functioning cultural space, so you come for a specific performance - comedy, music, theatre, classical. That means you need to check their schedule before planning a visit. The building itself is worth seeing even if you're just passing, mind you. The exterior is striking enough to photograph, and the foyer gives you a sense of the place's significance in Belfast's cultural life.

Musicians and theatre-goers get the most from it, obviously. If you're into live performance at all, it's worth timing a visit around something on their calendar. The venue attracts proper touring acts as well as local talent. Allow your evening or afternoon depending on what's showing.

Stay at Dundonald Touring Caravan Park just four and a half miles south, and you're close enough to catch an evening show without the hassle of finding city centre parking. The Pods at Streamvale is another solid option if you're after something with a bit more glamour. Both make decent bases for exploring Belfast itself.