Belfast

With the decades-long “Troubles” settling into the past, Belfast today boasts a hip, art-filled, foodie-scene, a glittering waterfront and welcoming personality. Ornate Victorian homes and grand Edwardian civic buildings line streets, while quaint lanes are dotted with pubs and boutiques dressed with overflowing window boxes and brightly painted doors. Consider a quick trip over the lough, or small bay, to Carrickfergus Castle, the best-preserved Norman castle in Ireland.