An underrated UK city has one of the best pub scenes and some of the best independent shops, but many people from Britain haven’t been there. The UK has some massive cities that a huge number of Brits have been to, such as London, Birmingham and Manchester. However, there are some cities that get overlooked, even though they have a lot to offer visitors in terms of food, drink, shopping, history and culture. 

One of those cities is located just over the water from mainland Britain and boasts a huge number of attractions for all kinds of tourists. If you haven’t been there before, you should put Belfast on your list of UK cities to visit in 2026. Considering it is a relatively small city, Belfast has a huge amount to offer visitors. Among its top-rated tourist attractions is Titanic Belfast, a museum that brings to life the story of the infamous Titanic ship and its ultimate fate. 

Belfast also has plenty of opportunities to learn all about the history of The Troubles, which rocked Northern Ireland between the 1970s and the 1990s. The city’s famous black cab tours are a great way to take all of this in.

In fact, this tour has previously been named one of the best tourist experiences in the world by TripAdvisor. Other things to do in Belfast for tourists include Crumlin Road Gaol, the Ulster Museum and St George’s Market. 

Apart from typical tourist attractions, Belfast has a huge amount to offer in terms of independent shops. There are almost countless vintage and second-hand clothing shops here. Plus, you will find independent gift shops like Born & Bred, The Belfast Coffee Co, Direct Wine Shipments, On The Square Emporium and The Steensons, which is one of Ireland’s leading designers in handcrafted contemporary jewellery. 

Perhaps one of the biggest draws to Belfast is its plethora of amazing pubs. For a true taste of an Irish night out, there are pubs with live traditional Irish music. 

They include McHugh’s, Madden’s Bar, Fibber Magee and Kelly’s Cellar. There are also more modern bars dotted throughout Belfast, but nothing beats some live Irish music with a beautiful pint of Guinness. 

If you find yourself in Belfast over the Christmas period, then you can visit the Christmas Market at City Hall. Here, you will find all of the best bits of a traditional Christmas market with locally-made gifts, festive food, mulled wine and beer. 

Many Brits don’t consider Belfast for a staycation, as it can involve flying. However, flights are rarely over an hour from airports on mainland Britain, and there are also boat crossings from Scotland and England if you would rather not go through an airport. 

Plus, Belfast is a great base for exploring the rest of Northern Ireland before moving on to some of the best bits of the Republic of Ireland, such as its capital city of Dublin and thriving places like Galway and Cork. 

From Belfast,  you can take the Causeway Coastal Route to Derry, passing incredible scenery along the way such as the Giant’s Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and Dunluce Castle.