Though most of the castle now houses a restaurant and event venue, several key attractions on the estate keep visitors coming to this striking structure. Find the Cave Hill Visitor Centre in the basement, which tracks the human history of the hill, as well as the castle’s development. The spectacular grounds are an excellent place for a stroll, with the 1,200-foot (366-meter) tall McArt's Fort lookout providing sweeping views over Northern Ireland’s capital. A stop at the castle is included on most Belfast city sightseeing tours and hop-on, hop-off bus tours.
Wear comfortable walking shoes so you can stroll around the park’s sloping paths.
Enjoy a snack or light lunch during the day in the cellar restaurant, or return for a multi-course dinner come evening.
Bring the kids along to play in the award-winning 1. Cave Hill Adventurous Playground, located within the castle estate.
The site is wheelchair accessible.
The castle sits on the slopes of Cave Hill, northwest of the city center. Ample parking can be found on-site. If you want to use public transportation, take any Metro 1 bus route along the Antrim Road and allow for a 15-minute uphill walk to the entrance. Alternatively, hop-on, hop-off Belfast tour buses drop off travelers closer to the castle.
Belfast Castle and the Cave Hill Visitor Centre are open daily. The castle grounds are busiest on sunny summer weekends, with the playground being particularly busy during July and August.
Visitors will find nine depiction of cats hidden among the castle’s ornamental gardens; some are mosaics, others are sculptures, while others are carefully crafted topiaries. These feline figures pay homage to the legend that castle residents will have good fortune as long as a cat—and ideally a white one—lives on the estate.
