Belfast Artisan Gin School Launch
4 January, 2022
Belfast Artisan Gin School Launch: We were delighted to open our doors officially on Thursday 18th November, 2021 for our Belfast […]
Learn more about & Buy Belfast Artisan Gin
27 January, 2022
For those of you who were in Northern Ireland in the past but haven’t been in a while, Hillsborough Castle & its beautiful gardens are now open to the public. Hillsborough Castle is one of the stunning castles in the Historic Royal Palaces portfolio and is located in Hillsborough, approximately 7mins from the town of Lisburn which is situated close to Belfast. It lies on 100 acres of land (so there is a lot to see), including The Walled Garden, Lady Alice’s Temple, The Glen, Granville Garden, The Lake & Pinetum, The Imagery Menagerie Play Trail and the stunning Castle itself. For more information on Hillsborough Castle and opening hours, click here to find out more.
Rathlin Island is always an exciting place to visit. It is the only inhabited offshore island of Northern Ireland, with a steadily growing population of approximately 150 people. Many do not know this but Rathlin Island is of prehistoric volcanic origin and is one of forty-three Special Areas of Conservation in Northern Ireland. It is home to thousands of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and much more. It is visited by many bird watchers each year and the RSPB has also successfully managed natural habitat to facilitate the return of the red-billed though. And of course there are a few cafes / restaurants on the island and plenty of walks to take in the scenery and fresh sea air. Rathlin Island was closed at the beginning of the Covid-Pandemic but has recently started Ferry Bookings again. For more information, check out the Rathlin Community website and you can find more about Rathlin Island on the Discover Northern Ireland website.
We are yet to meet one adult or child who has visited the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum and who hasn’t enjoyed it! It is situated close to the town of Holywood in Northern Ireland and allows you to experience what life was really like in Northern Ireland over 100 years ago. Walk around towns and villages outside and see the thatched cottages and see the way both the wealthier and the poorer lived. A tremendous day out with lots of fun for both adults and children alike. You can even visit a sweet shop called: The Corner Shop and buy sweets in it the way people would have done 100 years ago! It is the most popular village shop in the museum. Whilst there be sure to visit the Transport Museum also. You can see all forms of transport through the ages in Northern Ireland and the Steam Train part of the museum is our favourite – great opportunity to walk inside the different carriages of the steam trains and take photos. Whilst there you can also grab a bite to eat in the indoor station cafe inside the Transport Museum. Make sure to take a full day to go round the whole museum and be prepared to put your feet up by the end of it as you will be tired from all of the fresh air and walking but nothing a Belfast Artisan Distillery Gin & Tonic won’t be able to fix 😉
And how could we not fail to mention ourselves; Belfast Artisan Gin School. We are housed on the 1st floor of the Crown and Shamrock; a local and well-known pub steeped in local history. If gin is your tipple and you want to do something a bit different on your trip to Northern Ireland; like make your own bespoke bottle of gin, then walk this way.
The gin experience commences with guests receiving a glass of Belfast Artisan Distillery Gin to enjoy, before the gin making gets underway. Belfast Artisan Distillery Gin is produced in the Antrim & Newtownabbey area and this locally produced London Dry Gin is a small batch gin with a ‘Belfast twist.’
During the ‘Gin Experience,’ there are over 80 botanicals to choose from so everyone’s gin ends up with a unique taste & flavour. Guests also get the opportunity to name and bottle their blend to take home with them and the exciting part is that we keep everyone’s unique recipe on file so you can re-order your bespoke flavour from us for friends and family at any time. To book an experience, click here.
And of course, being a Belfast based Gin School, we couldn’t not mention the well-known Titanic Museum in the heart of Belfast. The Titanic Museum is a favourite with tourists and locals alike. The museum itself is extremely interactive and as the RMS Titanic was built and launched from the historic slipways in Belfast, where better to learn about its history than in the heart of Belfast itself. There are plenty of eateries in the Museum itself and of course the stunning Titanic Hotel is close where you can always get a bite to eat after visiting the museum and they do Afternoon Tea too.
We hope you enjoyed reading about the Best Places to Visit in Northern Ireland in 2022. To keep up to date with all of our news, check us out on our social channels: Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.
Best Places to Visit in Northern Ireland | Belfast Artisan Gin School