Traveling around Belfast: Market Quarter
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Still excited to go to Belfast? The last article discussed these three quarters, the Cathedral Quarter, the Gaeltact Quarter, and the Linen Quarter. This article will focus on the sights and events in the Market Quarter.
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and the second largest city of Ireland (Dublin is number the largest city). Belfast is one of the top port cities in the United Kingdom. Back in the Industrial Revolution and the early twentieth century, Belfast was majorly involved in the textile industry, specifically with linens. Men, women, and children as young as nine years old worked in these factories. Belfast was a major shipbuilding port. The ill-fated luxury liner the R.M.S. Titanic was built from 1911 to 1912 in Belfast. Now, you can experience the culture and revisit the historical places by visiting the historical sites in Belfast’s seven quarters: Cathedral Quarter, Gaeltact Quarter, Linen Quarter, Market Quarter, Queen’s Quarter, Smithfield Market and Library Quarter, and the Titanic Quarter.
The Market Quarter is where you can buy locally grown goods, such as fruits and vegetables, merchandise (such as t-shirts and other apparel) and listen to live entertainment. The Market Quarter, known as St. George’s Market was established between 1890 and 1896. St. George’s Market is well-known throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom. There are three market days. On Fridays, the Variety Market opens at 6 a.m. and lasts until 2 p.m. The Variety Market has booths selling a variety of fruit and vegetables, books, antiques, fish, and clothes. On Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the City Food and Garden Market sells meat such as fish, pork, beef, venison, and pheasant in season. In addition, the market merchants sell tapas, Caribbean delights, French pastries and crepes, worldwide teas and coffees, cheeses, and local organic vegetables. On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., St. George Market has the Sunday Market. Local arts and crafts are exhibited and sold. Live entertainment plays throughout the day. Some items on sale include clothes, scented candles, antiques, souvenirs, seaweed products, health and beauty products, household goods, garden plants, handmade jewelry, just to name a few examples. You need to be very careful in shipping back food to the United States, due to stringent customs laws. Contact an international courier on the conditions of sending a perishable item to the United States.
If you are into shopping for authentic Irish souvenirs for your friends and family back home, then Market Quarter is the place to visit. Stay in a B&B Belfast and enjoy your vacation.
Tagged with: B&B Belfast
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