Belfast Times - March 2026

MARCH THEATRE LATEST LISTINGS

THE ART EDIT BELFAST GALLERIES

BELFAST, ABROAD TRAVEL FEATURES

ONTOUR NI WHO’S TOURING

THE FASHION FILES WHAT’S IN STYLE

CRUISE NEWS WITH PANACHE

THE NESS

BELFASTTIMES

MARCH

WHAT’S ON IN MARCH

St George’s Market every Fri, Sat, Sun

Brilliant Corners Jazz Festival (27 Feb - 7 March)

Belfast Children's Festival (5-14 March) - A dedicated festival for young audiences, featuring theatre, dance, music, and visual arts performances tailored for children and families.

Deaf Arts Festival NI by Cre8 Theatre (13-14 March) - A celebration of Deaf culture, arts, heritage and sign language. Bringing deaf and hearingDeaf Arts Festival NI by Cre8 Theatre.

St Patrick’s Day, Belfast. Belfast will celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a citywide programme of events from 1–17 March, organised by Belfast City Council, with music, parades and cultural festivals taking place across the city.

St. Patrick's Music Festival (March 13-17)

Belfast St Patrick’s Music Festival returns 13–17 March with five days of concerts, workshops, dance, pipe bands and a FREE Festival Village

Imagine Festival (23-29 March) - The Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics returns 23–29 March 2026 with 120+ events across the city, blending debate, culture and community-led ideas.

Belfast will mark St Patrick’s Day with a citywide programme of music, culture and community celebrations running from 1–17 March From traditional music sessions and family events to the city’s annual parade, here are some of the key events taking place across Belfast

SEACHTAIN NA GAEILGE LE ENERGIA

1–17 MARCH | VARIOUS LOCATIONS

The international Irish-language festival returns to Belfast with a programme celebrating Irish language and culture. Events throughout the city include workshops, music, talks and cultural gatherings for both learners and fluent speakers.

SPRAOI COIS LAO

7 MARCH | 1–4PM CUSTOM HOUSE SQUARE

This Irish-language family fun day, organised by Conradh na Gaeilge and Féile an Phobail, returns with music, games, cultural activities and entertainment designed for all ages

FÉILE TRAD TRAIL & WORKSHOPS

10–17 MARCH | VARIOUS VENUES

Féile an Phobail’s traditional music programme includes workshops and live performances across the city

The Féile Trad Trail will feature more than 100 traditional music sessions taking place in venues throughout Belfast

BELFAST TRADFEST: ST PATRICK’S MUSIC FESTIVAL

13–17 MARCH | VARIOUS VENUES

Belfast TradFest hosts a series of concerts celebrating traditional music ahead of the summer’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

TRADFEST HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

14 MARCH – MANDELA HALL

15 MARCH – PIPE BAND EXTRAVAGANZA, BELFAST CITY HALL

16 MARCH – ULSTER HALL CONCERT

17 MARCH – ST PATRICK’S DAY CONCERT AT THE MAC

ST GEORGE’S MARKET ST PATRICK’S WEEKEND 14–15 MARCH | ST GEORGE’S MARKET

The market hosts a weekend of live traditional music alongside its usual mix of food, crafts and local traders, with family-friendly entertainment throughout the day.

SPAR CRAIC 10K

17 MARCH | 9AM | BELFAST CITY HALL

The annual St Patrick’s Day road race sets off from Belfast City Hall and attracts runners from across Northern Ireland and beyond

BELFAST ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

17 MARCH | 1.30PM | BELFAST CITY HALL

The city’s main St Patrick’s Day parade begins at City Hall, featuring dancers, musicians, schools and community groups

The route travels along Chichester Street, Victoria Street, High Street, Castle Place and Donegall Place, before returning to City Hall

CATHEDRAL QUARTER FESTIVAL VILLAGE

17 MARCH | 1–5PM | WRITER’S SQUARE & ST ANNE’S SQUARE

A lively festival village will run in the Cathedral Quarter with live performances and family activities, including piping competitions, céilí dancing, bodhrán circles and acoustic music sessions.

MARCH THEATRE

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

TUE 24 FEB - SAT 7 MAR

Aaron Sorkin’s riveting, award-winning stage adaptation of the seminal American novel about racial injustice and childhood innocence became a Broadway and West End sensation with starstudded sell-out seasons on both sides of the Atlantic. Now this thrilling courtroom drama embarks on a UK & Ireland tour for the very first time.

MISS SAIGON

TUE 10 MAR - SAT 21 MAR

In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17 year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.

GIVE MY HEAD PEACE

TUE 24 MAR - SAT 28 MAR

Da, Ma, Cal, Pastor Begbie, Sandy, Billy and Dympna will all be on stage for a night of guaranteed laughs. There will be the usual hilarious mixture of character comedy, topical satire, silly plots, top class stand-up from Tim McGarry and the odd song or two.

Anchors aweigh! St Agnes’ Choral Society presents… The quintessential nautical but nice musical comedy Anything Goes - it’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s de-lovely! 14-18 April

A HOUSE OF PLAY | EXHIBITION

THE LYRIC THEATRE

FRI 30 JAN - SUN 08 NOV

To celebrate our 75th anniversary, the Lyric presents this new exhibition that showcases its rich history. A history which includes an art gallery (The New Gallery, 1963–1969), a literary magazine Threshold (1957–1990), a dance centre, a drama school, Belfast’s first music academy, and of course, a theatre

CONSUMED

A PAINES PLOUGH, LYRIC THEATRE & PARK THEATRE CO-PRODUCTION

TUE 24 FEB - SUN 8 MAR

A 90th birthday party that no-one seems to want Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited under one roof.

A house full of hungry ghosts, with more than one skeleton in the closet

GROUP!

BELFAST ENSEMBLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LYRIC THEATRE

TUE 24 MAR - SAT 4 APR

A group therapy session spirals into hilarious havoc when a cocktail of deeply dysfunctional and unpredictable personalities collide

Frank, Jean, Barbara, Chris, and Jackie all have a lot of stuff going on They’ve spent 15 absurd weeks melting the head off their woefully inept facilitator Emmet - and the cracks are starting to show…

To Kill a Mockingbird remains a powerful and unsettling work, not because it reflects the past, but because its questions still feel unresolved. In this stage adaptation by Aaron Sorkin, now touring the UK and Ireland, Harper Lee’s novel is revisited for a generation more likely to know the story from the film or a school reading than the page itself.

Set in 1934 Alabama, the story follows Atticus Finch as he defends Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of rape, placing himself and his family at odds with a town shaped by prejudice and fear. While the central narrative remains familiar, Sorkin expands the voices of the Black characters, most notably through Atticus’s maid, whose perspective adds weight and depth to the production.

The staging is layered yet fluid, moving between domestic scenes and the courtroom without distraction. Performances and dialogue remain firmly at the centre, with moments of silence and stillness heightening the tension. When the all white jury is made visible and the hostility of the local community becomes clear, the story feels uncomfortably familiar and unmistakably current.

Much like Animal Farm in recent local productions, this adaptation invites reflection on the world as it is today rather than offering historical distance. Measured and thought provoking, it resists easy answers, instead asking the audience to consider how little has changed and what responsibility remains.

At Grand Opera House, Belfast until 7 March th

www.GOH.co.uk

THE ART EDIT

The Lost Paintings A Prelude to Return

THE MAC 23 Jan 2026 - 29 Mar 2026

This exhibition gathers 53 artists from Palestine and its diaspora across time and borders to reimagine the missing works of Maroun Tomb.

The Naughton Gallery

Queen’s University

Running from 5 Jan - 29 March 2026, the Oliver Jeffers: Disasters and Interventions exhibition marks the world premiere of a major 15-year body of work, brought together in its entirety for the first time Created between Jeffers’ Belfast and Brooklyn studios, these paintings, sculptures and narrativedriven pieces reconnect a globally developed series with the place that shaped him.

Insight into the Other GOLDEN THREAD GALLERY

14th February – 18th April

An exhibition exchange between Belfast and Boston that looks at how place affects how we see art and each other. The exhibition invites people to think about difference, understanding, and shared experience through art.

Re-presenting

Representations

of Representation: Revisited Belfast Exposed presents ‘Re-presenting representations of representation: Revisited’, until 21st March, explores the history of performance art through the lens of its documentation Rather than presenting performance as a fixed or singular event, Peter Richards asks a fundamental question: do we know performance art itself, or do we know its images?

ONTOUR NI MARCH

Who’s on tour this month? Check out our gig listings on social media ONTOURNI

AD-CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR TICKETS!

Support is often talked about But is it always there?

We hear about community, about checking in, about not carrying things alone.

In some spaces, that support is visible. It’s organised, vocal, clearly there.

But there’s something that doesn’t get asked often enough:

What does support actually look like for men?

It’s not a quick “you’ll be grand” conversation. It’s not “it’ll pass” or “you’ve got this” It’s not humour dressed up as support, or something said casually in a group chat.

I mean real support.

In Northern Ireland especially, there’s a strong undercurrent of resilience. Get on with it Don’t make a fuss Keep moving

Many men are raised inside that train of thought And it works, for some, until it doesn’t.

Until it feels like too much

Then what?

From first-hand observation, some men operate with very small emotional circles A partner, perhaps

Maybe one old friend. Sometimes no one they feel comfortable calling without first editing themselves

It can feel like that’s simply part of the package.

Sometimes the one person you could have that deep, unfiltered conversation with is no longer there. Suddenly your emotional circle feels much smaller than you realised.

Men aren’t always taught how to build emotional scaffolding around themselves. They’re often taught to endure, to internalise, to stay functional

It’s only when they need support that some men notice how limited that network really is

Maybe it’s societal Maybe it starts early Maybe somewhere along the way reassurance becomes something you’re told not to ask for.

“Man up ”

Has that changed for younger generations?

We think it has. But how much?

Silence isn’t the same thing as strength

Maybe we should be normalising a simple sentence:

“I’m not great, actually.”

Friendship sometimes needs to be more than humour, more than pretending nothing’s wrong

Your community isn’t just who stands beside you when things are steady

It’s who you can call when they aren’t

And just how comfortable do you feel making that call?

There is a quiet pull right now towards doing things the slower way. Not out of nostalgia and not as a rejection of technology but as a response to how noisy life has become. Going analogue is less about switching everything off and more about choosing when to stay present.

Most of us spend our days moving between screens Phones wake us up. Laptops dominate work. Even rest is filtered through apps Analogue habits interrupt that flow Writing something down instead of typing it. Reading a physical book. Listening to the radio instead of curating a playlist These small choices change the pace of a day

What makes analogue appealing is not efficiency It is friction. Pen on paper takes longer and demands attention. You cannot skim handwriting the way you skim a screen A notebook does not buzz or update itself It waits. That waiting creates space to think properly rather than react

In Belfast this slower approach feels natural. Walking without headphones lets you hear snippets of conversation and traffic and weather. Sitting in a cafe with a newspaper instead of a phone feels less like hiding and more like being part of the room. These moments do not need to be shared or documented to matter.

Going analogue does not mean abandoning digital life. It means setting boundaries around it Keeping phones out of bedrooms. Choosing a few hours a day that belong to you rather than your notifications. Letting some thoughts exist only on paper and in memory

Analogue living is not a trend to master It is a gentle recalibration. A reminder that not everything needs to be instant to be useful and that slower does not mean falling behind

Start your day without your phone and give yourself at least twenty minutes before opening any apps

Swap notes apps for a small notebook you can carry everywhere

Keep phones out of bedrooms and use a clock or alarm instead

Read physical books newspapers or magazines rather than scrolling news

Choose one daily activity to do without headphones or background noise

Write lists or ideas by hand instead of typing them

Set specific times for checking messages rather than constant checking

Leave your phone behind on short walks and errands whenever possible

With Easter arriving early this year (Sunday 5th April to be precise) I’m here to help you choose the best wines to enjoy during the Easter holidays

Roast lamb is an Easter classic and the perfect centrepiece for a family feast. Its rich, savoury flavours call for a bold red wine with complementary flavours and enough acidity to cut through the meat’s natural richness, making Spanish Rioja an excellent choice

Made predominantly from the Tempranillo grape, Rioja is known for its oak-aged, earthy character, with flavours of ripe red fruit with a hint of warming spice Depending on your preference, you can opt for a fresh and fruity Joven, an approachable, easydrinking Crianza, a more refined Reserva, or the longest-aged and most complex style, Gran Reserva.

Try: Beronia Rioja Reserva, £16.75 Sainsbury’s

If, like me, you prefer a sweet and succulent honey glazed ham for your Easter meal, then a lighterbodied red such as Pinot Noir is the best wine option. With low tannins and bright, fresh fruit flavours, a young Pinot Noir will complement the sweet and salty flavours of the ham without overpowering it.

Look to New World examples from regions like California, Australia, or South Africa, where Pinot Noir tends to be more fruit-forward, offering ripe, juicy berry flavours that will pair beautifully with the ham

Try: Bread and Butter Californian Pinot Noir, £16.25 Sainsbury’s

Another Easter classic is, of course, chocolate

While it can be tricky to pair with wine, rich and sweet dessert wines are an obvious match Tawny Port with dark chocolate is an absolute dream! However, for a lighter alternative, try a semi-sweet sparkling wine such as Moscato d’Asti

Made in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy, it’s delicately fruity and floral and delicious with white or milk chocolate. Also, at around 5–6% ABV, it’s refreshingly low in alcohol too

Try: Moscato d'Asti, La Caliera, Borgo Maragliano £8.25 The Wine Society

Browsing the fruit and veg section of any supermarket can take you on an exotic trip around the world. Apples from New Zealand, beans from Morroco and peppers from Chile. It can be hard to find much local produce in your local supermarket, often to the detriment of flavour and nutritional content, not to mention the amount of plastic everything was wrapped in.

Starting to notice the origins of the food you buy, and getting to know what’s in season and the best time of year to eat certain foods means your food tastes its best, whether that’s food that we grow really well here, or those that grow a little further afield.

Apples in autumn, brassicas in winter and spring or root veg right now.

Apples from Armagh, rather than New Zealand, or oranges from Seville instead of South America.

Seasonal food doesn’t always have to be grown on your doorstep (although we do grow some of the best food here). You’ll find citrus fruit at their best now and although they are imported, they are more likely to be flown here from Europe than across the globe from the southern hemisphere. 18

Shopping in local farm shops or getting a veg bag delivered from local growers is a great way to stay in touch with seasonality too.

Right now is a great time of year for early spring greens, leeks, kale, beetroot, carrot and soup celery.

Here is an idea of some of the best of the season:

· Green veg –sprouting broccoli, spring greens, watercress, rocket, spinach, wild garlic, scallions, leeks

· Root veg – celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip, turnip, beetroot, carrots

· Other veg – cauliflower, chicory, celery, onions

· Fruit – oranges, blood orange, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, rhubarb, pomegranate

As we ease our way gently into springtime, there will be a lot more variety available in the coming weeks.

It’s also a good time to start thinking about growing some of your own food, even just starting with herbs or seasonal salad greens.

March is the perfect time to buy a little pack of seeds and get growing.

It’s time to bring some colour back into your wardrobe to celebrate Spring!

YOUR SPRING

Skincare, Minus the Nonsense

Let’s talk about skincare, not the shouty, trend-led, £120-a-jar that promises spiritual renewal kind. But the calm, sensible, your-skin-will-just-lookbetter kind.

Imagine a leading dermatologist surveying the beauty industry the feverish promises, the mystical serums, the jars whispering “worth it, honestly” and quietly, decisively taking scissors to the lot.

That dermatologist is Dr Sam Bunting.

Dr Sam has built her career on telling people the truth about skin Not aspirational truth Not filtered truth. Just clear, evidence-based advice, delivered like a kind but firm friend who will absolutely remove that extra exfoliating acid from your routine and not apologise for it

And just when you think she couldn’t be more trustworthy she’s from Donaghadee. Which somehow explains everything Grounded Practical Entirely unimpressed by nonsense. Seaside logic, applied to faces

Now — because good skincare deserves to be easy — Dr Sam’s has gone properly mainstream. You can now buy it in person, under flattering lighting and without panic-Googling ingredients, at Sephora and Space NK in Victoria Square.

Her skincare range is her philosophy, formulated around four actions: cleanse, activate, hydrate, protect. Nothing scented Nothing sparkly Nothing emotionally manipulative. Just formulas that do what they say they’ll do, then quietly get on with it

Within the range live the calm cult favourites the ones people don’t shout about, but absolutely make sure they never run out of:

The Flawless Cleanser removes everything without punishing your skin.

Flawless Moisturiser Intense an NAD⁺-boosting, barrier-repair moisturiser with ten awards in two years.

Flawless Nightly Pro 5% Retinoid Serum clinically shown to make skin appear an average of 8.5 years younger in eight weeks, and winner of multiple “Best Retinoid” and “Best Serum” awards.

Flawless Daily SPF 50 worn daily, all year round, with the quiet dedication of someone who understands how skin actually ages

This is skincare for people who want results, not rituals

Effective Unfussy Quietly brilliant

No drama. Just good skin, steadily improving, exactly as it should

Dr Sam’s is available at Sephora and Space NK Victoria Square

City Energy, Nature Nearby

Belfast is emerging as a standout destination for travellers seeking culture, character and memorable experiences

Once underestimated, the city has grown into a compelling city break destination, blending rich history with modern creativity, striking architecture and a famously warm welcome. For those looking to explore closer to home without sacrificing quality or atmosphere, Belfast delivers.

Authentic, Not Overpolished

Travellers are increasingly drawn to places with personality, and Belfast offers exactly that From historic shipyards and iconic murals to revitalised neighbourhoods filled with cafés, galleries and music venues, the city feels lived-in and genuine rather than curated for tourists

A Thriving Cultural Scene

Belfast punches well above its weight culturally Museums, theatres, live music venues and public art create a city rich in stories and creativity, rewarding visitors who are curious enough to explore

One of Belfast’s greatest strengths is its location Mountains, coastlines and scenic countryside are all within easy reach, allowing visitors to combine urban exploration with outdoor adventure

Food, Hospitality and Warm Welcomes

The city’s food and drink scene continues to grow, with everything from traditional pubs to contemporary restaurants championing local produce What visitors remember most, however, is the genuine friendliness of the city

A Natural Fit for Modern Staycations

Compact, accessible and easy to explore, Belfast works just as well for a spontaneous weekend as it does for a longer break With festivals, cultural events and vibrant neighbourhoods year-round, the city is well placed to lead the staycation conversation in 2026 and beyond.

Lisburn Road has always had its own rhythm. Not quite the city centre, not quite suburban, it sits somewhere in between, a long, lived-in stretch of Belfast where everyday life unfolds at a different pace.

A morning walk along the road reveals its layers. Coffee shops already busy, buses pulling in and out, nearby residents drifting between errands, dog walkers heading to the park

What makes Lisburn Road interesting from a street perspective is the mix Independent cafés beside long-standing local businesses, salons next to boutiques, a quiet balance between the practical and the social. It’s a road that people don’t just pass through, they spend time on it.

Street studies like this aren’t really about architecture or retail trends alone. They’re about noticing how a place feels Lisburn Road is Belfast’s street of independents, some in beautiful old premises

Spend some time taking it all in, it has its own unique vibe, it feels different than everywhere else.

alone, but through the people you meet and the time you take Over 48 hours, its character emerges through specific places and the people behind them

The stay begins on New Walk, a 200 year old traffic free promenade, at The Belmont Hotel, an easy and comfortable base that places much of the city within walking distance. From there, Leicester’s Old Town is a short walk away

Starting with a visit to the King Richard III Visitor Centre, it gives clear context to one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries in recent years. The centre tells the story of how Richard III’s skeleton was found beneath a city centre car park in 2012, identified through careful forensic work and historical research, and finally returned to Leicester for reburial. Across the square, Leicester Cathedral offers a quieter counterbalance. The king’s tomb sits within a calm, light filled space that encourages reflection rather than spectacle. Nearby, the Leicester Guildhall adds further depth, showing how civic life once functioned in the city. All three sites are supported by knowledgeable guides who are happy to explain the detail behind the stories.

Later in the afternoon, attention turns to Leicester’s independent scene around St Martin’s and The Lanes This is where the city feels most immediate and lived in A stop at Cocoa Amore becomes far more than a quick indulgence The hot chocolate is rich and carefully made, but it is the conversation that lingers Talking with the owner about the craft of chocolate making, ethical sourcing and the realities of running an independent business offers genuine insight into Leicester’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit. It feels personal, unhurried and welcoming

Dinner at Varanasi reinforces how central Indian food is to Leicester’s identity. The menu explores regional flavours with confidence, presenting dishes that feel both rooted and expressive. This is not dining designed to impress visitors, but food that belongs to the city and its communities, served in an impressive and immersive setting

bathhouse Through immersive film, projections and interactive displays, the museum brings Roman Leicester to life and highlights how the city has absorbed different cultures for nearly two thousand years

That long history of exchange and influence comes into sharp focus on the Golden Mile Belgrave Road is busy, colourful and deeply rooted in everyday life An Indian afternoon tea at Mirch Masala is a standout experience Traditional afternoon tea is reworked through spiced savoury snacks and delicately flavoured sweets infused with cardamom, rose and saffron The atmosphere is relaxed and generous, and conversations with the owners about the restaurant’s long history and its role in the local community add real depth

The afternoon moves in a very different direction at the National Space Centre, one of Leicester’s most ambitious attractions Dominated by its striking Rocket Tower, the centre brings space science to life through real spacecraft, interactive galleries and hands on exhibits that appeal well beyond a specialist audience The planetarium, the largest in the UK, is a highlight, with immersive shows that transport visitors across the solar system and beyond Exhibitions linked to current space missions place Leicester firmly within the future of space exploration, offering a powerful contrast to the Roman ruins and medieval streets visited earlier in the day

The visit ends with dinner at Middleton’s Steakhouse and Grill, set within a grand historic building that mirrors Leicester’s mix of old and new It provides a relaxed and fitting close to a short stay that manages to cover a remarkable amount of ground

Seen through these places and the conversations within them, Leicester feels open, grounded and straightforward. It is a city that tells its story best when you take the time to sit down, listen and experience it first hand.

For more information about the City and things to do Visit Leicester has everything you need to know

visitleicester.info

Glenapp Castle is the kind of place that immediately changes your pace. Set within 110 acres of gardens, woodland and sweeping coastal views on the Scottish Ayrshire coast, it feels less like a hotel stay and more like stepping into someone’s home and a quieter rhythm altogether.

For those travelling from Belfast, the journey itself feels part of the experience The ferry crossing offers a natural pause between home and holiday, and arriving at the terminal as a foot passenger you can add on the option to be collected and driven directly to the castle 20 minutes away, it removes any sense of rush. By the time Glenapp comes into view, rising with turrets and towers from the landscape at the end of the mile long driveway, you are already somewhere else mentally

Built in the late 19th century and designed by David Bryce, Glenapp is unapologetically grand on the outside Inside, it is warm, calm and surprisingly relaxed. Period details sit comfortably alongside modern luxury, with no stiffness or formality It feels lived in, cared for and quietly confident rather than showy

The castle’s history adds depth without overshadowing the present. Once home to James Lyle Mackay, the first Earl of Inchcape, Glenapp is also linked to his daughter Elsie Mackay, an early aviator whose tragic Atlantic flight in 1928 remains part of the estate’s story. Today, the castle feels very much alive, thoughtfully restored and carefully run

What truly sets Glenapp apart is the attention to detail, something quite rare in many five star hotels. It is not about grand gestures, but small, considered touches that take little effort yet add enormously to perience Nothing feels accidental Everything ke a natural process for the hotel team, and intentional

s also an extraordinary amount to do, should sh Guests can choose from more than 70 es including wild swimming, falconry, curling, foraging walks, stargazing, day trips on the boat to Ailsa Craig, and the once in a lifetime ean Sea Safari along Scotland’s rugged ne Equally, you can do very little at all Walk ate, follow woodland paths, sit by the fire with , or simply enjoy the view

g y y g skies are vast and clear. Stargazing here feels less like an activity and more like a moment, best accompanied by Glenapp’s signature hot chocolate, which is genuinely spectacular and quickly becomes part of the nightly routine

Dining is an equally strong part of the experience Glenapp Castle’s fine dining has been recognised with three AA Rosettes, reflecting a kitchen that values precision and seasonality The re launched Azalea adds a new dimension the Victorian Glasshouse and Bothy in t garden, it offers a beautiful blend of na gastronomy, allowing the setting to enh sense of occasion without overwhelmin

Accommodation ranges from elegant ro suites to the show stopping Castle Pent

At 4,500 square feet, it is the largest pe Scotland, with four ensuite bedrooms, a library and panoramic views stretching Craig and the Isle of Arran. From £2,950 feels less like a hotel suite and more lik residence.

Glenapp Castle does not try to impress loudly, it’s not showy or ott, it’s simply an impressive castle hotel in equally stunning surroundings with a very impressive level of service and attention to detail Its luxury lies in space, landscape and choice. It is a place that understands the value of slowing down and makes it feel entirely natural

Book your escape at glenappcastle com

Spring is finally here and there’s a truly magic place in Northern Ireland where you can embr the outdoors and lose yourself under a blanke stars: OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory

We visited in the summer and stayed nearby a Sperrinview Glamping, and we’re already cou down the days until we return Just about an h drive from Belfast, heading towards Cookstown, this hidden gem feels like stepping into another world

The observatory operates by pre-booked guided tours, making the experience even more special Knowledgeable guides take you on a fascinating

The surrounding Davagh Forest Park adds to the magic. By day, it’s perfect for peaceful walks and fresh country air; by night, it transforms into a stargazer’s paradise.

Our stay at Sperrinview made the trip even more memorable. There are four cosy glamping pods to choose from, two of which come with private hot tubs so be sure to book early Soaking in a warm hot tub under a sky full of stars is an experience like no other Picture this: stargazing while the steam rises around you, toasting marshmallows, wrapped in blankets, and trying your best not to fall asleep because you don’t want to miss a single shooting star

Whether you’re a solo traveller seeking tranquillity, a couple looking for a romantic escape, or a family wanting a unique adventure, I highly recommend this beautiful corner of Northern Ireland It’s the perfect place to slow down, look up, and be reminded just how incredible our universe really is

find a monument, a marble building, or a reminder that something important happened right where you’re standing. This classic DC walking loop is easy to follow and packed with meaning

Start at the Lincoln Memorial at the far end of the National Mall. Inside, it’s calmer than you might expect voices lower, and the statue feels more like a moment to pause and reflect than a tourist attraction.

Nearby, the Capitol Rotunda places you inside the country’s story, surrounded by paintings and statues that mark key moments in its history

Not every stop is grand. The Pentagon Memorial is quiet and simple, with benches honouring each life lost on September 11 a space designed for reflection.

As evening approaches, the Washington Monument casts long shadows across the open skyline

The walk ends at the National Archives Building, where the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are preserved reminders that the ideas shaping the country are still very real.

The South Atlantic and Antarctic voyages featured in the programme can be found at Panache Expedition, a collection of luxury expedition cruises designed to explore some of the world’s most remote and spectacular destinations These smaller, specialist ships combine comfort with adventure, allowing travellers to reach places that traditional cruise liners cannot.

For anyone looking to mark a milestone birthday, anniversary, or major life moment, these once-in-a-lifetime expeditions offer something truly unforgettable. As Jane’s journey shows, the experience is every bit as magical as it is memorable.

CRUISE NEWS

Oceania Cruises®, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused luxury cruise line, has celebrated a pivotal milestone in the construction of its nextgeneration ship, Oceania Sonata™, as the keel of the ship was laid at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy The ceremony, an important maritime tradition, honoured the rich heritage of shipbuilding, the importance of partnership, and underscored the line’s bold vision of its future

Six continents, 40 countries, 91 ports…if we’ve just described your wildest travel dreams, you’re in luck, as bookings are now OPEN for Azamara’s 2028 World Cruise

Setting sail in January 2028, you can choose to call the sumptuous Azamara Onward home for the entire 175 night voyage or handpick a small portion of the voyage to suit you The itinerary’s 14-segment structure means you can customise the voyage to your liking, sailing just one segment or combining a couple to focus on the destinations you most want to see

At Panache Cruises, dedicated connoisseurs are on hand to help you tailor make your perfect voyage. Find out more below or speak to a cruise connoisseur on 0161 516 4154 and get the ball rolling today Tell them Belfast Times sent you!

The evolution of Royal Caribbean's Artist Discovery Program continues on board the newest Icon Class vacation, Legend of the Seas, this summer Designed to provide local, emerging artists with the opportunity to showcase their work to global audiences, the program has expanded to give artists across the Caribbean and Central America the opportunity to display their work for millions of vacationers who will set sail for years to come.