10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Belfast

Victoria Square is a Belfast shopping landmark, featuring over 70 stores across 4 floors. As well as being a favourite shopping stop, the mall is also home to the Dome, a glass viewing area offering 360° views of Belfast.

The shopping centre is about a 10-minute walk from Lanyon Place train station, and it has a variety of high street stores, luxury brands, and restaurants, as well as Ireland’s only Apple Store. There is even an Odeon Cinema for a good rainy day activity. If you’re looking for shops, food, and views, Victoria Square is a great place to start.

The Queen’s Arcade is the place to go for luxury boutiques and high-quality crafts. The arcade is filled with gorgeous luxury shops like Rolex and Montblanc, all set in a Victorian arcade built in 1880.

Opposite Donegall Place bus stop, the Queen’s Arcade has over 25 luxury brands, including the local fine crafts of Lunn’s for engagement rings and Robinson’s for hand-crafted shoes. If luxury brands aren’t your thing, the arcade is worth a visit for the atmosphere and the cosy Queen's Café Bar nonetheless.

St George’s Market is a weekend market that started in the 1600s, and took its current form in the 1800s, before finally being refurbished in 1997. The market has a lively atmosphere and tons of stalls selling local food, antiques, and clothes.

Friday is the most famous day for the market, featuring over 200 stalls with a mix of food, clothes, and other goods. Saturday is all about the food, crafts, and flowers. Sunday is for the local crafts and antiques alongside live music. Each day has a bit of everything, but attracts a different crowd.

Smithfield Market is a cosy and quirky daily market on Winetavern Street with over 30 individual retailers selling everything from antiques and collectibles to donuts and souvenirs.

Almost anything you can think of can be found at Smithfield Market, like Filipino groceries and goods at Manila, comic books and coffee at Coffees and Heroes, and even martial arts supplies at Boxing Equipment. The market is a treasure trove of quirky products, and even has various services like phone repairs and clothes alterations.

CastleCourt is a family-friendly shopping centre with all the mainstays of British shopping. From Argos and Debenhams to Costa and Shakeaway, there’s plenty to peruse here.

The shopping centre has a dedicated bus stop but is popular with families arriving by car and has a huge car park with over 1,500 spaces. As well as shopping, CastleCourt also has occasional seasonal events throughout the year, such as their Winter Wonderland grotto over the Christmas period, or their Easter celebrations with egg decorating and family activities.

The Abbey Centre concentrates over 70 stores in one place, making it easy to do some targeted shopping and get useful bits and bobs. Whether you’re looking for clothes and accessories or food and a spot to recharge, the Abbey Centre is a good place to stop.

Here you can get the essentials at the pharmacies like Superdrug, satisfy your kids at Toy Town, or take a look at the various clothing stores like Next and Primark. If you get tired from all your shopping, take a break in the food court at Nando’s or one of the other fast-food restaurants.

The Boulevard is located just outside of Belfast, around a 30-minute drive from the city centre. Its a popular premium outlet mall with over 50 global brands. The outlet is best known for its incredible deals, offering up to 70% off various big brands like Levi’s and Adidas, although most discounts aren't quite so much.

The Boulevard is always beautifully decorated, maintaining its high-quality standards that make for a premium shopping experience. Take a look around clothes stores like GUESS and Jack Wills, or cosmetics like Holland & Barrett. Then take a break at Starbucks, or treat yourself to a modern Irish meal at Salt Kitchen.

The Kennedy Centre is a family-friendly shopping centre with over 45 stores and services, ranging from supermarkets right through to fashion. While some of Belfast’s shops close on Sundays, the Kennedy Centre is open daily, making it easy to grab anything you might have missed.

The Kennedy Centre mostly focuses on budget-friendly shops, with clothes stores like Peacocks and Shoe Zone to look through. Restaurants like Subway and Greggs are there for a quick meal, or you can get pampered at the various beauty bars and salons. The centre also has an Omniplex cinema to catch the latest films.

On the Square Emporium is a must for antique and vintage fans, set inside a huge warehouse spanning 12,000 square feet. The founding couple have their roots in upcycling and vintage collecting, and have slowly grown their shop to include a vast variety of different items.

The shop is a collector’s paradise of interesting local antiques and upcycled goods, ranging from decorative brassware and candlesticks through to military memorabilia and stunning antique furniture. Even if you’re not a collector or thrifty shopper, On the Square Emporium is worth a visit for the atmosphere alone.