Northern Ireland

Belfast

Belfast is a surprisingly good place to shop. The centre, around Donegall Place, has a number of Victorian shopping arcades filled with gifts shops and jewellery stores. Good buys are to be had on Belleek china, linen and crystal from County Tyrone. A great place to start your spree is Craftworks Gallery, Bedford House, Bedford Street, a one-stop showcase and shop for the work of area craftspeople. The gallery can supply a free copy of the brochure "Crafts in Northern Ireland," detailing local crafts and where to find them. It is just behind Belfast City Hall. Or you could head to the excellent Wicker Man in the Donegall Arcade, which has a good stock of crafts. You'll find both Irish crafts and traditional Irish music at Cultúrlann MacAdam Ó Fiaich, 216 Falls Road.

The main shopping street is Royal Avenue, home of well-known chains such as Waterstone's bookstore, Jaeger clothing store, and Virgin Music Megastore. The Castlecourt Shopping Centre on Royal Avenue is Belfast's main downtown multistory shopping mall – the largest in Northern Ireland – with more than 70 boutiques and shops.

Belfast's leading department stores are Anderson & McAuley and Marks & Spencer, both on Donegall Place, and Debenham's in the Castlecourt Shopping Centre on Royal Avenue.