Air Canada Vacations

Before you leave Canada

Entry requirements

A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit the United Kingdom. The passport should be valid for at least the expected duration of stay in the country. For all other nationalities, consult your consulate or tourist board for details. You can also visit www.voyage.gc.ca for up-to-date information.

Baggage

Please refer to aircanada.com for baggage information.

Airport check-in

It is recommended that you present yourself at the airport counter of the airline indicated on your voucher 3 hours prior to departure. Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations representatives will be available starting at 5 a.m.

During your stay

City highlights
 
Belfast grew around its cottage industries in locales or quarters. In Belfast the remnants of certain quarters still exist today.

The Cathedral Quarter – The oldest quarter is the Cathedral Quarter. It is located closest to the waterfront and is dominated by the beautiful Church of Ireland Cathedral, St. Anne’s. It was from this quarter that Belfast grew to become the vibrant city that it is today.

Queen’s Quarter – Close to the Cathedral Quarter is Queen's Quarter and its heart is the university from which it takes its name. It is an energetic, lively area of character and charm that fuses academia, entertainment, culture and commerce to create a uniquely sophisticated and spirited neighbourhood where intellectual wit merges with the vibrant humour of the streets.

Titanic Quarter – Around the old shipbuilding yards of Harland and Wolff, this is the area that helped build Belfast’s reputation and fortune. Many great liners rose from the dry docks here to sail the oceans of the world.

Gaeltacht Quarter – The roots of Belfast are Celtic and the music, myth and folklore of her people is Ulster Irish. This heritage is celebrated in the Gaeltacht (pronounced 'gael-tock-t') Quarter of West Belfast. Here, along the Falls Road, the Irish language, music, literature and culture has flourished.

Getting around

There is a great public transport system and the centre of town is very walk-able and full of eccentric little alleyways.

Bus / Metro

The local bus service is called the Metro. The Metro Network has 12 high-frequency corridors along main arterial roads into Belfast City Centre with additional services operating throughout the Greater Belfast Area. There are official bus stops all over the city and they are clearly marked with the Metro logo. Pick up a map at the Belfast Welcome Centre on Donegall Place.

Using the Metro is simple: Signal to the driver that you want to get on by holding out your arm.

Train

Belfast has an excellent train system passing through the city to destinations around Ulster and across the border to Dublin. All trains pass through Central Station. However, there is no in-city rail system.
 
Taxi

In Belfast, taxis operate from ‘taxi ranks’ and do not stop when hailed. One of the main taxi ranks in Belfast City Centre is in front of City Hall.

There are two types of Belfast taxi. One is the world-famous black taxis. The other is the normal four-door cars which bear the name of the taxi company on the car roof. All taxis display a yellow disc on the car windscreen and are required to display coloured licence plates. Please ensure that you always take a taxi that displays a coloured plate. 

Shopping

Whether its high street or budget shopping, designer or couture, Belfast offers a wealth of choice for every taste and pocket, many within easy walking distance of each other.

Donegall Place has a variety of high fashion stores including Carter, Karen Millen and Zara.  Nearby, the Royal Avenue Castle Court houses Warehouse, Gap and Debenhams to name a few. The Victoria Square is Belfast’s newest and most exciting shopping haven, showcasing many new brands and shops including Apple, House of Fraser, CRUISE and Build-a-Bear.

Out of town, the Lisburn Road is Belfast’s ‘style mile’ with unique boutiques from the best and biggest names in the fashion world.

Dining

For a city the size of Belfast, the choice of places to eat is surprising, ranging from fine dining, Michelin star to Italian, Asian, Spanish, seafood, diners, gastro pubs, fast food, cafes, bistros, brasseries and some of the best fish ‘n chips. Belfast restaurants pride themselves on the quality of their food.  
 
Cafes – The cafes of Belfast have a continental European feel; like those of Paris and Rome, they spill out onto the sidewalks and perfume the air with the aromas of Java and Colombian. Some bake their own pastries, adding a sensuous fragrance that wafts across Belfast’s streets.

Pubs – In recent years, Belfast pubs have reinvented themselves and their cuisine rivals some of the best restaurants. Don’t be surprised to find pubs at lunchtime jammed packed with ravenous diners. 

Fish 'n Chips – Belfast has some of the best fish 'n chip restaurants, locally known as 'chippies'.

Sightseeing

Belfast has a wealth of visitor attractions which provide the ideal opportunity for an enjoyable day out and a chance to soak up a little local culture and heritage.

The city is compact and intimate, with a rich legacy of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, which includes Belfast City Hall, The Grand Opera House, Queen’s University and Belfast Castle.

Local museums and places of interest, including The Titanic’s Dock and Pumphouse and the Ulster Folk Transport Museum, offer an insight into the history and industrial heritage of this region. Award-winning attractions, including Belfast Zoo and W5 Interactive Science Centre, provide great family days out.

Entertainment & nightlife

Smart and stylish pubs, live music or nightclubs; whatever your taste in nightlife, Belfast has it in abundance.

Belfast’s nightclub and bar scene has undergone a renaissance in recent years. The ‘Golden Mile’ boasts a number of popular lively bars and nightclubs all in close proximity to South Belfast’s student population. On the outskirts of the city, the Odyssey Arena has no shortage of clubs for those seeking fun. The City Centre and Cathedral Quarter feature a more up-market, stylish range of cosmopolitan bars and nightclubs like Apartment, La Lea, Basement and Mono. For the serious clubbing aficionado there are also a number underground clubs to choose from where both local and international turntable titans feature prominently.

Live music is a feature of many pubs and taverns. A number of them feature regular music programs.

Your departure from destination

Hotel checkout

Hotel checkout times may vary depending on the property but generally you must vacate the room by 12 p.m. (noon).

Duty-free shopping

After an absence of 7 days or more, Canadian residents are permitted to return with a maximum of 750 CAD of merchandise per trip without paying duty. Each time you leave Canada for at least 48 hours, you are eligible to declare up to 200 CAD of merchandise. A written declaration may be requested. Each adult is allowed 1.1 litres (40 oz.) of liquor, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 200 tobacco sticks and 200 grams (7 oz.) of manufactured tobacco. To calculate the number of days absent, do not count the day you left Canada but include the day you return. If you include cigarettes, tobacco sticks and loose tobacco in your personal exemption allowance, only a partial exemption will apply. You will have to pay a minimum duty on these products unless they are marked “Canada-Duty paid.” Canadian made products sold at duty-free shops will be marked this way.

Customer care

For inquiries relating to extension of stay or change or hotel changes, please e-mail us at: prevoyageclientele@vacv.com We are at your service seven days a week; from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST Saturday and Sunday.