Belfast Then and Now: Historical Bus Tour Context

Belfast is a city of rapid regeneration. The scars of the past are healing, replaced by glass waterfronts and buzzing plazas.

Donegall Square

• Then (1960): As seen in our cover photo, it was a hub of trolleybuses and vintage cars. The architecture was soot-stained from industry.
• Now: The square is pedestrian-friendly, the stone of City Hall is cleaned to a gleaming white, and the buses are modern bright red tourers.

Castle Street

• Then: A busy shopping street, often disrupted by security checkpoints during the Troubles.
• Now: A thriving retail district. Security gates are long gone, replaced by open access and street performers.

The Waterfront

The biggest change is the Lagan river. Once the dirty industrial backyard of the shipyard, it is now the "Maritime Mile," home to the Odyssey Arena, Titanic Belfast, and luxury apartments. The bus tour drives right through this miracle of urban planning.