Belfast City Airport is an ideal gateway to explore Northern Ireland; using a car hire service will help get the best from this unique region, both the city and the surrounding rural areas. The airport itself was recently renamed as George Best Belfast City Airport; due to the famous footballer being a home grown talent. The change however angered some as they felt a better representation of Belfast could have been found.

Road links to the airport are slowly improving making a hire car the best choice for tourists. The airport is situated in the harbour area of the city; the descent often comes over Belfast Lough, this predominantly industrial harbour once contained the largest shipbuilding industry in the world.

The city of Belfast is trying to forget its troubled past; tourism is playing a large part in this role with the airport, car hire companies and hoteliers at the forefront of this crusade. The city residents of Belfast have always loved a good time and this is rapidly being extended to tourists. The nightlife in the city has come on leaps and bounds in recent years with a host of bars and clubs opening to cater the needs of Belfast's young professionals.

That is not to say that the city is purely for partygoers, the use of a hire car will open up the many attractions in and around Belfast to tourists. An attraction of note is Belfast Cathedral, although relatively young compared with other cathedrals it contains wonderful sculptures and mosaics and if visiting on a Sunday; the choir is definitely worth listening too.

For anyone who is interested in Northern Ireland's troubled past, the Stormont Parliament buildings are well worth a visit, for this you will not need to hire a car as the buildings have pedestrian access and lie in the centre of a tranquil public park. For those who would like to see the location of the many peace talks this is a must. Political historians will extract great worth from this attraction.

Although a major hotel is being planned near the airport, the majority of accommodation lies in and around the city centre. There are many locations from which car hire is available, whether you decide to hire whilst at the airport on arrival or later on in your trip in the city. Accommodation varies from those on a budget to those with the funds to live in luxury.

Families will also be well accommodated in Belfast; there are plenty of activities that will be of interest to youngsters, and may even give a break for parents. A hire car is advisable for visiting the Exploris Aquarium; children will love the interactive nature of the experience such as pool demonstrations with live sea creatures. As an operating seal sanctuary it also has a number of sick or orphaned seals that visitors can see, although as a working seal sanctuary there may be times when no seals are present.

Within the city is a wonderful attraction that gives visitors the chance to watch candy being manufactured. The old world sweet delights will surely engross adults and children alike while purchasing the the hand crafted confections will offer those with a sweet tooth the chance to sample recipes that date back over 100 years.

Belfast is rapidly becoming a fantastic destination for weekend travellers and holiday makers. Belfast City Airport is a brilliant and affordable way to gain access to this amazing city as many low cost flyers now have routes from many major UK airports. Car hire will help tourists sample the delights of this cultural gem and give the freedom to explore at their own leisure.