🏆 Belfast wins 88 OVR vs 83 · attribute matchup 4–0
United Kingdom
88OVR
Ireland
83OVR
Belfast
United Kingdom
Dublin
Ireland
Belfast
Dublin
💰 Budget
🛡️ Safety
Belfast
Belfast is a safe city for tourists. The Troubles ended with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and violence against visitors is essentially unheard of. Occasional community tensions persist in interface areas but are rarely visible to tourists. Standard urban safety practices apply.
Dublin
Dublin is generally safe for visitors. The main concerns are petty theft (especially pickpocketing on crowded streets and public transport), occasional street harassment in certain areas at night, and scams targeting tourists in Temple Bar. Use normal city awareness and Dublin is a welcoming, friendly place.
⭐ Ratings
🌤️ Weather
Belfast
Belfast has an oceanic climate — mild and wet year-round, with no extreme cold or heat. Summer days can be genuinely pleasant but rain is always possible. The city gets 850mm of rain annually spread fairly evenly across the year. Wind is the defining feature — pack a windproof layer regardless of season.
Dublin
Dublin has a mild maritime climate — rarely very hot or very cold but frequently damp. Rain falls on average 150 days per year, usually as drizzle rather than downpours. Pack layers and a waterproof jacket regardless of season. The Irish saying "there's no bad weather, just bad clothes" applies.
🚇 Getting Around
Belfast
Belfast city centre is very walkable. Translink buses and the Glider (rapid transit) cover the wider city. Metro buses reach the suburbs. Black taxis are culturally embedded and affordable. A car is needed for the Causeway Coast and Giant's Causeway.
Walkability: High in city centre and Cathedral Quarter. West Belfast murals require bus or taxi.
Dublin
Dublin's public transport includes the DART commuter rail, Luas tram lines, and Dublin Bus. Get a Leap Card (reloadable travel card) for cheaper fares — it works on all services. A single bus fare with Leap is €1.70 versus €2.70 cash.
Walkability: Dublin's city center is very walkable and flat. The main tourist zone (Trinity College to Temple Bar to Grafton Street to St Stephen's Green) is easily covered on foot in 20-30 minutes. The north and south sides of the Liffey each have their own character and are connected by numerous bridges.
The Verdict
Choose Belfast if...
you want the Titanic's birthplace, Game of Thrones filming locations, dark tourism from the Troubles era, and some of the UK's most welcoming pub culture — the craic is mighty
Choose Dublin if...
you want Irish literature, Temple Bar trad sessions, Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College's Book of Kells, and Dublin Bay coastal rambles
Belfast