How good is Belfast?

[filthiestfis]

I have never travelled to Belfast before but there may be an opportunity for me to move there in roughly a years time due to work placement, I would be interested to find out about the city. Which parts are rough? Are the people there generally nice? Does anybody here live in belfast and can offer me advice, or perhaps has travelled there?
This is a preliminary investigation into the city and I will most likely fly there for a few days to see what my first hand impression of it is.

[20SilkCut]

Hi filthiestfis....i live in Belfast and can honestly say that most people who have moved here from other parts of the world have found it a lovely place to live. Yes there are rough parts ( like in most cities) and there are lovely parts. I am thinking it would be a good idea for you to come over, see for yourself what its like and have a look around. If you have any questions about Belfast or specific areas that you are considering living etc please post here and i will get back to you when i can. I nomally look in every few days or so and will look for this thread.
Probably not a good idea to look for somewhere to live in say, parts of West Belfast (Falls or Shankill), also some parts of North Belfast are rough too....the University area is nice as long as you dont end up living beside students...who can be very noisy....East Belfast has some nice areas, as does South Belfast - near to the University.
The people are friendly, there are lots of bars and restaurants and the crack is good - you will soon make friends in your new job and they will, no doubt, introduce you to the City.
Get back to me if you need any more info.

[Sandy-Wroe]

I'd avoid the 'Holy Land'. Cairo St, Jerusalem St, Damascus St all now firmly student land. They're famously noisy.
South Belfast, the Lisburn Rd and around there, and the upper Ormeau Rd, are nice areas.
North Belfast is not recommended. There are sectarian interfaces and trouble might occur.
Most of East Belfast is good.