One must do afternoon tea in Northern Ireland

Happily, numerous hotels, restaurants and visitor venues across the region offer the perfect pick-me-up in the form of wonderfully indulgent afternoon teas.

The custom of stopping for afternoon tea, made fashionable by members of English high society in the 19th century, has made something of a comeback, and in Northern Ireland there is ample opportunity to enjoy a traditional or modern take on this classic custom.

In Belfast, between visits to the historic City Hall, browsing through the buzzing St George’s Market, or shopping in busy Victoria Square why not stop off at one of the city’s grandest hotels for a luxury afternoon tea experience.

The award-winning, five-star Merchant Hotel resonates with Victorian splendour and is the perfect place to enjoy this most refined form of snacking.

Here, elegant finger sandwiches, delicate pastries and scones with clotted cream are served on a silver tea stand. This is complemented with tea, coffee or, for the ultimate indulgence, champagne.

A visit to the world-renowned Titanic Belfast centre is a step back in time and another fitting venue for a spot of old-fashioned afternoon tea. Served alongside the famous grand staircase with a background soundtrack of live jazz music, the experience will transport you back to the days of the RMS Titanic’s grand maiden voyage.

Outside of the capital city there are many more opportunities to enjoy afternoon tea.

Along the spectacular Causeway Coastal Route, for instance, which runs between the cities of Belfast and Derry~Londonderry and passes world-renowned attractions like the Giant’s Causeway, the Old Bushmills Distillery and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, sits Ballygally Castle Hotel.

Dating from 1625, and with its very own Ghost Room, the hotel is an ideal stop-off for afternoon tea which includes sandwiches, savouries, pastries, cakes and speciality teas and coffees.

Inland, in Ballymena , known as the ‘City of the Seven Towers’ the opulent Galgorm Resort & Spa offers afternoon tea in its magnificent River Room conservatory. With views over the cascading River Maine and lush parkland, the conservatory is a grand setting for enjoying a selection of miniature freshly baked scones, savouries and desserts that deliver maximum taste.

In County Down, The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn is the perfect place to curl up on a comfortable seat by a roaring fire and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea of Earl Grey tea, dainty sandwiches, homemade shortbread and chocolate dipped strawberries. For a real treat, add a glass of Prosecco or sweet sherry.

For afternoon tea with a twist head to the five-star Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, where Obama and other world leaders held their G8 Summit. Set on a private 600-acre peninsula and featuring two championship golf courses and a Thai spa, the hotel offers a Chocolate Afternoon Tea and a Pink Afternoon Tea, which includes a glass of Billecart-Salmon Rose Champagne.

And if you are visiting Derry~Londonderry, former UK City of Culture the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland, there is so much to see that you may feel there isn’t time for afternoon tea.

Think again. The Everglades Hotel’s plates of dainty sandwiches, fluffy scones, buttery cakes and pastries are too good to miss, while the perfect summer afternoon tea can be experienced at the Beech Hill Country House Hotel where you can enjoy a variety of cakes, pastries and sandwiches in the shade of the hotel’s giant beech trees.

Wherever you end up in Northern Ireland, it’s worth stopping at one of the hundreds of venues serving delicious afternoon tea. It’s the perfect interruption to a perfect day out.