A solo date is defined as an ‘intentional activity you do alone’. Solo dates are a great way to use your alone time to do things you love, to try something new, and to ultimately learn to enjoy your own company. I’m a huge fan of solo dating and I try to take myself on a solo date at least once a month to get out of my bedroom and explore everything Belfast has to offer.

Here are some of my favourite solo date ideas!

1. St. George’s Market

This is a great place to kick start your solo date. If you enjoy cooking, the market has plenty of stalls selling fresh produce and poultry. I like shopping here as there are people selling clothing, antique jewellery, and books for reasonable prices. There are also plenty of good stalls for food/drink, with fresh lemonade, kombucha, burgers, pizza and more!

^{St. George's Market is open from Friday to Sunday every week!}

2. Shop till you drop…

I love to go shopping on a solo date and the City Centre is a good place to start if you’re looking to go on a shopping spree! Victoria Square Shopping Centre has plenty of trendy clothing stores like Hollister and H&M, plus there are tons of good shops located in the surrounding area. Castle Court Shopping Centre also houses a good selection of stores. If you enjoy shopping second-hand, I’d recommend checking out some of the charity shops located on the Lisburn Road.

3. Enjoy dessert at Town Square, Belfast

Town Square is a popular hangout located on Botanic Avenue and is the perfect place to visit for an afternoon sweet craving! I’m a big dessert lover and I like how they offer the opportunity to toast your own marshmallows to make s’mores.

^{Town Square Belfast}

4. Read in the Botanic Gardens

I could spend hours in the Botanic Gardens, and when the weather is good, I love to find a spot on the lawn to read a good book! I’d highly recommend checking out some of the bookstores located on Botanic Avenue. I enjoy visiting Oxfam Books as their books are quite cheap, but if you’re looking for something different, No Alibis is worth a visit as they’re Northern Ireland’s only specialist crime bookstore.

5. Treat yourself to a movie

I love going to the cinema by myself, and my favourite place to watch movies in Belfast is the Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT). QFT is beautifully decorated inside and is a great place to watch movies and other short films. They also offer cool mini prints which I like collecting to decorate my bedroom. If you’re 26 years old or younger you can sign up for a Lumi membership for free, which gives you £4.50 cinema tickets alongside other benefits!

^{Watch a movie for £4.50 at the QFT!}

6. Try a new cuisine

Belfast has some amazing restaurants serving dishes from many different cultures and one of my goals this year is to eat my way across the city and try as many new places as possible! Sometimes it can feel odd eating in a restaurant by yourself, but it doesn’t have to be. If you feel like this, a piece of advice I have is to start small and have a cup of tea or coffee in a small shop, here’s a handy blog post dedicated to the best coffee shops in Belfast! After gaining more confidence, it becomes easier to eat in restaurants by yourself. My personal favourites are BaoBun, Boojum and Tzatziki. There are plenty of good restaurants around the University and I’d highly recommend walking along the Lisburn Road and Botanic Avenue to check them out!

^{Treat yourself to brunch}

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Radhika Gupta Medicine | Undergraduate Student | Derry, Northern Ireland Hi! My name is Radhika, I’m 19 years old and originally from Derry. I’m currently a second-year medical student and so far, I’ve been loving my course and time in Belfast! I like to spend weekends exploring the city with my friends and trying to find good places to eat/drink. My hobbies include photography, reading and yoga! This year I’m trying to become more involved in university activities, so you may see me around campus as I’m a student ambassador, plus I also love spending time in the Student Union with my friends in the evenings! I’m a member of various medical societies like SWOT and WOMED, and also recreational societies like Chess and Arts!