Days Out NI
Sweet Factory · Free Visit Belfast

Aunt Sandra's Candy Factory

Free to walk in, watch sweets made by hand, and taste the honeycomb warm.

1 photo
Check openingOpen year-round, Tuesday to Saturday appr…
Free entryFree
BelfastFamily visit
Get directionsOfficial website
30-60 minutesHow long
Under 10sBest for
IndoorWatch & taste
NearbyParking
FreeFree to visit

Aunt Sandra's Candy Factory — Free to walk in, watch sweets made by hand, and taste the honeycomb warm.

  • What’s there: Live candy-making demonstrations, hands-on chocolate workshops, sweet shop.
  • Cost: Free to enter and browse; workshops and parties paid and booked ahead (check current prices).
  • Best for: Under-10s for the demos and tasting; older kids for the workshops.
  • Height & age: No rides; workshops aimed at children, check minimum ages when booking.
  • Food: Coffee, ice cream and covered outdoor seating on site.
  • Opening: Open year-round, Tuesday to Saturday approx 10am-6pm, closed Sun & Mon; confirm before travel.
Plan your visit

What the kids actually get to see and do

The draw is watching real sweets made the old way: honeycomb, tablet fudge, chocolates and lollipops formed by hand in front of you. Much of it can be tasted as it is produced, which is the bit small children remember. Younger kids are happy just watching and sampling in the shop, no booking needed. Older children can step up to a hands-on chocolate-making workshop and make their own to take home. Birthday parties are run here too, geared at children, with adult chocolate parties available if the grown-ups fancy a go.

Free entry Live candy making Tasting as it's made Kids' chocolate workshops Coffee & ice cream Running since 1953
Good to know before you go:

There are no fairground rides here — the draw is watching sweets made by hand and tasting the honeycomb warm. It closes on certain days, so check the opening times before you travel, and it pairs nicely with a short walk to make a morning of it.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 💷Pocket moneyFor lunch, sweets or an ice cream — the visit itself is free.
  • 📷A cameraThe old station and the sweets made by hand are worth a photo.
  • 🕐A check of opening daysBoth spots close on certain days, so check before you travel.
  • 👶An easy paceA calm, low-key stop — no rides, no queues, good for little ones.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to enter and browse; workshops and parties paid and booked ahead (check current prices)
Rides / attractions
Live candy-making demonstrations, hands-on chocolate workshops, sweet shop
Height / age limits
No rides; workshops aimed at children, check minimum ages when booking
Best for ages
Under-10s for the demos and tasting; older kids for the workshops
Opening / season
Open year-round, Tuesday to Saturday approx 10am-6pm, closed Sun & Mon; confirm before travel
Food
Coffee, ice cream and covered outdoor seating on site
Parking
No dedicated car park; on-street parking around Holywood Road
How long to allow
30-60 minutes for a browse and watch; longer if you book a workshop
Address
20-22 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 1NT
Questions

Before you go

How much does it cost?
Free to enter and browse; workshops and parties paid and booked ahead (check current prices)
What ages is it good for?
Under-10s for the demos and tasting; older kids for the workshops
Are there height or age limits?
No rides; workshops aimed at children, check minimum ages when booking
When is it open?
Open year-round, Tuesday to Saturday approx 10am-6pm, closed Sun & Mon; confirm before travel
Is there anywhere to eat?
Coffee, ice cream and covered outdoor seating on site
Getting there

Aunt Sandra's Candy Factory is at 20-22 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 1NT. No dedicated car park; on-street parking around Holywood Road. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

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The story

About the factory

Aunt Sandra's has been making handmade candy in East Belfast since 1953, growing from a small homely shop into a working sweet factory that visitors can watch in action. The craft has stayed in the family, with the team continuing the old-time methods for chocolates, honeycomb, fudge and lollies as children and adults look on.

Today it claims one of the largest sweet selections in Belfast and runs workshops, parties and roadshows alongside the shop, keeping the made-by-hand demonstrations that made it a cult favourite for local families.