A grand white classical parliament crowning a mile-long ceremonial avenue, set in a huge free estate of woodland walks, cycle trails and one of the best playparks in the city. Stormont is one of the great free days out in Belfast.
What it is — Parliament Buildings (everyone calls it "Stormont"), the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly: a grand Greek-classical landmark of white Portland stone and Mourne granite, opened in 1932, standing at the top of the long, straight Prince of Wales Avenue in east Belfast.
The estate — free to roam — the building sits in a big public parkland that's free and open daily: broad lawns, mature woodland, walking and cycling paths, fitness and adventure trails, and the statue of Edward Carson looking down the avenue. Walk the avenue up to the building and the whole city opens up behind you.
For kids — the Mo Mowlam Play Park is a brilliant inclusive playground with over 40 pieces of equipment, designed so children of all abilities can play together (there's a quiet hour on Sunday mornings). Free, and reason enough to come on its own.
Free building tours — you can go inside for free on a guided tour of Parliament Buildings — the Great Hall, the Assembly and Senate chambers — Monday to Friday, typically at 11am and 2pm (more slots in summer and school holidays). Tours last about 45 minutes and are fully wheelchair-accessible.
Book the building tour ahead. The free tours run weekdays only and are subject to Assembly business — they can be cancelled at short notice when the Assembly is sitting, so book your slot in advance and check before you travel. The estate itself needs no booking.
Getting there & parking — Upper Newtownards Road, east Belfast, BT4 3XX, about five miles from the city centre. Free parking at the main gates, at Massey Avenue and by the playpark.
Food — the "Speaker's Corner" coffee shop inside Parliament Buildings serves tea, coffee and home baking (weekdays), and the lawns are made for a picnic. Bring a flask and make an afternoon of it.
Plan your visit
Two days in one — a free estate any day, and the building by weekday tour
Think of Stormont as two visits that share a car park. The estate is free, open every day and needs no booking — turn up, walk the avenue, let the kids loose on the playpark, take the woodland paths or bring bikes. The building is the extra: a free guided tour of Parliament Buildings that runs Monday to Friday, usually at 11am and 2pm (extra tours in July, August and school holidays), lasting around 45 minutes. Book a free ticket in advance — and because it's a working parliament, tours can be cancelled at short notice when the Assembly is sitting, so confirm on the day before you set off. Come on a weekday and you get both; come at the weekend and you get a superb free parkland day.
Estate free · open dailyFree weekday tours · book aheadFree parkingMo Mowlam Play ParkCafé & toilets in the building
Want to go inside? Book the tour, and check it's still on.
The free guided tours of Parliament Buildings run weekdays only and are subject to Assembly business — when the Assembly is sitting, a tour can be cancelled at short notice. Book your free slot in advance and confirm on the day before you travel. If the building tour falls through, the estate is still there, free and open, for a great walk regardless.
Before you set off
What to wear and bring
👟Comfy shoes for the avenueIt's a proper walk up Prince of Wales Avenue and the paths, then plenty of lawn — trainers or walking shoes are ideal, and the main routes are pram-friendly tarmac.
🧥A coat and layersYou're up on an open hill with grand views, so it catches the breeze. A light coat keeps everyone happy, and a bit of rain only makes the greens and the white stone glow.
🧺A picnic or a flaskThe lawns are made for it. There's the Speaker's Corner coffee shop inside on weekdays, but a rug and a flask on the grass under that facade is hard to beat.
🚲Bikes or a scooterThe estate has cycle paths and long, smooth avenues — a great safe spin for kids away from traffic.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Price
Free. The estate is free to enter, parking is free, and the guided tours of Parliament Buildings are free too.
Estate hours
The estate is open daily and roughly follows daylight hours — commonly around 7.30am–9pm on weekdays and 9am–9pm at weekends, but the gate times change through the year, so confirm on the day. The playpark generally follows the estate and closes about 30 minutes before the gates.
Building & tours
Parliament Buildings is open to visitors Monday–Friday, roughly 9am–4pm (not on public or bank holidays). Free guided tours run weekdays, typically at 11am and 2pm, with extra hourly tours during July, August and school holidays. Tours last about 45 minutes. Book a free ticket in advance (via Eventbrite) and check current times.
Subject to business
Because it's a working parliament, tours are subject to Assembly business and can be cancelled at short notice when the Assembly is sitting — confirm on the day before you travel.
Parking
Free parking at the main gates on Upper Newtownards Road, at the Massey Avenue entrance, and at the play park car park just inside the main gates. Disabled spaces at Parliament Buildings can be arranged in advance; there are EV and e-bike charging points.
Toilets
Toilets inside Parliament Buildings, including a Changing Places accessible toilet on the ground floor.
Food
The "Speaker's Corner" coffee shop on the ground floor of Parliament Buildings serves tea, coffee and home baking, weekdays 9am–4pm, with a small gift shop of local crafts. Picnics welcome on the estate lawns.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome in the estate and should be kept under control; there's a dedicated dog park within the grounds. Assistance dogs are welcome on the building tours.
Accessibility
Parliament Buildings has ramped access and the tours are fully wheelchair-accessible; a Braille tour guide and hearing loops are available, and there's a Changing Places toilet. The estate has long tarmac avenues that are good for wheels, plus rougher woodland trails.
How long
Allow 2–3 hours: an hour or so on the estate and playpark, plus about 45 minutes for the building tour if you're doing it.
Best for
All ages — the inclusive playpark and open space are brilliant for young children, the tour and history suit older kids and adults.
Address
Parliament Buildings, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3XX — about five miles east of Belfast city centre.
Questions
Before you go
Is it free?
Yes — the estate is free to walk any day, parking is free, and the guided tours of Parliament Buildings are free too. It's one of the best-value big days out in Belfast.
Can I just turn up, or do I need to book?
For the estate — the walks, the playpark, the lawns — just turn up any day, no booking. To go inside the building you need to book a free tour ticket in advance, and tours run weekdays only.
When are the building tours, and can they be cancelled?
Free guided tours run Monday to Friday, usually at 11am and 2pm, with extra hourly tours in July, August and school holidays. They last about 45 minutes. Because Stormont is a working parliament, tours are subject to Assembly business and can be cancelled at short notice — book ahead and confirm on the day.
Is there somewhere for kids to play?
Yes — the Mo Mowlam Play Park is a large inclusive playground with over 40 pieces of equipment, designed so children of all abilities can play together. It's free, and there's a quiet hour on Sunday mornings for a calmer visit.
Is there parking and food?
Free parking at several entrances, including a car park right by the playpark. Inside Parliament Buildings the "Speaker's Corner" coffee shop does tea, coffee and home baking on weekdays, and the lawns are perfect for a picnic.
Is it accessible and dog-friendly?
The building tours are fully wheelchair-accessible with ramps, a Braille guide and a Changing Places toilet, and the estate's main avenues are smooth tarmac. Dogs are welcome in the estate under control, with a dedicated dog park.
Getting there
Parliament Buildings, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3XX — about five miles east of Belfast city centre, with free parking at the main gates, at Massey Avenue and by the playpark.
When the state of Northern Ireland went looking for a home for its new parliament in the 1920s, it chose the Stormont estate on the eastern edge of Belfast and set the building high on a hill, at the head of a long, dead-straight avenue climbing up to meet it. The idea was that you would see it coming — white and monumental — from the very bottom of the slope. It works: the walk up Prince of Wales Avenue is still the best way to arrive.
The building was designed by the English architect Sir Arnold Thornely in a grand Greek-classical style, its facade faced in white Portland stone above a base of Mourne granite, and it opened in 1932. Locals simply call it "Stormont", after the estate. In front of it stands the statue of Sir Edward Carson, the unionist leader, arm outstretched over the avenue — one of the most photographed spots on the whole hill.
Today Parliament Buildings is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the estate around it — laid out with broad lawns, mature trees and long walks — has become one of east Belfast's best-loved open spaces. Families come for the Mo Mowlam Play Park, runners and cyclists for the trails, and everyone for that view back down the avenue with the whole city spread out below. Free, open and grand all at once — so pack a picnic, walk up that avenue, and go and live it.