EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

The only building of any antiquity in Bangor is the seventeenth-century Old Custom House and Tower on the seafront, now occupied by the tourist office (July & Aug Mon & Sat 10am-7pm, Tues-Fri 9am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm; rest of year Mon 10am-5pm, Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm; June & Sept same weekday hours, but Sat 10.30am-4.30pm and also Sun 1-5pm; tel 028/9127 0069).

As you'd expect, there are dozens of places to stay here. The two most luxurious hotels are on Quay Street - the Marine Court (tel 028/9145 1100; www.visitcoastofdown.com/marinecourthotel ; £110-130) and the Royal (tel 028/9127 1866; TheRoyalHotel@compuserve.com ; £90-110) - but you'll find plenty of less expensive B&Bs on Queen's Parade and Princetown and Seacliff roads. The nearest camping is at Donaghadee, six miles south along the coast.

Most of Bangor's restaurants are dotted along the seafront or up nearby sidestreets. Overlooking the marina, Genoa's , 1a Seacliff Rd, is the place for modern European cuisine while Café Brazilia , on Bridge Street, serves numerous varieties of espresso plus an imaginative and cheap menu. Further along the esplanade and up Gray's Hill, Knuttel's Restaurant - named after and decked out in paintings by the owner himself - offers a good-value four-course dinner. Other relatively inexpensive restaurants are at the Marine Court Hotel ; the Green Vegetable , 6 Hamilton Rd (for vegetarian specials); and the Back Street Café on Queen's Parade for fish delights such as fresh turbot.

Most of the pubs opt for discos or balladeers with a beatbox, but you'll find regular traditional music at Friday night sessions at Fealty's (also known as the Ormeau Bar ) on the High Street. The Jenny Watts , also on the High Street, has traditional sessions (Tues & Sun nights) as well as Sunday lunchtime jazz. There are regular boat trips (tel 028/9145 5321) from the harbour to various destinations, such as the Copeland Islands, and for deep-sea fishing (rods and tackle supplied).