The Cinderella city of Belfast is looking lovely in its dancing shoes writes Georgina Hatch Dublin and Galway may recently have been voted two of the world's friendliest cities (according to the 2016 Condé Nast Traveller survey) but in my humble opinion, Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, boasts the most welcoming Irish eyes and smiles of all.Formerly Ireland's Cinderella city, battered, beaten and literally blown asunder during The Troubles, this lovely town is now a preening, prancing belle of the ball.On our recent visit to the city of our birth, we played host to two English friends. Both had previously visited Ireland but neither had ventured north before.story_article_left1Our whistle-stop tour began at the Titanic Belfast, a gleaming, monolithic tribute to what is surely the world's most famous ill-fated ship, in the city where it all began.Impressive exhibitions and full-scale reproductions retell a poignant story, which left us with lumps in our throats. The museum has played a vital role in the regeneration of Belfast, attracting almost a million visitors a year and was recently named the best attraction in Europe at the World Travel Awards.On the way to the venue, the chatty driver threw in a free and unofficial tour of the area, boggling our minds with facts and figures and charming us with his lilting accent.In Belfast, everything is either "grand" or "desperate", depending on the mood of the person you speak to. Mostly it is "grand". Tourism is booming and multimillion-pound hotels are springing up all over the city to keep up with demand.After our emotional Titanic experience, we were in need of some liquid sustenance and so we headed off to the four-star Europa Hotel, which still holds the dubious honour of being the most bombed hotel in Europe, having been bombed 28 times during The Troubles.Its shining contemporary exterior and glossy interior belie its chequered past and we enjoyed a pint of Guinness in the lobby lounge, where full-frontal windows allowed us to do a spot of people-watching.Then it was straight across the road to The Crown Liquor Saloon, an 1820s pub famed for its ornate décor that includes mahogany-carved, snug dining booths, etched glass, gas lamps and an exquisitely tiled bar.A pint of the "black stuff" has never tasted so good, especially when drunk in the company of affable locals eager to have a blether about Brexit, the weather or whatever.story_article_right2That's the thing about Belfast. Apart from the new hotels that dot the landscape, almost every establishment contains a rich history in its bricks and mortar. Our choice of restaurant, where we continued to imbibe more of the black stuff (it's good for you!) and a hearty lunch of Irish stew, was no exception. Continuing the original theme of our visit, this Victorian pub, with its prime location in Belfast's "golden mile", was stuffed with Titanic memorabilia.A leisurely roll to the main shopping centre took us past the beautiful baroque City Hall. Our friends, who used to live in South Africa, were tickled to discover that the city hall in Durban is almost an exact replica of this building. The latter was built in 1910 and designed by Stanley G Hudson, who was inspired by the Belfast design.It is an odd experience, being a tourist in your original home town. The Belfast we left 33 years ago is a far cry from the compelling, cutting-edge city it is now. I couldn't help but feel immense pride at how it has lifted itself from the ashes of intense political unrest and risen to become a modern metropolitan miracle.• Share your travel experiences with us in 'Readers' World'. Send your photos - at least 500KB - and a story of no more than 800 words. ALL winners receive R1,000. Only winning entrants will be contacted. E-mail travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za..