Belfast or Edinburgh?

Neither city is a place for a beach vacation, and the cold water means a swim is a brisk dip in either. The difference is how close the sand is. Edinburgh has Portobello, a Victorian seaside suburb with a long sandy beach and promenade a short bus ride from the centre, and the wide East Lothian strands beyond it. From Belfast the nearest coves, Helen's Bay and Crawfordsburn, are a train ride away, and the lough shore in town is for walking.

The two eat at a similar level, both built on good local produce rather than a deep restaurant scene, but the strengths differ. Belfast is more casual and grazing-friendly. There is the Ulster fry, Strangford oysters and Mourne lamb, and the weekend stalls of St George's Market give it the street-food layer Edinburgh lacks.

Edinburgh's best cooking is more ambitious and pricier, in a handful of dining rooms in Leith and Stockbridge serving scallops, langoustines and game. Its signature is single malt whisky, served in bars that will guide you through a tasting, while Belfast's drink is carefully poured stout and Irish whiskey.

Edinburgh is the richer city for sightseeing. Its heritage is its whole townscape: the castle on its rock, the closes of the Royal Mile running down to Holyroodhouse, and the crescents of the New Town. Add the National Museum and the Scottish National Gallery and you have several full days.

Belfast tells a more recent, industrial story, and tells it powerfully. Titanic Belfast on the old slipways, Crumlin Road Gaol and the murals and peace walls of West Belfast are memorable. Still, they are individual sights rather than a historic core to wander.

Evenings are much alike in the two cities: pubs first, a small club scene and a fairly early finish. Belfast's best nights are pub rounds through the cobbled entries of the Cathedral Quarter, with trad sessions and the carved snugs of the Crown Liquor Saloon. Edinburgh offers more variety, from Grassmarket dens and Georgian basement cocktail bars to the Cowgate's late strip, and in August the festivals keep the whole centre out into the small hours.

Both are excellent bases for the outdoors, but the landscapes lie at different distances. Edinburgh's best is in the city itself: Arthur's Seat rises from Holyrood Park beside the Royal Mile, and the Pentland Hills are on the southern edge.

Belfast has Cave Hill and the Black Mountain close by, but its great landscapes are further out. The granite Mournes lie about an hour south and the Causeway Coast, with its basalt columns and cliff paths, lies to the north. They are grander than anything on Edinburgh's doorstep, though harder to reach without a car.

Edinburgh has the edge, mainly because its rail links make day trips simple. Glasgow and Stirling are each under an hour by train, St Andrews and the Borders abbeys make full days, and Rosslyn Chapel and the Forth Bridges are short outings.

Belfast's best excursions are scenic as well as historic. They include Dunluce Castle and the Antrim coast, Carrickfergus Castle and Armagh's cathedrals, with Dublin about two hours away by train. Many of the coastal sights work better with a car or a tour.

Both work well for a few days with children, and both need rainy-day plans. Belfast's highlights are W5's hands-on science and the steam engines and old farmhouses of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Edinburgh offers the castle's cannons, Dynamic Earth, the illusions of Camera Obscura and Portobello's sand. In Edinburgh, though, the Old Town's steep steps are hard work with a buggy, and the August crowds make it tougher still.

Edinburgh is easier to get around. The Old Town, New Town and Holyrood Park all sit within about 2km, the Lothian buses are dense, and a tram links the airport to the centre and Leith. The hills and cobbles are the price you pay.

Belfast's centre is flatter and just as walkable, and the Glider buses cross the city. But there is no tram, buses thin out in the evening, and the coast and mountains really need a hire car or a coach tour.

Neither is a shopping destination, but Edinburgh offers a little more range. George Street carries upmarket labels, Victoria Street and Stockbridge have independent shops, and there is cashmere, tweed and tartan to bring home. Belfast's shopping is mostly high-street chains around Donegall Place and Victoria Square. Its souvenirs are Irish linen and whiskey, and the stalls of St George's Market add crafts and vintage.

Belfast is clearly the cheaper stay, and the gap shows mostly in hotel rooms, which are much easier to find at a fair price. Edinburgh's central rooms are expensive all year and reach extreme levels during the August festivals, which pushes many visitors out to Leith.

Both cities soften the bill with free sights. Edinburgh has its national museums and Arthur's Seat, and Belfast has the Ulster Museum and City Hall. Restaurants and drinks carry UK prices in both.

Edinburgh is in a different league, at least in August, when the Fringe, the International Festival and the Tattoo take over the city. The rest of the year it still has two orchestras, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and strong drama at the Traverse and the Lyceum.

Belfast's scene is smaller and more intimate. Trad sessions in pubs on most nights are its great strength, alongside the Ulster Orchestra, Irish drama at the Lyric and touring shows at the Grand Opera House.

Neither city is built for relaxation, but Edinburgh has a few more places to unwind. These include the old Victorian Turkish baths at Portobello, the Royal Commonwealth Pool and shoreside saunas for cold-water swimmers. Belfast's equivalent is hotel spas and a slow stroll along the Lagan, and visitors who want real calm usually head out to the coast or the hills.