Today we are going after some of the Game of Thrones locations in Ireland. In a previous post we toured the most beautiful natural landscapes of Northern Ireland, in this new post we are going to take a different tour, this time with Game of Thrones.
There are many scenarios in the world that have been seen throughout the seasons of Game of Thrones, and some of them are found in Ireland. Beyond not being fans of the series, it is impossible not to think of it when you arrive at the places and they have signs reminding us that that place was the setting for GOT. This is how we do here, as we did in Edinburgh with the Harry Potter route, a Game of Thrones route through Ireland. Started?
This is how we do here, as we did in Edinburgh with the Harry Potter route, a Game of Thrones route through Ireland. Started?
You have plenty of places to visit, we did it in a rented car, but you have different tours that depart from Belfast if you prefer to do it quieter, without driving and with a guide.
Indice:
Castle Ward/Winterfell or Winterfell
Castle Ward Castle was built in the 18th century and in the series it was Winterfell, although many of the Winterfell scenes were filmed elsewhere, this is another of the Game of Thrones locations in Ireland.
It is located near Downpatrick, about forty minutes from Belfast, and two hours from Dublin. The place is set to make you feel inside the series, you can shoot with the bow, and take bike rides through the forest. Of the places we visited, this is the one that is most prepared and put together in the form of a tour.
In truth, at least for us, it was not attractive to do the activities, so after seeing the location we left, but it is our personal opinion as we always say, we all see it from different points of view.
Dark Hedges/The King’s Road
The Dark Hedges is a road with beech trees along it. Beyond the air of mystery that it can naturally give off, it is particularly known for having been a location for Game of Thrones, Dark Hedges is the royal road in the series. Because of this it has become a tourist attraction.
Located in County Antrim, these beech trees were planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family. The King’s Way receives over 10,000 visitors a year.
This section of Bregagh Road is currently closed to vehicle traffic to preserve the trees.
Recommendation: you might imagine (as we did) that you will see it completely empty, and that you will be able to take some magnificent photos…
…but, in the middle of August, there were a lot of people there. So our recommendation is that you be there very early in the morning, or at dusk, when most of the tourists are not there.
Anyway, this gallery of trees has magic.
Ballintoy Harbour/Iron Islands
We arrive at another of the Game of Thrones locations in Ireland, Ballintoy Harbour. Ballintoy Harbour is located on the north coast of Antrim.
This fishing village is located between the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick a Rede, places we visited in our previous post.
►The most beautiful natural landscapes to visit in Northern Ireland.
It is, or rather was, a normal town of 165 inhabitants, until it was chosen as the setting for GOT. From then on, since its appearance in the series, it is a must-see on the route through the locations of Game of Thrones. Next to the port we will find the signs that indicate that scenes have been filmed here. As I told you at the beginning, whether you are a fan or not, you will like to see the place with a “cinematic look”.
It is located approximately an hour and a half from Belfast. Recommendations? None. Coincidentally or not, we visited the place with few people, or at least not the numbers we found in other places in Ireland. But we cannot guarantee that it will always be like this.
Dunluce Castle/Pyke Castle
Located in County Antrim, in the village of Bushmills, the ruins of Dunluce Castle, built in the 12th century, amaze us. These ruins, although retouched, appear in the series as Pyke Castle.
HBO Studios in Belfast
To finish this little route we have done, we go to the base of everything: the HBO studios in Belfast.
We end here, at the Titanic Studio, where HBO arrived in 2009 to film some parts of the Game of Thrones series, especially many scenes from the first seasons.
The studio facilities can be seen from the Titanic Belfast museum.
Are there more places? Yes, there are many more, these are just the ones we have visited. But you will find places like Inch Abbey, Tollymore Forest Park (the enchanted forest), the Cushendun Caves, among others.
Northern Ireland has some stunning natural scenery and many castle ruins, making the island a truly cinematic setting.
EXTRAS: MAP AND VIDEO
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links.
