Winter has come to Westeros, but it has not yet arrived in the real world. What better time to take advantage of one (or more) of the many Game of Thrones-themed tours offered throughout Northern Ireland, where much of the show is shot? Tours run the gamut from day trips starting at 55 Euros to luxury packages costing considerably more, and offer activities such as biking, trekking and archery. Some excursions to the real-life Winterfell even include the opportunity to meet the wolves who play Summer and Grey Wind!
Thanks to the many available options, Game of Thrones enthusiasts have the ability to visit up to 30 filming sites, but nine major locations are not to be missed. Tour company Ireland Luxury Travel described these locales—and their roles in the show—in a press release promoting their Ultimate Game of Thrones package. Get your vacation ideas below:
1) Winterfell (Castle Ward, County Down)
“Arguably the most iconic Game of Thrones filming location in Northern Ireland,” Castle Ward is the real-life Winterfell, home to the Stark family.
2) The Haunted Forest (Tollymore Forest Park, County Down)
Tollymore Forest Park doubles as the Haunted Forest, which debuted in the premiere episode, “Winter is Coming.” This is where the Night’s Watch rangers first encountered the White Walkers, and where the Starks found the dire wolf pups.
3) The Kingsroad (Dark Hedges, County Antrim)
The Dark Hedges location is immediately recognizable as the iconic Kingsroad, because it was not digitally enhanced for the show.
Storm-damaged trees from the Dark Hedges have been used to create the “Doors of Thrones,” doors that have scenes from the series carved into them. They can be seen in local pubs near filming locations throughout Northern Ireland.
4) The Stormlands (Cushendun Caves, County Antrim)
Cushenden Caves stood in for the Stormlands in season 2. This was where Renly Baratheon made his camp during the War of the Five Kings, and where Melisandre gave birth to the shadow demon that ended Renly’s pursuit of the Iron Throne. The caves were carved over a 400-million year period and are located on Northern Ireland’s rugged eastern shore.
5) Lordsport Harbour and The Iron Islands (Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim)
Ballintoy Harbour was the setting for Theon’s handsy reunion with Yara (before he realized she was his sister) as well as his baptism into the religion of the drowned God. If the location stirs up bad memories of Theon’s betrayal of Robb Stark, they can be washed away with a pint at the nearby Fullerton Arms, where one of the “Doors of Thrones” is on display.
6) Dragonstone 1.0 (Downhill Strand, County Derry)
Downhill Strand stood in for the windswept shore of Dragonstone in season 2, when Stannis was there. This is where Melisandre sacrificed statues of the seven gods of Westeros and Stannis launched his ill-fated voyage to Blackwater Bay. (In season 7, the crew filmed Dragonstone scenes at various places around Spain, including Itzurun Beach and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. So that’s a different vacation.)
7) Riverrun (Real Life Location: River Quoile, County Down)
The River Quoile provided the backdrop for the Riverlands. Scenes from Riverrun, ancestral seat of the Tully family and childhood home of Catelyn Stark, were filmed along its banks, including Hoster Tully’s funeral.
8) The Houses of the North (Inch Abbey, County Down
Also located along the River Quoile, Inch Abbey in County Down has been the site of some darker Game of Thrones moments. It stood in for the Twins, which we can’t think of without remembering the Red Wedding. It also served as the location for Robb Stark’s camp in Riverrun, where he and Catelynn learned of Ned Stark’s execution, and where Robb was proclaimed King in the North.
9) Dothraki Grasslands (Binevenagh, County Derry)
The Binevenagh mountain in County Derry was where the Dothraki horde captured Daenerys after Drogon rescued her from the attack on Daznak’s Pit in season 5. It’s also where Jorah — a little too miraculously — found the ring she dropped as a clue to her whereabouts.
Next: Take the Black Podcast: We look back at the first four episodes of Game of Thrones season 7
All nine of these locations are accessible via guided tours leaving from several cities in Northern Ireland and Ireland. Accommodations (and prices) range from basic to deluxe, so everyone from Lannisters to Fleabottom residents can up their nerd quotient by posting pictures of themselves on social media, dressed up like Jon Snow in the courtyard at Winterfell.
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