[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’ve wanted to do a Game of Thrones tour in Northern Ireland for a while, and now I’ve finally scratched the surface with a trip to Winterfell. Heading off for the Game of Thrones tour from Dublin we arrived at Castle Ward in Co. Down, the 18th-century National Trust property, within a couple of hours. Home to Winterfell tours, meet and greet opportunities with the Direwolves and Game of Thrones Ireland filming locations, there was a lot to fit in during our afternoon up North.
Probably everyone’s favourites, we got to have a cuddle with Summer and Grey Wind, played by friendly 7 year old Northern Inuits Thor and Odin while hearing some behind the scenes stories from their owners. Our tour guide, and Game of Thrones extra, Jamie led us around Castle Ward Demesne showing some of the key filming locations for the show including the Winterfell Castle courtyard and the archway from King Robert’s arrival and the trees under which Robb marries Talissa and the one where Brienne confronts the Starkmen.
Dressed up in character costumes (I was a Lady of the Night’s Watch) we tried our hand at archery, blaming the wind and rain for our poorly performances and sat down to a tented banquet lunch complete with goblets of wine, fulfilling our Westeros fantasies.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”4141″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”4140″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”4142″ img_size=”large”][vc_single_image image=”4143″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Thanks for the trip Discover NI, check out their website for more information about Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland.
I was lucky enough to visit the Azure window in Malta, backdrop to Khal Drogo and Deanerys’ wedding, before it collapsed recently. I’ve also visited Valletta, the island’s capital, home to Little Finger’s brothel. In Iceland, I took a trip to Thingvellir National Park where filming took place and I’m off to Dubrovnik next month and looking for a tour. Let me know in the comments if you’ve done one in Croatia! Here’s a map of all of the Game of Thrones filming locations.
If you’re looking for inspiration from further afield for your summer holiday, check out my Sardinia video here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
