Planning a visit to Northern Ireland and looking to visit some iconic Game of Thrones filming locations? Check out my Northern Ireland itinerary for Game of Thrones fans!
My family spent a week in Northern Ireland and absolutely fell in love with this country. There’s beauty everywhere and the people are so friendly. There are plenty of sights to see for Game of Thrones fans, but non-fans will love this itinerary too.
First, a few general tips:
- Northern Ireland is part of the UK and uses pounds for currency and miles per hour for speed.
- There are no “checkpoints” or border crossing stops – you can drive from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland without even noticing you’ve entered another country.
- You will be driving on the left side of the road. It’s not as hard as you’d think, but it takes some getting used to and the roads are very narrow!
Northern Ireland Itinerary
After arriving at Dublin airport, we picked up our rental car and drove north to the town of Portstewart.
We stayed in the lovely Sea View Strand House. This is the perfect home-base for exploring Northern Ireland and Game of Thrones locations. We had an ocean view and could walk to the beach and the town.
Day One: Gobbins Cliff Walk and the Dark Hedges
The next day, we drove to Gobbins Cliff Path. The beautiful and informative guided walk along the cliffside was a fantastic way to kick off our trip!
Note: At the time of this writing, Gobbins Cliff Path is closed due to a rockfall. Check their web site for current info. Consider substituting a visit to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
After the tour, we drove the Causeway Coastal Route to check out the scenery. It was absolutely stunning – green and lush everywhere you looked. I wish we had more time to stop in some of the towns, but it was getting late and we were hungry. We ended up at a pub in Ballycastle called Nellie Rua’s, which we all enjoyed.
Now, here’s my next tip for visiting Ireland… go in the late spring / early summer when you’ll get 16-18 hours of daylight! We went at the end of May. The sun set around 10pm and rose around 5am. This was a huge win because the longer days allowed for more time to see outdoor sights.
A prime example is our visit to the Dark Hedges, a beautiful road lined with tangled beech trees. Game of Thrones fans will recognize this as the Kingsroad, which Arya traveled.
Driving from the pub in Ballycastle to our rental house, we passed right by the Dark Hedges. It was nearly 8pm and still light out, which turned out to be the ideal time to visit.
I had been warned that there are typically tons of people there and tour buses rolling through all day. It’s hard to get a photo that captures the vibe when there are tons of people strolling the road. Our timing was perfect, the crowds had cleared out for dinner and we only saw 4-5 other people!
Day Two: Belfast and Game of Thrones Studio Tour
Today we got up early and drove 1.25 hours to St. George’s Market in Belfast. I absolutely loved this must-see food and craft market. We bought some great souvenirs, listened to live music, ate lunch, and tasted several treats.
It’s only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, so if your days line up, I highly recommend visiting the market.
Next up was the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, about a half-hour drive from Belfast.
The studio is the actual location where they filmed many Game of Thrones scenes. It’s full of authentic costumes, props, set design models, interactive displays, and more.
Your tour is self-guided so you have all the time you want to explore. Many of the people working there were extras or involved in the filming and have cool stories to tell.
I think my favorite part was putting my face in the Hall of Faces!
We all loved this tour and highly recommend it for any Game of Thrones fan.
Day Three: Giant’s Causeway
We had a delicious breakfast at Culture Coffee in Portstewart, then drove 15 minutes to Dunluce Castle. The Medieval castle ruins sit on the edge of a stunning cliff. Through heavy CGI, Dunluce Castle became the House of Greyjoy’s Castle of Pyke in Game of Thrones.
You can walk around the ruins at your own pace, and you probably don’t need more than an hour there.
Next, you’ve got a 20-minute drive to Ballintoy Harbour. The picturesque harbour is where Theon Greyjoy arrives back in the Iron Islands and first meets his sister Yara. I’ve read that you can rent kayaks and explore the harbour by water.
Depending on time, you may want to stop in the town of Bushmills to visit the famous Bushmills Distillery and grab some lunch on your way to Giant’s Causeway.
Contrary to popular belief, the Causeway was not featured in GoT. It is, however, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Northern Ireland and it’s typically quite crowded. Again, this is where those extra hours of daylight come in handy!
I recommend arriving around 4-ish. Take a quick look around the visitor’s center, use the bathroom, then get on the shuttle bus down to the main site. While the shuttle buses and visitor’s center close up at 5pm, the Causeway and hiking trails are open until dark.
The tour buses and crowds will be largely cleared out by 5pm, leaving you to explore the incredible stone formations in blissful peace. Just be aware that you have to walk up the road to get back to your car. It’s only about a half mile, but it’s all uphill.
There is also an excellent 1.5 mile hike via the Shepherd’s Steps that features fantastic views of the Causeway. You can take this route to get back to the parking lot if you don’t mind the walk.
On our way back to our Vrbo rental, we drove through Portrush, a lively town with a great boardwalk and amusement park that was briefly featured in the show Derry Girls. We had dinner at Ramore Wine Bar. The food and drinks were excellent and the vibe was energetic.
No car? You can take this day trip tour of Giant’s Causeway, Dark Hedges, and Dunluce Castle!
Day Four: Castle Ward
When you’re heading back to Dublin to explore the city before your flight home, take a day at Castle Ward. This beautiful, sprawling property features an 18th-century mansion, miles of trails for hiking and biking, an amazing garden, a restaurant and gift shop. But we were there because its clock tower and historic farmyard were the filming location for Winterfell.
The Winterfell tour is a truly immersive experience. Our first stop was costumes!
Then our tour guide explained how Winterfell was filmed at Castle Ward with the help of CGI. We saw several scene locations and there’s also a map that guides you on a walk around the property to see more locations.
At the end of the tour, we practiced our archery skills! We loved the experience and highly recommend it.
If you have a bit more time in Northern Ireland, you might want to also visit Mussenden Temple – a gorgeous spot close to Portstewart – or drive a couple hours out to Malin Head – the most northerly point of Ireland as well as a Star Wars filming location.
I hope this Northern Ireland itinerary helps you plan out your vacation and visits to Game of Thrones filming locations. Whatever you do and see, I just know you’ll fall in love with the beautiful Emerald Isle!
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