As House of the Dragon transports viewers back to Westeros, fans are keen to visit Northern Ireland’s stunning Game of Thrones filming locations.
Northern Ireland’s scenic landscape formed the backdrop for much of the Game of Thrones drama and for many years has been attracting fans to experience ‘the real Westeros’.
Since the launch of House of the Dragon earlier this year, Google search statistics have revealed a heightened interest in Game of Thrones filming locations with four of the top 10 ‘set jetting’ spots located in Northern Ireland.
An analysis of the number of Instagram hashtags generated for the key filming locations put The Dark Hedges, County Antrim, in fourth position with 70,297 hashtags. The treelined road featured as the Kingsroad in the blockbuster series.
The atmospheric ruins of Dunluce Castle, used for Pyke Castle of House Greyjoy, also makes the top 10. The sixteenth-century castle on Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast is perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking the Irish Sea.
In County Down, Castle Ward, home of the Whispering Wood and Winterfell, recorded 18,167 hashtags while Tollymore Forest, where the direwolves were found, comes in 10th with 18,003 hashtags.
In all, 26 Northern Ireland locations featured in Game of Thrones including gorgeous Downhill Strand which stood in for Dragonstone and Cushendun caves which became Melisandra’s Cave.
Other key locations were Ballintoy Harbour (Pyke Harbour in the Iron Islands), Larrybane headland and Murlough Bay (Stormlands), and the rugged Antrim plateau (Vale of Arryn), all located on the dramatic Causeway Coast.
The internal Game of Thrones shoots took place in the Titanic Studios in Belfast and in Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, which now hosts the Game of Thrones Studio Tour.
Created in partnership with Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment, this is the world’s only official Game of Thrones Studio Tour. It showcases the exquisite sets and creative artistry behind the incredible costumes, props, weaponry and visual effects which brought the drama to life on screen.
All of the costumes, weapons, props and most of the sets on display are the originals used in filming.
A number of other Game of Thrones experiences are available in Northern Ireland including tours around the key shoot locations and the Glass of Thrones Trail in Belfast.
