You’ve heard of the spellbinding Harry Potter Studio Tour. Well, now you’ve got the chance to experience a Game of Thrones edition. And this would be the reason why we’re throwing a fair few covetous glances the way of Banbridge, Northern Ireland, where such an attraction opened on February 4, 2022. What do we say to the god of death? Not today I really bloody want to go here!
Linen Mill Studios – which was used as a filming location for many of Game of Thrones’ iconic scenes – is the site for the official Game of Thrones studio tour. It was already home to sets including Winterfell, Riverrun, and Pyke, all of which featured prominently in the unforgettable series, making it the logical choice to house the tour. The studio tour is expected to attract some 600,000 visitors each year and will create 200 jobs for the area.
Should you mosey along to the Game of Thrones studio tour, you’ll find authentic sets that you’ll be allowed to wander through, along with a treasure trove of costumes and props – riches that could rival even the famed wealth of the Lannisters.
The usual set of interactive exhibitions and behind-the-scenes glimpses will also be in attendance and there’s an incredible section where you get to see the prosthetics used on the show. Plus, you can comb through an extensive armoury so detailed that you won’t believe your eyes.
The Game of Thrones studio tour is another glittering addition to the wealth of GoT experiences you can currently do in Northern Ireland. Fans make regular pilgrimages to the Dark Hedges in Ballymoney, and sets used for filming scenes at Castle Black and Kings Landing (Magheramorne Quarry and Titanic Studios, respectively) were opened up for public tours ahead of the show’s final season in 2019.
Tickets are available to purchase now. If you’re planning a visit, I’d just make sure you’re not in the company of oathbreakers, traitors, or anyone called Frey – otherwise, your visit might be a little more dramatic than you’d hoped…