Belfast: The Game of Thrones Studio Tour – A Must-Visit For GOT Fans

Being a huge Game of Thrones (GOT) fan, my first visit to Belfast was in 2018 where I had a great time enjoying the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience featuring award-winning series composer Ramin Djawadi (Westworld, House of the Dragon) held at the SSE Arena, as well as visiting many Northern Ireland filming locations featured in the phenomenally successful HBO series (2010-2019) based on George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy novels.

As the BFF is also a fellow GOT fan, for our three-week “Pop Culture” holiday trip to the UK this past April—our first overseas trip since the Covid-19 pandemic hit three years ago—we decided to add Belfast to our London (for Star Wars/Harry Potter) and Scotland jaunts (Harry Potter/Loch Ness), just so we could attend the Game of Thrones Studio Tour located in Banbridge, about an hour’s drive from Belfast.

Getting There

Opened in February 2022, the Game of Thrones Studio Tour features a truly extensive collection of the fabulous costumes, props, weapons, and sets seen in the multi-Emmy-winning series, without question one of the greatest shows in TV history.

Our tickets (which include shuttle bus transfers) were bought online in advance by our travel planner Atlas Travelz. We flew to Belfast via Inverness, Scotland, and had a transfer arranged to bring us to The Boulevard in Banbridge, a premium outlet center where a GOT Studio Tour ticket booth is located. We then boarded a shuttle bus which took us to Linen Mill Studios, a good 15-minute ride away and sited at a secluded but well-maintained compound.

Valar Morghulis, Valar Dohaeris

“NINE hours?!?” me and two other visitors gasped in unison when the entrance usher told us that was the longest a visitor had ever stayed in the 110,000sq ft attraction before security had to physically removed him. We had chosen the 10am slot and had planned to spend the most four hours including time for lunch at either one of the two on-site cafes. If you are happy to breeze through every exhibit with just a glance or two, two hours will probably be enough. But if you like to read and see every detail there is, six hours arguably is a safer bet.

In the lobby, besides a display of Daenerys Targaryen and her entourage’s distinctive Qarth costumes, there is also a cloakroom, a cafe and a studio store. We were led to a dark blue-lit waiting area where we posed quirky poses for photo compilations after the tour. Then, after a short tour video intro narrated by Nathalie “Missandei” Emmanuel no less, a very cool “Beyond the Wall” moment happened—which none of us were allowed to photograph or film!—before we entered the “studio tour” proper.

Immersing Into The GOT World

From the menacing Night King and his White Walkers in full costumes, to mannequins of a handicapped Bran Stark and fan-favorite Hodor in the iconic “hold-the-door” scene at the Third-Eye Raven’s cave, those were the first “wah” moments that hit you before tons of 3D models, artist illustrations, and props of all shapes and sizes—including life-size dragon skulls and eggs—do exactly the same.

Among my favorite displays were the various named greatswords (Longclaw, Oathkeeper, Ice, etc) and weapons, including a full-sized Qyburn’s Scorpion, as well as the fabulous costumes by Michele Clapton (see top main picture).

There was also interactive displays where you can design your own House emblem and slogan, CGI-ed into a White Walker, or protect Winterfell from the Night King’s rampaging minions.

Stepping Into Real-Life Sets

What was truly impressive were the full-scale sets that include Daenerys’ Dragonstone Throne and Map Table, Cersei’s King’s Landing Map Courtyard, Jon Snow’s resurrection room in Castle Black, the Hall of Faces, and of course the iconic Iron Throne in a destroyed throne room.

The coolest thing though was that, as informed by a very helpful tour staff (they all were by the way), we actually got to stand in the actual Winterfell Great Hall set used for filming by the GOT actors in the eighth and final season! (Just missing a Starbucks coffee cup, snigger…)

A Must-Visit for GOT Fans

We wished we had more time in the Studio Store as it is filled with really amazing official merchandise that you won’t find anywhere else – from T-shirts to socks, shot glasses to notebooks, keychains to magnets, and a whole lot more. This is also where we got to to pose on an Iron Throne replica and be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms by just paying for a much-treasured photographic memento. (The shots you pose for earlier will be available here as well, placed in various scenarios from the series.)

We rushed through our lunch at the Lobby Cafe—there’s another within before the Winterfell Crypts area —as we had to get back to The Boulevard by 2pm for our transfer back to Belfast. Price-wise is decent for your usual coffee/tea and pastries, though they have other food items too.

All in all, we had a great and memorable time. If you are a GOT fan, you will love the GOT Studio Tour. Day trips to the studio can easier be made (via flights or ferries) if you happened to be in or around the UK. I’m just glad we added Belfast to our UK trip just to visit it. A fabulous experience, highly recommended!

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour is at Banbridge, Northern Ireland. Check www.gameofthronesstudiotour.com for ticketing details and other information.

All text and photos by Marguerita Tan, not to be used without permission.

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