The Best Game of Thrones Tour From Dublin (2026)

If you want to see where Game of Thrones was actually filmed and you’re based in the capital, a Game of Thrones tour from Dublin is the easiest way to do it in a single day. Almost all the real filming locations sit up in Northern Ireland, so these are long day trips, and the good ones are worth the early start.

We spent about two weeks driving Ireland on our last trip, starting and ending in Dublin, so we know exactly how far these places are and what a full day out of the city really feels like. The short version on a Game of Thrones tour from Dublin: a few of these tours pack in way more than others, and a couple aren’t really worth the money.

Rocky Antrim coast cliffs and turquoise sea in Northern Ireland — The Antrim coast is the real draw on these day trips, show or no show.

You don’t need to be a die-hard fan of the show to enjoy the day either. The Dark Hedges, the Antrim coast, and Cushendun caves are worth seeing whether or not you can name a single House.

Below is the list, from the big-name bus tours everyone books to the ones we’d actually point you to instead, plus the filming locations you’ll hit, how to pick the right one for you, and what to sort out before you book.

More Game of Thrones and Northern Ireland Guides

Quick Answer:

A Game of Thrones tour from Dublin is a full day trip, usually 11 to 12 hours, since the filming locations sit in Northern Ireland about 1.5 hours north. The coastal tour covers the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy and Cushendun Caves, the studio tour in Banbridge holds the real sets, and group bus tours cost roughly £40 to £70.

The Best Game of Thrones Tours From Dublin

The Temple Bar pub lit up at night in Dublin — Temple Bar in Dublin, where a lot of these tours pick up within a short walk.

Every one of these is a long day out of the city, so where you sleep the night before matters. We stayed at Fitzsimons in Temple Bar on our last trip, and a lot of these tours pick up within a short walk of there, which makes the early start a lot easier to stomach.

Here are the five main options, what each one actually shows you, and which one we’d point you to. If you just want the single best all-rounder, it’s the full-day Game of Thrones filming locations tour from Dublin on GetYourGuide, and the rest of the list explains why.

Winterfell Locations Trek (Castle Ward and Inch Abbey)

Castle Ward mansion in County Down, the Winterfell exterior — Castle Ward in County Down played the exterior of Winterfell.

This one is built around Castle Ward in County Down, the estate that played the exterior of Winterfell. Inch Abbey nearby is where Robb Stark was named King in the North.

The good versions of this tour let you shoot a bow in the actual Winterfell courtyard and meet the two dogs that played Summer and Grey Wind. It’s about 1.5 hours up from Dublin, so it’s one of the shorter drives on this list.

If you care most about standing on real sets from the show rather than scenery, this is the pick. You can book the Winterfell Locations Trek on GetYourGuide and check current dates before you commit.

Giant’s Causeway and Filming Locations Tour

Basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway on the Antrim coast — The Giant’s Causeway never appeared on screen, but it is worth the drive on its own.

The Giant’s Causeway itself never appeared in the show, but it’s the headline stop on a lot of these day trips, and it’s worth the drive on its own. These tours usually pair it with the Dark Hedges and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

This is the tour to book if you want the big-name Antrim coast sights and the Game of Thrones stops rolled into one day. You get less time at each spot, but you cover the north coast properly. Check dates and book the Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones day tour on GetYourGuide.

Coastal Filming Locations Tour (Dark Hedges, Ballintoy, Cushendun Caves)

Ballintoy Harbour with fishing boats, the Iron Islands filming location — Ballintoy Harbour stands in for the Iron Islands where Theon comes ashore.

This is the most fan-focused day of the lot. The Dark Hedges stood in for the Kingsroad, Ballintoy Harbour is the Iron Islands where Theon comes ashore, and Cushendun Caves is where Melisandre gives birth to the shadow.

Even if you never watched the show, the Dark Hedges and the Antrim coast road are worth the ticket. This is the one we’d point you to first, so book the Game of Thrones coastal locations tour on GetYourGuide while dates are open.

Game of Thrones Studio Tour From Dublin

Film set lighting rigs and monitors on an indoor soundstage — The Studio Tour is all indoor sets and props, not landscapes, so it runs rain or shine.

The Studio Tour at Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge is the indoor option, and it’s about 1.5 hours from Dublin. This is real sets, costumes, weapons, and props from the production, not landscapes.

Because it’s indoors, it’s the smart choice if the forecast is bad, which in Ireland is often. Some Dublin operators run a bus straight there and back, or you can drive it yourself. To skip the drive, book the Studio Tour from Dublin on GetYourGuide with the transfer included.

Private Game of Thrones Tour From Dublin

Narrow coastal road winding toward the sea in Northern Ireland — A private tour lets you set your own pace along the coast roads instead of waiting on a full bus.

A private tour costs more, but you set the route and the pace, and you skip the wait for 40 other people to get back on the bus. Good if you’re a group splitting the cost, or you want a custom mix of coast stops and studio.

The group bus tours give you the same locations for a lot less, so book private only if the flexibility is worth the premium to you. If it is, you can book a private Game of Thrones tour on GetYourGuide and set the route yourself.

Filming Locations You Visit on These Tours

The Dark Hedges beech tunnel, the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones — The Dark Hedges is the Kingsroad, and the most photographed stop on any of these tours.

The show shot most of its Northern Ireland scenes within about two hours of each other, which is why a single day trip can string so many of them together. Which ones you actually reach depends on the tour you pick, but here are the locations that come up again and again.

Castle Ward in County Down is the exterior of Winterfell, and the farmyard is where Bran first climbs the tower.
Inch Abbey is the riverside ruin where the northern lords name Robb Stark King in the North.
The Dark Hedges on the Bregagh Road is the Kingsroad, and it’s the single most photographed spot on any of these tours.
Ballintoy Harbour plays the Iron Islands, where Theon lands back on Pyke.
Cushendun Caves is where Melisandre gives birth to the shadow.
Larrybane quarry, right by Carrick-a-Rede, is Renly’s camp where Brienne beats Ser Loras in the melee.
Downhill Strand under Mussenden Temple is the Dragonstone beach where Melisandre burns the Seven.

A few tours also push out to Tollymore Forest, where the Starks find the direwolf pups, and Murlough Bay, which stood in for a couple of different coastlines across the seasons.

Map of Game of Thrones filming locations across Northern Ireland reached on day tours from Dublin

No single day covers all of them. The coastal tours lean into the Antrim stops like the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy, and Cushendun, while the Winterfell trek is built around Castle Ward and Inch Abbey. Pick the tour by the scenes you most want to stand in.

Where to Stay in Belfast

Best Game of Thrones Tours From Belfast

How to Choose the Right Tour

White cliffs and turquoise water on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland — The Antrim coast is the better day out if you care more about scenery than sets.

All five tours run out of Dublin and all of them eat a full day, so the choice comes down to what you actually want out of it. Start with one question: are you here for the show, or for the scenery?

If you want to stand on real sets, the Winterfell trek at Castle Ward and the Studio Tour in Banbridge are the two that put you inside the production. If you want the coast and don’t mind that the Giant’s Causeway never appeared on screen, the coastal and Causeway tours are the better day out.

Weather is the other big one. Ireland threw plenty of rain at us on our last trip, and the coastal stops like the Dark Hedges and Ballintoy are a lot less fun soaked through. Check the forecast the night before, and if it looks bad, the indoor Studio Tour is the safe bet.

Comparison table of five Game of Thrones tours from Dublin by focus, key stops and drive time

Think about how much time you’re willing to spend on a bus too. Even the shorter drives are about 1.5 hours each way, and the Antrim coast tours are longer than that. If long travel days wear on you, the Winterfell trek is the easiest to swallow.

Go private only if you’re a group splitting the cost or you want a custom mix the bus tours don’t offer. For a first-time visitor, the group coastal tour gives you the best locations for the least money, and that’s the one we’d point you to first.

Planning Your Days in Dublin

What to Know Before You Book

Green headland and sea view on the Antrim coast near Ballycastle — Bring layers and a rain jacket, the Antrim coast is exposed all day.

Every one of these tours crosses into Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, so it runs on pounds sterling, not euros. There’s no border checkpoint and no passport control, so you won’t notice the crossing, but bring a card for coffee and lunch stops so you’re not stuck with the wrong currency.

Check what’s actually included before you pay. Some tours cover the entrance fees at stops like Carrick-a-Rede, Castle Ward, or the Studio Tour, and some are transport only, with every admission paid on the day. Those add-ons stack up fast, so read the fine print.

These are full days, usually 11 to 12 hours door to door, with early pickups. Set an alarm and eat something before you go, because the first proper food stop can be a few hours into the drive.

A few things worth sorting before you click book:

Book ahead in summer. The small-group and private tours sell out first, and the Studio Tour caps its numbers.
Confirm the pickup point and time. The main tours leave from central Dublin, but the exact spot varies by operator.
Check whether lunch is included. Most aren’t, so plan to buy food along the way.
Bring layers and a rain jacket. The Antrim coast is exposed, and you’ll be in and out of the bus all day.

Sort those out and the rest of the day is easy. You just show up, get on the bus, and let someone else handle the long drive north.

Where to Stay Elsewhere in Ireland

In short

Nearly all filming locations sit in Northern Ireland, about 1.5 hours north of Dublin.
Expect a full day of 11 to 12 hours door to door, with early pickups.
The coastal tour hits the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy Harbour and Cushendun Caves.
The Studio Tour in Banbridge is the indoor, bad-weather pick with real sets.
Group bus tours cost roughly £40 to £70; private tours cost more but you set the route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to what people ask most before booking a Game of Thrones tour from Dublin.

How long is a Game of Thrones tour from Dublin?

Plan on a full day, usually 11 to 12 hours door to door. The Winterfell trek and the Studio Tour are the shortest at about 1.5 hours each way, and the Antrim coast tours run longer.

Are these tours worth it if you haven’t seen the show?

Yes. The Dark Hedges, the Giant’s Causeway, and the Antrim coast road stand on their own whether or not you can tell a Stark from a Lannister. The studio and Winterfell trek are the two that lean hard on the show, so those are the ones to skip if you’re only there for the scenery.

Can you visit the filming locations without a tour?

You can. We drove Ireland ourselves on our last trip, and every stop is reachable by rental car if you’d rather set your own pace. The trade-off is you do all the driving on the left, sort your own parking, and miss the guide who knows where each scene was shot.

Which Game of Thrones tour from Dublin is best?

For a first-time visitor, the coastal tour with the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy, and Cushendun Caves. It packs in the most filming locations and the best scenery for the money, and that’s the one we’d point you to first.

How much does a Game of Thrones tour from Dublin cost?

Group bus tours run roughly £40 to £70 per person, with the Studio Tour and private options costing more. Check what admissions are included, since some tours add entry fees for stops like Carrick-a-Rede and Castle Ward on the day.

Which Dublin Game of Thrones Tour Is Right for You

Golden hour over green hills and coast in rural Ireland — Give Dublin a day either side of the tour, the city earns it.

If you only take one thing from this post, make it this: match the tour to why you’re going, and book the coastal one when you’re not sure. Here’s the quick version by traveler type.

Big fan who wants to stand where scenes were shot? Book the Winterfell trek at Castle Ward, or the Studio Tour in Banbridge if the forecast is grim. Everyone else, take the coastal tour with the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy, and Cushendun Caves.

Traveling as a group of four or more? Price out the private tour before you write it off. Split enough ways, the per-person cost gets close to the bus, and you set the stops.

Whichever one you pick, don’t fly in the night before and out the morning after. Give Dublin a couple of days on top of the tour, because the city itself earns them.

We did the full Jameson Distillery tour on Bow Street with the four-glass tasting flight at the end, and it’s worth the ticket. Trinity College is a short walk from the tour pickup points and the grounds are free to wander, so that’s an easy fill for the day before your early start.

Sort the tour, add a day either side in Dublin, and you’ve got the trip. The bus does the long drive north, and you get the best of Westeros and the capital in one go.

Like it? Pin it!

Save this guide for later

The Dark Hedges tree tunnel in Northern Ireland, a Game of Thrones filming location reached on a day tour from Dublin

Giant's Causeway basalt columns on the Antrim coast, a stop on Game of Thrones tours departing from Dublin

Plan the Rest

Everything You Need to Plan.

Six guides that cover the questions every Ireland trip starts with.

Best Time to VisitMonth-by-month weather, crowds, festivals, and what the days actually feel like.Things to DoHub of every guide on the site, sorted by region and type.Where to StayCastle hotels, country house stays, and city hotels we'd return to.Entry RequirementsVisa, passport, ETIAS, and customs. What you actually need.Getting AroundTrains, buses, car rental, ferries, and the best airport transfers.Travel CostsDaily budgets and real prices for hotels, food, transport, and tours.

Plan Your Trip