Unless you’re completely disconnected from the world, you would have heard of Game of Thrones (GOT).
Based on A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George RR Martin, the television series made waves for its breathtaking shooting locations.
Some of the prominent shooting locations are in the rocky shores and stunning castles of Northern Ireland. Of course, a lot of editing happens at the Titanic Studios in Belfast, too. What’s not to miss are Game of Thrones doors. In January 2016, a storm brought down two trees along the Dark Hedges (one of the filming locations).
The wood was used to carve 10 wooden doors; each of which tells the story of a season 6 episode. These doors are on display all around Northern Ireland, in old-fashioned pubs, bars, cafes and inns that sit near a filming location from the show.
Whether you wish to don a fur cape and strike a few poses, learn to shoot a bow and arrow just like Bran Stark did or transform the fictional world of the seven kingdoms into a reality, here are a few must-visit locales.
The dark hedges
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The most photographed spot in Northern Ireland, Dark Hedges is one of the best known GOT filming locations in the region. The avenue of beech trees, with its other-worldly look, was used in season 2 — when Arya Stark travels down the King’s Road to escape from King’s Landing, disguised as a boy. The iconic trees were planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century to impress guests as they approached their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House. Although it looks like a quiet country lane, it’s often tough to get a decent photograph of the trees, courtesy mad tourist rush. If you believe the locals, this road is reputedly haunted by a spectral Grey Lady who appears at dusk among the trees.
Carnlough harbour Popular as the perfect place to have fish and chips, the Carnlough Harbour is where Arya Stark was repeatedly stabbed by the Waif. Arya then jumps into the freezing water to escape and crawls up the steps into the streets of Braavos. The steps are very prominent in the scene. Situated at the foot of Glencloy — the second of the nine beautiful Glens of Antrim, the attractive 18th century Carnlough village is a paradise for someone who simply loves to walk around. Carnlough was founded as a small fishing settlement in the early seventeenth century. The current harbour was built of limestone around 1850 by the Marchioness of Londonderry, who owned the quarries to the west of the village.
Dunluce castle Don’t forget to halt at the turreted ruins of Dunluce Castle, sitting on a basalt outcrop, high above the waves. In the epic drama, the castle represents the House of Greyjoy, ruler of the Iron Islands. The castle that has many inspired artists and writers through the centuries was originally built in 1500 by the McQuillans, who came from Scotland in the 1200s as hired mercenaries. One of the most picturesque and romantic of Irish castles, Dunluce has an air of eeriness and melancholy. A defended site from at least 500 AD, the ruins is home to many secrets and ghost stories. There is a tale about the ghost of a sad and troubled woman sweeping the prison tower, lamenting her lost love. During World War Two, the site was occasionally used as a lookout to monitor ships.
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Cushendun caves Made famous as the Shadow creature’s birth site in GOT season 2, Cushendun Caves were formed over 400 million years, due to extreme weather conditions. The caves are easily accessible by foot along the coast from the quaint Cushendun village. Centuries before the village was built, Cushendun was used as a harbour by people commuting between Ireland and Scotland. Designed in the style of a Cornish hamlet by eminent architect Clough Williams-Ellis, Cushendun’s picturesque coastal setting in the heart of the Antrim Coast along with its unique character, architecture and folklore gave it the designation as a Conservation area in 1980.
Ballintoy Harbour, meaning Town of the North, is the setting for Theon Greyjoy’s return to the Iron Islands. This is where he is seen meeting his sister Yara and admiring his ship, the Sea Bitch. Home to merely 200 people, the small fishing harbour and the surrounding village has hardly changed in hundreds of years.
For those looking to capture a true sense of Irish rural life, this one is a not-to-miss stopover while touring the Causeway Coastal Route. The village is merely 1 km from the harbour and has an array of little shops.
Visit the white Ballintoy Parish Church on the hill above the harbour or spend time observing the Atlantic wildlife, which includes birds of prey and dolphin populations.
Travel Buff? Download These Apps Before Your Next Vacay
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Take the stress out of planning your trip and explore the world with these mobile applications.
Take the stress out of planning your trip and explore the world with these mobile applications.
AR City uses a combination of augmented reality and computer vision technology to let tourists access information as they travel around cities. You can stand in a street and holding your iPhone in front of you, see virtual information such as street names, building names and local points of interest on a live image of the real world in front of you. You can also use it for basic navigation. The app is still in beta, so the amount of information available is limited, but the accuracy is promising.
Image: www.blippar.com
AR City uses a combination of augmented reality and computer vision technology to let tourists access information as they travel around cities. You can stand in a street and holding your iPhone in fr..
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It is a travel inspiration app that makes local culture globally accessible. Tourists can explore more than 300 locations around the world through the lens of passionate locals and in-house journalists. From unknown stories about Mexico’s third gender to the most Instagrammable dishes in Beijing – the app covers every area of culture including food, travel, music, sport, entertainment, fashion, art, design, health and more.
Image: play.google.com
It is a travel inspiration app that makes local culture globally accessible. Tourists can explore more than 300 locations around the world through the lens of passionate locals and in-house journalis..
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Your smartphone becomes a live-out-loud translator with this must-have app for tourists. You can have conversations in up to 38 languages by tapping the button to speak and holding to translate. The app automatically picks up which language is being spoken and becomes the middleman in your conversation. The app is free to use in its basic form but to unlock unlimited translations and multiple devices you’ll need to pay a subscription.
Image: play.google.com
Your smartphone becomes a live-out-loud translator with this must-have app for tourists. You can have conversations in up to 38 languages by tapping the button to speak and holding to translate. The ..
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This app is your travel guide for more than 600 destinations worldwide in five languages, including offline maps and a trip planner. You can put together all the details of your trip before, or even during, your journey. Add the important points of interest, shops, hotels and museums to your travel guide and you’ll get a complete route as an offline map. The app can also automatically arrange your route by the distance from your departure point.
Image: www.tripwolf.com
This app is your travel guide for more than 600 destinations worldwide in five languages, including offline maps and a trip planner. You can put together all the details of your trip before, or even ..
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GPS Tracker It is a global real-time instant messaging and tracking app that can help you stay in touch with your loved ones while you are continents away. You can see locations in multi-map views including satellite, access history, request for meeting points, instantly see who is Letstracking in your vicinity and deactivate tracking anytime. The app can also track your automobiles like cars and motorbike.
Image: play.google.com
GPS Tracker It is a global real-time instant messaging and tracking app that can help you stay in touch with your loved ones while you are continents away. You can see locations in multi-map views in..
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Klook is an indestination travel activities and service booking plat form for Asia that gives tourists a trusted way to book and enjoy over 30,000 popular attractions, local experiences and services around the world. The app of fers more than 50,000 activities and services provided by over 5,000 industry partners in over 200 destinations worldwide. It is the mostfunded company in the tours and activities sector globally.
Image: play.google.com
Klook is an indestination travel activities and service booking plat form for Asia that gives tourists a trusted way to book and enjoy over 30,000 popular attractions, local experiences and services ..
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Trip n howl is an interactive travel networking app and is a great place for tourists to connect with other travellers, plan trips and share their experiences. The app makes travel l ing abroad a lot more convenient by connecting to your favourite destinations, travel tips and more. It also helps you find your way around an unfami liar city, figure out currency conversion, translate foreign languages and avoid mobile roaming costs when contacting your loved ones anywhere in the world.
Image: play.google.com
Trip n howl is an interactive travel networking app and is a great place for tourists to connect with other travellers, plan trips and share their experiences. The app makes travel l ing abroad a lot..
How to get there Many airlines fly to Belfast International Airport, You can also fly to Dublin. One of the easiest ways to travel to Northern Ireland from Dublin is to take the bus. There are three bus companies that service this route: Aircoach, Ulsterbus, Bus Eireann. Make sure to book a seat in advance.
Where to stay GOT was filmed in the areas around the Ballygally Castle. You can also enjoy a Game of Thrones-themed afternoon tea here. For an immersive experience, stay at the Tara Lodge, 36 Cromwell Road.
Travel tip For slow travel in Northern Ireland, consider booking an elegant cabin on board the Belmond Grand Hibernian. A two-night package starts at €3,700 per passenger.
Wish To Travel The World? Don't Miss Out On These 7 Destinations
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By Masoom Gupte
To reduce the world to a list of top destinations is a near impossible task. But for a variety of reasons some places are favoured over others and become the flavour of the moment. Here are some of the top spots trending this year.
By Masoom GupteTo reduce the world to a list of top destinations is a near impossible task. But for a variety of reasons some places are favoured over others and become the flavour of the moment. Her..
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Together, the five Stans — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — of Central Asia spell exotic. The historical association with the Silk Road, that passes through these countries, adds to the appeal and aura of the region. From cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, that mix the new with the old seamlessly, to the topography of the region that abounds in vast deserts, mountains and rivers, this promises to be the journey of a lifetime.
Together, the five Stans — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — of Central Asia spell exotic. The historical association with the Silk Road, that passes through these cou..
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When the landscape of Iceland showed up in a Bollywood movie some time back, many were prompted to ask if the sequence was shot on location, or if the backdrop was a result of computer generated graphics. That’s how unreal Iceland can be. The popularity of this European nation has been on a steady rise, prompting a national discussion about applying curbs on the number of tourists permitted to visit. Best to tick this one off the bucket list, before your name slips on to a waiting list of visitors.
When the landscape of Iceland showed up in a Bollywood movie some time back, many were prompted to ask if the sequence was shot on location, or if the backdrop was a result of computer generated grap..
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True, the country has a checkered past, enmeshed in a long history of violence. But nothing like tourism to change a nation’s image and fortunes. Earlier this year, the country’s tourism department signed a multi-million dollar branding deal with English football club Arsenal, putting the country’s tourism tagline on player jerseys. The deal quickly became controversial as Rwanda is one of the world’s poorest countries and marketing monies are frowned upon. But soon the number of UK visitors surged, claimed officials. Something did the trick. Either the campaign, or the country’s stunning national parks and wildlife.
True, the country has a checkered past, enmeshed in a long history of violence. But nothing like tourism to change a nation’s image and fortunes. Earlier this year, the country’s tourism department s..
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This one is for the adrenaline chasers. Go to the end of the world aboard a ship breaker, surrounded by glaciers and water, and little else. High fitness levels are recommended. But even that’s not a guard against potential sea sickness bouts. Prepare for wonder on this journey, and a discovery of what you are truly made of.
This one is for the adrenaline chasers. Go to the end of the world aboard a ship breaker, surrounded by glaciers and water, and little else. High fitness levels are recommended. But even that’s not a..
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It’s been voted as one of the best cities to live in the world. Not exactly unknown, the city does tend to lose out to the hordes that prefer the shinier, bigger cities of neighbouring United States. But by itself, Vancouver, a west coast seaport in British Columbia, is not just one of Canada’s densest, most ethnically diverse cities, it is also a thriving metropolis with a buzzing art, music, food and theatre scene. Surrounded by mountains, it isn’t too hard on the eyes either.
It’s been voted as one of the best cities to live in the world. Not exactly unknown, the city does tend to lose out to the hordes that prefer the shinier, bigger cities of neighbouring United States...
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One of the seven wonders of the world, this one is a definite bucket list item for many. T rekking up to the Inca ruins, is a much-awaited highpoint to those travelling to the continent, and with Peru on their itinerary. An early morning climb is strongly recommended to witness the sun creeping over the sprawling ruins.
One of the seven wonders of the world, this one is a definite bucket list item for many. T rekking up to the Inca ruins, is a much-awaited highpoint to those travelling to the continent, and with Per..
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A self-drive tour through New Zealand, taking in the abundant natural beauty. Enough said. Here’s a tip to top that. Spend a couple of days at the Aoraki/Mount Cook alpine village. Spend time in the shadow of New Zealand’s highest mountain, boating on the glacier lakes, walking around, taking off on hikes and generally pausing to breathe.
A self-drive tour through New Zealand, taking in the abundant natural beauty. Enough said. Here’s a tip to top that. Spend a couple of days at the Aoraki/Mount Cook alpine village. Spend time in the ..
