GOT Weekend in Ireland - part 1
With the Game of Thrones series ending this year, it felt like it was a good time to visit Ireland, not only to see the filming locations, but to explore the country. We had decided to go for a long weekend in Belfast and Dublin.
We had chosen to stay in Belfast as most of Game of Thrones was filmed in Northern Ireland and I had heard that the Antrim Coast is spectacular. As part of our trip, we did a Game of Thrones day tour where we went to the key filming locations, the Giants Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge.
Belfast
St. Anne's Cathedral
We were greeted by Bob, a volunteer at the Cathedral who gave us an introduction to the cathedral. He was extremely friendly and welcoming and he even gave us some tips on places to visit in the city. It was the perfect start to our trip. We collected our audio guides and made our way around the Cathedral. Built in 1899, the cathedral has been standing for over 100 years as a place of Christian worship. Inside you will find the beautiful 40m stainless steel Spire of Hope, mosaics, sculptures and stained glass windows.
Albert Memorial Clock
One of the most recognisable landmarks in Belfast, the Albert Memorial Clock was completed in 1869 in memory of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. The monument is sometimes referred to as Belfast's leaning tower of Pisa because of its tilt. The monument was constructed on reclaimed land on the River Farset. The architecture is a mixture of French and Italian gothic style with a statue of Prince Albert, carved crowned lions, angels, gargoyles and floral decorations.
To mark the final series of Game of Thrones, a stained glass window/art trail "Glass of Thrones" had been installed around the city. Each window highlights a key house and scenes from the show.
House Baratheon
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| (Lagan Weir bridge) |
The Big Fish
The Salmon of Knowledge is a 10 metre, giant ceramic salmon sculpture commissioned to celebrate the regeneration of the River Lagan. Take a closer look and you will see its scales are blue ceramic tiles that depict scenes from the city's industrial history. People believe that if you kiss the fish, you will gain its wisdom - I'll leave that one for you to decide.
House of Targaryen
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| (Outside The Odyssey, Belfast) |
Titanic Museum
The Titanic museum is a visitor experience which tells the story of RMS Titanic and the maritime heritage of the city. Located on the site of the former Harland and Wolff shipyard where the RMS Titanic was built, the exhibition provides an insight into the cities industry starting with the linen industry, Harland & Wolff to the construction of the Titanic.As one of the most popular attractions in Belfast, it was extremely busy and we were recommended to book tickets online. There are ticket machines in the building where you can book a time slot.
I would recommend purchasing the audio guide because it was difficult to get up close to read the exhibits due to the amount of people there.
White Walker Window
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| (Outside SS Nomadic) |
HMS Caroline
HMS Caroline was the last surviving ship from the Battle of Jutland in World War One. The ship has been restored and is now a museum. You can step aboard and explore the cabins and deck areas to find out more about life out at see and the history of the ship. The self-guided tour means you can walk around at your own pace. There were lots of fascinating and interactive exhibits which would make it a great place for families to visit. At one point, we were trying to decipher and learn morse code!
Iron Throne Window
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| (Outside Titanic Slipway) |
C.S Lewis Square
This public space is dedicated to the author CS Lewis who was born in Belfast. As you walk around, you will see seven bronze sculptures of characters from the Chronicles of Narnia. Featuring Aslan, Maugrim, Mr & Mrs Beaver, Mr Tumnus, The White Witch, The Searcher and The Stone Table. If you are short on time, I would skip this attraction as it was small and there wasn't much else around.
House of Stark
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| (Outside Belfast City Hall) |
House of Lannisters
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| (Outside ICC Belfast) |
Game of Thrones weekend continues in part 2, when we go on a day trip to the key filming locations. Get ready for some breathtaking views of Ireland.
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