Visit the Game of Thrones Studio Tour

Are you a fan of the series Game of Thrones? If so, visiting the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Banbridge, near the filming locations in Ireland, is a fantastic day trip from Dublin or Belfast. We toured the GoT Studios as part of our Northern Ireland and Ireland road trip.

I was eager to go behind the scenes of the series that has captivated me for years. The original sets, elaborate costumes, and impressive special effects create unforgettable moments-not just for hardcore fans. In this post, I share my personal impressions and provide you with all the important information for your own visit.

The Studio Tour is located in the Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge-a real filming location for the series. Many iconic scenes were filmed here, including moments from Winterfell, Dragonstone, and King's Landing. After filming ended, the studio was transformed into an interactive exhibition in close cooperation with HBO.

What can you expect? You can dive into the world of Westeros and move through original sets, examine masks and costumes up close, admire props, and learn how the series' special effects were created in interactive exhibitions. Unlike the Titanic Studios in Belfast, which are not accessible to visitors, here you can really immerse yourself-literally right in the set.

Note: If you are not traveling by car, don't panic. There are numerous tours offered as day trips from Dublin and Belfast. I like to book these kinds of tours with the provider GetYourGuide, as the website is available in English and allows cancellations or rescheduling up to 24 hours before the tour.

The Linen Mill Studios are located in Banbridge, County Down, about 25 miles southwest of Belfast and around 80 miles from Dublin. Not in Belfast itself, as many might believe. The studio in Belfast at the Titanic Museum is not open for visits.

For a day trip from Belfast or Dublin, the Studio Tour is ideal-whether you are traveling in Northern Ireland or the south.

Important to know: You cannot park directly at the studio. All visitors must use the official parking lot at The Boulevard shopping center in Banbridge. From there, a free shuttle bus takes you directly to the entrance. The bus runs regularly during opening hours and is well-organized.

If you don't have a rental car or prefer to take an organized tour, you can also book a day trip from Dublin or Belfast. I like to book such trips through GetYourGuide because the booking is in English, and I can cancel flexibly up to 24 hours in advance.

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour is open daily, but the hours vary by season. Currently, you can visit the exhibition from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, with the last entry at 3:00 PM. This is important to note-because if you arrive too late, you'll have too little time to truly enjoy the tour.

My tip: Plan to visit in the morning or early afternoon so you have enough time to explore everything at a leisurely pace-especially if you want to use the audio guide. Check the current times beforehand on the official website, as they can change seasonally.

Children under 5 years old are free, but must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Note: This article is regularly updated. As prices and opening hours often change, you should check the linked websites for current information. I appreciate a message if anything has changed, so I can update this post.

There are no guided tours at the Game of Thrones Studio. The tour itself is self-guided, allowing you to explore at your own pace. For additional information, there's an audio guide (not included in the admission price). It costs $4.95 to rent on-site. Alternatively, you can download it as an in-app purchase for $5.99 via the official Game of Thrones Studio Tour App.

The app is available in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin. I used the audio guide and found it fantastic-it provides many interesting additional facts, especially if you don't want to read all the English signs.

Tip: If you use the app, remember to bring headphones and a charged battery, as rental devices are limited on-site.

I didn't know that I could have done the tour with my own headphones via the app. I ended up carrying a lot, and the rental headphones were quite uncomfortable and kept slipping off.

From Belfast:

From Dublin:

These combination tickets include both entry to the Studio Tour and round-trip transportation. Prices may vary slightly depending on the exchange rate. It's best to check the current prices directly on the official website or from providers such as GetYourGuide.

When booking with Get Your Guide (my favorite), you can cancel your tickets up to 24 hours before the activity.

The Game of Thrones Studio Tour is not a quick walkthrough but an experience best enjoyed without time pressure. Officially, a visit duration of 2 to 3 hours is recommended-and that is realistic if you want to view everything at a comfortable pace.

We spent about 3 hours in the studios, but we could have easily stayed twice as long. There are so many details to discover, so many information boards to read (or listen to via the audio guide), and countless photo opportunities that time flies.

However, I must honestly say that at some point, it became overwhelming. The exhibition is incredibly informative, visually impressive, and packed with content-I simply felt 'full' after a while. If you're like me, my tip is to take conscious breaks, sit down on one of the many seating areas, or briefly visit the shop or café. This way, you can process what you've experienced better.

If you are a GoT fan, plan for more time than less-and if you want to explore at a leisurely pace or are using the audio guide, 3-4 hours is ideal.

Even the entrance to the exhibition is an experience: After a short intro film, the door opens-and you step through fog right into the face of the Night King. Pure goosebumps! This first moment sets the tone for the rest of the tour: dark, epic, and impressively staged.

Whether you are a die-hard GoT fan or just a film enthusiast, the exhibition made me marvel at many moments. I was particularly impressed by how many original props, costumes, and sets are actually set up on-site. There's no comparison to a classic exhibition behind glass: you stand in the middle of the sets, walk through rooms you know from the series, and can discover many details up close.

Some of my personal highlights included:

Additionally, you gain deep insights into the creation of the series: from storyboard sketches to special effects to digital post-production-everything is presented in an easily understandable way. You can hold swords, try on costumes at virtual stations, and immerse yourself in scenes using green screen technology.

I found it particularly impressive how immersive the whole exhibition is. You don't feel like you are in a museum, but more like on a real film set. Everything is built with great attention to detail-and you can sense the huge amount of passion and effort that went into the series.

To ensure your visit to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour goes smoothly, I have put together some helpful tips here based on my own experience on-site:

There are no parking spaces directly at the studio. You park for free at The Boulevard shopping center in Banbridge. From there, a free shuttle bus regularly takes you to the entrance of the Studio Tour. The shuttle runs reliably and is well-organized-you won't have to wait long.

If you are traveling without your own car, you can also book an organized tour from Dublin or Belfast. I like to book such day trips with GetYourGuide because their site is in English, and I can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours in advance.

The studios are covered and air-conditioned-so you don't have to prepare for Irish rainy weather. However, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, as you will be standing and walking a lot. If you use the audio guide via the app, remember to bring headphones and sufficient battery.

There is a small café offering snacks and drinks at the exit area of the tour. The selection is not huge, but it's sufficient for a break in between. We opted not to stop (but we had my campervan with us).

At the end of the tour, you automatically walk through the fan shop, which is really well done-with high-quality replicas, t-shirts, posters, and exclusive merchandise. Prices are not cheap, but there are great souvenirs.

The exhibition is wheelchair accessible. There are elevators and wide paths, making it easy for wheelchair users or families with strollers to get around. The shuttle bus is also accessible.

If you are a fan of the series, then visiting the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Banbridge is an absolute highlight-for me, it was even one of the best experiences on our Northern Ireland road trip. The quality of the exhibition, the original sets, and the interactive design truly impressed me.

What I particularly liked was how close you can get to the series: you stand right in the middle of Winterfell, see the Iron Throne up close, and gain insights into how complex and elaborate the filming was.

Plan enough time, use the audio guide (it's worth it!), and don't go too late so you can leisurely explore the studios. I would do the tour again anytime-and next time, I will likely enjoy it even more intensely.

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