If a wintertime trip to explore the real Westeros is calling your name, go for it – and make sure to head first to Winterfell, the place where HBO’s blockbusting medieval fantasy all began.

The ancestral home of House Stark, in real life Castle Ward in County Down, is where ‘Winter is Coming’, the phrase forever tied to the series, resonates most.

Beginning with the first episode of the first season of the TV epic, the eighteenth-century castle was used extensively for the filming of the series. Located just 40 minutes from Belfast on the shores of Strangford Lough, this gorgeous National Trust property has 20 ‘Thrones’ locations on site and is rich in experiences related to the show.

Replica of the Winterfell Archery Range is masterfully recreated in the castle courtyard on the very same spot that the filming took place. You can dress up in ‘Throne’s costume, step into the movie set, shoot some arrows and stand where the characters Jon Snow and Robb and Bran Stark stood.

Other Winterfell experiences include encounters with the real-life ‘direwolves’ that appeared in the show, medieval feasts, glamping, location cycle tours, axe throwing, a ‘Narrow Sea’ boat tour and more.

Among the 26 different filming locations around Northern Ireland it is easy to re-live key scenes and imagine dragons soaring overhead, White Walkers roaming the forests and direwolves howling in the night.

On a winter’s day these locations take on an elemental beauty, and it will be well worth sightseeing at the likes of the spectacular Causeway Coast, where the beautiful Downhill Beach stood in for Dragonstone, Cushendun Caves became Melisandra’s Cave and the brooding Dark Hedges became the Kingsroad.

Getaway in the Seven Kingdoms can also be filled with an array of Game of Thrones® thrills, including coach, taxi, walking and helicopter tours, many led by locals who have worked as actors, extras and crew on the show and who can share great behind-the-scenes stories.

In Belfast, you can challenge yourself to a Game of Thrones® inspired escape room or grab a selfie at the giant installations of the Glass of Thrones fan trail around the city.

You can also take a journey around the Doors of Thrones that hang in pubs, restaurants and hotels across Northern Ireland, collecting a unique stamp at each location with a Journey of Doors passport.

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