In Belfast Itself
Game of Thrones in Belfast city: free walks, doors, the Tapestry
Belfast itself has more Game of Thrones content than most cities have for any single show. Most of it is free, walkable from the Cathedral Quarter, and pairs naturally with a Studio Tour day or a Causeway Coast tour day. This page covers the Glass of Thrones stained-glass trail, the ten-stop Doors of Thrones passport, the Game of Thrones Tapestry at the Ulster Museum (with an important caveat), and where to shop for officially licensed replica pieces.
Glass of Thrones
The free 1.5-mile Glass of Thrones walking trail
Six monumental stained-glass windows along the Maritime Mile in the Titanic Quarter, designed by artisan illustrators and stained-glass artist Debra Wenlock. Each window represents a major house or faction. The trail runs about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the AC Hotel by Marriott (City Quays) to HMS Caroline at the Alexandra Dock. Self-guided, free, accessible 24/7. Allow about 30 minutes at a brisk pace, longer if you stop for photos.
The windows were originally a 2019 Tourism Ireland campaign and were permanently gifted to Maritime Belfast Trust in 2025, so they are now a fixed feature of the Belfast waterfront.
The six windows in order
- House Stark — AC Hotel by Marriott (start).
- House Baratheon — Lagan Weir.
- House Targaryen — Odyssey Pavilion.
- The White Walkers — SS Nomadic.
- The Iron Throne — Titanic Slipway, with a built-in stone "throne" seat for selfies. This window sits directly opposite the working Titanic Studios where the show was filmed.
- House Lannister — HMS Caroline (end).
Game of Thrones Tours and a few other operators run guided versions of the trail led by former show extras — useful if you want commentary, optional otherwise.
Doors of Thrones
The Journey of Doors passport: 10 carved doors across Northern Ireland
After Storm Gertrude felled several beech trees at the Dark Hedges in January 2016, Tourism Ireland salvaged the wood and commissioned ten intricately carved doors — one for each episode of Season 6. The campaign won three Cannes Lions and over 30 industry awards.
The doors are mounted at pubs, hotels, and restaurants near filming locations. Tourism NI publishes a free Journey of Doors Passport, which you can pick up at any of the door venues or download from discovernorthernireland.com/gameofthronesdoors. Ask staff at each location for a stamp — they are used to it and the stamps are unique to each venue. Many of the doors' venues were watering holes for the actual cast and crew during filming.
| # | Venue | Town / County | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cuan Guesthouse | Strangford, Co. Down (near Castle Ward) | House Stark / Winterfell |
| 2 | Fiddler's Green | Portaferry, Co. Down | Castle Ward / Winterfell |
| 3 | Percy French Restaurant, Slieve Donard Resort | Newcastle, Co. Down | Battle of the Bastards; Jon Snow's parentage |
| 4 | Blakes of the Hollow | Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh (near Pollnagollum) | Targaryens and Arryns |
| 5 | Owen's Bar | Limavady, Co. Londonderry | The Night King and White Walkers |
| 6 | Fullerton Arms | Ballintoy, Co. Antrim | Drogon and the Dothraki (custom Iron Throne on site) |
| 7 | Mary McBride's | Cushendun, Co. Antrim | Cushendun Caves |
| 8 | Gracehill House | Ballymoney, Co. Antrim (at the Dark Hedges) | The Kingsroad |
| 9 | Ballygally Castle Hotel | Ballygally, Co. Antrim | House Stark vs House Bolton |
| 10 | The Dark Horse pub | Hill Street, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast | State of Westeros end of S6; Jon Snow's parentage. Closed Sundays. |
How to plan it. Three to five doors are realistically collectable on a single Antrim coastal day (#6, #7, #8, #9 plus #10 in Belfast itself). The full ten takes 2 to 3 days of dedicated driving across all six counties of Northern Ireland. The passports themselves have become collectible — some completed ones have sold online.
Ulster Museum
The Game of Thrones Tapestry: an important caveat
The Game of Thrones Tapestry is an 87-metre-long, hand-woven, hand-embroidered linen tapestry modelled on the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting every episode across all eight seasons. Linen for the tapestry was supplied by Thomas Ferguson & Co. of Banbridge, the last damask weaver in Ireland.
Important: as of late 2025 the Tapestry has been rolled and placed in climate-controlled storage at the Ulster Museum after five public displays since 2017. It is not currently on permanent view. The museum has indicated it may return for future public runs, but do not build a Belfast itinerary around seeing it without confirming current display status with the Ulster Museum directly. Entry to the museum is free regardless.
The Ulster Museum sits in the Botanic Gardens in the Queen's Quarter, about 10 minutes south of the city centre on the bus or 30 minutes on foot via Great Victoria Street.
Souvenirs
Where to shop for Game of Thrones pieces in Belfast
- Steensons Jewellers, city centre. The Belfast jewellers crafted much of the show's jewellery, including the Hand of the King badge worn by Tyrion Lannister and Tywin Lannister. They sell official replica pieces; most are mid-range price points (sterling silver and bronze), with higher-end gold variants available.
- Studio Tour retail store, Linen Mill Studios, Banbridge. The world's largest officially licensed Game of Thrones retail outlet. House merchandise, prop replicas, art books, costumes, stationery. Accessible with or without a tour ticket.
- Thomas Ferguson & Co., Banbridge. The last damask weaver in Ireland and the supplier of the Tapestry's linen. They sell linen-yarn items that are uniquely Northern Irish mementos, sold through their factory shop.
- Doors of Thrones venues. Several — particularly the Hastings Hotels properties (Slieve Donard, Ballygally Castle, Culloden) — sell themed merchandise including the "Duck of Thrones" rubber duck.
- St George's Market, Belfast city centre. Saturday and Sunday markets often have local artists with Game of Thrones pieces; stock varies week to week.
Where to Stay
Belfast hotels for Game of Thrones visitors
City centre and Cathedral Quarter
Best for first-timers. Within walking distance of Door of Thrones #10 (Dark Horse), the Glass of Thrones trail starting point, and most coach tour pickup points. Hotels include Bullitt, the Merchant Hotel (luxury), the Europa, AC Hotel by Marriott (which is itself the start of the Glass of Thrones trail), the Leonardo Hotel (a major coach tour pickup), Premier Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Maldron Belfast City.
Titanic Quarter
The Titanic Hotel Belfast (in the original Harland & Wolff drawing offices) and the AC Hotel sit on the Maritime Mile within walking distance of every Glass of Thrones window and the Titanic Studios exterior. Best if photographing all six trail windows is a priority.
Themed stays outside the city
- The Cuan Guesthouse, Strangford, Co. Down. Door of Thrones #1 and full Winterfell theming. The cast actually stayed here during Season 1 filming. Winterfell Banquet & Breakfast packages available.
- Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, Newcastle, Co. Down. Door of Thrones #3 (Percy French Restaurant). Right by Tollymore Forest and the Mourne Mountains.
- Ballygally Castle Hotel, Ballygally, Co. Antrim. Door of Thrones #9 (Garden Restaurant). Full Game of Thrones theming throughout the property.
Quieter options south of the river
South Belfast / Botanic / Queen's Quarter is quieter, near the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens. Tara Lodge, Malone Lodge, the Wellington Park, and Crescent Townhouse are all walkable to the museum.
Practical Notes
Currency, weather, and other small things worth knowing
- Currency. Northern Ireland uses pound sterling (£), not the euro. ATMs are widely available; major cards work everywhere. Northern Irish-issued banknotes are legal tender across the UK but are occasionally refused in mainland England — change them before flying home if your trip continues to London or elsewhere in England.
- Weather. Wet, cool, and changeable year-round. Pack layers, a waterproof shell, and shoes you do not mind getting muddy. Coastal filming locations (Ballintoy, Murlough Bay, Cushendun, Mussenden, Binevenagh) are exposed to Atlantic wind even in mid-summer.
- Visas. US, EU, UK, Canadian, Australian, and Japanese passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist stays.
- Children on tours. The Studio Tour welcomes families with kids' tickets from ~$6. Most coach tour operators have age limits: Game of Thrones Tours does not allow under-14s on the coach (metal props are used); Brit Movie Tours requires under-12s to be accompanied. The Causeway Coast and Winterfell day tours we feature are similar — check the booking page for the operator's specific age policy before you book a family trip.
- Belfast safety. Belfast is a very safe modern European city. The Troubles murals tour exists alongside the Game of Thrones scene; visitors should still be politely aware that the 12th of July marching season can be tense in some neighbourhoods.
- Airports. Belfast has two: Belfast International (BFS) and George Best Belfast City (BHD). Both have direct connections across the UK and Ireland and many short-haul European routes.
Pair with a Tour
Belfast city for half a day, then a coach tour for the locations
The Glass of Thrones trail and a couple of doors fill an easy half-day. Pair with one of the featured tours to cover the outdoor filming geography.
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