TodayFM: Holidays for Film Buffs
Earlier today, I popped into the Today FM studios to talk about film location holidays on Neil Delamere's Sunday Best. You can listen to the podcast here.
We had plenty to talk about, so I thought I'd put up a little post with some more information about what we covered, as well as some other great spots that might tickle your fancy.
Game of Thrones
I've only seen a few episodes of the show (honestly, I don't think I can watch one more throat-slitting) but there's no denying the locations used in the show are stunning. With the majority of the show shot in Northern Ireland, we have a wealth of gorgeous spots to explore right on our doorstep.You have two options - you can join a tour, or go it alone. Gameofthronestours.com runs day trips from both Belfast and Dublin, exploring plenty of spots from the show. You'll trek around Castle Ward Estate, which is home to nine locations from the series (including much of Winterfell). You'll also hike around Tollymore Forest, where you'll find the brooding and atmospheric spots where bits of bodies are found (and puppies!) The tours cost €55 from Dublin, or £40 from Belfast, and the guides are often extras from the show with some stories of their own to tell.
If you want to go it alone, then visit the dedicated Failte Ireland page or go to the Causeway and Glens site. Both have plenty of info about the sites you can visit and the scenes that were shot there.
The app is amazing - it's worth downloading even if you're not a superfan. You can find it on the Google Play store and iTunes.
Star Wars
Want to head out on your own Star Wars hunt? Check out the Failte Ireland page, which has plenty of information on the locations used. The Moorings is the B&B which housed the production HQ - you can see their package here. Failte Ireland put together a great video about the production, which you can watch below...
Edinburgh International Film Festival
This is running from June 15th - 26th and you can find all the information about the events on their website. There are still some really great deals to be found - flights with Aer Lingus over that period are starting at €25.99 one way, and there's an awesome castle view apartment on Air BnB for €140 a night.New Zealand
Think of movie locations, and doubtless New Zealand will be top of the heap. There's never been a country so synonymous with a movie project (and it was also voted number 1 in a recent HBO poll for holiday destinations made famous by film and TV). Unsurprisingly, you can find an awful lot of information on the New Zealand site, including itineraries, locations and the scoop on Hobbiton.Los Angeles
Hollywood Forever Cemetery is where you'll find the graves of the stars, as well as the movie screenings among the tombstones (yikes). Another great spot is the Margaret Herrick Library - run by the Academy (yes, THE academy), it's home to old movie scripts, test shoots, costumes and more.If you have any questions, do leave me a question in the comments section, or tweet me @nicola_brady.