Set-Jetting Through Ireland: A Viewer’s Guide to Travel
You’ve been watching movies and dreaming of Ireland your entire life—and you didn’t even know it. Here are three iconic Irish sites and the films they starred in.
Have you ever seen the Cliffs of Insanity in The Princess Bride or watched the iconic ball scene in Ella Enchanted and thought, “wait...I need to be there!” Good news, you can be. Better news, both were filmed in Ireland—just like many more.
Welcome to set-jetting, aka traveling to real-life places where your favorite TV shows and movies were shot. Ireland is top tier set-jetting gold, from castles to rolling hills to windswept islands, Ireland is where you can literally walk in the footsteps of icons like Anne Hathaway, Amy Adams, and, yes, Harry Potter.
Powerscourt Estate: Ella Enchanted
Located in County Wicklow (aka the “Garden of Ireland”), Powerscourt Estate is where Anne Hathaway’s twirled around in her iconic ball gown as Ella. Remember that ballroom scene where she dances with Prince Char in a literal fairytale palace? That was filmed inside Powerscourt Manor. The estate's Italian gardens, trickling fountains, and sweeping mountain views were the dreamy backdrop to Ella’s magical journey. Today, you can tour the grand halls, wander through gorgeous gardens, and even grab a coffee at the cafe. You’ll have to pack your own “I <3 Char” pins, though.
Cliffs of Moher: The Princess Bride and Harry Potter
The Cliffs of Moher, looming 700-feet over the Atlantic coast, are pure cinematic drama. In The Princess Bride, these were the famous Cliffs of Insanity—you know, the ones Westley scales while Vizzini yells nonsense and Buttercup watches in terror. Iconic. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the cave holding the Horcrux is the same one that’s hidden deep beneath these cliffs. In real life, you can follow the cliff walk, take in panoramic ocean views, and feel the same wind that these characters felt.
Aran Islands: Leap Year
If you’re a longtime romcom lover, you’ll want to visit the Aran Islands, where Leap Year was filmed. When Amy Adams’s character gets stranded en route to Dublin, she ends up in Inishmore, the largest of the islands. Full of sheep-filled roads, stormy cliffs, and the world’s most ruggedly-charming innkeeper. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee an innkeeper of your own, but hey, there’s always a chance. The pub scenes? Real spots you can visit. The wild coastline where they almost fall off the cliff? That’s Dún Aonghasa, an ancient stone fort you can still explore today. Rent a bike, follow winding stone paths, and keep an open heart on the Aran Islands.
Sometimes your “main-character moment” can literally BE a main-character moment. Because Ireland isn’t just a destination, it’s movie magic come to life.
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