Did you enjoy The Vikings series on Netflix? Or what about Vikings: Valhalla? The sword-swinging, globe-trotting adventures are starting up again this month with the first episode airing on 12 January.

Vikings: Valhalla season 2 brings more epic exploits of history’s most famous Viking explorer. Leif Eriksson is played by Sam Corlett. His strong-willed sister Freydis Eirksdottir is brought to life by Frida Gustavsson. In addition, Leo Suter portrays the ambitious prince of Norway, Harald Sigurdsson.

Season 2 opens after the tragic fall of Kattegat, and the three protagonists find themselves fugitives in their homelands of Scandinavia. With shattered dreams and altered destinies, they are forced to explore their courage and ambitions beyond their familiar fjords. Vikings are famous for their longships and adventuring spirit. This series will see these put to the test.

While the stories have been set in Scandinavia, the production team have already been wandering around Europe. Vikings: Valhalla, just like the previous series, was shot in Wicklow, Ireland and not in the Nordic regions at all. There are filming locations across Wicklow, including Lough Tay, Blessington Lakes, Powerscourt Waterfall and the Wicklow Coast. In addition, much of the action was shot at Ashford studios in Wicklow.

The Emerald Isle might not be blessed with the towering peaks of Scandinavia but the open spaces, enhanced with a dollop of CGI, offered the perfect setting for the production team to recreate the Viking drama. If you fancy visiting some of the locations, they are a short hop across the Irish sea. You can combine Viking history with Irish hospitality and a good dose of the famous craic.

The locations are mostly less than an hour away from Dublin, so you will never be too far from Ireland’s colourful capital and famous bars. And while you are planning your trip online, you can indulge in some Viking gameplay. The official Vikings online slot from NetEnt is based on the TV and, according to online slot reviews, has an epic soundtrack, cinematic graphics, and visuals.

The Kattegat we see on screen is on a fjord in Southern Norway. The actual location of the settlement of Lough Tay. The village was built on the shoreline and then moved to the indoor studios in Ballyhenry. Digital editing added snow, ice and some higher mountain peaks. Situated in Guiness-owned Luggula Estate, Lough Tay is surrounded by rugged scenery.

The scenes featuring the Norsemen in their longboats were mostly shot on the artificial lakes at Blessington, County Wicklow. They cover an area of over 500 acres and were formed fifty years ago. Other scenes were shot at nearly Lough Dan.

The 400-foot Powerscourt Waterfall is also well worth a visit. It is situated within the Powerscourt estate in County Wicklow. The gardens cover 47 acres and can trace their history back to the 13th century. The falls were the backdrop to the introduction of Ragnar’s future wife, Aslaug.

If you want to travel outside of Wicklow, Nun’s beach in Co. Kerry was the location for the Northumberland scenes. Set alongside Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way; this is a stunning place to visit. Nun’s beach is below an ancient convent, and the inhabitants are said to have bathed on the shore here – hence the name. Unfortunately, it is only accessible by a very steep coastal path or, alternatively, by boat.

Following the show’s footsteps to the River Seine, you might expect to find yourself in Paris. However, the river that the Vikings navigated down in Season 4 was the Boyne River in County Meath. Other scenes were filmed by the walls of Slane Castle, which is nearby. The Paris skyline was added later with CGI.

Ireland was not only a filming location for the Vikings series, however. The Vikings established Dublin, Wexford, Cork and Limerick as trading points to Europe and beyond. While in Ireland, you can visit plenty of real Viking sites, as well as the film locations.