Westeros may be a fictional world, but you can visit many of the famous locations from the series in reality. For example, King’s Landing sits on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, and Winterfell is an 18th-century castle in Northern Ireland. Here’s a look at some of the popular hot spots in “Game of Thrones” and where they were filmed.
Whether you’re a Game of Thrones fanatic or simply enjoy beautiful locations, this list of destinations is sure to appease.
King’s Landing: Dubrovnik, Croatia
From Season 2-5 the filming of King’s Landing moved to Croatia, specifically Dubrovnik and Lokrum. As a seaside walled city similar to the Westerosi capital, Dubrovnik provided numerous opportunities to film exterior shots as well as the interior shots the crew had been limited to in Mdina.
The surrounding waters were put to good use, providing the setting for the epic Battle of Blackwater, while Fort Lovrijenac became the new Red Keep. Sections of Qarth in the Essos continent were also filmed here, with the Minceta Tower used as the exterior of the House of The Undying.
Braavos: Sibenik, Croatia
The medieval town of Sibenik hit the small screen in the fifth season as Braavos, one of the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea. The Braavosi are a race of sailors and adventurers, and this city is home to the famous Iron Bank, as well as sheltering Arya Stark in her flight from Poniente.
With its walls and its ancient architecture, Sibenik is protected by four fortresses, and you may even come across the fabled ‘House of Black and White’, or the temple of the God of Many Faces.
Royal Palace Of Dorne: Real Alcázar Palace, Seville, Spain
This is the perfect spot to represent the Water Gardens of Dorne. The Alcázar de Sevilla is transformed into the palatial private residence of Martell in the capital, Lanza del Sol, an appropriate place name considering the amount of heat this Andalusian city gets.
Expect to see Doran Martell roaming the lush gardens and private rooms that, five centuries ago were occupied by Catholic Monarchs and, before them, the caliphs who built it.
The Road From King’s Landing: Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
The UK-based GoT fans rejoice! Much of Westeros is located in the not-so-exotic-nor-distant land of Northern Ireland. Given Ireland’s average of 300 rainy or cloudy days a year, many of the filming locations were used to depict Winterfell, the North, and other less sunny parts of the Seven Kingdoms. Winter surely is ‘coming.’
North Of Westeros: Thingvellir, Iceland
Thingvellir National Park is a protected area of exceptional natural beauty and another UNESCO World Heritage site. Aptly enough for the Wildlings and their proto-democracy (sort of), Thingvellir’s plains are where Iceland’s parliament was first founded and continued to assemble, under the open sky, for almost nine centuries.
Long Bridge Of Volantis: The Roman Bridge, Cordoba, Spain
The magnificent Roman bridge in Cordoba became, by the grace of Game of Thrones, the Long Bridge of Volantis. Built by Imperial troops in the first century BC to replace a wooden structure, it has 16 arches and is a whopping 247 meters long.
Scenes were shot for the HBO show with several cameras and a drone, making it look even longer and while you can see it for yourself from either direction, approach from the south for the best view, entering the old city by the mosque.
Pentos: Ouarzazate, Morocco
The Atlas Studios, located in the Moroccan desert just outside of the city of Ouarzazate, are the world’s largest film studios and a major tourist attraction, as many of the film sets are still intact.
Apart from Game of Thrones, many films such as Babel, Gladiator, and Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra were filmed here. If you want to see the studios, you can combine them with Aït-Ben-Haddou on a day trip from Marrakech.
Winterfell: Doune Castle, Scotland
This medieval stronghold in Doune near Stirling was originally built in the thirteenth century and has survived quite unchanged since the fourteenth century, an impressive strategic site at the crossroads of Scotland.
Doune Castle can be seen in several films and series such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the classic adaptation of Ivanhoe with Elizabeth Taylor, as well as the very first appearance of Winterfell in the pilot episode for Game of Thrones.
Daenery’s And Dragos Wedding: Azure Window, Malta
Daenerys Targaryen and her ill-fated brother Viserys, meanwhile, were supposed to be across the Narrow Sea in Pentos but in fact filmed their early scenes in a beautiful corner of Malta.
One of Malta’s most spectacular natural monuments, the limestone archway is known as the Azure Window, loomed over Daenerys’ wedding to beefy horseman Khal Drogo.
Meereen: Kliss Fortress, Croatia
The medieval Klis Fortress overlooks Klis village near Spilt and is one of the places where Daenerys plans her return to power. It’s not on screen for long, but this once royal castle on the hillside is definitely worth the climb to see Split from above.