TOP GAME OF THRONES TRAVEL LOCATIONS YOU CAN VISIT
Game of Thrones became a global phenomenon, capturing the imagination of viewers around the world.
The final episode attracted 19.3m viewers in less than 24 hours, according to an article by Vulture, splitting fan opinion. Controversially, a petition was raised for them to remake what some felt was a rushed finish, whilst others just appreciated the story arcs all being brought to a neat conclusion.
Once the show finished, fans were left hungry for more. That saw a huge amount of spin-off media, with a TV show suggested as well as other avenues explored. The franchise expanded to non-traditional gaming platforms as well with a dedicated slot game on Foxy Games titled Game of Thrones 243 Ways, as well as a range of titles inspired by the series including Forbidden Throne and Warrior Goddess. All of these iterations brought the HBO series to new audiences and only went on to magnify its brilliance further.
As well as alternative forms of media, the show spawned a travel boom in locations used around the world. Fans, desperate to cling to any remnants of the show, have hunted out their favourite Westeros locations and made a pilgrimage, something you can also now do with our handy guide.
The Royal Palace of Dorne / Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
Dorne played host to one of Game of Thrones intriguing sub-plots in which, without offering too many spoilers, the King Slayer Jamie Lannister travels to in order to prove his worth to his sister Cersei. With its fabulous water gardens and stunning architecture, it is the southernmost of the fictional seven kingdoms.
In real life, it is a wonderful palace in Seville, built for the Christian king Peter of Castille. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is handily located near the Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies making it easy to take in as part of a wider tourist visit of the city.
King’s Landing / Dubrovnik
The streets of Dubrovnik doubled as those of King’s Landing, the capital of Westeros and the scene of some of the series most dramatic political struggles. From the Stark’s early visit in Series One to Jon Snow’s arrival in the last episodes, it became as recognisable as Westeros as it is the beautiful Croatian city.
In 2018, the Mayor of Dubrovnik told CNN he felt the city was too overcrowded thanks to tourism from the show and that it needed to control the number of visitors.
Winterfell / Doune Castle
Home to the Stark family, the one-time ‘Kings of the North’, Winterfell is in the northern part of Westeros and draws some huge comparisons with its real-life location. The sparse landscape coupled with the early onset of winter seems to conjure up images of Northern Scotland.
The setting for Winterfell was Doune Castle, a medieval stronghold near the village of Doune, in central Scotland. If you’re visiting, it’s also worth noting that much of Monty Python and the Holy Grail was also filmed here back in 1974.
North of The Wall / Vatnajokull, Iceland
Home of the Wildlings and origin of the terrifying White Walkers, the area north of the wall was a cold, sparse landscape where many ‘crows’ from the Night’s Watch met their death. In real life, the true beauty of the location comes without the constant threat of danger. Many locations in Iceland were used in filming, including Lake Myvatn, Grjótagjá Cave and Thingvellir.
Vatnajokull is the largest and most voluminous ice cap in the country, but beware when hoping to find the exact location of filming as it covers 8% of the country.
