Game of Thrones Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit: A Travel Guide

For years, Game of Thrones was basically the fantasy equivalent of a blockbuster film—it created entire worlds that felt impossibly distant from our own reality. But here’s the secret that the show’s dedicated producers hid in plain sight: most of it was filmed in real places. Not sets, not green screens, but actual locations across Europe that you can visit today. If you’re someone who watched Daenerys command armies and thought “I want to stand where that happened,” or you saw the brooding atmosphere of the North and wondered where exactly that was filmed, you’re in luck. Game of Thrones effectively turned several countries into pilgrimage sites for fans. Let’s explore the real-world locations that brought Westeros to life.

Northern Ireland: The Heart of the North

Northern Ireland is, without question, the absolute epicenter of Game of Thrones filming locations. The show’s production company used the region as its primary base for eight seasons, and the results transformed a whole country into a tourist destination for fantasy lovers. When you watch the misty, brooding scenes of the North—Winterfell’s approach, the forests beyond the Wall, the haunting landscapes of Beyond the Wall—you’re essentially looking at Northern Ireland’s natural landscape.

The most iconic location is Dunluce Castle, perched dramatically on the edge of the Antrim Coast. This isn’t a Game of Thrones set; it’s an actual medieval castle that’s over 400 years old, and it appears throughout the show as various castles and locations. The castle sits right on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and standing there, you genuinely understand why the production designers chose it. The atmosphere is inherently dramatic, inherently medieval, and inherently intimidating.

Then there’s the Dark Hedges, a tree-lined avenue in County Antrim that’s probably one of the most recognizable Game of Thrones locations among fans. This tunnel of ancient beech trees, planted in the eighteenth century, was used to film scenes of various characters traveling through the realm. When you walk through the Dark Hedges, you’re walking through one of the show’s most memorable visual elements. The naturally gloomy atmosphere and the way the branches intertwine overhead creates an almost otherworldly feeling.

Ballintoy Harbour, a small fishing village in County Antrim, served as the location for multiple ports and coastal settlements throughout the series. The harbor’s authentic Irish charm and historical feel made it perfect for depicting various locations in the Seven Kingdoms. You can still visit the harbor, explore the actual buildings that appeared on screen, and imagine the various scenes that were filmed there.

Castle Ward, a real eighteenth-century manor in County Down, was the primary location used for Winterfell. While Winterfell’s courtyard and interiors were built on soundstages, the exterior shots and many of the establishing scenes were filmed here. You can actually tour Castle Ward, walk the grounds where Jon Snow trained soldiers, and see the exact locations where major Winterfell scenes took place.

The Cushendun Caves, also in County Antrim, were used for the memorable scene where Davos Seaworth witnesses the Red Woman give birth to the shadow demon. These sea caves look genuinely otherworldly, with towering rock formations and a mystical atmosphere that made them perfect for one of the show’s more supernatural moments.

Croatia: The Opulence of the South

If Northern Ireland is the North, then Croatia is unquestionably the South. While the show used Northern Ireland for its brooding, wilderness locations, it used the stunning Mediterranean coastline of Croatia for the opulent, sophisticated, and often dangerous southern kingdoms. The Croatian locations feel completely different from Northern Ireland, and that contrast is exactly what the show’s producers were going for.

Dubrovnik is the crown jewel of Game of Thrones Croatia tourism. The walled medieval city appears throughout the series as King’s Landing, the capital of the Six Kingdoms. The moment you walk through the Pile Gate and into the Old Town, you recognize the narrow cobblestone streets, the red-tiled roofs, and the imposing walls. This isn’t a vague resemblance; this is legitimately King’s Landing. Scenes from the Great Sept explosion, the walk of atonement, and countless other King’s Landing moments were filmed here.

The Red Keep, often shown with its impressive exterior, was actually represented by the Fort Lovrijenac, a fortress that sits on a cliff overlooking Dubrovnik. This sixteenth-century fortress provided the imposing military architecture that made the Red Keep feel like an actual seat of power. You can walk up to the fortress, stand where the show’s cameras stood, and get a genuine sense of the intimidating architecture that loomed over King’s Landing’s politics.

Split, another Croatian city, was used as a filming location for various exterior shots and served as the setting for some of the more exotic locations in the show. The Diocletian’s Palace, a Roman palace that’s nearly 1,700 years old, provided authentic ancient architecture that suited the show’s aesthetic perfectly.

The Dalmatian coast beyond the main cities was used extensively for various scenes set in different locations throughout the southern kingdoms. The combination of Mediterranean sea, limestone cliffs, and small medieval towns created the perfect backdrop for depicting the wealthier, more sophisticated regions of Westeros.

Spain: Dorne’s Sunburned Landscape

Dorne is depicted in the show as a hot, arid, exotic region with a completely different culture from the rest of Westeros. That aesthetic required a different landscape than either Northern Ireland or Croatia, so the production designers turned to Spain. Specifically, they used the Andalusia region in southern Spain, which offered the dry, desert-like landscape that Dorne required.

Alhambra, the palace in Granada, provided some of the architectural inspiration for Dorne’s aesthetic, though it wasn’t used for filming in the same way that other locations were. However, the general landscape and architectural style of Granada and the surrounding region appeared in various Dorne scenes, particularly in Season 5, when the show started introducing the kingdom more heavily.

The fortress of Osuna was used as the location for various Dornish scenes, and the town itself, with its white buildings and narrow streets, provided the perfect atmosphere for depicting Dorne’s more exotic culture. The contrast between this Spanish location and the cold, misty landscapes of Northern Ireland is stark, and it’s exactly what the show was looking for.

The landscape of Almería, in southeastern Spain, was used for various outdoor scenes depicting Dorne and other southern locations. The red earth and sparse vegetation of the region provided a completely different visual palette from the rest of the filming locations, making it immediately obvious to viewers that we’ve entered a different part of the world.

Iceland: The Desolation Beyond the Wall

Beyond the Wall, where the wildlings and the White Walkers roam, requires a landscape that feels genuinely alien and inhospitable. That meant going to Iceland. The volcanic landscape, the glaciers, the geysers, and the general otherworldly aesthetic of Iceland made it perfect for depicting the supernatural and dangerous lands north of civilization.

Skaftafell, a glacier in southeastern Iceland, was used for various scenes set in the frozen North beyond the Wall. The immense glacier provided an actual sense of the scale and the danger of the lands Jon Snow and his Free Folk allies were traversing. Standing on a glacier where Game of Thrones was filmed is an legitimately awe-inspiring experience.

Krafla, an active volcanic area in northern Iceland, was used for scenes set beyond the Wall as well. The otherworldly landscape of steam vents, hot springs, and volcanic terrain created an atmosphere that felt genuinely dangerous and supernatural, perfect for the show’s more fantastical moments.

Mývatn, another geothermal area in Iceland, provided various landscapes for beyond-the-Wall scenes. The alien terrain, with its lava fields and geothermal features, helped sell the idea that beyond the Wall is genuinely a different world with different rules.

The beauty of filming in Iceland is that you’re essentially getting practical effects for free. The landscape is so distinctive, so otherworldly, that it doesn’t need enhancement or CGI tricks. It just looks like another world, which is exactly what you want when you’re depicting the lands beyond civilization.

Morocco: The Exotic Far Corners

Game of Thrones also filmed in Morocco, though the Moroccan locations appeared less frequently than the other regions. Nonetheless, Morocco provided some of the show’s most visually striking scenes, particularly in later seasons when the show expanded its scope to include more exotic locations.

Essaouira, a coastal city in Morocco, was used for various exterior scenes, and the unique architecture and coastal landscape provided visual variety to the show’s already diverse filming locations. The city’s blue and white buildings and the Atlantic coastline created a visually distinct aesthetic.

The desert regions of Morocco, particularly around the Sahara, were used for various scenes set in hot, arid landscapes. These locations provided an alternative to Spain for depicting Dorne and other southern locations, offering different architectural and landscape elements that added visual richness to the show’s cinematography.

Planning Your Game of Thrones Pilgrimage

If you’re interested in visiting these locations, the best approach is to consider a multi-country trip. Northern Ireland is the most concentrated collection of filming locations, so starting there makes sense. You can spend a week visiting Dunluce Castle, the Dark Hedges, Ballintoy Harbour, Castle Ward, and the Cushendun Caves without too much trouble. The locations are relatively close to each other in County Antrim, and visiting them creates a nice progression through the show’s northern landscapes.

From there, you could travel to Croatia. Dubrovnik is incredibly accessible, and spending a few days exploring King’s Landing on foot is honestly a transcendent experience for fans. The city is beautiful beyond its Game of Thrones connections, so even if you’re not a devoted fan, the medieval architecture and Mediterranean beauty make it worth visiting.

Spain and Iceland are more specialized trips, but both are increasingly accessible to tourists. If you’re a superfan willing to travel further, both locations are worth the effort.

The wonderful thing about these locations is that they’re real places with real history and real beauty. Game of Thrones filming here elevated them as tourist destinations, but they remain valuable and worth visiting regardless of the show’s fame. The medieval castles, the historic cities, the alien landscapes—they’re all genuinely remarkable in their own right. The show just happened to recognize their potential and capture it on film. So if you’ve ever wanted to walk where the show’s characters walked, to stand where its most iconic scenes were filmed, these locations are waiting for you. Westeros was real all along—you just have to know where to look.