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16 Game of Thrones locations you can actually visit in real life
Some of them are in the UK, too!
If you want to keep the Game of Thrones dream alive following the season 8 finale, you're not the only one. Keep the obsession going by visiting these Game of Thrones filming locations in real life - from Croatia to Malta via Northern Ireland and Morocco, some of them are closer to home than others - but all are equally impressive. Westeros, we're coming for you.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Daenerys and Khal Drogo's wedding ceremony setting
Where is it in real life? The Azure window in Malta
The picturesque setting from the first ever episode is in Malta, but has since collapsed into the ocean following a powerful storm in March 2017. At least it's memorialised in GoT (and millions of tourist photos, no doubt), right?
Lastminute.com offers three-night holidays to Malta for as little as £159 per person, including flights.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: The Long Bridge of Volantis
Where is it in real life? The Roman bridge of Córdoba, Spain
During series five, Tyrion Lannister and Varys head through Long Bridge, which spans the mouth of the Royne River. IRL, the bridge is the vocal point of Córdoba in Southern Spain, and was built in early 1st century BCE.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: King's Landing
Where is it in real life? Dubrovnik, Croatia
King's Landing aka the big dog city of Game of Thrones was actually filmed through the streets of Dubrovnik. Most notably, The Stradun - the main street between the Cathedral and the Sponza Palace that runs for over 1,000 feet - which features in the Walk of Penzance.
Teletext Holidays has Dubrovnik holiday deals from £147 for seven nights. If it’s just a tour from the city you’re after, Viator has sea kayaking experiences and snorkelling adventures around Lokrum from £24.49 per person.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: The King's Road
Where is it in real life? The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland
The scene where Arya escapes King's Landing and hopes to travel North to find Jon Snow was actually filmed at 'The Dark Hedges' - a road of beech trees leading up to a Georgian mansion in Northern Ireland.
You can see it for yourself during Trafalgar’s 10-day Shamrocks and Leprechauns holiday, which takes you to the best Game of Thrones locations and more from £2,025 per person. Alternatively, make Belfast your base (it’s one hour away), checking in to the Grand Central Hotel (from £162 per night) and taking a full-day tour of the show’s locations with TripAdvisor, from £35 per person.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Yunkai
Where is it in real life? Ouarzazate, Morocco
Featured in the scene where Daenerys liberates the people of Slaver's Bay, Yunkai is actually filmed in Ouarzazate - a small Moroccan village on the edge of the Sahara desert.
You can see the UNESCO-protected fortified village by bike on Explore’s eight-day Southern Oasis Cycling holiday from £930 per person, which takes in the Sahara, Marrakech and the High Atlas. Alternatively, Viator offers day tours of Ait Benhaddou for visitors to Marrakech from £38.87 per person.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Dragonstone
Where is it in real life? Downhill Strand, Northern Ireland
The desolate seven mile beach at Downhill Strand doubles up as the island of Dragonstone on Game of Thrones, where the ~long awaited meeting~ of series seven takes place.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Sunspear and the Water Gardens
Where is it in real life? Alcázar of Seville
The Sunspear and the Water Gardens was used as the seat of House Martell when they were travelling from the far North to Dorne. IRL, it's actually the royal palace of Seville in Andalusia, Spain.
BA offers three-night city breaks to Seville that are luxurious and affordable, from £217 per person.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Astapor
Where is it in real life? Essaouira, Morocco
Following series three, Game of Thrones continued to expand their filming locations to Morocco for the fictional cities of Yunkai and Astapor. Essaouira is a port city with a medina on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.
Kuoni offers three nights at the luxurious Le Medina Essaouira & Spa by MGallery from £548 per person. You can also visit Essaouira on a day trip from Marrakech with Viator, from £34.73 per person.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: The House of the Undying in Qarth
Where is it in real life? Minceta Tower in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Filmed in the same location as King's Landing, The House of Undying is the tallest of four fortresses in the Dubrovnik City Walls. When Daenerys is looking for her missing dragon in series one, she's actually walking around the highest point of the Croatian city.
TripAdvisor’s GoT tour of Dubrovnik (from £42.74 per person) takes you on a boat ride around the walled city, while Viator’s walking tour (from £53.47 per person) is a great way to explore the filming locations with an in-the-know guide.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Seat of House Greyjoy, the great castle of Pyke
Where is it in real life? Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland
House Greyjoy of Pyke is one of the Great Houses of Westeros that rules over the Iron Islands. The filming location of Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland, accessible only via a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Beyond the Wall, Westeros
Where is it in real life? Hverfjall volcano, Lake Myvatin, Iceland
Locations all over Iceland are used for filming in the northern-most tip of Westeros, specifically Hyverfjall volcano for beyond the wall.
Explore the Vatnajokull National Park during a seven-night holiday with Expedia, from £227 per person, or by taking a guided tour of the glacier with Viator from £83.23.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Jon and Ygritte's love nest
Where is it in real life? Grjótagjá, Iceland
Is this not one of the beautiful things you've ever seen? The hot spring, not naked Jon Snow. Grjótagjá is a small lava cave near Lake Mývatn in north-east Iceland.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Lordsport, the port of Pyke in the Iron Islands
Where is it in real life? Ballintoy Harbour, Northern Ireland
Skyscanner say this tiny fishing village is one of the most photogenic parts of the coast of Antrim. In Game of Thrones, it marks the setting for Theon Greyjoy's unceremonious return to the Iron Islands in season two.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Winterfell
Where is it in real life? Doune Castle, Scotland
Doune Castle is used as a location for the capital of the North in the very first pilot episode of Game of Thrones, and was originally built in the thirteenth century as a medieval stronghold.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Wildling Camp
Where is it in real life? Dimmuborgir, Iceland
Interestingly, the setting for the camp of the Free Folk in the Skirling Pass was filmed in Dimmuborgir: a lava field with unusually-shaped rocks, which Icelandic folklore says is somehow connected to hell.
Explore’s Northern Lights with Expert Astronomer holiday is a great way to visit the beach, while also visiting Gullfoss waterfalls, the Blue Lagoon and catching the Northern Lights, from £1,270 for four days.
Game of Thrones filming locations
Game of Thrones location: Meereen
Where is it in real life? Klis Fortress, Split, Croatia
This stunning fortress was used in season four when Daenerys overthrows the largest of the three great Slaver Cities, Meereen. Apparently, you can hike to see where Khaleesi answered ‘injustice with justice’ by nailing the city’s former rulers to crosses at the top.
Dusty Baxter-Wright is an award-winning journalist and the Entertainment and Lifestyle Director at Cosmopolitan, having previously worked at Sugarscape. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work covering pop culture, careers, interiors and travel, and oversees the site’s Entertainment and Lifestyle strategy across print, digital and video. As a journalist for the best part of a decade, she has interviewed everyone from Louis Theroux and Channing Tatum to Margot Robbie and Ncuti Gatwa, while she has also spoken on Times Radio and BBC Radio. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram here.
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