Game of Thrones Filming Locations - A Guide

The popular TV show Game of Thrones has long finished filming, but its locations and sets remain iconic. We hope to satisfy the fans’ curiosities by giving a comprehensive guide to where the best locations are, how to get there, and what to do once there!

Northern Ireland

Let’s start our journey in Ireland, where many of the scenes set in colder areas of the 7 Kingdoms were filmed here. Indeed, the home studio for the show was in Belfast, and therefore was easier to film on location in surrounding areas for scenes that fit the weather and settings. For example, many of the forest scenes, Castle Black scenes, or some Winterfell scenes were filmed in Northern Ireland. 

Let’s break it down.

County Antrim:

In this county, we can find many iconic locations from Game of Thrones.

• You can find at Magheramorne Quarry Castle Black’s full set, some of King’s Landing’s city walls, and the fully realised Hardhome set from Season 5. This is unfortunately not open to the public. Maghermorne Quarry is a 15 minute drive from Belfast.
• Views of Cairncastle open the series, where Ned Stark executes one of the deserters. The moors and hills are used in a few other scenes, but its most notable use is for filming the exterior of Moat Cailin in season 5.
• The ruins of Shane’s Castle are used for filming Winterfell’s crypt scenes, the Tourney of the Hand in season 1, and the fight between Jaime and Brienne in season 2.
• Ballintoy Harbour acts as The Iron Islands’ setting. It was mainly used to film the harbour scenes, as the castle was digitally added in, and the interior scenes were shot in a soundstage. 
• Carrick-a-Rede, near Ballintoy Harbour, was used to film the camp where Renly was stationed in season 2.
• Cushendun Caves can be recognised as the location where Melisandre gives birth to her shadow-demon baby.
• A very impressive place to visit would be The Dark Hedges of Armoy. This line of trees is used when Arya is travelling to the Wall with Yoren. It is not incredibly significant to the plot, but it is a picturesque location nonetheless.
• A few of the season 3 scenes when Jon Snow and Ygritte have crossed the Wall are shot in Toome.
• Ballymoney and Glens of Antrim are used to shoot scenes representing the Dothraki Sea from season 1.

County Down

This county was primarily used to film Northern Westeros scenes.

• One of the main filming locations for the entire series took place at Old Castle Ward. The whole domain was used to shoot many different scenes. The castle itself was used as the exterior shots for Winterfell Castle, a pillar of the show. The grounds were used to shoot many generic army camp scenes that figure throughout the show. This castle can be visited.
• Tollymore Forest Park, located close to Castle Ward, was used in many generic forest scenes that figured throughout the show. This can also be visited through day tours that take you to both the forest and the Castle.
• Rowallane Gardens was the primary shooting location for Winterfell’s Godswood that is often seen in the show.
• Inch Abbey is used to declare Robb Stark King of the North, and also the location when Catelyn and Robb hear of Ned Stark’s death.
• Linen Mill Studios, located in Banbridge was the second major filming location. Many of the exterior Harrenhall sets were built here, as well as the ship they built for the show, which has a recurring role throughout the series.
• Myra Castle represents the castle of House Bolton, with its first appearance in season 4. This castle is close to Castle Ward, so a day-trip is conceivable if you wish to visit both locations.
• Mourne Mountains and Sandy Brae are the Northern Irish locations representing Vaes Dothrak, specifically the Dothraki Sea and the Mother of Mountains.
• Clandeboye Estate forests was the location that was used to shoot Craster’s Keep, but it was burned on-camera when the story required it to burn down. There is therefore nothing left of the original set, save for some forestry.
• Corbet was first used in season 6 as a fully-built riverside exterior set for Riverrun castle. Corbet is very close to Banbridge and to Tollymore Forest Park. 

Getting to these locations is relatively easy. Indeed, if you are not based in Northern Ireland, there are 2 airports in Belfast that you can fly to if you wish to take a Game of Thrones trip. From Belfast, most of these locations are around a 1h car drive away. There are also organised tours you can take around these areas, leaving from the big Northern Irish cities (Belfast, Derry) or from Dublin.

If you experience a flight disruption on your way to Belfast, you may be eligible for up to 600€ compensation for your troubles. Make sure to check your flight with our claim calculator with the button below!

Croatia

One of the most recognisable filming locations for the show is Croatia, and more specifically, Dubrovnik. The red roofs of the city will undoubtedly remind you of King’s Landing. 

Dubrovnik

As mentioned, Dubrovnik was a key city in the production of Game of Thrones. After season 1, it was the main location for most scenes filmed in King’s Landing. Here are some of the most recognisable locations within the city:

• Dubrovnik City Walls that circle the Old Town can be recognised as King’s Landing’s walls. Perched over the coast, these walls are visually similar to the descriptions in the book, and feature in many episodes throughout the series. Many of the locations in Dubrovnik are a part of the complex that is the City Walls. These can be seen most noticeably in season 3’s first episode, when Tyrion, Bronn and Podrick take a walk on the walls. Fort Bokar is also one of the filming locations that is recurrent throughout the series and shows up in several scenes. It is part of the City Walls.
• Fort Lovrijenac is the location where Joffrey has his tournament in the season 2 premiere, and where Joffrey and Tyrion have their first face-to-face interaction in the show.
• St Dominic Street is used for many of the market scenes that take place throughout the series. 
• Pile Gate features heavily throughout seasons 2 and 3. They are big wooden gates that face the sea. We can see them specifically in the episode where Cersei watches Myrcella’s ship leave King’s Landing.
• The Purple Wedding (season 4 episode 2) takes place at Gradac Park, where we see Joffrey’s wedding and death scene.
• Trsteno Arboretum, located about 20km away from Dubrovnik features the extensive gardens of the palace in the show. These are introduced in season 3 when we meet the Tyrells, specifically Olenna Tyrell.
• The Belvedere Atrium is the location where the fight between Oberyn Martell and Gregor Clegane takes place. This building is not open to the public, as it was destroyed during the breakup of Yugoslavia, and never repaired. However, the exterior of the building can be seen.
• The Stradun which is the main street of Dubrovnik between its cathedral and Sponza Palace is where Cersei did her Walk of Penance in season 5.
• Minčeta Tower was used for a scene set in Qarth: to represent the exterior and the steps of the House of the Undying. 
• Another location used for Qarth in season 2 is Lokrum Island, just off the shore of the mainland. It is accessible by ferry and you can get there within 15 minutes. This is also where you can sit on the Iron Throne, if you are a big fan.

Split

A couple of locations were used in this city to film the series, specifically relating to some of Daenarys’ plotlines when she was in Meereen. The most notable place is Diocletian’s Palace, which was used in many scenes in season 4 episode 4. The palace’s cellars were used to film the underground passages in Meereen. 

Other streets, buildings, and locations were used to shoot, in and around Split.

Most of these Croatian filming locations can be visited. There are airports in both Split and Dubrovnik, making it easily accessible for those wanting to plan a trip here. If you are to choose one location to visit for a Game of Thrones-themed trip (especially if you value sunshine), Croatia would be highly recommended, as aside from the seaside views and warm weather, it is a very iconic filming location for the show, transporting you directly to King’s Landing.

Iceland

Many of the scenes that take place North of the Wall were filmed in Iceland. Almost every inch of the island was featured in some way on the show. If you are a Jon Snow fan, Iceland would be the best place for you to visit. 

• Most of season 2 for Jon Snow is spent on the Frostfangs mountain. Most of the scenes on this mountain were filmed on the glacier of Snæfellsjökull, the glacier of Svínafellsjökull in Smyrlabjörg and the hills of Höfðabrekkuheiði. 
• Mance Rayder’s camp is located in a frozen lava field called Mývatn Lake. It took the production crew months of work to build it, and filming took place in negative-degree weather. 
• Grjótagjá cave is where Jon Snow and Ygritte have their date. The thermal pool featured in that scene is a popular place to visit, and you can actually bathe there. 
• Arya and the Hound also filmed scenes in Iceland, specifically when they are traveling through central Westeros. These scenes were filmed in Thingvellir National Park. 

Iceland is a picturesque destination that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. It is now very connected in terms of flights, with over 25 airlines flying to Reykjavik. As Iceland is not a very big country, it is easy to tour the whole island in one trip. Indeed, many visitors have mentioned that renting a car and driving around the island is a great way to get the most out of their trips. This way, you can also organise your trip around the filming locations if you want your trip to be Game of Thrones-themed. 

Spain

Filming in Spain did not start until season 4, halfway through the series. Many locations were scouted in this country for seasons 6 and 7 specifically. The production teams moved the filming of King’s Landing from Croatia to Spain in the later seasons (seasons 6-8) due to budgetary and logistical reasons. Shooting occurred in all areas of Spain. Let’s take a closer look.

Basque County and Navarre:

The North of Spain was primarily used to film Dragonstone and the Dothraki Sea. Notable areas include:

• Biscay and Gipuzkoa are two cities bordering France and the Pyrénnées mountain range. They were both used to film Dragonstone scenes from season 7 onwards. 

More specifically, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a small islet off the coast of Biscay that was used to film Dragonstone’s causeway. Itzurun Beach, on Gipuzkoa was used to film Dragonstone beach.

• The Bardenas Reales of Navarre were used to film parts of the Dothraki Sea (from season 6 onwards).

Castile la Mancha

Only one location was used in this region to film, namely Guadalajara for filming the Tower of Joy, located in the Red Mountains of Dorne. The Castillo de Zafra was used to film the Tower.

Catalonia

Multiple cities in Catalonia were used for filming seasons 6 and 7. 

• Girona was used for filming parts of King’s Landing and Braavos. In the city, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Girona was used for the exterior of the Sept of Baelor. Sant Pere de Galligants was used for the confrontation between Arya and The Waif on the Braavosi bridge.
• Only one location was used in Barcelona, to film specifically House Tarly’s home castle - Horn Hill. The Castell de Santa Florentina was used for this backdrop.

Did you know that Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) was reported to have one of the highest number of delays in Europe in 2025. If you have ever experienced one of these delays or cancellations, you may be entitled to up to 600€ compensation! Use our free claim calculator to check your flight.

Valencia

They primarily filmed the scenes in Mereen (from season 6 onwards) in the city of Castellón. Many scenes featuring Varys and Tyrion are filmed throughout the city, such as Calle Mayor, Parque de la Artillería, or Plaza de Santa María.

Extramadura

Many of the Streets of King’s Landing from season 6 onwards are filmed in Cáceres. As previously mentioned, production moved from Croatia to Spain after season 5 due mainly to logistical reasons, as shooting in the streets of Dubrovnik was becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, the streets of King’s Landing were then shot in the city of Cacéres.

Andalusia

Three main cities were used in this region for shooting: Sevilla, Córdoba, and Almería. 

• Córdoba was used to film the Long Bridge of Volantis and Highgarden. These were filmed at the Roman Bridge of Córdoba and Castillo de Almodóvar del Río respectively.
• Sevilla was a pillar for shooting the beginnings of season 7, the Dragonpit, the Fighting pit in Meereen, and House Martell in Dorne.  The Royal Dockyards were used for scenes in the beginning of season 7, the Roman Ruins of Italica were used for the Dragonpit, Plaza de Toros in Osuna was used for the fighting pit, and the Alcázar of Sevilla was used for House Martell.
• Almería was used for several locations as well: parts of House Martell, Vaes Dothrak (from season 6), Meereen, and parts of the Dothraki Sea (from season 6). More specifically, Alcazaba of Almería is used to film the Water Gardens of House Martell, El Chorrillo Sierra Alhamilla is used to film Vaes Dothrak, Mesa Roldán and Sorbas are used for some locations outside of Meereen, and the Tabernas Desert is used for some parts of the Dothraki Sea.

That concludes the Spanish section of our filming locations. If you are a big fan of House Martell, it is recommended to travel to Spain, as many of their scenes in their home of Dorne were filmed throughout seasons 4 to 8. Most of these locations are near international airports, making them easily accessible to those who wish to make a tour out of the Game of Thrones locations.

Malta

Malta was a pinnacle for filming the first season of the show. Malta was used primarily to shoot King’s Landing and Pentos. Production mainly took place around the town of Mdina. 

For fans of season 1 who wish to visit warmer and sunnier locations, Malta is a good place to go. It is easily accessible if you fly, with an international airport hosting 33 airlines and flying nonstop to 108 destinations.

Notable locations in Malta relating to the show include:

• Verdala Palace was used to film Illyrio Mopatis’s palace in the first episode, where Daenerys and her brother are first seen.
• The Azure Window is the setting for Khal Drogo and Daenerys’s wedding. However, unfortunately, the coastal arch has collapsed and cannot be visited anymore.
• Mtahleb Valley was used for the location where Drogo’s funeral pyre is set, and where Daenerys hatches her dragons.
• The Gate of the Gods (King’s Landing) was filmed at Fort Ricasoli. This fort is also used to represent parts of the Red Keep. The exterior shots of the Red Keep are filmed at San Anton Palace.
• The Fort St Angelo is used for the dungeon scenes, specifically the one where Arya chases cats.
• The Pjazza Mesquita is used as the entrance to Littlefinger’s brothel. It is particularly recognisable by the scene where Ned Stark gets attacked by Jaime Lannister and his guards.
• Ned Stark confronts Cersei Lannister about the true parentage of her children in the St Dominic Monastery. 
• For the saddest location in Malta, the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor, where Ned was executed, took place at Fort Manoel.

That sad note concludes the Malta filming locations. As mentioned, Malta is easily accessible through their flight network. Travelling from the airport to Mdina is easy, it is a 20 minute car ride. 

Morocco

A few scenes were shot in Morocco for the third season, but production was then moved to Croatia in season 4. Morocco was primarily used to film scenes relating to Daenerys and her plotlines regarding Astapor and Yunkai.

• Astapor was filmed in the city of Essaouira. This is where we meet the Unsullied.
• The scenes where Yunkai is shown were filmed in Aït Benhaddou, near Ouarzazate (about a 3h30min drive from Marrakesh).

Essaouira has an international airport, making it easy to access for those who wish to visit. It is a port city known for its surfing and other nautical sports. Aït Benhaddou is more remote, but the nearby city of Ouarzazate has an airport that one can fly to. Ouarzazate is also easily accessible by public transport from other big cities in Morocco. Aït Benhaddou has been the chosen location for filming other big films, such as The Mummy or Kingdom of Heaven. Morocco would not be the most ideal place to visit if you want to go on a specifically Game of Thrones -themed trip. However, if you are already in Morocco and are a fan, these places would be worth the detour.

Conclusion

That wraps up the Game of Thrones filming locations. We highly recommend, if you plan to take a Game of Thrones inspired trip, to prioritise Iceland or Northern Ireland if you want more gloomy and cold weather, and Croatia if you want sunnier and warmer weather. 

If you have taken one of these trips and experienced a flight disturbance, you may be eligible for up to 600€ compensation for your troubles. Make sure to check out our claim calculator below!