6 Amazing locations you didn’t know were used in Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones has captured the imagination of a nation, with its latest season being the talk of the office. If youre a fan, you’ll sure love this blog post which is all about the stunning locations you never knew were in your favourite TV show. Today were going to give you a few suggestions of where to go to get your fan-fix in Spain, Croatia and the UK.
The South of Spain has a rich history of providing exciting exterior film sets. The desert-like landscape of Almeria is where they filmed many of the famous Spaghetti Western cowboy films of the 1970s. Its no surprise then, that this part of the world was deemed by the Game of Thrones recce teams to be a perfect fantasy setting! If youre familiar with Dorne, then a trip to Andalucia will certainly fill you with a sense of deja-vu!
Croatia is another main location for Game of Thrones, as well as being one of the decades hottest Eastern European destinations. This Pearl of the Adriatic is home to the spectacular Dalmatian Coast, with its islands, rugged coastline and Gothic castles that cant help but inspire romance and wanderlust, both on screenand off. Want to be part of a love story akin to that of Lyanna and Rhaegar? A romantic break here could be exactly what you need.
The Alcazar, Seville in Spain
Influenced by 400 yearsof Moorish rule, Southern Spain is a cultural melting pot of Islamic-stylepalaces, gypsy traditions and Catholic ideas. Orange trees line the leafyavenues of Seville, where the infamous Islamic palace, the Alcazar is the mainattraction.
The view overlookingDorne from Prince Dorans Palace was actually the very famous manicured gardensof Sevilles Alcazar. Trystane also took a walk with Mrycella through herebefore a fight between the Dornish guards and Sand Snakes broke out.
The throne room insidethe Alcazar was used for the setting of the Ambassadors Hall. This is wherethe discussion about the release of Ser Bronn of the Blackwater took place,between Ser Jaime Lannister, Prince Doran, Crown-Prince Trystane, PrincessMyrcella and Ellaria Sand among others.
The Roman Bridge, Crdoba in Spain
Crdoba is geographicallyvery close to Seville and where youll find The Roman Bridge. Remember that scene with the slaves on thelong bridge? The shops displayed the severed hands of thieves in the windows!Its an image thats hard to forget. That was set on the Roman Bridge, althoughthe bridge itself was enhanced digitally in order to make it longer; to fit alarger marketplace on it.
Youll also find theMezquina here; a great example of Andalucia cultural blending. This religiousbuilding houses the dominant architectural features of both a mosque and a Christianplace of worship to impressive effect. It hasnt been used in Game of Thronesyet, but watch this space. Theres bound to be spin-offs!
Castle of Zafra, Guadalajara in Spain
The Castle of Zafra inGuadalajara was used to depict the Tower of Joy, where Ned rescued his sister,Lyanna, while Meereen, the city ruled by Daenerys Targaryen, isactually Pescola in Castelln. Its a coastal town with an impressiveMedieval castle.
Doune Castle, Stirling in Scotland
Great Britains very ownfairytale land of misty lakes and turreted castles, surrounded by thick forest.Its easy to forget your day to day worries, with a landscape outside that haschanged little since the Middle Ages, and could literally transport you intothe fantasy world of life within Winterfell.
Westeros might be set inDubrovnik, but right at its heart, is Winterfell, which is set several thousandmiles away at Doune Castle in Stirling. One of the best-loved locations of the wholeshow is practically on your doorstep!
City walls, Dubrovnik in Croatia
Many of the filminglocations took place in the countrys capital, Dubrovnik; a cosmopolitan urbancentre with a reputation for lively parties as well as picturesque old gardens. Thecapital city of Westeros, Kings Landing, is essentially Dubrovnik. This iswhere the infamous iron throne was created by the Targaryens.
The historic influencesof Croatias conquerors and settlers; the Venetian and Hungarians, is apparent,not just in the street layout, but also in its architecture. The first thingthatll catch your eye are the city walls, which are 6 metres high and 6 metresthick. They were intended as an impenetrable defence, which can be breachedonly via the official entrances, the most famous of which is Pile Gate.
Youll have to cross thedrawbridge over the moat to enter the city, but once youre inside, youll havethe chance to explore the two towers; Minceta Tower, which is where Daeneryssearched for her stolen dragons, and Boker Tower.
Highlights of a trip to Dubrovnik include the sixteenth century cathedral and treasury, the maritime museum, the cultural historical museum, which is housed inside the Rectors Palace, and the Stradun, which is the wide, limestone-paved pedestrian area, where you can watch the world go by. The Square of Loggia, with its proliferation of public monuments, gardens, fountains and a church, is another place where you can relax and people-watch.
West Harbour, Dubrovnik in Croatia
The West Harbour iswhere Princess Myrcella Baratheon departed for Dorne and the Red Keep hasbeen used for a number scenes, perhaps most notably for Sansa Stark dropping afew bombshells.
Booking your Game of Thrones style holiday
If you fancy a holiday to Spain, Croatia or Scotland, please get in touch with the Aspen Travel team. Our tours will give you the opportunity to travel around the country, potentially taking in more than one Game of Thrones location during your trip.
For instance, Dubrovnikwasnt the only city in the country used for filming. The Iron Bank Scenes werealso filmed in Croatia, in and around the St Jacob Cathedral and itsaccompanying square of the same name in Sibenik. The city of Qarth was filmedin the monastery and botanical gardens of Lokrum, an island off Croatia, andThe Riverlands are part of a Croatian National Park, the Krka.
Parts of the series were also filmed in Northern Ireland and Malta, while the cathedral in Girona, Northern Spain, was where Jaime climbed 91 steps on his horse. We have a team of dedicated travel advisors (and Game of Thrones fans) at Aspen Travel, waiting to answer your holiday queries, as well as join in any discussion you may care to have about continuity, or whether Euron will abandon Cersei.
Please get in touch to talk about your travel preferences or the TV show!
