Real-World Westeros: 7 Filming Locations You Can Visit

Game of Thrones filming locations you can actually book a flight to: from Dubrovnik’s ramparts to Icelandic lava fields, here’s your seven-stop Westeros on Earth.

Binge-watching can only take you so far. At some point you have to close the laptop, tighten the carry-on straps and go stare at the Game of Thrones filming locations that tricked you into believing dragons were real. I’ve walked every one of them—dodged cruise-ship mobs in Dubrovnik, fried under the Andalusian sun at Dorne’s palace, even face-planted on Icelandic shale pretending to be Littlefinger. Seven stops, zero CGI. If you want to do this, pack sunscreen, good shoes, and a phone with storage to spare, because reality is about to flex harder than HBO’s VFX budget.

• Want to read the books behind the show before you pack a bag? 👉 Start with our George R. R. Martin reading order guide.

1. Dubrovnik City Walls, Croatia – King’s Landing

Joffrey’s gone, but his capital is still standing.

Dubrovnik’s Old Town doubled as King’s Landing for most of Game of Thrones, and the city walls played a starring role—especially in Season 2, Episode 9 “Blackwater”, when wildfire lights up Blackwater Bay. You’ll also spot them in Season 5, Episode 10 “Mother’s Mercy”, during Cersei’s walk of shame. The 1.9 km wall walk takes you past towers, sea views, and rooftops you’ve definitely seen burned to ash in Season 8, Episode 5 “The Bells.”

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: Fly into Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), then take the 35-minute shuttle to Pile Gate. The ticket office is just inside.
• Cost: €40 (March–November); €20 in winter.
• Hours: 08:00–19:30 in summer, 09:00–15:00 in winter.
• Best time: Be at the gate by 07:45 to catch the first light and dodge the crowds.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Check the cruise ship schedule—if multiple are docked, go after 16:30 when passengers head back onboard. Early or late light is best for photos.

This is the most iconic of all Game of Thrones filming locations, and one of the few where the fantasy still feels real.

2. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland – Kingsroad

This quiet road in County Antrim is lined with 90 beech trees planted back in the 18th century. Over time, their branches grew into a twisted tunnel that looks straight out of a fantasy novel—which is exactly why HBO used it for Arya’s escape route in Season 2, Episode 1 “The North Remembers” and again in Episode 10 “Valar Morghulis.” It’s one of the most famous Game of Thrones filming locations, and it’s still totally free to visit.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: From Belfast, drive 1 hr 15 min (M2 → A26 → Bregagh Road). No car? Train to Ballymoney, then a 12-minute taxi.
• Cost: Free. Closest parking is at the Hedges Hotel (about £5). It’s a 5-minute walk from there.
• Hours: Open 24/7, but vehicles aren’t allowed on the lane itself.
• Best time: Go at dawn—around 05:30 in summer or 08:30 in winter. The light is softer, and the road is empty.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Tour buses arrive after 09:30. If you miss the early slot, wait until after 17:00.

It’s short, it’s moody, and it looks exactly like it did on screen. Just don’t expect to be the only one with a camera.

3. Alcázar of Seville, Spain – Dorne’s Water Gardens

A royal palace slap in the middle of Seville’s old town, the Alcázar mixes Moorish arches, azulejo mosaics and palm-filled courtyards around reflecting pools. HBO barely moved a plant: Prince Doran rolls through these exact gardens in Season 5, Episodes 2, 6 & 9, and Jaime fences the Sand Snakes beside Mercury’s Pool in Season 5, Episode 6. Re-watch those scenes and you’ll recognize the Ambassadors’ Hall ceiling, the Baths of Maria de Padilla and, of course, the orange trees.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: Fly into Seville Airport (SVQ), hop on the EA shuttle bus (35 min, €4) or taxi (≈20 min) to Puerta de Jerez, then walk five minutes to the entrance.
• Cost: General admission €15.50 online or at the Patio de Banderas ticket office; evening visits (limited slots) from €14 also available on  alcazarsevilla.org
• Best time: Grab the 09:30 slot to beat both the heat and the tour groups; in July and August that cooler first hour is gold.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Book online at least a week out, choose either an early morning or a late-afternoon slot when the day-trippers have melted back to their coaches.

Tick Dorne off your real-world Westeros map and reward yourself with a chilled glass of fino—four more kingdoms await.

4. Cáceres & Trujillo, Spain – House of the Dragon’s King’s Landing

In House of the Dragon, the capital gets a new look, and that look comes from two towns in western Spain. Cáceres, with its stone archways and quiet plazas, appears in Episode 4 “King of the Narrow Sea” as Daemon walks the streets of King’s Landing. The final episode of Season 1 shows Aegon being chased down the steep church steps of Plaza de San Jorge. About 45 minutes away, Trujillo Castle and its huge central square show up in courtyard scenes. This is one of the least touristy filming locations, and it still feels lived-in. The only dragons you’ll find are carved into doorways.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: From Madrid, take a Renfe train from Atocha to Cáceres (3 hrs, around €30). From Cáceres to Trujillo, take a 45-minute bus or rent a car.
• Cost: Cáceres is free to explore. Entry to Trujillo Castle is €2.
• Best time: Walk around Cáceres after 19:00 in summer, when the heat drops and the stones turn gold in the light. Be at Trujillo Castle right at 10:00 for quiet rampart views.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Spend the night in Cáceres. Day visitors usually leave by late afternoon, and the town feels empty and cinematic by sunset.

5. St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall – Blackwater Bay

Just off the coast of Cornwall, this small tidal island rises out of Mount’s Bay with a medieval castle on top and a working harbour below. You’ve seen it in House of the Dragon, standing in as Driftmark, seat of House Velaryon, and earlier in Game of Thrones lore, it was used as a backdrop for Blackwater Bay. When the tide is low, you can walk across the causeway from the village of Marazion. When the tide is high, you’ll need a boat, which is very on brand for Westeros. This is one of the most dramatic filming locations in the UK—bonus points if you get stranded (briefly) by the tide.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: From London, take a GWR train to Penzance (5 hrs), then it’s a 10-minute taxi to Marazion. From there, walk across the causeway (if tides allow) or take the boat (5 min, £2.50 one way).
• Cost: Entry to the island is free, but the castle costs £15 (free for National Trust members).
• Best time: Spring or early autumn: fewer tourists, mild weather, and a higher chance of clear skies. Avoid school holidays if you can.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Go early. Boats start around 09:30, but if the tide is out earlier, you can beat the crowds on foot. Last entry to the castle is usually around 16:00, so plan accordingly.

6. Þingvellir National Park, Iceland – The Vale

Þingvellir (pronounced roughly like “Thing-vet-lir”) is where Iceland shows off. The park sits between two tectonic plates, so the ground literally pulls apart here, perfect for the jagged cliffs and deep canyons seen throughout the series. It’s used in multiple scenes across seasons, but most memorably as the dramatic pass leading into The Vale, especially in Season 4, Episode 5 “First of His Name” when Littlefinger escorts Sansa to her new life at the Eyrie. The raw, cracked landscape makes it one of the most otherworldly Game of Thrones filming locations, and it’s easy to reach from Reykjavík.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: From Reykjavík, it’s a 45-minute drive via Route 36. If you don’t have a car, most Golden Circle tours include a stop at Þingvellir.
• Cost: Free entry. Parking costs around 1000 ISK (about €7) for the day.
• Best time: Summer (June–August) has the best weather and nearly 24 hours of daylight. In winter, snow turns it into a frozen dreamscape, but expect icy paths.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Get there before 09:00 or after 16:00 to avoid the tour buses.

• If you’re planning more time in the North, 👉 browse our top Iceland travel articles. 

7. Ballintoy Harbour, Northern Ireland – Pyke, Iron Islands

Tucked along the Causeway Coast, Ballintoy Harbour is where Theon returns to the Iron Islands in Season 2, Episode 2 “The Night Lands.” It’s all wet stone, grey skies, and crashing waves—a perfect match for House Greyjoy’s grim aesthetic. Filming took place right on the slipway and surrounding rocks. No CGI oceans, no fake cliffs. When the tide is up and the clouds roll in, it still feels like you might get ambushed by an Ironborn raiding party.

Need-to-know:

• Getting there: From Belfast, it’s a 1 hr 30 min drive along the A26 and B15. No public transport goes all the way, so rent a car or hire a local driver.
• Cost: Free to visit, park, and wander.
• Hours: Open all day, every day—though rough weather can close off access to the rocks.
• Best time: Late spring to early autumn. Mornings are calmer, and evening light gives the harbour that perfect washed-out, storm-is-coming look.
• Crowd-dodging hack: Tour groups usually stop nearby at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Visit before 10:00 or after 17:00 and you’ll likely have the place to yourself (and the seagulls).

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