Where Was Game of Thrones Filmed? The Ultimate List of GOT Filming Locations

Game of Thrones has been a cultural beast since its debut in 2011. It has been so much more than just a TV series for many people worldwide. The series ending in 2019 nearly broke the hearts of millions of people without exaggeration.

The influence of Game of Thrones stretches far past the TV show and its ending. There are many things about the franchise that are worth talking about and remembering for years to come, whether that be storylines, specific episodes, actors and actresses, or, filming locations.

One of the most amazing things about Game of Thrones has been the filming locations used throughout the series. Each filming location was chosen with extreme care and delicacy, and the results have been epic.

The filming locations used have helped create the magical world we've all known and loved right in front of our very eyes. The production team behind the show have been able to use real-life locations to build a fantastical world of dragons, unicorns and krakens in a way that just works. George R. R. Martin wrote the stories for us to imagine in our heads, and the TV crews built the visual world for our eyes.

Now that is impressive.

We want to honour this impressive feat by talking more about the individual filming locations that make up Game of Thrones. So, we have worked on building this blog: the ultimate guide to GOT filming locations, especially for you. As there are so many locations used in GOT, we have divided them into categories based on the country. This should make things just a little bit easier for everyone to digest.

Keep reading, and, hopefully, you will spy on your favourite place from the show!

Northern Ireland

The first country category on our list is Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland was used for a lot of the filming for Game of Thrones; in fact, the majority of the filming took place here.

Northern Ireland is a small country with a big heart, and the locations used here are all splendid and unique.

Now, Game of Thrones is a huge part of Northern Irish history, and you can even take GOT-themed tours throughout the country. There are some amazing ones so if you are ever there, I would highly recommend you check them out.

The following are the main Northern Ireland locations that were used in Game of Thrones.

Ballintoy Harbour

Ballintoy Harbour in County Antrim was used to represent the Iron Islands in Game of Thrones. It is a small coastal area on the north coastline of Northern Ireland and is classified as an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, rightfully so, too.

The Iron Islands in GOT are one of the nine regions in Westeros. They are made up of seven small islands off the coast. The islands are ruled by the House of Greyjoy, and we see many scenes of the Greyjoy clan in this spot.

The scenic, rocky, and wild scenes of Ballintoy Harbour are a perfect backdrop for the Iron Islands, and we would say that this was a match very well made.

Castle Ward

In the pilot episode of the series, we see the Stark family home of Winterfell Castle with shots from Doune Castle in Scotland. The episodes thereafter, however, used shots of Castle Ward in Northern Ireland to represent the essential castle.

Mostly exterior shots and courtyard scenes were filmed in this location, with Castle Ward making the perfect stand-in for the moody and dark castle.

Winterfell is a critical location in Game of Thrones, and its success as such has breathed some new life into the real-life location, too. This National Trust property now hosts a wonderful GOT location tour that will delight and impress many fans of the show. You can even squeeze in some themed archery practice.

Tollymore Forest Park

Not venturing too far from Castle Ward, we have Tollymore Forest Park in County Down. This expansive forest was used for a few different and very impressive scenes throughout Game of Thrones history. Most fans will remember when the Starks discover six orphaned dire wolf puppies in the forest and when the White Walkers are first seen on screen, right? Both of these captivating scenes were filmed right here in Tollymore Forest Park.

Glens of Antrim

The Glens of Antrim is a region of County Antrim in Northern Ireland that consists of nine different glens (valleys). It is another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it isn't too tricky to see why. The Glens are filled with sweeping coastal landscapes, rugged cliff edges, and scenes of green for miles.

The Game of Thrones filming team used the Glens as the Dothraki sea in the series (also known as the Great Grass Sea, which makes perfect sense concerning this lush location).

The Dark Hedges, Ballymoney

One of the most important Game of Thrones shooting locations of all time has been The Dark Hedges in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland. This particular filming location got so popular that the council of the area had to try and stop non-essential traffic going through the area to deal with the levels of visitors flocking to the site.

The Dark Hedges is a very unique and mysterious site in NI. The twisting trees look like they could have been designed as a fantasy novel set in the first place, rather than something naturally occurring. It is a perfect choice for the backdrop to Kingsroad in Game of Thrones, the 'grandest road in the land'.

You can see why they made such a decision.

Titanic Studios, Belfast

The Titanic Studios in Belfast have been the main studio and post-production facility used for every single series of Game of Thrones. Set in the historical site where the Titanic ship was built, these studios have been a source of great pride for Belfast and Game of Thrones alike.

Now that filming has wrapped, you can take to the studio for a full tour related to Game of Thrones, including sets, costumes, and props. There is nowhere in the world you will find more GOT artefacts than here, that is for sure.

Mussenden Temple, Castlerock

Mussenden Temple is a little relic perched on top of a cliff edge near Castlerock on the North Coast of Northern Ireland. It sits above the North Atlantic Sea and makes for a very intriguing sight. The beach underneath is Downhill Beach which was another County Londonderry location used in the show.

In Game of Thrones, these unique locations were used as the set of the Dragonstone exterior. This is where we see the burning of the old gods and where the flaming sword Lightbringer is drawn.

Dramatic scenes in a place with dramatic views. It works!

Murlough Bay, Causeway Coast

Murlough Bay on the Causeway Coast stands in for Slaver's Bay in Game of Thrones, where Tyrion and Jorah find themselves in a sticky situation with slavers.

The stunning location isn't as scary in real life, however. It is a simple causeway location with beautiful coastal views and Wild Atlantic Way winds, one definitely worth visiting if you ever have the chance. The first part of the road is accessible by car and then the rest is only walkable, so make sure you wear your hiking boots before you go!

And that lovely location wraps up the Northern Ireland section of our blog. It's a wonderful place with some amazing locations, and I'm sure you agree. A country integral to Game of Thrones filming and one that won't forget the series in a hurry either.

Now, time to move to our next country.

Croatia

After Northern Ireland, the country with the highest number of Game of Thrones locations is Croatia.

The European country has plenty of beauty and character that allowed many amazing filming locations to be born here. Some of the locations used here don't even look like they could exist in 2022 in our world. Rather, they look like places lifted straight from history and fantasy land.

Let's look at each of the Croatian locations.

Old Town Dubrovnik, Croatia

King's Landing is a big part of Game of Thrones, and so it was filmed in a few different spots including Split and Dubrovnik. The main location, however, is indeed the Old Town Dubrovnik, which we see as King's Landing in the second season of the show.

King's Landing is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms in GOT and it deserved a stunning real-life location as its counterpart. The historic beauty of Old Town Dubrovnik definitely gave the on-screen location what it needed, with a little help from some studio shots to fill in the rest. (Hey, it's still TV!)

Šibenik, Croatia

Šibenik in Croatia doubled up as the fictional city of Braavos in Game of Thrones. This is the city in which we see Arya Stark train to become a 'Faceless Man'. We see many eclectic scenes take place in this Croatian city and they turned out beautifully.

One particular location is The Cathedral of St James, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is truly an amazing place to visit if you ever get the chance.

Klis Fortress, Croatia

Klis Fortress is an impressive medieval fortress situated above the town of Klis, close to Split. It is a place with incredible mountain views and a real sense of distinct character. Out of all the Game of Thrones filming locations on our list, this one is definitely number one on my bucket list. There is something really special about the views you can witness here.

Klis Fortress was used as the fictional city of Meereen in Game of Thrones. Fans may remember it mostly from Season 4 when Daenerys and her army head to the city to free the slaves there. We get some dramatic scenes on the march up to the fortress and within the grounds—scenes no one would forget so quickly.

Krka National Park, Croatia

Krka National Trust Park in Croatia provides an almost out-of-this-world visual and sensory experience. The park is gorgeous, with bright blue and green waters, swooping green mountains, and beautiful trees all around. It is a real sight to behold.

The GOT crew filmed here to create the landscapes of Westeros in many different scenes, including the infamous sequence where Arya Stark and The Hound cross The Riverlands.

You can easily see why this location was used in Game of Thrones. It is not a far stretch to imagine this location being a real part of a fictional, fantasy world from times gone by.

Minceta Tower, Croatia

Minceta Tower in Dubrovnik was used as the House of the Undying in Qarth on the Game of Thrones map. The 14th-century fortress is situated at the highest point of the Croatian city, and it is another on our list that offers amazing panoramic views of the landscape around it.

In the show, this is where we see Daenerys Targaryen go on the hunt for her dragons but end up kidnapped by warlocks instead. The warlocks meet their end as they come face-to-face with the one and only Drogon.

And with this entry, we end our Croatian segment of the Game of Thrones filming locations. If you are ever looking for a next holiday destination as a GOT fan, you should definitely have Croatia high up on your list. The views and locations here are next level, and there is nowhere else like them.

Spain

Our third entry is Spain, yet another country that offers us some wonderful Game of Thrones filming locations. It might not be the first place that comes to mind when we think of where the GOT was filmed, and yet it doesn't disappoint.

Real Alcázar Palace, Seville

The Real Alcázar Palace in Seville is a royal palace that was built for Peter of Castile in the 11th century. It is a palace of Muslim origin, the original name being al-Qasr al-Muriq. Over time, it has acquired the design and influence from different periods, and tourists from all over the world come to visit the palace and enjoy its grounds and gardens.

In Game of Thrones, the Spanish palace played the role of the Water Gardens in the fictional city of Sunspear, the seat of House Martell and the capital of Dorne. The Arabic design of the palace is incredible to look at, and it provided an idyllic background for these scenes. It is an amazing example of architecture and design that elevates the quality of scenes in Season 5 to the next level.

The Roman Bridge, Córdoba

This Game of Thrones filming location is bound to be the oldest on our list, built in the 1st century BC across the Guadalquivir River in Spain. This impressive piece of history was used as the Long Bridge of Volantis in Game of Thrones, in the free city of Volantis.

It is an immense bridge that hosts pubs, marketplaces and brothels that we see pop up quite a few times throughout the series. CGI was used to help make the bridge appear even longer so that it could accommodate all of these structures, but it is the underlying structure of the original Roman bridge that makes the scenes what they are.

Bardenas Reales Natural Park

The Bardenas Reales Natural Park is a Game of Thrones filming location that actress Emilia Clarke called "just beautiful". The Mother of Dragons shot scenes here in the semi-desert region of Spain for multiple scenes in the show that included her beloved scaly pets.

This sandy landscape is a truly unique place that almost asks to be used as a filming location. How could you not snap up somewhere like this to film a fantasy series filled with dragons and magic?

And with this special location, we have come to the end of our Spanish additions to the list. Spain is an underrated background for the Seven Kingdoms that deserves some more recognition as a GOT filming spot.

Next up, we move onto:

Morocco

Morocco is one of our much smaller segments on this list, with just a couple of locations making the cut. They are, however, still exciting and important filming locations within the show and are very worth mentioning here.

Aït Benhaddou, Morocco

Aït Benhaddou is a fortified village in Morocco and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. That comes with no surprise, as the historic spot has been used many times already throughout the world of cinema, including in films such as Gladiator, The Mummy, and so on.

Game of Thrones used this iconic filming location to portray the fictional place of Yunkai, a city filled with slavery that Daenerys emancipates in Season 3 of the series. Some pretty memorable shots were filmed here for the show.

Essaouira, Morocco

Going back to an earlier element of Daenerys' plotline, we see her travel to Essaouira in Morocco to buy an impressive force of warriors, whom she also emancipates from their masters. We get another iconic Drogon scene in this spot, with the dragon freeing itself from its chains with a fiery breath.

Essaouira is a small but picturesque city on Morocco's Atlantic coast. It might not be super well-known, but it is certainly worth a visit. Sometimes the underrated places turn out to be the best places of all, don't you think?

And with Essaouira, our little Morocco segment is completed!

Malta

The smallest country on our list is lovely Malta. There is only one filming location from Malta we want to discuss here, though there were a couple more used in the series. The one we want to discuss is our absolute favourite Malta location from the series and one that is very important to the series as a whole.

Let's take a look.

Azure Window, Malta

The Azure Window in Malta is an interesting addition to any Game of Thrones filming locations list. It is one with an important past but an unfortunately non-existent future.

The natural 'window' in the form of a beautiful rock formation was used to film the scenes of Daenerys and Drogo's wedding. It provided a beautifully dramatic backdrop for the emotional events of the show, but it wasn't made to last, unfortunately. In 2017, the window collapsed in a storm and the filming location was lost forever.

A temporary beauty but a beauty indeed.

And that's all we have for Malta right now. For our last set of locations, we move to a country with a different landscape, weather conditions and culture. Somewhere equally beautifully, however!

Iceland

Iceland is a country that is known for its spectacular sights. The beauty of Iceland is second to none and it doesn't take much to imagine why the crew of a fantasy TV show would want to travel there to film. It is a country filled with pre-made filming locations.

Here are two of our favourites from Game of Thrones.

Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

Vatnajökull (try saying that three times in a row) was used for what was 'beyond the wall' throughout Game of Thrones. The vast, mysterious, and icy landscape provided a visual representation of the unexplored territory outside.

This National Park is home to the world's largest glacier, and this expansive area of ice gives that end-of-the-world feeling that 'beyond the wall' represents in Game of Thrones. It's open to visitors, however, so if you are as brave as Jon Snow, you can explore the 'end of the world', too.

Now that would be an adventure worthy of Game of Thrones and the Stark family, don't you agree?

Kirkjufell, Iceland

For the coveted last spot on our list, we have Kirkjufell in Iceland. Kirkjufell is a stunning piece of natural beauty, with beautiful mountaintops and waterfalls as far as the eye can see. It is a real Icelandic treasure that added so much lure to different scenes throughout Game of Thrones.

The main scenes fans might remember from here were those of Jon Snow and the gang fighting back against the Night King in Season 7, and the memories we see of the very first White Walker. It is one heck of a location that brought us some timeless scenes.

(Could it be any better than that? I doubt it. Thank you for your GOT service, Kirkjufell.)

Conclusion

And with that, we wrap up our ultimate guide to the very best Game of Thrones filming locations.

We hope that you loved our list and learned something from it. The world of Game of Thrones is immense, and there is always brand new information to learn about its lore and history even for the most hardcore of fans.

Will you go and visit any of these locations yourself? If you do, please do write and let us know if you see any dragons or not. We have been dying to know if they are real since 2011.