All avid Game of Thrones fans seem to know everything there is to know about the hit series, but what about where the show actually takes place? Set in the fantasy realms of Westeros, Essos and Sotheros, from the deep depths of author George R.R. Martin’s imagination, it’s safe to say the show has been a huge success.
We thought we'd take you on a journey through the different settings and locations used to depict these iconic landscapes that really make the show what it is.
Croatia
It’s not hard to see why Croatia was chosen to host some of the most important and iconic scenes as soon as you took at the landscapes and architecture. Cities and spots including Dubrovnik, the Lovrijenac Fortress, the Minceta Tower and the Island of Lokrum were all major hotspots when filming, and were the setting of the King’s Landing, the Red Keep, the House of Undying and the Quarth, to name of few. It was so important that you can even take Game of Thrones tours in Croatia.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland attracts over 140,000 annual visitors at just one of the many locations used for the filming – Ballintoy Bay, which was used as Lordsport (the port of Pyke). Other key spots include Tollymore Forest Park, Castle Ward, Mussendun Temple and the Dark Hedges.
Iceland
What place on earth could be better for all things North of the Wall, than Iceland? After all, 8% of it is covered by Vatnajokull – Europe’s largest glacier. That, along with the low temperatures (you can expect highs of around 13 degrees Celsius) is most likely why it was chosen as the setting for the Frostfang Mountains!
Morocco
Turning up the temperature quite a bit, we get to Morocco which was the location chosen for iconic settings including Yunkai and Pentos, and Astapor, known to locals as Ait Benhaddou and Essaouira. You can get to the latter for a visit from Marrakech airport for a surprisingly cheap taxi fare, and it will roughly take you around 3 hours.
Malta
Malta played a huge part in terms of setting right from the beginning of the series. The old capital city of Malta – Mdina served as the setting of King’s Landing in the first season, and the island as a whole has been just as significant ever since. One of the most iconic spots used was the 50 metre high rock arch known as the Azure Window. This was the backdrop for Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo’s wedding.
With all that sun, the cast and characters could probably use some shades! If you’ve ever wondered which glasses you should see your favourite character sporting, then look no further as this infographic shows you!
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