As one of the most popular shows on television, Game of Thrones is known for its dramatic twists and stunning cinematography. The show films in some of the most beautiful locations on earth, from the remote island of Malta to the wintery hills of Iceland. The climates are extremely different, but they all have one thing in common: utter beauty. Below are nine locales Game of Thrones fans should add to their travel bucket lists.
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Photo: Jorg Greuel / Getty Images1/9
King’s Landing—the Stradun, Dubrovnik, Croatia
During one of the most memorable scenes of Season 5, Cersei Lannister is led down the streets of the Old City by the High Sparrow’s constituents in a walk of atonement.
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Photo: Getty Images / ColobusYeti2/9
Winterfell—Doune Castle, Scotland
Think back to the pilot episode, when Ned Stark still had his head. We see the vast exterior of Winterfell in all its glory as King Robert Baratheon and his family come to House Stark with a proposition. This is not the first time Doune Castle has been highlighted on film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail was also shot at this location.
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Photo: Charles McQuillan / Getty Images3/9
The Wall and Castle Black—Magheramorne Quarry, Northern Ireland
Though “The Wall” itself is a beautiful work of CGI, the Magheramorne Quarry is home to Jon Snow for a few seasons as he plays out his time as a member of the Night’s Watch in Castle Black.
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Photo: Danita Delimont / Getty Images4/9
Beyond the Wall (Wildling Territory)—Iceland
This icy expanse is seen through several seasons of Game of Thrones, from the earliest glimpse of the Night Walkers to Jon Snow’s capture by a band of Wildlings. The snow-covered setting was shot in multiple cities in Iceland and is the perfect backdrop to the foreboding motto: “Winter is coming.”
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Photo: Thomas Janisch / Getty Images5/9
Iron Islands, Pyke—Ballintoy Harbour, Northern Ireland
Famous throughout the Seven Kingdoms for its Iron Fleet, this watery locale is perfect for capturing the family dwelling of House Greyjoy, whose sigil is a golden kraken.
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Photo: Iñigo Fdz de Pinedo / Getty Images6/9
Dragonstone—Itzurun Beach, Spain
Daenerys Targaryen’s moving homecoming in Season 7 of Game of Thrones took place on this stunning beach in Spain.
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Photo: DEA / W. Buss / Getty Images7/9
Highgarden—Castillo de Almodóvar, Andalusia, Spain
Highgarden is home to what is left of House Tyrell. After a battle so boring that the writers decided not to play it out onscreen, Jaime Lannister takes Highgarden in a scene showcasing this stunning Spanish castle. Aside from being a famed film location, this castle is one of the most well preserved in the country.
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Photo: DEA / W. Buss / Getty Images8/9
Casterly Rock—The Castle of Trujillo, Spain
The Castle of Trujillo was the perfect location for the ancestral home of the Lannisters since it is located at the highest point in the town of Cáceres. In Season 7, a gruesome battle between the Unsullied and the Lannister armies plays out at this iconic castle.
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Photo: Getty Images9/9
Location of Khal Drogo’s Funeral Pyre—Mtahleb Valley, Malta
It was in the Mtahleb Valley that Daenerys became the “Mother of Dragons” when she bravely stepped into the funeral pyre of her husband, Khal Drago, with three dragon eggs and emerged from the ashes unburnt—with three baby dragons.
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Source: Architectural Design