Go Westeros! As mega fantasy romp Game of Thrones starts its fifth season, we take a fact-filled tour of 38 places where it was filmed, from Malta to Iceland…here are just a few of the breathtaking locations…
By James Teideman (Skyscanner)
Vatnajökull (North of the Wall)
Pictured above, the vast mountainous area of south-east Iceland forms Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, located in the largest national park of Europe at 13.600km². In Westeros, Vatnajökull is the mysterious land Beyond the Wall, home to mythical creatures.
Atlas Corporation Studios, Ouarzazate
The Atlas Studios, located in the Moroccan desert just outside of the city of Ouarzazate, are the world’s largest film studios in terms of size. Apart from being an amazing filming location, the studios are also a popular tourist attraction, as many of the film sets are still intact. Apart from scenes of Game of Thrones, many films such as Babel, Gladiator and Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra were filmed here.
Grjótagjá (Thermal Spring or ‘Jon and Ygritte’s love nest’)
In the next season of Game of Thrones we probably won’t see too much of this lovely spring cave anymore, but it’s definitely worth visiting in the real world. Grjótagjá is a small lava cave near Lake Mývatn in north-east Iceland. While outside is snow and ice, the water in the spring can get up to 50 degrees C (which explains why Jon and Ygritte were so hot…). Why not re-enact a particular scene there with your special someone?
Dubrovnik (King’s Landing)
Here it is, the (latest and official) seat of the kings of Westeros: King’s Landing, aka Dubrovnik. It’s no wonder that this monumental city was chosen to pose as one of Westeros’ main landmarks: Dubrovnik’s old town is surrounded by thick stone walls and is located on a peninsula surrounded by a dramatic stone cliff. In Game of Thrones world, King’s Landing is an important location, featuring in most episodes and where many characters’ storylines meet. It is also the place to be if you like intrigues, secrets, hidden agendas and dastardly plots.
Azure Window (Daenerys and Drogo’s Wedding)
The 50-metre high limestone rock natural arch known as the Azure Window was the backdrop for Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo’s Wedding. Located on the Maltese island of Gozo, it is very popular with scuba divers Apart from Game of Thrones, it also apparead in films such as Clash of the Titans and The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as the television mini-series The Odyssey.
Photo: Giovanni Maroni / Viewingmalta.com
Be sure to check out more locations for the Game of Thrones at: https://www.skyscanner.net/news/38-amazing-game-thrones-locations-pictures