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The 10-part HBO series follows House Targaryen as they battle for the coveted iron throne, 200 years before the events of the Game of Thrones series which concluded in 2019. With House of the Dragon renewing interest in the Game of Thrones series, there are several filming destinations in the UK and Europe that you can visit and immerse yourself in the world of Westeros this summer. 

The epic fantasy series was known for having an array of impressive film locations including Malta, Iceland and Croatia, but most of the filming took place in Northern Ireland, which the destination has massively capitalised on with GOT tours and permanent exhibitions.

This year saw the opening of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in the acclaimed series’ original filming location at Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. 

Since Game of Thrones production began in 2010 in Northern Ireland, fans and visitors have been arriving to explore the area in huge numbers. Visitor figures from 2018 suggest that Game of Thrones helped to attract one in every six out-of-state visitors to Northern Ireland which amounts to approximately 350,000 people and over £50 million into the local economy in that year alone.

Where is House of the Dragon filmed?

HBO has decided to move away from Northern Ireland for the House of the Dragon series. The Warner Bros Leavesden Studios in England is now their new home base for production, with several exterior scenes being shot in Cornwall, Devon, and some European destinations, including Spain and Portugal.

Here are some of the top House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones locations in the UK and Europe that you can visit this summer and step right into your favourite scenes from the seven kingdoms.

Monsanto, Portugal

One of the most picturesque places in Portugal, Monsanto has huge granite boulders that have been skilfully incorporated into the village’s architecture. Here, you’ll find charming, cobbled streets, 18th-century houses and Romanesque chapels in a rocky landscape.  

Thanks to a Portuguese casting call, we know that scenes from House of the Dragon were filmed at the Castle of Monsanto. This mediaeval fortress could easily act as a Westeros location with its arched gates and walled courtyards. 

This location is more for the die-hard Thrones fans as it has a limited tourism offering with few hotels and restaurants. This is because the Portuguese government is striving to preserve the town’s unique heritage and character. 

For this reason, the town is unlikely to start running Game of Thrones tours, but you can hire a car and visit this rocky, historic village on your own steam. 

Cornwall, England

House of the Dragon cast and crew have been spotted in several locations in Cornwall and Devon, with fans posting photos of elaborate film sets on social media. Kynance Cove located on the west side of the Lizard was one of the filming locations for the prequel series.

The distinctive serpentine rock formations and the cove’s white sand certainly give the location an ethereal feel. It’s frankly the ideal place to shoot a fantasy TV series.

The best way to approach Kynance Cove is via the coastal path from Lizard Point, to get the most dramatic coastal views in the UK on a scenic, 2-mile walk. There is a car park at Kynance Cove, but it can get extremely busy during the peak season.

Located just above the beach at Kynance Cove is an eco-friendly café selling traditional Cornish pasties and cream teas if you need refreshments during your Targaryen pilgrimage. 

Tidal island St Michael’s Mount was also used as a House of the Dragon location in Cornwall, with a close-up shot of an archway set erected showing the ‘House Velaryon’ sigil of a seahorse.

Accommodation around these filming spots is likely to be extremely booked up during peak season, so you’ll need to start researching places to stay sooner rather than later.

Svínafellsjökull glacier, Iceland

With an ethereal landscape of glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and active volcanoes, Iceland is a superb place for epic cinematography. It’s easy to see why Game of Thrones producers chose to film several exterior shots in Iceland’s wild and rugged terrains.

Even before Game of Thrones, the Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue was already popular with visitors, as it’s just off Iceland’s Ring Road (Route 1) and can be easily seen after a short walk from the main parking area.

This compelling area was used in season two, where Jon Snow and the Night Watch captured Ygritte and again in season seven for the battle between Jon Snow’s group and the army of the dead.

Thingvellir National Park was also used as a Thrones filming location. The area was the site of Iceland’s first parliament and is where the North-American tectonic plates are moving apart from each other at a rate of 2cm a year. Visitors will also recognise it from memorable GoT scenes, including one featuring the wildlings Ygritte and Tormund, where they meet the cannibal Thenn Styr.

The area around the canyon near Oxararfoss waterfall was used as the location of the Bloody Gate. There are several guided day trips and tours that operate out of Iceland’s capital Reykjavík that cover the Golden Circle area and Game of Thrones filming spots.

You can also rent a car and explore the film locations yourself or you can book a multi-day group tour of Iceland with Intrepid and cruise around this incredible country with an expert guide. 

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Several locations in Croatia were used for Thrones filming but the walled city of Dubrovnik was the main filming location in Croatia for King’s Landing, [the Lannister’s stronghold in Game of Thrones] and has become synonymous with the franchise.  

Facing out over the azure blue Adriatic sea, Dubrovnik is an impressive sight to behold with imposing stone walls surrounding the old town and a mix of Baroque and Renaissance architecture.

This remarkable UNESCO World Heritage site is wildly popular with tourists and Thrones fans, especially in the peak summer season. 

Locations across the city have been used for Thrones filming including The Pile Gate [the entrance to the Old Town] used in season two, episode six where King Joffrey is attacked by angry crowds. The Jesuit Staircase was used as the ‘steps of the Great Sept of Baelor’ in King’s Landing.

This is where one of the most famous scenes in season five took place, the “Walk of Shame”. In this scene, a Cersei Lannister is forced to walk naked through the streets of King’s Landing.

ToursByLocals offer a comprehensive five-hour Game of Thrones Tour Experience for super fans wanting to see a lot of filming locations. Visit Fort Lovrjenac – the Red Keep, take a ferry to Lokrum island – the City of Qarth and visit the Game of Thrones Museum on this whirlwind tour.

Cáceres, Spain

Cáceres will once again play host to the Game of Thrones franchise according to media reports and fan sightings. This historic city is one of Spain’s World Heritage Cities and has extremely well-preserved streets, squares, palaces and walls. Cobbled streets, charming plazas and heritage sites await curious visitors.

Scenes in the seventh season of Game of Thrones were filmed in Cáceres as it stood in as King’s Landing. Filming locations during this time include Arco de la Estrella, Plaza de Santa María, Cuesta de la Compañía, Plaza de las Veletas.

The House of the Dragon production team set up camp in Cáceres and it looks like the charming city will be used again to depict the streets of King’s Landing again. Several Cáceres locals posted photos of sets and props on social media, including one set photo of a fountain adorned with lion statues. 

Cáceres is less than two hours away from another House of the Dragon filming location, Monsanto in Portugal. Savvy fans can rent a car and see both locations in one day with some proper planning. 

The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has a huge amount of Thrones filming locations dotted around the destination. Fans of the show can visit Castle Ward, which was used as the backdrop for Winterfell, and nearby Tollymore Forest can be seen in the series as the place where Nightwalkers were spotted and the Direwolf pups were found. 

Visitors can also travel to the small fishing village of Ballintoy Harbour, which is used as the location for the Iron Islands, Cushendun Caves where Melisandre gave birth to her ‘shadow baby’, and the iconic Dark Hedges, which doubles as the King’s Road.

The Dark Hedges is one of the most popular Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland thanks to its haunting beauty and photogenic qualities. It’s also a pit stop on many of the Game of Thrones tours that operate out of Belfast. 

Fans can walk down a beautiful avenue of beech trees along Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim. This tree-lined spot was used as a filming location for ‘Kings Road’ in season two when Arya and Gendry escape King’s Landing in the back of a cart.

When Storm Gertrude wreaked a path of havoc across Northern Ireland in 2016, she destroyed some of the iconic Dark Hedges beech trees and left devastation in her wake. 

But tragedy turned to artistic triumph as the fallen trees were repurposed into the impressive Journey of Doors. Ten intricately-crafted doors have been carved from the fallen wood, each telling the story of an episode from season six and displayed across the country. 

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