16 Game of Thrones Places to Visit as a Responsible Traveler

The Best Game of Thrones Places to Visit

I’m not one to trot-off to a location just because a movie or television show was filmed there. However, I have accidentally been to several of the more famous, and less known filming locations for HBO’s Game of Thrones. Normally, this wouldn’t be something I’m interested in but these are coincidently some of my favorite locations to vacation. Not only are these fantastic vacation locations, but these Game of Thrones places are GORGEOUS.

Not only will I reveal how I stumbled upon GOT destinations, but I’ll also give you a suggestion for each place on the best way to visit as a more responsible traveler. I may have visited the places on this list for other reasons, but there are a massive amount of tourists who come flocking to destinations like these because a movie or television show makes them enticing. Would the perfect answer be “these locations are over run with tourists, go somewhere else”. Maybe, but I think it’s important to find sustainable solutions without making things accessible for some and not others.

How a Hit Show can Pack a Negative Punch

Lord of the Rings made New Zealand so famous, the cast is on the airline safety video. Harry Potter has future wizards queuing up at Platform 9 3/4 and people venture all the way to Cambodia’s Ankgor Wat to tap into their inner Lara Croft. Really compelling movies and shows are creative enough that they bring the viewer in and make them a part of the story. Our love for these movies and shows has a way of inspiring us to learn more about a place. It has the power to get us off the couch to see it for ourselves.

Game of Thrones did this in such a way that there’s something called “Game of Thrones” effect. Where places that have been featured in an episode have experienced a major influx of tourists. While some of this can be good for the economy, it can be detrimental for historic destinations and environmental preservation.

Croatia

Croatia is a stunning location to visit on its own, without needing an excuse to see where a movie or show was filmed. I visited Croatia in the height of the tourist season, in summer during yacht week. There are several places in Croatia that appear in GOT and it just happened that my brother and I visited three of them when he took his first trip to Europe. If I had to go back and redo anything, it would most likely be not to travel when everyone else is visiting. Places like Zagreb are equally as beautiful and not given the attention they deserve.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubronik is the setting for Kings Landing and what may have once been a sleepy, walled city is now a tourism heavyweight. Over the last several years, the city has seen a major influx of visitors creating quite a quandary for city officials and visitors. Should we turn people away from visiting Dubrovnik? Overtourism is a topic that I’ve discussed in the past at length and Dubrovnik is a city that I’ve used as an example. If you are visiting the Old City, consider doing simple things like don’t travel by cruise ship to these port cities. Ports are often not controlled by the city itself, but by an outside government entity or business so they have little say in how many boats full of people are arriving on a daily basis.

Krka National Park, Croatia

Croatia has some stunning national parks. Krka was used as the landscapes of the West in Game of Thrones and the National Park has some impressive water falls. There are several national parks in Croatia and many people go to Plitvice Lakes which look very similar to Krka. The difference is in Krka there are designated swimming areas which comes in handy when you are here in the mid July heat.

Split, Croatia

Another seaside location, Split juts out into the Adriatic in a dramatic fashion. Split has some of the more interesting architecture and archeological ruins, while other locations have the landscapes. Basically, you can get a history lesson in while you visit the filming locations in town. We went early in the morning to visit some of the more famous UNESCO sites and after lunch on our way back through that part of town, the places were packed. Early risers on vacation get rewarded with fewer crowds, cooler weather and you get your sightseeing out of the way so you can relax in the afternoon!

Spain

 

Like you needed an excuse to travel to Spain. The food and the culture is enough to bring you here, but if you needed another reason, Game of Thrones has found some places to convince you. Much like the rest of the locations on this list, timing is everything for this country. Barcelona, the tourism epicenter of the country did not have any filming. Seville could take a page from overtourism problems of Catalonia.

Seville, Spain

Southern Spain has the architecture and the attitude for a Game of Thrones location. There were several places the show was filmed in the region, but Seville has my favorite place on the list, the Royal Alcazar of Seville. It’s sister building would be the Alhambra in Granada, they have the similar Andalusian meets Islamic style. the Alcazar is a one of the oldest palaces in the world that is still operational.

Because the property is still in use, they have rules and regulations to control crowds and keep the grounds orderly. It’s a mechanism that helps to ensure the location will not be over run with visitors or destroyed. Because of this, you must purchase tickets ahead of time to guarantee a spot on the day you want to visit. Want to know a trick? Take a walking tour that includes a ticket with the purchase of the tour. You will thank me later because you skip waiting in the long line like all the others.

Morocco

Possibly, my favorite location on this list, Morocco has a handful of destinations that provide an exotic locale for shooting. I was surprised to learn that several other famous movies and shows have been filmed in Morocco. You could even call Ouarzazate the “Hollywood of Morocco” with film studios and sets frequently coming in and out of town.

Essaouira, Morocco

The blue city by the sea, Essaouira is a laid back, surf town. When I was living in Morocco, I visited Essaouira for a couple of different weekends. The crowds have a tendency to fluctuate significantly. If you want to spend some time here in a sustainable way, there are plenty of local shops and restaurants that can help make an ethical stay in Essaouira. Game of Thrones filmed the town of Astapor here on the ramparts of the old walls. You can also walk the walls of the city, and stay either within the old part of the fortress, or in the newer developed part of town.

Ouarzazate & Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco

Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou were two Game of Thrones places that served as one location on the show, Pentos. These place is not only famous for scenes shot for Game of Thrones, but you may recognize them from the big and small screen.

Malta

Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean with a big place in my heart. It is frequently my response to the question “Where’s your favorite place you’ve been?” and some friendly advice, don’t ask a travel writer this question! I jokingly have remarked that choosing your most loved country is like a mother picking her favorite child. While the truth is we all have our favorites, and one of mine is Malta.

Azure Window, Malta

This may not be completely fair to include, as the Azure Window (pictured above) collapsed in 2017. This was the location for a wedding in one of the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, with the dramatic archway in several scenes. While the Azure Window isn’t standing, you can still see the famous landmark in a different way, under the sea. This area is a popular diving spot that is still open.

Mdina, Malta

The walled city is well known as the ancient capital of Malta. The “Silent City” is a fortified town and makes for a believable location for Kings Landing in the show. The architecture is what draws you here. Walking through town is a treat and be sure to visit the cathedral.

 

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland tourism boomed when several places were prominent features in the GOT series. The Republic of Ireland, the main part of the island, seems to be more frequently visited. Especially during political unrest, places like Dublin, the Cliffs of Mohr or the Ring of Kerry were seeing more foreign visitors than the attractions in the North. Post GOT exposure, this may not be the case any longer. The tourism board of Northern Ireland even has an app to keep visitors connected to Game of Thrones sites. This is where destinations need to be cautious. When tourism spikes and it benefits the economy but to be looking ahead towards combatting potential overcrowding.

Antrim & The Dark Hedges

Antrim County is the home of several Game of Thrones places. The landscape of Northern Ireland makes for a perfect Iron Islands, settings for Winterfell and the North. The castles, the rolling hills and dramatic cliff edges are easy on the eyes.

The dark hedges are an iconic view of a mysterious and moody road. This was a popular tourist location before the show became a hit and now that it’s part of the GOT franchise it’s become more congested. Because of its previous and new notoriety, this is another location on the list that has become inundated with tourists making it difficult to visit without getting strangers in your pictures. This is a local road so if you do visit, be mindful that people are using this as a way to get around during their day.

Derry/Londonderry

Like Antrim, this county has many cameos in the series. And just like the other counterparts, Derry has several spots that HBO made famous. The sweeping coastlines of Northern Ireland are what makes you want to run to the edge, look out onto the sea crashing onto the land, with the salt air blowing in your hair. You’ll feel like a GOT cast member in no time.

Iceland

The island that came from financially struggles to the king of the stop over. What began as a saving grace for Iceland has quickly taken a turn for the problematic. Iceland, much like parts of Croatia, has an overtourism problem. Many of the filming locations for GOT fall within that dilemma. When tourism is helping your economy, how do you control it so it doesn’t become a future issue. Iceland has so many things that make it an ideal vacation destination. It’s easy to get to, with low cost airline carriers offering “stop over” deals in between your journey. English is widely spoken and for Americans, you don’t need a visa to visit. The landscape is other worldly, so when you see scenes like those from GOT, it just shy of begs you to book a flight.

What’s the solution? Try moving outside of the tourist trail, which is predominantly the Southwest section of the island & the capital, Reykjavik. Try to go with a smaller group tour, you’ll make a lesser impact when you travel in littler groups. You can visit Iceland at different times of year to see and do a variety of things. Try going during shoulder season or low season to avoid crowds. If you travel on your own for a road trip, be aware of nature & the environment. There are fragile ecosystems that need our protecting.

Vik, Iceland

Vik is famous for black sand beaches. While ebony grains of sand are interesting enough, add a unique mountain with terraced rock formations and it has the makings for a perfect GOT landscape. This is the Eastwatch-by-the-sea in the show. Reynisfjara is world-famous for the stunning views. Much like the other popular places on the island, there are so many people visiting. The fishing village and the beach are a major spot on the famed Ring Road. During the height of tourist season, this beach can have bus loads of people marching in and out.

Greece

Greece feels like it would be an obvious choice for a filming location. Ancient ruins, seaside villages seem like the perfect recipe for a GOT backdrop. To my surprise, the Greek Isles are not featured as much as I would have expected as possible Game of Thrones places. There was one location I found out that is included in a technicality. While film locations may not have driven us to the islands of Greece, tourism here has long been a crowded affair.

I’ve been twice, both times in the off season which was the only way I’d recommend visiting. It’s cost effective and you’ll have beaches all to yourself. Be aware several islands aren’t accessible outside of the tourist season or summer, so planning accordingly is essential!

Meteora, Greece

While Meteora is featured in Game of Thrones, no scenes were actually shot here. The monasteries were filmed and added later. Meteora is one of those locations that you’ll visit and the word jaw dropping comes to mind without being hyperbolic. The way the monasteries are resting ever so gently on the tops of these tops of the mountains. The drama that comes with these views were the obvious choice for the landscape of the Eyrie in the show. Images were taken and then added digitally. Hiking trails in and around the monasteries are the best thing to do when visiting Meteora, be mindful of the principles of Leave No Trace when you’re out enjoying nature!

 

So, can we visit places like this without ruining the land and upsetting the locals? Like many sustainable travel topics, the answer isn’t as clear cut. While places like Northern Ireland are benefiting from the bump in visitors, destinations like Dubrovnik could use a break.

My advice is try these simple points:

• Be respectful of the locals and those who live in and around these film locations
• Try to visit popular destinations around, not during peak seasons (shoulder season)
• Visit a location in small groups, avoid cruise ship tourism to make a smaller impact
• Heading on an outdoor adventure? Practice respectful principles where you leave land just as you found it.
• Consider skipping the main tourist attraction & visiting ancillary destinations. These countries have other wonderful places!