Are you ready to travel to the edge of the world? King’s Landing, Winterfell, the Iron Islands.. You can see them all in preparation for the series’ finale. Or even to cure the inevitable post-series withdrawal. We have compiled the top destinations to visit across FIVE countries to satisfy your wanderlust…
Winter is coming, so head for the sun in over 10 destinations. p.s. Spoilers ahead!
Our journey begins where it all began… IRELAND.
The home of thrones hosted GoT for 8 years, showcasing Winterfell, Lordsport Harbour, the Riverrun encampment and much more…
1. “King’s Road”, aka The Dark Hedges, Ballymoney
Start by driving along the King’s Road which led Ned Stark to his death and where Arya managed to escape King’s Landing…
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Formed 60 millions years ago by molten lava flows, the stunning Antrim Plateau (Binevenagh) make a perfect stand-in for the Dothraki Grasslands – specifically where a stranded Daenerys encounters a horde of horse warriors at the end of Season 5…
3. “The Lands Around Winterfell”, aka County Down
Tollymore Forest appeared in the very first episode of Game of Thrones. This is a popular destination, as it is the very forest where the Stark brothers and Greyjoy stumble upon the Direwolf pups!
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Where to stay: View closest hostel from £14 > Want to see more, fast? Take a bus between destinations & get 10% off > From Dublin to Dubrovnik… 4. “King’s Landing”, aka Dubrovnik Wander through one of Westeros’ most recognisable destinations in Croatia this year. The Croatian city doubles as King’s Landing, home of the Iron Throne as well as Qarth, an ancient port city. Some of the most memorable scenes to grace our eyes were filmed here, including Cersei’s walk of shame, Ned Stark’s unfortunate demise and Joffrey meets a fate we all waited far too long for. (Not an unpopular opinion). If you didn’t think it was possible to visit Essos and Westeros in the same day, think again! Take a full walking tour through the very real, winding streets and alleyways used in specific episodes, with Urban Adventures, here! >
Where to stay: view closest hostel from £16 > And it wouldn’t be the home of the Iron Throne if you couldn’t return with a photo like this…
If you look back, are you lost? 5. “Essos”, aka Ait Benhaddou Relive Dany’s search for The Unsullied through the Moroccan city made entirely of clay… This location is primarily favoured for representing the slave-trading city of Yunkai, Pentos, and the home of The Unsullied army (“Astapor” aka Essaouira, Morocco) is a mere 6 hour drive away, with plenty to see on the way there! Fall right back into the series upon arrival at either of these two cities, they definitely make you feel at throne. I mean, home.
Where to stay: view closest hostel from £9 > Sun, sea and suspicious… Dragons! 6. “Dorne”, aka Seville In true Game of Throne’s style, the setting for one of the most loathed plot-lines, is also the most captivating. But what the series doesn’t let on, is that Seville is somehow even more beautiful when you see it with your very own eyes. You can visit the stunning palace gardens where Trystane played with Myrcella or take a short trip by bus over to the Real Alcázar to set your sights on the Moorish Baths, where the Sand Snakes plot the killing of Myrcella in “Unbowed, unbent, unbroken” (s5e06).
7. “The Dragonpit”, aka Itálica Pretty self explanatory, and well, if you don’t know… you literally know nothing. The Dragonpit is a huge structure situated in King’s Landing that the Targaryen’s used as a stable to hold their dragons, and it was destroyed during the “Dance of the Dragons” civil war, where the remaining dragons were said to have died out, alas the Dragonpit was never rebuilt and left in the ruins that we see in season 7. It is rumoured that Season 8 will feature the Dragonpit once more, but will we be seeing Danaerys, Jon and Cersei this time around?
Catch up with season 7 here > The land of ice and fire: What lies beyond the wall? 8. “Arrowhead”, aka Kirkjufell Mountain The Night King may be wreaking havoc south of the wall as we speak, however they made their debut north of the wall in Iceland, where Jon Snow & company are rescued (in somewhat good time) by Dany and her dragons in s7e06. A common piece of travel advice would be to drive along the Ring Road via the Snæfellsnes Peninsula for a chance to see the northern lights and many more popular Icelandic features. It’s definitely a worthy detour… and get 10% off while you’re at it! Check out Iceland’s best waterfalls whilst you’re there…>
Where to stay: view closest hostel from £33 > 9. The Cave of Dreams…& Kit Harrington of course, aka Grjótagjá Notorious for it’s appearance in s3e05, is Iceland’s Grjótagjá cave, oozing with surrealism. What looks like another Icelandic rift, is really a secret entrance boasting a small pool of glittering blue water, originally formed by lava. Please note, this trail is not for the faint-hearted, and is for experienced hikers. To avoid missing out, you can also easily travel by car (get 10% off here!) as there is ample parking available nearby. Top travel safety tips >
Where to stay: view closest hostel from £99 >
10. “The Pass to Eyrie”, aka Thingvellir National Park
Despite popular belief, Iceland plays host to another famous location other than the land beyond the wall. Taking you back in time to season four, where we witness the most gruelling battle of them all… Brienne vs The Hound on the pass to Eyrie. This scene was actually filmed in Thingvellir National Park, a mere stones throw away from Icelandic capital, Reykjavik!
Thinking of extending your trip? View our travel guides for more travel inspiration:
IRELAND | CROATIA | MOROCCO | SPAIN | ICELAND
What are you waiting for? Turn dreams into reality from any destination.
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