Alternative Game of Thrones Locations You Can Visit Today
When searching for inspiration for your next vacation, it is likely you may turn to the world of film and television.
Movies and television series can often open your eyes to new and wonderful locations, creating a tourist destination where previously few people visited. A classic example is Game of Thrones; the HBO show was a global success, and it created tourist hot spots of its filming locations. Forbes explains how Dubrovnik was so popular; it had to limit visitors to its old town to 4,000 per day. How did it become so popular?
Game of Thrones wasn’t just a TV series; it already had a firm following from George R.R Martin’s books. The show visualised the characters and places, and as it gained popularity, more people wanted to visit. The show leapt off the TV screens and into digital media, reaching even more fans; locations could be found in a series of games by Telltale on the PlayStation and Xbox. There were even mobile games popping up using the branding, such as the Gala Casino title Game of Thrones Power Stacks, which kept the show popular even whilst series were off the TV. You could even take command of the Night’s Watch if you wished on iOS and Android by playing Game of Thrones Beyond the Wall. Wherever you turned, Game of Thrones seemed to be there, even after the disappointing finale.
It might even serve as your inspiration the next time you plan to travel. After all, who wouldn’t want to visit some of the amazing locations they filmed the show in? If you do, and think that outside Dubrovnik might be a good choice, here are three alternative Game of Thrones locations to visit in 2022.
Gaztelugatxe – Spain
The picture might look serene and peaceful, but this beautiful Spanish location is often besieged by Game of Thrones fans. It isn’t just a picturesque islet on the coast of Biscay; it is also the ancestral home of Daenerys Targaryen, known as Dragonstone. You won’t find the castle here, that was CGI created, but there is a lovely 10th-century church. The town is nice too, with just one café with facilities, but it does get very busy indeed.
Castle Ward – Ireland
Whilst Game of Thrones has many heroes and villains, much of the story revolves around the Stark family from Winterfell; it follows their journeys through to the concluding episodes. Winterfell, home to the King of the North, was the first to be touched by the frost of winter and the surge of the White Walkers, but in reality, the filming location is far more serene. Castle Ward, in Northern Ireland, is a National Trust property in County Down, dating back to the 18th century. It has 820 acres of landscaped gardens to explore, which you can do without fear of being sent to the Night’s Watch.
Vatnajökull – Iceland
Beyond Winterfell was the area known for being the home of the Wildlings. Beyond the wall is where the battle started with the White Walkers, and it features heavily throughout the series. One of the locations used for the barren and desolate area was Vatnajökull in Iceland. It is anything but desolate; Iceland has some of the most beautiful sights anywhere in the world. A visit here might take you to a Game of Thrones location, but you won’t be thinking about Wildlings when you’re there; you’ll be taken away by the breathtaking beauty of our planet, not the fictional Westeros.
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