One of my favorite parts of traveling is stumbling across something I didn’t expect–like a cool wildlife experience, a delicious restaurant, or an epic filming location! It’s always exciting and adds another layer of fun to the journey. And the latter of those three is precisely what happened when I visited Northern Ireland and Iceland and stumbled across 6 Game of Thrones filming locations!
Now, full disclosure: I’m not a Game of Thrones fan, but I found it funny that I took back-to-back trips where some of the top spots on my list were featured in the show! It made me do a bit more research into the topic, and it turns out several more of their biggest filming locations are on my bucket list!
So today, I want to start an ongoing guide to these Game of Thrones filming locations so fans like you can visit them, too! They’re all ridiculously epic (I wouldn’t expect any less from a fantasy TV series) and surprisingly easy to visit. So they’re super-easy to add to any itinerary.
As I visit more of these filming locations, I’ll come back and add them here, so be sure to stay tuned for the journey!
Iceland Locations
Iceland was a big filming stop for Game of Thrones, with many of its mountains, glaciers, caves, and canyons featured throughout the series. But here are a few you’re bound to recognize!
Skogafoss
Skogafoss is one of Iceland’s most popular waterfalls, but it was also featured in Season 8, Episode 1 of Game of Thrones, as the waterfall that Jon and Daenerys fly over. It’s got an epic drop, and you can walk right up to the base of the falls to really see and feel the power of this massive fall.
In the show, they actually CGI-ed an extra level to the fall, but I think Skogafoss is pretty epic all on its own, too.
You can easily access Skogafoss from the Ring Road, which is the main highway in Iceland. But it’s also a top stop on any South Coast road trip! Be sure to visit early in the day to avoid the crowds, and wear waterproof outer layers to protect yourself from the waterfall’s intense spray!
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Another epic South Coast gem, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is the most iconic black sand beach in Iceland and the real-life location of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
This beach naturally has an otherworldly feel to it with its black sand and pebbles, soaring basalt columns, and weird rock formations. So it’s the perfect setting for a fantasy TV series!
Reynisfjara isn’t a swimming spot (in fact, you need to be super careful of the sneaker waves that often wipe visitors off their feet!), but it’s perfect for exploring. Be sure to check out the basalt columns and cave, dig your toes in the soft black sand, and check out the funky rock formations in the water–legend has it they’re trolls turned to stone! Be sure to bring a good jacket or coat because the winds here can be pretty chilly!
Fun fact: The basalt columns at Reynisfjara inspired the design for the Dragonstone’s throne room!
Kirkjufell
Another must-see Iceland landmark is Kirkjufell Mountain, also known as Arrowhead Mountain! This uniquely shaped peak was quite popular before the Game of Thrones series featured it heavily in Seasons 6 and 7, but it’s really gained a lot of attention since then.
If you’ve done any research on Iceland before this, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Kirkjufell featured in a bright green landscape with the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall flowing in the foreground. However, if you’re looking for the most comparable Game of Thrones viewing experience, visit in the winter like we did to see the mountain covered in snow!
Kirkjufell is located on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, just outside a small town called Grundarfjörður. You’ll park in a lot right across the road from the mountain, but the best views are down a short path that leads over a bridge and along the side of Kirkjufellsfoss..
If you’re going to visit this area, I highly recommend you spend a day driving around this gorgeous peninsular to see its diverse and beautiful landscapes! Don’t forget a waterproof coat and boots!
Thingvellir National Park
Game of Thrones fan or not, Thingvellir National Park needs to be on your list. This epic park is one of the most unique national parks in the entire world and the perfect place to find some serious fantasy vibes. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site because it’s where Iceland’s first parliament was founded!
In the TV show, Thingvellir is the location of the Bloody Gate, and you’ll see this area featured through season 4. But the place you’ll most likely recognize is the Almannagjá Gorge, which is a rift between the earth’s tectonic plates! So not only can you follow in the footsteps of Arya and The Hound, but you can take turns standing on different continents while you’re there! Pretty cool, right?
Thingvellir has a ton of cool landscapes to check out and even the option to snorkel between the tectonic plates, which are filled with crystal-clear water from a nearby glacier. It’s an absolute must-visit on any Iceland trip, which you can easily do with a Golden Circle tour! This popular road trip features Thingvellir, along with Geysir and the Gullfoss Waterfall, for a beauty-packed day.
Plus, it only takes about 4 hours of drive time to do the full loop from Reykjavik, leaving you plenty of time to explore!
Northern Ireland Locations
Northern Ireland was also a hotspot for Game of Thrones action, with over 20 different locations across the country! That’s pretty insane for an area of land that’s barely bigger than the state of Maryland!
While some of them are a bit more remote than others, here are two you can easily visit just an hour from Belfast!
Dunluce Castle
You may not immediately recognize Dunluce Castle, but with a little bit of CGI magic, these fairytale-level ruins overlooking the sea became House Greyjoke/Pyke Castle!
Even in their normal state, the ruins of Dunluce Castle are absolutely mesmerizing. They have the perfect clifftop location, surrounded by green hills, with the restless sea below. Ugh–it’s just too pretty! Even before I knew they were featured in Game of Thrones, I thought they looked like something from a fantasy, so it’s no surprise that the producers thought so, too!
You can visit Dunluce Castle in County Antrim, which is just over an hour’s drive from Belfast. If you want to tour the castle, you can get tickets for about $8 USD. Or, you can pull off at the nearby cliffside overlook to take in the epic views. Just be sure to bring a good jacket because the winds can be brutal this high on the cliffs!
Dark Hedges
Last but certainly not least are the Dark Hedges. If you’ve heard of any Game of Thrones filming location, chances are it’s this one because it’s gained a pretty big media presence.
In reality, the Dark Hedges were just some funky trees a rich guy planted to make the road up to his estate more impressive back in the 1700s. But depending on the weather, this road can be enchanting or spooky–another great fantasy spot!
It’s specifically featured in Season 2, episode 1 as the King’s Road.
You’ll find the Dark Hedges in Bushmills, less than an hour away from Belfast! You only need about 30 minutes here to see the hedges, unless you really want to take a long walk or do an epic photoshoot. If you’re doing the latter, be sure to get there early to avoid the crowds. And since Northern Ireland can get a lot of rain, it’s also a good idea to bring a rain jacket and some water resistant shoes!
See More Game of Thrones Fun on My YouTube Channel!
Closing Thoughts on These Game of Thrones Filming Locations
While I may not be a GoT fanatic, I have to admit, they chose some pretty awesome spots to film! And as I mentioned, now that I know so many of their filming locations are already on my bucket list, I’ll be coming back to this guide often to update it with new spots and tips on visiting. So make sure you’re signed up for blog updates and keeping an eye on your email!
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What do you think? Do you want to visit any of these spots now that you know how accessible they are? Let me know in the comments below! And if you have any spots you’re dying to get the 411 on, tell me where you want me to visit next!
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Thanks for stopping by to read this post, and I wish you many happy travels!
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Catching up on blog reading and this was in my feed. Interesting timing as I was in Malta last week which also has some GOT filming locations, I really recommend visiting there!
Anyway, this was an enjoyable read. Iceland looks so magical and you certainly timed your visit well with the Winter shots! The dark hedges was the location I was most familiar with but I’ve no real interest in visiting that specific location, it’s funny how popular some of these locations become because of TV / film though.
That’s so cool! I hadn’t looked up any in Malta, but I’ll definitely have to check them out! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Iceland is a fantastic country to visit if you have the chance, whether in winter or warmer weather! And I do recommend Northern Ireland as a whole, as well, even if you don’t visit the Dark Hedges. The rest of the country has some absolutely epic landscapes! And I agree–it is kind of crazy how some of these spots are so famous just because they’re filming locations. There are plenty that you’d think would be more popular just because they’re beautiful!
I’ll certainly visit Northern Ireland at some point 🙂