10 locations · Spain · Seasons 5–7

Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Spain

A Game of Thrones fan? I bet you didn't know that 80% of Westeros is in Spain

10 Locations
3 Routes
5 Regions
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The real backdrop

Where Game of Thrones Was Filmed in Spain

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When Daenerys first stepped onto the Dragonstone staircase in season 7, millions of viewers were looking at Gaztelugatxe on the Basque coast. When Tyrion and Varys strolled through the markets of Meereen, they were walking through Peñíscola in Castellón. Where Game of Thrones was filmed in Spain was never a closely guarded secret: it was the entire cinematographic infrastructure of a country put at the service of the most-watched piece of fiction in history.

This is not one of those articles that tells you "Seville has Game of Thrones locations". This is a guide for those who want to stand exactly where Jaime Lannister stood, look in the same direction he looked, and know what really happens when you arrive. Ten locations spread across Spain: three routes, practical access data, and the exact angle for the shot you are looking for.

Route 01

The Southern Route: Dorne, the Reach and Essos

⏱ 48 horas 🚄🚗 AVE + coche de alquiler 4 locations

The heart of Game of Thrones in Spain is in Andalusia. Seville as your base — Alcázar and Italica — and a day trip by car to Almodóvar del Río and the Roman Bridge in Córdoba. The most comfortable route and the one that concentrates the most recognisable locations.

01
💶 14,50€ ⚠️ Booking required ✅ Interior visit

Real Alcázar de Sevilla

The Palace of Dorne — Water Gardens and the Throne Room

Seasons 5, 6 and 7 · Multiple episodes
📍 Patio de Banderas s/n, 41004 Sevilla

This is where Ellaria Sand and Oberyn Martell walked. The Alcázar's Water Gardens are the heart of Dorne — gardens, fountains and tiled walls that in the series' editing look like an entirely different kingdom. What nobody warns you about is that the real impact of the Alcázar goes far beyond the two minutes it appears in the show: it is one of those places where you spend twice as long as planned because every courtyard is different from the last. The Grotesque Gallery and the arches of the Maidens' Courtyard are the most directly recognisable spaces.

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The HBO crew filmed at the Alcázar across several non-consecutive seasons. For season 7, temporary structures were installed in the Gardens to visually extend the space: part of what you see did not exist in the real building.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch Dorne scenes on YouTube
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For your shot: First thing in the morning (opens at 9:30) — the gardens without crowds, golden side light. Stand in the Grotesque Gallery facing the arches: this is the exact frame from the Sand Snakes scene.
Getting there Walking distance from the historic centre or metro L1 (Puerta Jerez). Taxi from Santa Justa (AVE station): 15 min.
Booking Essential to book at alcazarsevilla.org — tickets sell out days in advance during peak season.
Nearby Bar El Pasaje (traditional tapas) on Calle Mateos Gago, 5 minutes on foot.
02
💶 1,50€ ✅ Open access

Anfiteatro de Itálica

The Great Sept — the lords of Westeros meet Cersei

Season 7 · Episode 7 "The Dragon and the Wolf"
📍 Av. de Extremadura 2, Santiponce, Sevilla

The largest Roman amphitheatre in Spain became the Great Sept of Westeros in the season 7 finale — that truce scene between Cersei, Daenerys and Jon Snow you have burned into your memory. Italica costs €1.50 for Europeans and is almost entirely overlooked by tourists: you can spend an hour there with fewer than twenty people. The central arena where the production built a wooden platform over the pit has exactly the same scale on the ground as it does on screen, which is slightly disorienting when you arrive.

Anfiteatro de Itálica donde se rodó el Pozo Dragón (Dragonpit) en Juego de Tronos, Sevilla
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HBO closed the amphitheatre for two full weeks to film. More than 200 extras were seated in the stands and the central cage was built directly on the arena floor. The production drones needed three days to achieve the final aerial shots.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Dragonpit scene on YouTube
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For your shot: Midday with high sun — the shadows from the arches create circular patterns on the arena. Go down to the arena and shoot towards the stands from the centre: the framing recreates the characters' perspective from the scene.
Getting there Bus M-172 from Plaza de Armas (Seville) in 25 min, or car (11 km via A-8082).
Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday 9:00–18:00, Sunday until 15:00. Closed Mondays.
Nearby Restaurante La Italiana in Santiponce — excellent set lunch on the way back.
03
💶 10€ 🚗 Car needed

Castillo de Almodóvar del Río

Casterly Rock — the Lannisters' impregnable fortress

Season 7 · Episode 2 "Stormborn"
📍 C. Castillo s/n, 14720 Almodóvar del Río, Córdoba

Twenty-seven kilometres from Córdoba, this Arab-medieval castle rebuilt in the 20th century has the exact silhouette HBO needed for Casterly Rock. The Unsullied attack scene is brief in the series, but the castle in person is more imposing than expected: the battlements are visible from kilometres away, on the hill dominating the Guadalquivir valley. Entry is by guided tour only, which turns out to be an advantage: the guide takes you to the exact areas where filming took place.

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The production crew used only the castle's exterior walls. The dungeons and interior corridors of Casterly Rock were filmed at Belfast studios. The crew arrived before dawn on the first day to capture the morning light on the walls for the opening shot.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Casterly Rock scene on YouTube
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For your shot: Late afternoon (17:00–18:00 in summer) — golden light from the west hits the main façade directly. Shoot from the lower car park looking up: the perspective emphasises the towers' verticality just as in the series.
Getting there Car from Córdoba (27 km, A-431), or Alsina Graells bus with limited frequency.
Opening hours Daily 11:00–19:30 (July–August until 21:00). Castle's own filming tours available.
Nearby Bar Restaurante El Puente in the village, by the river — Córdoban cuisine and a view of the castle.
04
🆓 Free ✅ Open access

Puente Romano de Córdoba

The Long Bridge in King's Landing — gateway to the city

Seasons 5 and 6 · Multiple episodes
📍 Av. del Alcázar s/n, 14003 Córdoba

The bridge featured in the King's Landing title sequence — that overhead shot of the city from the river — is the Roman Bridge of Córdoba, with the Mosque-Cathedral behind it. The bridge has 16 Roman arches dating from the 1st century BC and is entirely pedestrianised. The difference between the series and reality is the statue of San Rafael at the centre, which HBO removed in post-production. Seeing it at night with the illuminated Mosque behind it is one of those moments you did not expect.

Puente Romano de Córdoba donde se rodó el Puente Largo de Volantis en Juego de Tronos
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HBO did not film action scenes on the real bridge: it was used primarily as a visual reference for digital effects. The scene of Cersei crossing the Long Bridge was filmed on a cobbled street in Córdoba, not on the bridge itself.

📍 View location on map
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For your shot: At night (the Mosque is illuminated from around 20:00) or first thing in the morning before the groups arrive. From the Paseo de la Ribera on the north bank with a telephoto lens: the full bridge with the Calahorra Tower behind — the same aerial shots as in the series.
Getting there 20 minutes on foot from Córdoba AVE station, or taxi/bus L2 to the Mosque.
Combine with The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos is a 5-minute walk and also appears in the series' visual references.
Nearby Taberna El Papudo, opposite the bridge — oxtail stew and salmorejo since 1950.

Route 02

The Northern Route: From Dragonstone to Braavos

⏱ 72 horas 🚗 Coche de alquiler 3 locations

Three locations from Daenerys's arc: Gaztelugatxe and Zumaia on the Basque coast, and Girona Cathedral. Completely different landscapes that give the trip great variety. The Basque Country–Girona drive is about 5 hours by car: a perfect route for a long weekend.

05
🆓 Free ✅ Open access

Playa de Itzurun (Zumaia)

The Dragonstone coastline — Daenerys's fleet arrives in Westeros

Season 7 · Episode 1 "Dragonstone"
📍 Itzurun Zuhaizbidea s/n, 20750 Zumaia, Gipuzkoa

The flysch cliffs of Itzurun are the first image of Dragonstone when Daenerys arrives in Westeros for the first time. They are unique geological formations in Europe — vertically folded rock strata that create a visual texture no set could replicate. The beach is freely accessible but the cliffs are only properly visible from the water or from the Geopark trail above. The tide heavily affects the visit: at high tide the beach disappears entirely.

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HBO filmed from boats and helicopters for the fleet arrival shots. The actors were not at Zumaia — Emilia Clarke filmed the arrival at "Dragonstone" at Gaztelugatxe. Itzurun was used exclusively for coastal exteriors with added CGI.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Dragonstone arrival shots on YouTube
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For your shot: Low tide at any time of day — you can approach the cliffs directly from the beach. From the Geopark trail looking west with a telephoto lens: flysch strata in the foreground and the sea behind — the closest frame to the series.
Getting there Car from San Sebastián (35 km, A-8 + N-634). Car park in the village (paid in peak season).
Tip Combine with Gaztelugatxe on the same day — they are 50 km apart along the Basque coast.
Nearby Txoko Garaia in Zumaia — pintxos and harbour views from the terrace.
06
🆓 Free ⚠️ Booking required 🚗 Car needed

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Dragonstone — the Targaryens' island fortress

Season 7 · Episodes 1 and 5
📍 Gaztelugatxe, 48130 Bermeo, Vizcaya

Daenerys climbed these steps. These exact ones. The Gaztelugatxe islet — a rocky outcrop connected to the mainland by a bridge and a staircase of 241 steps — was the base for Dragonstone in season 7. The place in person has something the screen cannot convey: the constant wind, the sound of the Cantabrian Sea crashing against the cliffs, and the feeling of standing at the edge of something. The chapel of San Juan at the top has a bell that visitors ring by tradition.

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HBO filmed here for four days in October 2016 with a small crew. Emilia Clarke climbed the 241 steps several times for different shots. The digital Dragonstone castle was added entirely in post-production — in reality only the chapel exists.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Dragonstone scenes on YouTube
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For your shot: First booking of the day (09:00) or last (18:00 in summer) — fewer people and warmer light. From the car park viewpoint before descending, with a wide-angle lens: the bridge, staircase and islet in a single frame — the same opening shot as the series.
Getting there Only by car or taxi from Bermeo (7 km). No direct public transport.
Booking Essential to book at ingurumena.eus — limited capacity, sells out weeks in advance in peak season.
Nearby Restaurante Eneperi in Bermeo — spider crab on the grill and views of the fishing harbour.
07
💶 7€ ✅ Open access

Catedral de Girona

The Sept of Baelor — headquarters of the Faith Militant

Season 6 · Episodes 1, 6 and 8
📍 Plaza de la Catedral s/n, 17004 Girona

The staircase of Girona Cathedral — 92 steps rising from the Cathedral Square — is the entrance to the Sept of Baelor, the Faith Militant's fortress where Margaery Tyrell was imprisoned. The Gothic cathedral has the widest single nave in Europe, a fact irrelevant to the series but impressive when you step inside. The entire city of Girona doubled as Braavos during season 6: streets, the Jewish quarter, the Onyar river and the walls all appear at different moments.

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Girona was chosen because its medieval scale is uniform — no modern buildings are visible from the filming angles. The crew filmed for two weeks in 2015 with the city partially closed to the public. The cathedral staircase appears without its original rose window, which was digitally removed.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Girona / Braavos scenes on YouTube
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For your shot: At sunset, from the base of the staircase looking up — the cathedral is silhouetted against the sky. If you arrive at 08:30 (before the shops open), you have Cathedral Square to yourself: the exact framing of the procession scene.
Getting there Train from Barcelona in 38 min (Rodalies/AVE to Girona). The cathedral is a 15-minute walk from the station.
GoT Tour The Girona Tourist Office offers themed guided routes covering all the city's filming locations.
Nearby Restaurante Nu (Michelin star) 200m away — seasonal Catalan cuisine. Booking required.

Route 03

The Heart Route: King's Landing and Fire

⏱ 24 horas 🚶🚗 A pie y coche 2 locations

Cáceres en un día. La Ciudad Monumental por la mañana y Los Barruecos al atardecer. El contraste entre las calles medievales vivas y el paisaje mineral hace que esta ruta de 24 horas sea más variada de lo que parece.

08
🆓 Free ✅ Open access

Ciudad Vieja de Cáceres

King's Landing — streets and squares of the capital of the Seven Kingdoms

Seasons 6 and 7 · Multiple episodes
📍 Plaza Mayor, 10003 Cáceres

Cáceres is probably the most underrated Spanish Game of Thrones location. The walled historic centre — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — has such pure medieval continuity that HBO filmed here across two seasons with barely any modifications needed. Calle Ancha, Plaza de San Jorge and the Arch of the Star are the most recognisable spots. What surprises you is that the city is still alive: restaurants, shops and residents coexist with the stones you saw on screen.

Ciudad Vieja de Cáceres dónde se filmó Desembarco del Rey en Juego de Tronos
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For season 7, HBO painted several modern shop fronts in neutral colours and removed contemporary elements from some façades. The scene of Jaime Lannister on horseback through the cobbled streets was filmed at night with the city completely emptied of cars and road signs.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Cáceres / King's Landing scenes on YouTube
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For your shot: Sunday morning early (before 10:00) — the historic centre is almost deserted. Calle Ancha from the Arch of the Star: a long lens compressing the perspective of the cobblestones and towers behind — the shot HBO used most in the series.
Getting there AVE from Madrid in 2h (Cáceres has a high-speed station). Historic centre 15 min on foot.
GoT Tour The Cáceres Tourist Office offers specific Game of Thrones guided tours several days a week.
Nearby Restaurante Atrio (2 Michelin stars) on Plaza de San Mateo, inside the walled enclosure.
09
🆓 Free 🚗 Car needed

Los Barruecos (Malpartida de Cáceres)

Beyond the Wall — the Dothraki Fields of Fire

Season 7 · Episode 4 "The Spoils of War"
📍 Ctra. de Malpartida, 10910 Malpartida de Cáceres

The landscape of Los Barruecos — enormous granite boulders emerging from Extremaduran dehesa woodland — was the setting for the battle of the Dothraki against the Lannister army, the first time Daenerys used Drogon in ground combat. In person the place has something planetary about it: house-sized rocks distributed without apparent order across a plain where storks graze. There is almost no tourist infrastructure — just the Vostell Malpartida Museum inside the reserve — which adds to the feeling of being somewhere the world has not yet discovered.

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HBO chose Los Barruecos after rejecting several locations in Scotland and Ireland: the Extremaduran summer light and the granite boulders provided a visual scale that northern landscapes could not offer. Dragon Drogon was entirely digital; the Dothraki actors rode without any visual reference during filming.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Fields of Fire battle on YouTube
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For your shot: At sunset — raking light creates long shadows that emphasise the texture of the rocks. Stand between two of the large boulders facing west: that framing with clear sky and rocks in the foreground is almost identical to the opening shots of the battle sequence.
Getting there Car from Cáceres (13 km via EX-206). No public transport.
Opening hours Free access to the rocks 24 hours. Vostell Museum open Tuesday–Sunday, entry €1.20.
Nearby Return to Cáceres for dinner — the distance doesn't justify restaurants in Malpartida.
🏰 Bonus

Meereen in Castellón

If you are doing the northern route and heading back towards Valencia, Peñíscola is on the way.

10
💶 5€ ✅ Open access

Castillo de Peñíscola

Meereen — the city of Daenerys's freed slaves

Seasons 5 and 6 · Multiple episodes
📍 C. del Castillo s/n, 12598 Peñíscola, Castellón

Tyrion and Varys walked through the streets of Meereen debating politics — and they did so in Peñíscola. The medieval village built on a rock jutting out to sea doubled as the fictional city across two seasons. The Templar-papal castle — where the Pope Luna once resided — served as Daenerys's palace, and the alleyways of the old town as Meereen's markets and districts. The correspondence between the series and reality here is among the most direct in the entire guide: you will recognise specific streets.

Castillo de Peñíscola lugares de rodaje de Juego de Tronos como Meereen en Castellón
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HBO filmed in Peñíscola for three weeks, covering the castle's telecommunications aerials and painting some buildings in ochre tones for Meereen's visual consistency. The scene of Tyrion's speech to the Unsullied was filmed in the castle's Plaça d'Armes, not on a studio set.

📍 View location on map
▶ Watch the Meereen / Peñíscola scenes on YouTube
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For your shot: Afternoon in the low season (October–May) — fewer tourists and warm Mediterranean light. From the northern promenade with a telephoto lens: the castle and rock seen from the sea with the village behind — the framing of the descriptive Meereen shots in the series.
Getting there Car from Valencia (130 km, AP-7). Bus from Vinaròs or Benicarló with Renfe connection.
Opening hours Castle open daily: summer 10:00–21:30, winter 10:00–17:30.
Nearby Restaurante El Pati in the old town — arrós a banda and Mediterranean lobster.

Before you go

7 Tips for Visiting Westeros

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What you learn after visiting each of these locations.

01

Book the Alcázar weeks in advance

In peak season (April–October) tickets sell out 2–3 weeks ahead. There is no same-day box office. Book at alcazarsevilla.org as soon as you decide on your dates.

02

Gaztelugatxe: book access, not a ticket

The booking system at ingurumena.eus assigns a timed entry slot. The walk up takes 20–30 minutes. If you arrive outside your slot, entry may be refused — capacity is strictly controlled.

03

Cáceres: dawn or early Sunday

The historic centre of Cáceres is photogenic only without people. On weekdays in peak season tour groups arrive from 10:00. On Sundays before 09:30 you have the streets to yourself.

04

Itzurun depends on the tide

Check tide tables before you go. At high tide the beach disappears and you cannot approach the flysch cliffs. Low tide gives you the best angles. App: Tide Chart or Mareas de España.

05

The northern route requires a car

Gaztelugatxe has no direct public transport. Zumaia is reachable by train but accessing the cliffs requires walking. To get the most out of the Basque route, hire a car in Bilbao or San Sebastián.

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Italica in the low season is a treat

In November–February, the Italica amphitheatre has fewer than ten visitors during opening hours. The Roman ruins in solitude, with no queues or groups, are the most cinematic experience in the entire guide.

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For the perfect shot: reference episode on your phone

Download onto your phone the episodes containing scenes from each location before you set out. Having the exact series framing as a reference when you arrive lets you reproduce specific angles — the difference between a tourist photo and a fan photo.

Before you go

Frequently Asked Questions

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Everything you need to know before planning the trip.