Game of Thrones Spanish Filming Locations

Nadia Podrabinek Nadia Podrabinek

Written by Nadia Podrabinek

Game of Thrones Spanish Filming Locations

Game of Thrones has become a legendary TV series thanks to its amazing cast, entertaining plot, and a great scenery choice. The 6th and 7th seasons of the series were shot in some breathtaking spots in Northern Ireland, Croatia, Iceland, Canada, and Spain.

Among the variety of Spanish series filming locations, I’ve selected 13 must-see Game of Thrones locations in Spain where the filming crew made a stop.

The main story of Game of Thrones

game of thrones

Game of Thrones is a famous and the most successful HBO series based on “A Song of Ice and Fire,” a fantasy novel by George R. R. Martin. The series shows the fictional world of Westeros, where several noble families fight for absolute power and control over kingdoms.

The series has many complex storylines, engaging characters, and exquisite visual scenes. I also appreciate that the showrunners applied computer editing only to some short movie parts, without that widespread technique of filming the whole movie in a pavilion.

Where in Spain did they film Game of Thrones?

  • Girona, Catalonia
  • Castillo de Zafra, Guadalajara
  • San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Bizkaia
  • Itzurun Beach, Zumaia
  • Tower of Mesa Roldán, Almeria
  • Alcazar, Seville
  • Plaza de Toros, Osuna
  • Roman Bridge, Córdoba
  • Castillo de Almodovar del Rio, Córdoba
  • Plaza de Santa Maria, Peníscola

The crucial seasons of Game of Thrones were shot in almost all regions of Spain, such as Catalonia, Basque Country, Andalucia, and the Valencian autonomous community. These regions have many beautiful filming spots, and the nature, the architecture, and the relief are quite different across the country. I agree with the filming crew that Spain was an ideal choice for many Game of Thrones scenes. 

Moreover, the country is said to have been a filming location for a prequel, House of Dragon, set to premier in August 2022. 

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Girona Cathedral, Catalonia

“A beautiful little medieval town and the perfect setting for Game of Thrones,” says Tom Wlaschiha (Jaqen H’ghar) about Girona in northern Catalonia. And this description is pretty comprehensive.

The city of Girona fitted as a filming location for “Braavos” city in the 6th season of the series. The characters walk down the Girona Old Town streets, cross the bridges, hide in Arab baths and meet in the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants.

According to the series, the confrontation between Jaime Lannister and High Sparrow occurs right next to Girona Cathedral.

You could barely mistake the spot: an old bell tower, unique cathedral facade, and majestic grand staircase form a spectacular landscape. 100% worth visiting. The stairs of Sant Marti Sacosta church served as a filming location too. There is a scene where many market sellers stand along the stairs, and Arya suddenly takes a tumble fleeing from the wall. You probably remember lots of oranges that fall down at that very moment. They look bright in a grayish picture, so this scene got etched in the viewers’ memory. 

Castillo de Zafra, Guadalajara

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Photo by Joshua Mellin

Game of Thrones is also famous for its spectacular outdoor scenes, with some of them shot close to Castillo de Zafra, the isolated remains of an old 1100s castle in Campillo de Dueñas, Guadalajara. It takes ~2,5 hours to get to there from Madrid by car.

The crew members joked that the castle was “in the middle of nowhere.” So, if you want to see the landmark and the Spanish Central Plateau (an extensive plain in the Iberian Peninsula), hop on a car and drive to Guadalajara.

Tip The region has the lowest population density in the country, being the coldest place in Spain. Some locals call it “The Spanish Siberia,” so take some warm clothes if you travel in the winter season.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Bizkaia

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe [Gas-Tee-Loo-Gat-cheh] is a fortified abbey located on a small island in Bizkaia, the Basque Country. In the series, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe was reconstructed as a fortress of “Dragonstone.”

At first sight, it looks like a deserted island from a fairytale, but in fact, it is an easy spot to approach—there is a man-made bridge connecting it to the mainland. If you like hiking and are not afraid of climbing a two-hundred steps staircase, you will enjoy the scenery. On the very top of the island, around 80 meters above sea level, you will find a small church and a bell which you can ring for good luck. 

In Game of Thrones, the bell tolls alerted people inside the citadel that the city was under attack, accompanied by shouting, “Winter is coming!.” 

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is an incredibly instagrammable place for some really cool photos!

Tip If you’re a real Game of Thrones fan, try to take a different route to the island—there is a boat that sails from Bermeo to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, bordering the Basque coastal strip that separates them.

You will enjoy an impressive and wild world of the Bizkaia coast, and the marine perspective will give you a completely different look than we see in the photos on the Internet.

Itzurun Beach, Zumaia

Itzurun Beach, located in Zumaia, Basque Country, is a cool natural formation called flysch (a sedimentary deposit consisting of thin shale beds with coarser strata such as sandstone).

You could see it in the scene where Daenerys comes back to Westeros. She touches the golden sand enjoying the moment of being there again.

You can easily find the beach thanks to its heavy and long ripples. It is a perfect place to just sit and reflect, probably write down your thoughts in the diary and take some magic photos. Be aware that it often rains there, but some people find this weather even more appealing and authentic.

Tower of Mesa Roldán, Almería

Considering the number of its spots filmed in Game of Thrones, Almería might be the most favorite crew’s area to depict Dothraki territory. 

For instance, the Second Siege of Meereen was filmed here, and during the battle, the dragon lands right on the top of the tower. 

The historical part of Almeria also includes the Alcazaba, the Cathedral, the Castle of San Cristobal, and many other places worth seeing. 

Emilia Clark, who played Daenerys, called these landscapes “absolutely insane”. and there is no need to argue with that. 

Alcazar, Seville

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Once the story moves to the new world of Dorne, the filming crew stops in Andalucia, the very south of Spain.

The Royal Palace at Dorne was actually filmed in the Alcazar in Seville. The uniqueness of the complex lies in its eclectic architecture. Islamic moors constructed the building in the 10th century and infused it with Arabic art, called Mudejar. It looks incredible!

Besides the Alcazar itself, there is a gorgeous garden in the same location with many exotic plants, palms, and other trees. It seems to be one of the greenest places on our list.

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Plaza de Toros, Osuna

You can find Plaza de Toros in Osuna, a small town in Andalucia. The spot was used as a filming location for an incredible scene of the 5th season when the Sons of the Harpy start killing all the arena visitors and trap Daenerys, and then Drogon comes to rescue her.

The citizens of Osuna were incredibly proud to see their town in Game of Thrones and even arranged a small exhibition devoted to the series. You will find the autographs, replica weapons, and photos from filming.

Moreover, a small restaurant nearby serves dishes named after the main characters. Would you like a Jon Snow’s Honeyed chicken?

Roman Bridge, Córdoba

The Roman Bridge is located in the historic center of Cordoba, Andalusia. In Game of Thrones, it served as the Long Bridge of Volantis and was one of the nine wonders in the series’ mythical world in Season 5. A 331-meter-long bridge was originally built in the 1st century BC and then was reconstructed many times. 

The Golden Hour (the daytime period shortly after sunrise or before sunset, during which daylight is redder and softer) is the best time to cross the bridge when the old buildings of Cordoba shine under the sunlight, and the Guadalquivir river reflects such a lovely view!

Castillo de Almodovar del Rio, Córdoba

Castillo de Almodovar del Rio

Do you remember the scene where Jaime is coming to talk to the Queen of South? There is a castle in front of his warriors’ path, the Castillo de Almodovar, in the province of Cordoba. It looks massive from the ground, and when you’re standing next to the castle, you see an extraordinary landscape: many plants, trees, and gardens surround the small hill.

The filming crew also used the interior part of the complex. Jaime enters the castle, goes up the stairs, and proceeds to a large court. It is thrilling to follow the same route.

Plaza de Santa Maria, Peníscola

Peniscola is a municipality in the province of Castellón. It has quite a number of Game of Thrones filming locations and a beautiful Moorish castle on the hill. 

For example, Plaza de Santa Maria, where the Meereen nobles are talking about rebellion, and Tyrion and Varys are wandering around. Then a funny moment with a homeless lady takes place—she is begging with a baby in her hands, and Tyrion wants to give her some money so she can feed the child, but she mistakenly thinks he wants to buy the baby for dinner. 

The dialogue between Tyrion and Varys plays a big part in the episode, so you can go through the Fosc Gate, walk down the Peñíscola streets, and El Parc d’Artilleria to dive into the series atmosphere. 

House of Dragon Filming Locations in Spain

Even though prequel’s producers have not provided official information on the spots featured in House of Dragon yet, fans still got some leads.

Hurry up if you want a unique experience of visiting these spots before the crowds of Game of Thrones fans.

Cáceres, Extremadura

Cáceres is a Spanish city located in Extremadura. It has a beautiful blend of different architectural styles and was declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO. The Old Town looks the same as 500 years ago, so Cáceres is an absolute movie director’s favorite. 

Supposedly, the crew filmed the city streets for the King’s Landing scene. I believe we will also see many Cáceres sights in the House of Dragon prequel, so be ready to see Maltravieso Cave, Concatedral de Santa Maria, and Palacio de Carvajal.

Trujillo, Extremadura

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Photo by Manuel Torres Garcia

Go east from Caceres by car, and you will get to Trujillo in 30 minutes. Trujillo is a very authentic town with renaissance and medieval buildings.

Although the exact filming spots for House of Dragon in Trujillo are not revealed to the public, you can visit the town’s essential sights that do remind you of the Game of Thrones atmosphere. 

I recommend visiting Alcazaba, the church of San Francisco, and the Marquis of the Conquest palace, and these places are most likely to appear on the screen. 

Trujillo is also famous for its cheese festival and the local cheese Torta del Casar, so if you like exploring such delicacies, this city will not disappoint you.

Final thoughts

Undoubtedly, Spain turned out to be one of the best places to shoot the series.

Peter Dinklage, who played Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, mentioned that there was no better location to film some of the episodes.

The filming crew succeeded in finding the locations that ideally fit the plot and helped create the magical spirit of fantasy. And, of course, let’s wait for the House of Dragon to see more fascinating places from Spain.

I also think you need at least 10 days to travel around the places mentioned in this article. Seeing those castles, hills, towns, bridges, and parks with your eyes deserve your time.

Even if you haven’t seen the Game of Thrones yet, I recommend adding these locations to your Spanish itinerary as these are the most picturesque spots. Please take my word for it!

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