The award-winning prequel series to ‘The Game of Thrones’ returns this week and it features some iconic and new locations fantasy fans can visit – from Cornwall and Peak District to Spain and Portugal.
We will once again be able to escape to George RR Martin’s fantasy world of warring tribes, political intrigue and fire-breathing reptiles, made famous in Game of Thrones, as season 2 of spin-off House of the Dragon arrives on 16 June 2024.
Based on Martin’s 2018 novel Fire & Blood, the saga acts as a prequel to the enormous HBO hit, bringing us the events that led to the end of the Targaryen dynasty and the outlaw status of Daenerys two centuries later, when we were first introduced to the GoT universe. As with season one, there will be dragons – lots of them, we’re promised – and with them, a cast of impressive calibre: Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy represent the Targaryens, aided by the Hightower family of Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans, while their rivals the Velaryons will include Eve Best and Steve Toussaint.
Then there are the all-important epic backdrops to consider, created, as with Game of Thrones, via a combination of studio and location shoots. Like the forthcoming second season of The Lord of the Rings, House of the Dragon made use of the UK for much of this, basing its operation at the Warner Bros Studio at Leavesden in Hertfordshire, most famous as the home of Harry Potter. While the studios now offer three new world-class stages including a “wraparound” LED room capable of creating a 180º panorama, the production team have continued the GoT tradition of incorporating real locations around the world – many of them much closer to home for British viewers.
Here’s our guide to the House of the Dragon settings that helped bring Westeros to life, including the new locations to watch out for this season.
Where is Dragonstone Castle located?
As the headquarters of the powerful House Targaryen, Dragonstone is one of the show’s most iconic castles and not for the faint-hearted. Its high stone walls are nestled beside the looming Dragonmont volcano, which lures in some fiery friends that give the island its name. The actual filming location could not be further from this, found across the idyllic North Welsh county of Gwynedd. Old Welsh quarries within this region were used to create exteriors for Dragonstone, while the stunning landscape of vast lakes and rolling hills provided visuals for the surrounding Dragonstone island. The most notable attraction in the area is Snowdonia National Park, popular for its plethora of adventurous hiking routes as well as for its TV and film backdrops, with credits from Doctor Who to King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Where is Driftmark Castle located?
For another impressive island castle and Dragonstone’s westerly neighbor, we head south to find the inspiration behind Driftmark Castle, better known as the home of House Velaryon. Tailor-made for the George RR Martin universe, St. Michael’s Mount sits offshore from the southern Cornish coast close to Penzance. A tidal island dominated by the Castle of St Michael, its buildings date back to the 12th century and at one point in the 1800s numbered 53 houses. For over 300 years it has been home to the Lords St Levan, who now lease it from the National Trust. In a 1979 film adaptation of Dracula, starring Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier, the Mount depicted the vampire’s castle to magnificent effect.
Was House of the Dragon filmed in Croatia?
While cities such as Dubrovnik and Split are marked on the Game of Thrones fanbase’s map, the House of the Dragon team turned to Spain instead as their new location for the iconic King’s Landing set.
Where is House of the Dragon Season 2 filmed?
North Wales
Some of the production took place in north Wales, which doubled for The Vale, the Riverlands and Dragonstone. Two old Welsh quarries were used to create exteriors for Dragonstone and Harrenhal castles. With the support of the Welsh Government agency Creative Wales, the production was able to harness the stunning and ancient landscapes across the region.
Farnham, Surrey
Since its first use during the production of Gladiator almost 25 years ago, Bourne Wood has become a veteran in the British filming industry. Located just outside the quaint market town of Farnham, the woodland site is managed by Forestry England and has developed a track record for hosting epic battle scenes, the most recent being the Battle of Austerlitz in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon. The cluster of pine trees towering above a sandy heathland opening has now welcomed the world of royals, warriors and dragons into its grounds for what promises to be a thrilling showdown.
Cácares and Trujillo
We will see a return to season one’s Spanish locations, which stand in for King’s Landing – replacing Dubrovnik, which was used in much of the original Game of Thrones series.
Where is House of the Dragon Season 1 filmed?
Cornwall
Tailor-made for the George RR Martin universe, St. Michael’s Mount sits offshore from the southern Cornish coast close to Penzance. A tidal island dominated by the Castle of St Michael, its buildings date back to the 12th century and at one point in the 1800s numbered 53 houses. For over 300 years it has been home to the Lords St Levan, who now lease it from the National Trust. In a 1979 film adaptation of Dracula, starring Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier, the Mount depicted the vampire’s castle to magnificent effect. For House of the Dragon, it will embody Driftmark, home to House Velaryon, in Blackwater Bay.
Derbyshire
To contrast with the coastal scenery of Cornwall, the hills and valleys of the Peak District will also make their mark in the series. The production based itself in the walking centre of Castleton and filmed in the surrounding area. Among the locations used were Cave Dale, a narrow limestone valley created by melting glaciers where the rock faces and quiet seem to stop time, and Eldon Hill, where stepped quarrying creates the impression of an ancient amphitheatre. Also featured will be the legendary Mam Tor, the 520m site of a Bronze Age fort, surrounded by a cave system where the mineral Blue John was mined, and which are open to the public.
Hampshire
More usually seen in 19th-century period dramas, Hampshire provided the site for a tournament scene in the forthcoming series. Located at Caesar’s Camp near Aldershot – despite the name, the site of an Iron Age hill fort – the area was taken over by tents and a crowd of extras.
Cácares
This Spanish medieval town will be familiar to Game of Thrones watchers for its appearance as King’s Landing in Season 7. With the familiar Dubrovnik out of favour, it will play the capital in House of the Dragon too, this time with more of its network of streets, towers and gargoyles to be seen. Beyond its screen appearances, it’s a popular destination for its mix of Roman, Moorish, Gothic and Renaissance architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage City.
Trujillo
Just to the east of Cácares, this town offers a similar blend of historic architecture dating back to the Roman conquest. Its castle, founded during the Moorish occupation, was also seen in Game of Thrones as part of King’s Landing, a role it’s likely to reprise for the new show.
Granada
A new location for this series is the Castillo de la Calahorra, built in the early 16th century overlooking the village of the same name on the ruins of a Moorish fort. Its turreted battlements hide a vast colonnaded courtyard which was used as a location for the acclaimed 1974 film Stardust.
Lloret de Mar
Another monument to the Spanish fondness for Italian Renaissance architecture, the Gardens of Santa Clotilde offers breathtaking views over the Balearic Sea from the town’s position a few miles up the coast from Barcelona. Built during the early 20th-century Noucentista movement, they were named after the first wife of founder Raül Roviralta i Astoul, who combined seven vineyards to create the monument.
Monsanto
Close to Cácares but over the border into Portugal, Monsanto is known as the City of Stone for the way its architecture takes in the rocky landscape. It’s dominated by a ruined medieval castle on the Holy Mountain that gives the town its name but its many cobbled streets and chapels, punctuated by giant granite boulders, are just as picturesque. Although it was named the “Most Portuguese Village in Portugal”, its elemental feel and the surrounding landscape of the Serra da Estrela make for a dramatic setting that’s perfect for the saga of Fire and Ice.
