Game of Thrones producers have a knack for finding beautiful film locations and season six has been no exception. From moon-like landscapes to medieval castles and remote villages, we’ve got the scoop on Europe’s hottest backdrops from season six of the series...
The crew spent two weeks shooting in locations all over the medieval city of Girona. In episode 6, Girona Cathedral filled in as the Great Sept in King’s Landing when Jaime Lannister takes on the High Sparrow. Like a bat out of hell, Jaime charges up the 91 steps of the cathedral on horseback roaring “Every last Sparrow will die before Margaery Tyrell walks down that street.”
Talk about making an entrance.
Planning a visit? A selfie stick and a good old-fashioned “cheeeeeeeese” will do just fine.
Flights to Barcelona
Still in Catalonia, the 11th-century Santa Florentina Castle in Canet de Mar was chosen as the setting for Horn Hill, the seat of House Tarly, vassals of the Tyrells. You’ll recognise the castle from episode 6 in the scenes where Samwell Tarly, Gilly and Little Sam made their much anticipated homecoming.
Flights to Barcelona
Spoiler alert: In episode 7, when Arya takes a dip in the freezing cold waters of a canal in Braavos, it was actually Carnlough Harbour, located in the sleepy, coastal village of Carnlough in Co. Antrim.
Flights to Belfast
Having previously featured in Conan the Barbarian and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Alcazaba of Almería is no stranger to the limelight. GoT fans will recognise the fortress as the setting for Sunspear – in episode 1 of series six, Doran and Areo Hotah met a grisly ending here after Ellaria got word of Myrcella’s death.
Flights to Almeria
Producers couldn’t get enough of Spain in series six. In southeast Navarre, Bardenas Reales Natural Park and its otherworldly semi-desert landscape was an obvious choice for the setting of Dothraki Sea. No CGI was necessary here – mother nature had already carved scene-stealing shapes out of the clay, chalk and sandstone. The rugged towers of stone known as cabezos provided the perfect backdrop in episode 1 when Daenerys is taken prisoner by the khalasar of Khal Moro.
Flights to Zaragoza
In episode 3, the Castle of Zafra appeared as the Tower of Joy, where a young Ned Stark and his Kingsguard came to blows with Ser Arthur Dayne and a merry band of Targaryen men in one of Bran Stark’s visions. Perched on a large rock in the Sierra de Caldereros, the Castle of Zafra was an important fortress in the middle ages and can be easily reached from Madrid and Zaragoza.
Flights to Madrid
Known as ‘the Gibraltar of Valencia’, Peñíscola’s combination of medieval charm and Mediterranean climate make it a popular destination with holidaymakers. Its beauty wasn’t lost on the GoT crew either when filming the last series. The seaport served as Meereen throughout series six and makes sporadic appearances, not least in the penultimate episode of the series when Daenerys arrives back to find her city under attack by the Old Masters. Let’s just say she wasn’t best pleased.
Flights to Valencia
Heading off on your own Game of Thrones quest across Europe? Tag your pics #ryanairstories for a chance to appear on our Instagram feed.
- Fiona Hilliard
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