By Dana Perkiss
HBO’s House of the Dragon has brought Game of Thrones (GoT) fans back to the world of Westeros, but this time, it’s about 200 years before the events of GoT. While the prequel features many of its predecessor’s filming locations, it also introduces fans to tons of new epic sites and stunning locations.
Interested in visiting Westeros? Here are the real-life House of the Dragon filming locations you can visit in person!
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
House of the Dragon filming locations in Cornwall, England, UK
Holywell Bay Beach
This peaceful beach in England is not only a House of the Dragon filming location, but it was also used in some of the show’s promotional pictures. In the photos, we see Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen against this gorgeous, sandy backdrop, which is where the actors were seen filming back in 2021.
St. Michael’s Mount
A tidal island boasting a glorious 12th-century castle nestled on top of a hill with dramatic views of the bay – yeah, St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall was destined to be in GoT. The location is used in House of the Dragon as Driftmark in Blackwater Bay, which is the seat of House Velaryon. In reality, this stunning area is located right off the coast of Marazion in Cornwall and is even licensed under the National Trust.
Kynance Cove
Located just east of St. Michael’s Mount you’ll find Kynance Cove, which was used to film scenes of a Velaryon camp on the beach. Stop by this rocky beach with brilliant blue waters and get tons of pictures before stopping by the cafe to enjoy some Cornish pastries.
House of the Dragon filming locations in Watford, England, UK
Warner Bros Leavesden Studios
Most of the interior shots for House of the Dragon were filmed at Warner Bros Leavesden Studios, just outside of London. The studios added three new sound stages in June 2021, as well as a wraparound, LED video stage designed to create real-time backgrounds to scenes – a feature that brings “a completely new dimension to filmmaking” according to the studios. The studios are also famous for filming the Harry Potter series, with tons of tours focused on them!
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
House of the Dragon filming locations in Surrey and Hampshire, England, UK
Caesar's Camp
This hill fort borders Surrey and Hampshire and is believed to have been used for House of the Dragon camp and tourney scenes. Filming there happened back in September 2021, with tents and the Targaryen sigil banner being seen.
House of the Dragon filming locations in Derbyshire, England, UK
There are quite a few locations in Derbyshire where House of the Dragon was filmed including Cave Dale, Eldon Hill Quarry, and Castleton’s Market Place. Actor Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen) was spotted filming in the Peak District area as well. Known for its vibrant green valleys and rolling hills, the Peak District is another sight simply made to be in the GoT universe.
House of the Dragon filming locations in Monsanto, Portugal
Once voted the “most Portuguese village in Portugal’, the medieval village of Monsanto is filled with picture-perfect locations great for filming and vacationing – just don’t expect to see any dragons! Monsanto was used as Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen. Production was also spotted filming at the Penha Garcia Castle, which boasts astounding views of the village.
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
House of the Dragon filming locations in Granada, Spain
Castillo de La Calahorra
La Calahorra is a charming municipality in Granada and home to the 16th-century Castillo de La Calahorra. La Calahorra serves as the free city of Pentos in House of the Dragon and in 2021, Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen) was seen filming at the castle.
House of the Dragon filming locations in Cáceres, Spain
If the Spanish city of Cáceres looks familiar to you GoT fans, it’s because it serves as King’s Landing. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a mix of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic, and Italian Renaissance architecture, Cáceres serves as a perfect representation of the Seven Kingdom’s capital. Stroll through the historic city streets and feel a part of the GoT world yourself!
House of the Dragon filming locations in Iceland
Filming was reported at Svínafellsjökull, the largest ice cap in all of Europe that boats stunning waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanoes. We’ve yet to see what this will be used for in House of the Dragon, but its predecessor Game of Thrones used tons of filming locations in Iceland. Some include: Eastwatch-by-the-Sea was filmed at a Black sand beach near Dyrhólaey; Jon and Ygitte’s love scene was filmed at Grjótagjá hot spring cave; and Skógafoss waterfall was used to film scenes between Jon Snow and Daenerys.
House of the Dragon filming locations in Croatia
Though it’s not yet clear exactly where in Croatia House of the Dragon was filmed, it may be safe to assume that previous Game of Thrones filming locations were re-used. In the original series, the Croatian city of Dubrovnik was used as King’s Landing, the lush Trsteno Arboretum garden was used as the Palace Gardens of King's Landing, and the Baroque Jesuit Staircase was used as Cersei's infamous "walk of shame" scene.
Do you want to visit the House of the Dragon filming locations in person? Check out our Game of Thrones vacations where you can visit real-life filming locations from the series!
