The Most Famous Fairy Tale Place in the World Right Now Is Much Easier to Visit Than You Might Think –
Since 2011, millions of people in the UK and abroad have been fascinated by the dreamland of Westeros. From the original Game of Thrones to the spin-offs House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the production value of each episode has always been incredibly high, mainly because of the locations chosen.
Everything suits the beautiful setting, from the unusual and unique architectural designs to the castles and rolling arenas that are ready for battle. Of course, a little visual effects work goes into fully realizing what we see on the screen, but the areas used are still very impressive.
Although many of them are located in faraway countries such as Croatia and Iceland, making them more expensive to visit, some of the sights can be found right here in the UK.
Castles, Quarries, and Epic Landscapes
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In the UK, there are two main locations for shooting Westeros-based shows. For those of us in England and Wales, the locales are seen in the House of the Dragon spin-off show. Gwynedd is home to a number of attractions in the fair.
Dragonstone Castle was erected near Yr Eifl Quarry, and the magnificent view of Dinorwig Quarry over Llyn Padarn was the setting for Harrenhal. Also in Gwynedd is part of the Eryri National Park, the Ogwen Valley, which also hosted the filming of the show. Up north, Anglesey is also the hot spot for the House of the Dragon.
Penmon Point, home to the much-loved Trwyn Du Lighthouse, is rumored to be High Tide, after fans saw Steve Toussaint filming his scenes there. Beaumaris Beach, Porth y Cwch, and Llanddwyn Beach also played host to the film’s cast, with beaches perfect for any escape from Westeros.
For locations from Game of Thrones and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, you’ll need to come all the way to Northern Ireland. The closest display took place at Cave Hill, Galboly, Hen Mountain, Leitrim Lodge, and Glenarm Castle, many of these in the countryside.
The original game toured Northern Ireland extensively, with its popularity allowing an official studio tour to be set up in Banbridge. Beyond this very simple area, you can visit Pyke by going to Ballintoy Harbour, try to find wolf pups in Tollymore Forest Park, and cross the Dothraki Sea in the Glens of Antrim.
Unprecedented Success Boosts Tourism
Source: Pixabay
The Game of Thrones franchise has gone from a popular, but unfinished, book series to a media phenomenon that conquers the world. Not only is it dominating the headlines in TV circles, but it is also a continuing force in online gaming. Among the slots available at the online casino, you will see official Game of Thrones games.
Game of Thrones and the new Jackpot King version of the slot features all the houses and other iconic settings from the show to immerse players in the experience. Visual alignment is a big part of what makes them so popular because beauty has always been a show’s biggest selling point.
After all, tens of millions of people continued to watch Game of Thrones after the writing began to degrade, the same is happening with House of the Dragon now. It’s no surprise that shows regularly win best picture awards in their years of release.
Yes, filming in real locations has fostered a niche tourism industry. Similar to how New Zealand benefited greatly from the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, those who want to experience Westeros come to Northern Ireland. In 2019, it was reported that one in six of all visitors to Northern Ireland came to the fair.
If you want to base your trip on the most popular fantasy land right now, you can’t go wrong with a quick trip to Wales or Northern Ireland.
