Posted on Thursday, 24 August 2017

As the penultimate season of Game of Thrones gets well underway, fans of the series are once again immersing themselves in George R.R. Martin's vast fantasy world of war, regal intrigue and fire-breathing dragons.

But what if you could visit Westeros and Essos for real? OK, that's not quite possible, but the next best thing is: a tour of some of the series locations.

The show's producers had to seek out some pretty exotic locales in order to make GoT as close to the author's vision as possible. These stunning backdrops are also fantastic holiday locations in their own right.

Morocco

Essaouira

Essaouira on the west coast of Morocco has played host to many films and TV series. Understandable, really, given the fantasy quality of its ancient coastal fortress and its labyrinthine alleys.

The city doubles as Astapor in Game of Thrones, from where the eunuch slave army known as the Unsullied was drawn.

Aït Benhaddou

Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the quintessential desert metropolis. Wake up here and you'll wonder whether you're on Westeros – or whether you've travelled back in time a thousand years.

Croatia

It can't have been easy finding locations to represent King's Landing, but the producers found them with Split and Dubrovnik. With their ancient walls and cobbled streets, they were ideal as the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Dubrovnik

Take a break here if you want to re-live all those beheadings, back-stabbings and of course Cersei's humiliation at the hands of the High Sparrow.

But UNESCO-listed Dubrovnik is an incredible place to visit even if you have no interest in GoT. Think Baroque churches, mighty fortresses and evocative palaces.

This ancient port city is also home to the Mincenta Tower, which Daenerys had to ascend in order to reclaim her beloved dragons.

Dubrovnik is extremely popular with all manner of tourists, including those on excursions from the huge cruise ships which dock nearby. This means the city is not the cheapest of Croatian holiday destinations, but if you go either before or after high season, you can still bag a great deal.

Sibenik

Doubling as Braavos in Game of Thrones, charming Sibenik boasts ancient cathedrals and winding cobbled streets. You won't find the statues seen in the series, but you will see where Ayra stark was mentored by the Faceless Man at the House of Black and White. The skills she picked up would help her to avenge her family.

Visit Sibenik's Cathedral of St James, adorned by 71 sculpted faces, and you're sure to feel like you've joined Arya in the Hall of Faces.

From Sibenik you can reach the glorious Kornati Islands.

Iceland

If you really want to understand the phrase 'winter is coming', you need to head north – whether we're talking Westeros or planet Earth.

Iceland's dramatic landscapes proved ideal for many GoT scenes in the chilly north, including Grjotagja cave, where Ygritte showed Jon snow that not everything north of the wall was cold and unpleasant.

Aside from hunting for white walkers and wildlings, you can enjoy all manner of nature-tours in Iceland, from whale-watching to volcano-hopping.

Spain

Locations across Spain have been used as various parts of the Seven Kingdoms, including Meereen, Dorne and the Dothraki Sea.

Seville

Seville Osuna Bull Ring doubled as the Great Pit of Daznak, where the Sons of Harpy attempt to kill Daenerys. They failed, of course, with a little help from Drogon.

The vast Royal Alcazar, built by the Moors, played the role of Dorne's palace in the show. It can get busy here, so arrive early.

Almeria

This south eastern province provided many settings for the Seven Kingdoms, including Dorne and the Dothraki Sea.

While the GoT backdrops will keep you enthralled for ages, Almeria is also an amazing holiday location in its own right, with 60 miles of golden sandy beaches and many unspoilt coves. When you need a little more action, the cafe and water sport thrills of Roquetas de Mar are sure to delight.

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