Nearly halfway through the sixth season of “Game of Thrones,” HBO’s most popular show of all time, millions of fans are more tuned in than ever. The varied storylines, characters and stellar acting all offer many reasons to watch, but there’s another draw: the show’s beautiful scenery and backdrops. Whether you’re a fan of “Game of Thrones,” or simply love to travel, here’s how to see the scenery up close on a budget.
Iceland
This country is a frequent filming spot for “Game of Thrones.” Many of the scenes at the show’s famed “Ice Wall” are filmed in North Iceland, and there are plenty of tours available to bring you to various set locations.
Timing your trip to Iceland should depend on your budget and your ideal itinerary. The weather is certainly warmer (mid-50s, on average) from June until August, and you will also benefit from longer days and much more sunlight. However, hotel prices are higher during this period. If you opt to visit in winter or early spring, you’ll find that airfare and hotel prices are significantly reduced — however, so are the temperatures and the hours of sunlight. If one of your goals is to see the northern lights, then winter is the best time to visit.
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Flying into Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, will grant you access to a few nearby “Game of Thrones” filming locations, and fortunately, national parks are free to enter. Thingvellir National Park is less than an hour’s drive away and offers beautiful scenery featured in the show, including the path to fictional location the Eyrie, and the journey taken by characters Arya and Sandor Clegane (“the Hound”).
Venture further inland to Thjorsardalur on a drive slightly over an hour, and you can see picturesque waterfalls as well as a Viking-era settlement that provided the backdrop for a Wildlings massacre in “Game of Thrones” season four.
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Northern Ireland
A short distance from Iceland is Northern Ireland, a region frequented by the “Game of Thrones” film crew. In fact, a major location in the show that the Stark family calls home — Winterfell — is based on the Strangford Castle Ward Estate, located about an hour’s drive outside of Belfast. The estate offers reasonably priced day tours by bicycle. On the northern coast you can find Ballintoy Harbour, known to fans of the show as the Iron Islands. The famed “Dark Hedges,” a path lined with beech trees that’s used as the Kings Road, is only 20 minutes away.
Visiting Northern Ireland will give you a lot of bang for your Westeros buck should you choose to visit, so consider a trip in spring or fall to find the best discounts on airfare and hotels. Summer is the most popular season and prices will be steep during those months.
Tourism Ireland created a free map for Game of Thrones fans, where you can easily find famous scenes from the show by the location where they were filmed. Thinking of combining Iceland and Northern Ireland for one epic Game of Thrones tour? Icelandair offers free stopovers when you travel to the U.K. and Europe. The airline does not currently service Ireland, so one option is to fly into Glasgow airport and then take a quick roundtrip to Belfast for less than $100.
To see the sights in Iceland or Northern Ireland, you can opt to rent a car and navigate on your own as long as you prepare in advance and include a GPS in your rental. Book a car as early as you can for cheaper rates, and search online for coupon codes to save even more money. On the other hand, you could sign up for a daylong or multi-day tour created with “Game of Thrones” fans in mind; just be cautious that with rising tourism rates, these can get pricey.
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Croatia
If you’re looking for an exotic locale featured on “Game of Thrones,” check out Dubrovnik in Croatia. This is where the many scenes at King’s Landing are filmed. The city offers plenty of its own history as well as many spots that fans of the show will enjoy. During September and October, the crowds will subside and so will the rates, yet the weather and water is still warm enough to visit the beach. You may want to stay a few miles outside of Dubrovnik for cheaper hotel rates, and opt for public transportation and day trips.
Another way to visit this seaside city is on a cruise. Dubrovnik offers a cruise port, and the Norwegian Cruise Line makes a stop here, which U.S. News ranked No. 4 on Best Cruise Lines for the Money.
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How to Visit ‘Game of Thrones’ Filming Locations on a Budget originally appeared on usnews.com
