5 New ‘Game of Thrones’ Locations Featured In Season 7
Josephine is a staff writer at Junkee Media. You can…
Winter has (literally) arrived in Australia, which means only one thing for Westeros fanatics: Game of Thrones is back, baby!
While you’re been priming your TV screens, we’ve rounded up the spectacular locations featured in season seven. Sun-kissed southern Europe is a prime location for all things rugged and medieval, so it’s not surprising the vast majority of them are in Spain (just like last year). Quite a bit of filming for season seven also took place in Northern Ireland and Iceland, but it’s those centred around coastal regions that you’ll want to pay attention to this time around.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
The biggest (and possibly prettiest) Spanish location is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a small island just off the coast of the mainland reached via a centuries-old footbridge. The small island — and the ancient church that’s perched atop it — is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Basque country. Only 35km from Bilbao in the Bermeo region, it’s a must-see for GoT fans and intrepid travellers alike.
Interestingly enough, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe means “Castle Rock” in Spanish, which might remind you of Casterley Rock. The walled Spanish city of Cáceres probably provided the visual inspiration, too. Coincidence? We think not.
Itzurun Beach
Some other beaches along this same stretch of coast have been tapped for season seven. If you drive for an hour and a half towards San Sebastian, you’ll find Itzurun Beach, where locals have reportedly seen a bunch of GoT cast and crew set up. Similarly, nearby Muriola Beach — a small inlet in Barrikka — has also been used as a location and it’s been speculated that it’s where Khaleesi eventually lands in Westeros.
Los Barruecos
Los Barruecos is one of the world’s most spectacular rock formations. As well as being beautiful, the area has a rich history that dates back to Roman times. While we have no idea what storyline Los Barruecos will intersect with, a popular Game of Thrones fan website thinks that this will be the place Khaleesi and her army land. Either way, we’re sure it’s going to look very pretty on screen.
Castillo de Almodovar
Probably the most Game of Thrones-looking location of all time, Castillo de Almodovar is an ancient Moorish castle that’s been around for close to two thousand years. Visitors to the castle can venture inside the impeccably maintained walled palace today. We wonder what kind of characters you’d run into.
Italica Ruins
You can probably imagine some sort of epic Gladiator-style battle going down in the ancient Italica Ruins, just like they used to do IRL. They’re located just outside of the city of Santiponce in Seville.
In related Game of Thrones news, one keen Redditor has created the entire Game of Thrones universe in the style of Google Maps. For the Watch.
(Lead image: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe / Wikipedia Creative Commons)
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Josephine is a staff writer at Junkee Media. You can find her words on AWOL, The Cusp, food she bagsed in the fridge.