The HBO drama Game Of Thrones has had an incredible effect on modern culture. As you probably know, the show itself has become one of the most popular television dramas of all time (and the show is not done yet).
Game of Thrones has launched careers, catapulted HBO to even higher levels of prestige, and before it’s all said and done it is going to lead to even more TV shows. The show is a hit almost unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the industry!
The drama also played a role in promoting the book series upon which it is largely based. Many people probably don’t realize that A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, the first book in the series A Song Of Ice And Fire, was actually first published in 1996. It was essentially another forgotten fantasy novel (and series) until it
got picked up as a TV series and millions of people around the world realized how deep and thrilling the novels were.
Naturally Game Of Thrones has also inspired a fair amount of activity in the gaming world. The longest running game might just be a slot arcade on the internet, which Microgaming calls heart-stoppingly exciting. That’s quite an exaggeration,
but it sure is a game that’s true to the spirit of the show. Other games, including a noteworthy series from Telltale, do more to help you feel as if you can control your own narrative within the Thrones world.
The most surprising impact of Game Of Thrones, however, might be how it has inspired people to leap into the world of the show in a more literal sense. One of the things that makes the show so compelling is that it takes place in absolutely breathtaking locations. Many of them have been altered through CGI so that castles and walls and the like
can appear in the show, but most are still essentially real world places. Most of those places have been seeing tourists who are there specifically because of the show.
These are a few of the destinations people are frequenting (and which you might want to visit)
Dubrovnik, Croatia
This is undoubtedly the main Game Of Thrones tourism destination, if you will. Already an incredibly picturesque Mediterranean getaway, Dubrovnik has been used as the basis for King’s Landing, one of the most important and iconic Thrones sets. The city is actually taking steps to curb tourism following an unprecedented surge. But it’s still amazing to visit should you get the chance!
Seville, Spain
Seville is another destination that was popular long before the show, and will remain popular long after its run comes to an end. The city is known for old Moorish architecture, beautiful cathedrals, and even the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
But its royal palace of Alcazar was also used for one of the prettier locations in the show: the water gardens at Sunspear.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is listed here as a whole country because it’s actually responsible for a lot of the better-known shots in the show. The beaches of Downhill Strand were used to film scenes at Dragonstone (and do make for a fantasy-like beach view). Dunluce Castle on the coast was turned into the Castle of Pyke on the Iron Islands using CGI. And the
so-called Dark Hedges that line Bregagh Road in County Antrim were used as the Kingsroad in the show.
These are more sights to see than destinations to travel to, but if you’re a big fan of the show and/or its scenery, a tour of Northern Ireland is vital.
Doune Castle, Scotland
Doune Castle isn’t the most picturesque destination on this list, but it might be the most important pilgrimage for true fans of the books and show. It is a 14th century castle in Scotland, and incidentally may be best known now as a film location for Monty Python And The Holy Grail. However, where this show is concerned, Doune
Castle was the underlying fortification around which the visual teams built Winterfell the home of the good guys, so to speak.
Split, Croatia
Split is one of the true hidden gems of Europe not in that it’s unknown, but in that it some how seems to escape tourists bucket lists (probably because of the spotlight on Dubrovnik). Split is basically a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea and a
sprawling, gorgeous city that was once the home of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Game Of Thrones used the hillside ruin of Klis Fortress to build up the image of the fictional city of Mereen, and in doing so sneakily showed off one of the more beautiful destinations in the Mediterranean.
