8 Fascinating Locations Where Fantasy Comes To Life

If you still haven’t planned your summer vacation, why not go to Middle Earth? Or perhaps you’d prefer Hogwarts, Narnia, or even Westeros? Movies, TV, and books transport us to fantastic locations, but some of them exist in real life. Whether your favourite show was filmed there, or it was a location that inspired fictional places, it is actually quite easy to escape to landscapes from your favourite fictional universe.

# King’s Landing From ‘Game of Thrones’ – Dubrovnik, Croatia

Scenes in King’s Landing were initially filmed in Mdina, Malta. However, it was relocated to Dubrovnik, Croatia, where the red roofs became instantly recognizable as the capital of the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Many locations in and around the city were also used as Qarth and Slaver’s Bay.

# The Shire From ‘The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings’ – Matamata, New Zealand

The sets used for Hobbiton in the Shire for both ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit trilogies remains intact just outside Matamata, New Zealand. You can even pay a visit to the Green Dragon pub, where the hobbits meet Aragorn in the first installment.

# Arendelle From ‘Frozen’ – Nærøyfjord, Norway

The breathtaking Nærøyfjord in Norway inspired the animators who created the fictional kingdom of Arendelle in Disney’s ‘Frozen‘.

# Hogwarts Castle From ‘Harry Potter‘ – Alnwick Castle, England

The fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was actually filmed in many locations across the UK. Alnwick Castle is perhaps the most iconic of these, being used extensively in the first two films. Gloucester Cathedral and Durham Cathedral were also used for interior shots.

# Cair Paravel From ‘Narnia’ – Cathedral Cove, New Zealand

In ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian‘, they reenter the world of Narnia through Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. It serves as the location of their now ruined castle of Cair Paravel.

# Tatooine From ‘Star Wars‘ – Tozeur, Tunisia

While it is likely that Tatouine in Tunisia gave Luke Skywalker’s home planet, Tatooine, its name, it was actually filmed in nearby Matmata and Tozeur. Located in the Sahara Desert, this Tunisian town still has the film sets from the movies.

# Downton Abbey From ‘Downton Abbey’ – Highclere Castle, England

Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England, was used as the location of the house of the Earl of Grantham in the period drama Downton Abbey. However, Bampton in the Cotswolds served as the rural town.

# Winterfell From ‘Game of Thrones’ – Castle Ward, Northern Ireland

Castle Ward in County Down, Northern Ireland was used as the home of the Stark family in ‘Game of Thrones’, Winterfell.