The fantasy drama TV series House of the Dragon was a huge hit, and its filming locations instantly became popular. It was mostly filmed in the UK and Europe. Instead of using several different locations like Game of Thrones, the team focused on just a few places that were easier to reach, such as England, Spain and Portugal.
House Of the Dragon Season 1 Filming Locations
La Calahorra, Spain
In the series, Pentos—a Free City across the Narrow Sea (the Targaryens’ ancestral seat is Dragonstone)—appears on screen via Castillo de La Calahorra in Granada, Spain, built c. 1509–1512.”
Dragonstone Castle
Dragonstone is a volcanic island dominated by Dragonmont. For Season 1, production used Monsanto, Portugal, for Dragonstone’s exteriors. In Season 2, rugged quarries in North Wales—especially Trefor and Dinorwig—provided additional exteriors for Dragonstone and Harrenhal, with nearby lakes and hills completing the look. For Season 1, Dragonstone exteriors were filmed in Monsanto, Portugal. In Season 2, rugged quarries in North Wales(e.g., Trefor, Dinorwig) were used, and the nearby landscape with its lakes and rolling hills was used to show the island’s surroundings.
Driftmark Castle
Driftmark Castle, which is seen in Season 1, is a grim and damp castle, the ancestral home of House Velaryon. It is located on the island of Driftmark in the Crownlands, close to Blackwater Bay.
In real life, this location is represented by St Michael’s Mount, a small island in Mount’s Bay on the southern coast of Cornwall, known for its medieval castle and a Norman church.
Lloret de Mar, Spain
The scene where Lady Laena Velaryon and King Viserys Targaryen took a quiet walk in House of the Dragon was filmed at a peaceful spot in Spain, the Santa Clotilde Gardens in Lloret de Mar.
Cáceres, Spain
Compared to Game of Thrones, King’s Landing looks different in House of the Dragon, at least in terms of location. Instead of Dubrovnik, Croatia, which was used in the earlier series, some scenes were shot in Cáceres, Spain.
Kynance Cove, England
The team continued shooting along the Cornwall coast at Kynance Cove. This rocky stretch of Asparagus Island was used for Velaryon beach/Stepstones scenes; the Driftmark castle itself is St Michael’s Mount.
Castleton, England
Castleton in England is shown as the Vale of Arryn in House of the Dragon Season 1. (Game of Thrones Season 1 filmed most Vale scenes in Northern Ireland.)
House of the Dragon Season 2 Filming Locations
Some scenes in House of the Dragon Season 2, just like in Season 1, were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the same place where the Harry Potter tour was held. Season 2 was also filmed in England, Wales and Spain, with several locations reused from Season 1.
Caesar’s Camp and Bourne Wood, England
The peaceful areas around Farnham were used to film countryside scenes in Season 2. The opening scene of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and the Battle of Austerlitz in his film Napoleon were also filmed in this location.
North Wales
Several scenes were filmed in northern Wales, just west of Eryri National Park (also called Snowdonia National Park) and in Anglesey. The Castles of Gwynedd, Dinorwig Quarry, the lakes in Ogwen Valley and Trefor Granite Quarry were used as filming locations for scenes set in Westeros and Dragonstone. In Anglesey, scenes by the sea were filmed at Penmon Point, Beaumaris Beach, and Llanddwyn Beach, including a small cove called Porth y Cwch.
