Where was House of the Dragon filmed?

Blockbuster TV series Game of Thrones ended three years ago, leaving many devoted fans wanting more.

This week they’ll finally get to watch a long-awaited prequel series, House of the Dragon, depicting a dynastic feud between branches of the Targaryen family.

Available on Sky Atlantic from 22 August, the new show has the same lavish, Medieval-fantasy aesthetic as the original series, with lashings of castles, craggy countryside and spike-furnished war rooms.

But where did the House of the Dragon team capture its dark, atmospheric scenery – and did the crew return to GOT favourites Northern Ireland and Croatia?

Here’s everything we know.

Cornwall

The shoot for House of the Dragon started in Cornwall, with a two-week stint soaking up the rugged scenery in the far southwest of England. St Michael’s Mount, a picturesque island and UK landmark, was used as the House of Valayron seat, Driftmark, according to Metro. Linked to the Cornish mainland at Marazion, this forested island spirals up to a picturesque castle with parts dating back to the 14th century. Day trips to this photogenic spot deliver on historic curios, too: you can see a crossbow, a tidal clock and a mummified cat among other treasures. Take one of the daily ferries or walk over when the tide is out; tickets are from £14 for an adult and £7 for a child.

Cornwall’s wild Kynance Cove and Holywell Bay were also used by crew as ancient-looking locations in the show: actors Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy were spotted on Holywell Bay’s sands in summer 2021, with the bay also making an appearance in the show’s trailer. Props and camera rigs were also set up on Kynance Cove, a sandy beach known for its enormous, craggy rocks and cliffs. You’ll find it along the Lizard Peninsula, close to several lovely campsites and Cornish hotels, as well as a portion of the South West Coast Path.

Monsanto, Portugal

This under-the-radar Portuguese village was once voted “the most Portuguese village in Portugal”, and still attracts photographers and film crews with its curious round boulders plonked between quaint stone houses. The House of the Dragon team filmed at its Castle of Monsanto, a medieval seat built from granite which seems to rise naturally out of the mound of stone beneath. The village is found in the far east of the country, near the Spanish border, and can be visited from the capital, Lisbon (a three-hour drive…