Seeing a landscape on screen is one thing. Standing on the steps where a queen made her walk of shame, or watching a real steam train cross the Hogwarts viaduct, is something else.
Travelling to filming locations, sometimes called set-jetting, has become one of the most popular ways to choose a trip. The best locations are worth visiting even if you have never seen the film, because location scouts chose them for a reason. Here are five of the most famous, with how to get there, what it costs, when to go, and how to get the photo without the crowd.
At a glance
| Location | On screen | Best months | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubrovnik, Croatia | Game of Thrones | May, Sep–Oct | Walls ticket |
| Hobbiton, New Zealand | The Lord of the Rings | Oct–Apr | Guided tour |
| Glenfinnan, Scotland | Harry Potter | Jun–Sep | Free to view |
| Wadi Rum, Jordan | Dune, The Martian | Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov | Small fee |
| Reynisfjara, Iceland | Game of Thrones | Jun–Aug | Free (parking fee) |
1. Dubrovnik, Croatia: King's Landing
Dubrovnik's old town, ringed by massive stone walls above the Adriatic, played King's Landing in HBO's Game of Thrones. Fans recognise it at every turn, and the town has embraced its second identity.
Climb the baroque Jesuit Stairs, where Cersei began her walk of atonement. Then look across the harbour to Fort Lovrijenac, on its own rock outside the walls, which stood in for the Red Keep. The ticket for the city walls also gets you into the fort.
- Getting there: fly to Dubrovnik; the airport shuttle bus reaches Pile Gate, the main entrance to the old town, in about 30 minutes
- Cost: walking the old town is free; the city walls ticket costs around €40, so check the current price before you go
- Nearby: a short boat ride takes you to Lokrum island, used for scenes set in Qarth, where an Iron Throne replica sits in the old monastery
See our Dubrovnik guide for the old town and nearby beaches.
2. Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata (New Zealand)
In green farmland in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island sits the Shire. The set was first built for The Lord of the Rings and then rebuilt in permanent materials for The Hobbit films. Today it has 44 hobbit holes, a mill, a double-arched bridge and the Green Dragon Inn.
You can only visit on a guided tour, which keeps it well maintained and never overcrowded.
- Getting there: about two hours' drive from Auckland; tours leave from the Shire's Rest on the farm or from the Matamata i-SITE visitor centre
- Cost: standard tours start from about NZ$120 for adults and include a drink at the Green Dragon
- Nearby: the glow-worm caves at Waitomo and the geothermal parks of Rotorua are both around an hour or more away
Book weeks ahead in the New Zealand summer, from December to February.
3. Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland
Few film moments are as famous as the Hogwarts Express steaming across a curved stone viaduct in the Highlands. The viaduct is real: 21 arches high above the River Finnan on the West Highland Line, completed in 1901.
The Jacobite steam train runs the line between Fort William and Mallaig from spring to autumn, crossing the viaduct in late morning on the way out and in mid-afternoon on the way back.
- Getting there: about 30 minutes' drive west of Fort William on the A830, or by regular ScotRail trains on the West Highland Line, which stop at Glenfinnan station
- Cost: watching from the hillside is free; parking at the National Trust for Scotland visitor centre is paid
- Nearby: the Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Shiel, where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745
4. Wadi Rum, Jordan: Arrakis and Mars
Wadi Rum is a protected desert of red sand, sandstone mountains and natural rock arches in southern Jordan. It has played other worlds for decades: the desert planet Arrakis in Dune and Dune: Part Two, Mars in The Martian, and planets in several Star Wars films. It was also a key backdrop for Lawrence of Arabia.
The best way to see it is with a local Bedouin guide in a four-wheel drive, then a night in a desert camp under very dark skies.
- Getting there: about an hour's drive from Aqaba, and around 90 minutes to two hours from Petra; most camps arrange transfers
- Cost: the protected area fee is 5 JOD and is included in the Jordan Pass; full-day jeep tours are usually priced per vehicle, so they work out cheaper in a group
- Nearby: Petra, whose Treasury appears in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Avoid midsummer, when daytime temperatures are fierce. Spring and autumn are ideal.
5. Reynisfjara and Vík, Iceland
On Iceland's south coast, the black-sand beach of Reynisfjara, with its basalt columns and sea stacks, was used for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea in the seventh season of Game of Thrones. The wider south coast has appeared in many more productions; Batman Begins and Interstellar both filmed on the Svínafellsjökull glacier, about two hours further east.
- Getting there: about two and a half hours' drive east of Reykjavík on Route 1; Strætó buses also run to Vík
- Cost: the beach is free, with a parking fee
- Where to stay: guesthouses and cabins in the village of Vík, ten minutes away
Getting the shot
Half the fun of a film location is the photo. A little planning gets you the frame without a hundred strangers in it.
- Dubrovnik: the classic view over the old town is from the Srđ hill above it, reached by cable car or a steep walk. Go late in the day, when the walls glow and the light comes from the west.
- Hobbiton: guides give each group time at the best hobbit holes. Stay near the front of the group when you reach Bag End so you get there first.
- Glenfinnan: the higher viewpoint on the hill behind the visitor centre shows the full curve of the viaduct. Steam looks best on cool mornings.
- Wadi Rum: sunrise and sunset turn the sand deep red. Ask your guide for a stop at one of the rock bridges.
- Reynisfjara: a longer lens lets you frame the sea stacks from a safe distance up the beach.
Visit respectfully
Many filming locations are real places where people live and work, and the most popular ones are under pressure from visitor numbers.
- Respect residents. In Dubrovnik and other living towns, keep noise down, do not sit on doorsteps, and follow local rules on dress and behaviour.
- Stay on the paths. Iceland's moss and Jordan's desert take decades to recover from footprints and tyre tracks.
- Book official tours. Sites on private land, such as Hobbiton, can only be visited with a ticket. Booking ahead guarantees your place.
- Leave the drone at home unless you have checked the rules. Drones are restricted in many protected areas and national parks.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book in advance?
For Hobbiton and the Jacobite steam train, yes, especially in each country's summer. For Dubrovnik's walls, Wadi Rum and Reynisfjara you can usually decide on the day, though desert camps in Wadi Rum are best booked ahead in spring and autumn.
Are these places worth it if I haven't seen the films?
Absolutely. Dubrovnik is one of the best-preserved walled towns in Europe, Wadi Rum is one of the great deserts, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct sits in superb Highland scenery. The films are a bonus.
Can I combine several locations on one trip?
Some pair well. Wadi Rum and Petra fit in the same few days in Jordan, and Glenfinnan sits on a classic route through the Scottish Highlands. Dubrovnik combines easily with Montenegro's Bay of Kotor, which is around two hours down the coast.
