Girona - Game of Thrones Tour

By: Luke Baum

Look, I'm going to be frank and very informal for this article because, what the heck, there's another, more thorough blog out there that's licensed to show you side-by-side comparisons and tell you exactly how to tour HBO’s "Game of Thrones" filming locations in the Spanish city of Girona. Of course, I'll still share the bits of information with you that I knew, but mostly, I'm just going to geek about how cool it was to tour this medieval city back in 2019!

Welcome to the Old Town

Above: Entering "Old Town" Girona across Pont d'en Gomez, Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

A short train ride away, the trip north from Barcelona through the breathtaking countryside to Girona was exciting. Not only was I captivated by the rolling hills and vineyards, but also, I rarely traveled by train.

Once my mom and I arrived, it was only a short walk to get to Girona’s old town. We crossed Pont d’en Gomez over Onyar River (above) and were transported through time and space. Suddenly, we weren't looking at bright stucco walls anymore, but 11th-14th century ballistas and stone walls. We began our tour by following the footpaths to the left, around the Girona Cathedral.

Strolling the Outer Gardens

Above: Strolling the gardens around Old Town Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

Old town is packed with picturesque parks, squares, and cobbled pathways. It's no wonder this location was selected for filming scenes in medieval-inspired fantasy world: "Game of Thrones". This path took us in a loop through the outer gardens of the city.

Old town Girona hosted scenes from coastal banking town: "Braavos"; and the capital of "Westeros": "King's Landing". It was exciting to begin our tour of the city with recognizable locations, such as the square featuring the building with two archways (above): the filming location for a satirical puppet show, witnessed by "Arya Stark".

Cathedral of Girona

Above: At the foot of Girona Cathedral, Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

We retraced our steps near the entrance of the original city and continued to the entrance of Girona Cathedral. You might recognize this location featured during "Margery Tyrell’s" walk of “SHAME!” through the streets of "King's Landing".

Above: My mom and I, around the Girona Cathedral, Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

The trip up the stairs (above) was disorienting — I remember feeling dizzy when I reached the top. As I gazed from a higher vantage point, the packed rooftops inside the original city walls enhanced the medieval atmosphere. We strolled around the cathedral to see the side-entrance; this door (above) is also featured in "King's Landing".

Wandering Girona

Above: Side streets of Old Town, Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

From there, we followed the path around the right-side of cathedral to spot additional notable scenes from Girona. However, sightseeing the "Games of Thrones" filming locations isn't the only tour you can take in Girona. Check out the museums and corridors (above). I was charmed by Old Town -- it felt like we were strolling the streets of "King's Landing", ourselves.

Also, I was interested to see Catalonian flags dotting the streets (above) and young locals milling about, playing cards or tossing a ball in a town square. While writing this post, I realized there is a university campus located in Old Town, which explained the lively atmosphere as we reached the cafes.

Afterward

Above: My mom, Terra, enjoying a cafe break in Old Town, Girona, Spain. 2019 by Luke Baum

Regardless of the controversial plot (especially at the time it aired) in the finale of “Game of Thrones”, it was enchanting to step into another universe — from the modern city into a parallel medieval "fantasy" word. Visit Girona not only for “Games of Thrones”, but also for the light-hearted atmosphere and beautiful example of Spanish architecture.

And thank you, mom, for being my tour guide during our trip to Girona, and Europe, in 2019. I love you tons.