[Dubrovnik, Croatia]Shutterstock.com / Simone Simone With one nail-biting day until Game of Thrones returns with its sixth season, we needed something to tide us over. Here, eight real-life Game of Thrones locations you can visit around the globe. Iceland, Morocco, Ireland, Croatia, Greece… we’d venture to say that the GOT cast must rack up some pretty hefty frequent flier miles if it weren't for the fact that most characters get the axe (sometimes literally) before they make it to the next location. Lucky for us, these spots — many of them ancient heritage sites — aren't going anywhere. So if you're a diehard GOT fan, add these to your travel bucket list. 1. KHALEESI'S WEDDING: THE AZURE WINDOW, MALTA Shutterstock Malta, the archipelago between Sicily and the North African coast, is known for its historic sites. And by "historical," we mean Season 1. Gozo's limestone archway, "The Azure Window," served as the backdrop for Daenerys' and Khal Drogo's nuptials. Mdina, Malta's former medieval capital, is a 1000-year-old walled city that served as "King’s Landing" in Season 1. The real-life town gate is recognizable in the scene when our beloved Ned Stark first arrives at King’s Landing (if only we could stop him from entering!). 2. KING'S LANDING: DUBROVNIK, CROATIA Shutterstock.com / Simone Simone From season two onward, most of "King’s Landing" was filmed in the ancient city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Feel free to explore "Westeros" on your own, or opt for a GOT-themed tour, which are available throughout the city. The House of The Undying was shot at the real-life Minceta Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Dalmatian Coast. Make your way across the country and you may recognize other GOT locales, such as "Meereen" (shot at the real life Klis Fortress), The Red Keep (shot at Lovrijenac Fortress) and Quarth (shot on the nearby island of Lokrum). 3. WINTERFELL: CASTLE WARD IN STRANGFORD, IRELAND Andrew Wilkinson/Flickr With its abundance of ancient castles, there's a reason Northern Ireland is one of the series's go-to shooting locations. If you visit the Stangford Castle Ward Estate, you may recognize it as the real "Winterfell." (In later seasons, Winterfell shooting moved to Scotland’s Doune Castle, famously used in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.) Also in Northern Ireland is the beautiful real-life location of "King's Road," shot in a tree-lined back road in County Antrim that is known locally as the Dark Hedges. Talk about life imitating art. SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER
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