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House of the Dragon Season 3 brings Westeros to life through a handsome patchwork of Wales, Spain and England, with HBO’s production turning real valleys, old towns, forests, beaches and studio sets into the bleeding heart of the Dance of the Dragons. The season has leaned heavily on Wales for its rugged exteriors, returned to Cáceres and Trujillo in Spain for King’s Landing, and built its lavish interiors at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford.
Showrunner Ryan Condal praised the Welsh locations in HBO’s behind-the-scenes material, saying, “Wales provides scope and location that we cannot get anywhere,” according to Decider. For viewers wondering whether they can actually visit these places, the answer is mostly yes for the exterior landmarks, although the Leavesden House of the Dragon sets are not currently open as a fan tour.
Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, England
Credit: HBOWarner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford is where much of House of the Dragon Season 3’s controlled magic happens. Decider reports that the show’s major studio sets are housed there, including the multi-story Red Keep interior set. Leavesden is also famous for hosting productions such as the Harry Potter films, Barbie, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and recent James Bond films. This location ranks first because it gives the show its royal interiors, council rooms, palace corridors and battle-friendly controlled spaces. Beautiful towns can provide texture, but a dragon-war drama still needs precision, safety and room for visual effects.
Cáceres, Spain
Credits:- Ollie Upton/HBOCáceres remains one of the most recognizable House of the Dragon filming locations because it stands in for King’s Landing. Town & Country identifies Cáceres as a major filming site, and Decider notes that House of the Dragon shifted King’s Landing exteriors from Dubrovnik, used heavily in Game of Thrones, to Spanish locations including Cáceres. Cáceres works because its medieval streets already carry political age. The stone lanes, towers and old plazas give King’s Landing an authority that feels lived-in rather than freshly assembled for a camera.
Trujillo, Spain
Credit: HBOTrujillo joins Cáceres as another Spanish location used for King’s Landing-style exteriors. Decider names Trujillo’s town square as part of the production’s King’s Landing work, while production summaries note that Cáceres and Trujillo have been used for King’s Landing scenes across the franchise. Trujillo gives the capital a broader civic face. Cáceres supplies narrow old-city texture, while Trujillo’s square helps the show create public space for power, procession, and unrest. A capital cannot be only secret corridors. It needs plazas where authority performs for the crowd.
Capel Curig’s Blackhorse Valley, Wales
Credit: HBOCapel Curig’s Blackhorse Valley is one of Season 3’s most important Welsh sites because HBO used it for Rhaena’s scenes with Sheepstealer, per Decider. This location earns a high spot because Rhaena’s dragon storyline needs landscape with size and severity. A wild dragon should not feel like it lives beside a picnic lawn. Capel Curig gives those scenes weather, distance and a lonely grandeur that suits a character chasing a dangerous bond.
Llanddwyn Island and Beaumaris Pier, Wales
Credit: HBOSeason 3’s North Wales filming is officially confirmed by the Welsh Government, which listed Beaumaris Pier, Craig Yr Undeb, Union Rock, and Ffynon Llugwy in Eryri among the locations used for the new season. Llanddwyn Island has been linked to House of the Dragon location coverage, but unless a stronger source is added, it should be treated as reported rather than officially confirmed.
This pairing makes sense because Driftmark belongs to House Velaryon, a family built around ships, salt air and sea power. Llanddwyn gives the coastline a wind-cut beauty, while Beaumaris Pier adds a practical maritime feel. Together, they make Driftmark seem like a place shaped by water rather than courtly decoration.
Union Rock, Eryri and Newborough Forest, Wales
Credit: HBOWales does even more work through Union Rock in Llanberis, Eryri National Park and Newborough Forest. Travel + Leisure Asia reports that Union Rock was used for Harrenhal-related scenes, Eryri supplied mountains and lakes, and Newborough Forest supported woodland sequences. These locations are grouped because they show how versatile Wales is for Season 3. Union Rock gives harsher terrain for cursed-castle energy, Eryri provides vast natural scale, and Newborough Forest offers shadowed woodland for travel and war movement.
Barossa Nature Preserve and Swinley Forest, England
Credit: HBOBarossa Nature Preserve and Swinley Forest in Surrey were reportedly used for Season 3, though the exact Westerosi stand-in remains less certain. Decider describes them as possible Riverlands locations, while Town & Country says they may appear as Kingswood-style wilderness. The choice is practical as well as visual. These woods are close enough to the production’s English base to make filming easier, but they still give the show usable outdoor texture. The Riverlands need forests, roads and spaces where armies can move without everything feeling royal or polished.
Monsanto and Gaztelugatxe
Credit: HBOMonsanto in Portugal and Gaztelugatxe in Spain’s Basque Country are tied to Dragonstone-style exterior work from earlier seasons. Architectural Digest highlights Monsanto as a Dragonstone location, while Decider also mentions Monsanto and Gaztelugatxe in connection with past Dragonstone exteriors. They remain important because Dragonstone’s identity depends on rock, height and isolation. Even when Season 3 uses more interiors, these locations helped establish how Targaryen geography should feel on screen.
Which real-world Westeros stop would you visit first? Drop your travel pick in the comments below, and follow FandomWire for more House of the Dragon updates.
House of the Dragon Season 3 airs weekly on HBO and HBO Max in the United States.
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