What makes the imaginary worlds like in Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings and Netflix’s recent craze, The Witcher so appealing? Although created mostly out of the author’s imagination and creativity, they usually were built with references from the real world. That idea alone is very attractive to the fans because it allows them to feel like they are apart of that make-believe universe!
With more fantasy novels being adapted into movies and TV series nowadays, of course, the thought of visiting the filming locations and see them with their own eyes would be in every fan bucket list! That’s basically in the first chapter of Fandom 101.
The Witcher has been the talk of the town these days. Therefore, we took the liberty of compiling six stunning locations that we think you should consider visiting in your next travel adventure!
The Witcher Storyline
The first season of this highly popular Netflix series consists of 8 episodes. It revolves around the life of ‘The Witcher’ or Gerald of Rivia played by Henry Cavill who is a monster hunter for hire. His journey in this magical world also features epic storylines and encounters with various mythical creatures like vampires and elves.
Ended with an average audience rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, aren’t you pretty psyched for season two? We hope it will come soon!
Ogrodzieniec Castle, Poland
Featured in the final episode during the Battle of Sodden. This gothic style medieval castle built in the 14th century, Zamek Ogrodzieniec is located near Kraków, Poland. Now a picturesque ruin, you can visit the location with an admission fee of 12 Poland Zloty (around USD3).
In addition, there are also plenty of interesting events to attend such as medieval folk dance performance, knights fight, and even a spooky night tour! You can also choose to visit an old torture chamber there that is open for visitation.
Kreuzenstein Castle, Austria
Kreuzenstein Castle, Austria was picked by the filming crew to represent the exterior of Vizima, an abandoned castle in Temeria. Just about 25 minutes away from Central Vienna, it is easily accessible by train. Make sure you hail a taxi once you get off at the Leobendorf Train Station. Else, it could be an uphill battle.
This castle is actually a reconstruction of the original that was destroyed during the 30 Years War. During the rebuilding, they managed to reincorporate some of the original wall fragments and now Kreuzenstein castle houses a museum and also frequently used as a stage for eagle shows.
Vajdahunyad Castle, Hungary
Vajdahunyad is a 124 years old castle with an artificial lake built next to it. It was used to depict the inner courtyard of Wizard Stregobor’s house in The Witcher.
The view is so idyllic and romantic there, we would even suggest you visit during your honeymoon! Now used as the Hungarian Architectural Museum, it will occasionally host different festivals, exhibitions and concerts too.
Tata Castle, Hungary
Tata Castle is located between the Gerecse Mountains and Vértes Mountains in Hungary and was once popular as the summer resort for the royalties. Unfortunately, this castle has also suffered a scorching past after being burned by the Habsburg or officially known as The House of Austria. After a renovation, it is now back to its former beauty. You can spot the Tata Castle in The Witcher being Yennefer’s house.
Plan to visit? With a small fee of 500 Hungarian Forint (approximately USD 1.7), you can visit the Kuny Domokos Museum there. It exhibits an array of sculptures from the 2nd century AD mainly in the form of mythological creatures. On top of that, there are also quite a number of paintings and antique furniture too.
The Canary Islands, Spain
Majority of The Witcher filming locations were located in Spain, and a considerable number of them were in the Canary Islands including La Palma and Gran Canaria.
For instance, the filming location for Aretuza, the magical academy for ladies was in La Palma, the Canary Islands. But, the actual fortress doesn’t exist there and was created totally by the magic of CGI! Isn’t it amazing? #PunIntended.
So, what do you think, are you ready to pack your bag and start on a new adventure? Whichever country you decided to go to, we hope this guide will help you fans out there! Above all, always remember what the great Geralt of Rivia once said, “Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, milling. It’s all the same”.
Leave a Reply