With Game of Thrones back on screens, fans may wish to see the places used for the haunts of their favourite characters ­– before they get killed off!

Epic TV fantasy Game of Thrones is back on screens for its fourth season, intriguing and titillating viewers with its convoluted plots and absolutely huge ensemble cast.

While fans try to keep abreast of the fictional goings on in Westeros, there is nothing imaginary about the locations used to film HBO’s wildly popular show.

Malta has a strong link to the first season, with Mdina used for much of Westerosi capital King’s Landing, along with San Anton Palace.

The Azure Window Dwejra in Gozo was instantly recognisable as the location for Daenerys Targaryen’s wedding to Dothraki leader Khal Drogo.

Volcanic but frozen, Iceland truly is the Land of Ice and Fire

However, part of the reason Malta was not used in following seasons was due to damage to the Dwejra rock that was apparently inflicted during filming and which caused controversy in 2010.

Still, this means there are many more places for Thrones fans to visit on their own quest to see where the series was shot. This is an edited version of a blog compiled by travel site GoEuro.co.uk, and contains some spoilers.

Northern Ireland

Much of Westeros is located in Northern Ireland. Winter may have just left the Emerald Isle, but given Ireland’s average 300 rainy or cloudy days a year, many of the locations filmed here were used to depict Winterfell, the north, and other less sunny parts of the Seven Kingdoms.

Dark Hedges

Those who want to tread the same grounds as the Starks should explore the area of Downpatrick, County Down, where Castle Ward was used to film parts of the family home.

Nearby Audley’s Castle and Woods were the location for the family’s war encampment in the first season.

Further north is the setting for Castle Black – the abandoned Magheramorne quarry which is currently under proposal to be turned into an adventure sports centre.

Nearby Redhall Estate appeared in seasons two and three under various guises, including as the inn where Catelyn Tully captured Tyrion Lannister before taking him to her twisted sister in The Eyrie.

For bonus fan points, the rock formations that make up The Eyrie actually lie in Greece and had the castle grafted on to them.

With eerie in mind, Ballymoney’s Dark Hedges provided the backdrop for the iconic Kingsroad. As one of the most photographed sites in Ireland, their dramatic appearance was perfect for the award-winning series.

It seems Ireland’s rugged terrain is pretty adaptable as a mythological setting, with Sandy Brae Path at Newry and Mourne used as the site of the twin horse statues marking the entrance to the Dothraki holy ground.

There’s something especially fantastic about this area, as the Mourne Mountains are said to have inspired C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia.

Our final tip for Northern Ireland is to head to the Caves of Cushendun, County Antrim, where one of the more disturbing scenes from season two was filmed: Melisandre’s birthing of the shadow baby. The area itself is quaint and scenic.

Croatia

The second season saw filming of King’s Landing moved to Croatia, specifically Dubrovnik and Lokrum.

With Dubrovnik being a seaside walled city, similar to the Westeros capital, the crew were offered additional opportunities to film exterior shots as well as the interior shots they had been limited to when using Mdina.

Old Town Dubrovnik and Lokrum Island

The surrounding waters were put to good use, providing the setting for the epic Battle of Blackwater, whilst Fort Lovrijenac became the new Red Keep.

Sections of Qarth in the Essos continent were also filmed here, with the Minceta Tower used as the exterior of the House of The Undying.

Many other parts of Qarth were filmed on the nearby island of Lokrum, including the botanical gardens, used for outdoor scenes such as the welcome party thrown by Xaro.

Lokrum itself is said to be cursed, so much like the characters in Thrones, you would be wise to visit but not to stay.

Back on the mainland, the gates of Qarth were constructed in Dubac quarry, along with King’s Landing’s waterside garden in season three, which was located at the Trsteno Arboretum.

Iceland

Volcanic but frozen, Iceland truly is the Land of Ice and Fire.

Barren, alien, beautiful but brutal, this mysterious landscape is the perfect location for the land Beyond The Wall.

Line producer Chris Newman said they wanted as much of the scenery to be as true to life as possible, and that they weren’t “doing anything in post-production to add mountains or snow or anything”.

Myvatn Lake

Filming spots included Höfoabrekkuheioi, the Myrdalsjokull glacier, the Vatnajökull glacier – Europe’s largest ice cap – and Lake Myvatn, which, although a protected area, is easily accessible for visitors.

Annual events hosted here include the Icelandic marathon. The lake is littered with unusual lava formations, aptly known as “black castles”.

While a majority of scenes were filmed at the lake, Iceland’s Skaftafell National Park was also put to good use.

While the life of an actor may seem glamorous, those involved in Icelandic scenes had to brave severely cold conditions.

The scene where John Snow fights Qhorin Halfhand near the end of season two took place on a cliff with a 500m drop, the snow so deep the actors kept sinking into it during an exhausting two-day shoot.

Morocco

Heading back to a more comfortable environment, Morocco was used as the primary setting for many of Daenerys’s travels in season three.

This was actually a revisit for the production team - the area was originally used as King’s Landing in the unaired pilot.

Ait Benhaddou

Although some of the shots here were used to represent King’s Landing in the third season, the historic city of Ait Benhaddou, a designated Unesco World Heritage Site, was used to represent Yunkai, or the Yellow City travelled to by The Mother of Dragons.

The sandy citadel, known widely for its kasbahs, is no stranger to the limelight, having been a backdrop for blockbusters such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy and Gladiator.

Another shooting location is Essaouira, Western Morocco, also listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

In the series it served as the location for the slave-trading city of Astapor, and housed the Plaza of Pride and the Palace of The Good Masters.

In real life, this little city is buzzing with culture, its historical beauty and stunning sea views preserved thanks to strict building restrictions.