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Fate, destiny, prophecy, behavioral actions, empathy, kindness, love, and the joy of finding a chosen family all intertwine to narrate the tale of a lifetime in Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series, video game and Netflix adaptation by the same name. The series features many monsters and magical beings and, most importantly, breathtaking views that inspire us to lay down our world map and pin down places to add to our bucket list.
So, who are we to fight the alluring alchemy of wanderlust!?
“… Toss a coin to your Witcher
O’ Valley of Plenty!. …”
Wego invites you on this journey through spectacular destinations, playing background characters against the foreground featuring mages, witchers, elves and monsters.
Disclaimer: If you haven’t watched the ‘The Witcher’ series yet or are currently in the midst of it, this article contains spoilers. Proceed reading at your own discretion.
The show makers took special care to ensure that the scenes featuring the magical lands felt as authentic as possible, so the team traveled all over Europe to get their shots of “the Continent.” We are going to visit few of those locations today.
Hungary
A former part of the Roman Empire and one of the oldest countries in Europe, every part of Hungary paints a tale that is either religiously part of an actual knight’s history or spun in folklore inspired by real-life events. It is no surprise that a story set in 1200 found its way here.
The Church of Ják
Every time we saw Stregobor, the wizard’s house, we saw a shot from Ják Chapel in Budapest. Many scenes shot in Budapest studios drew inspiration for their designs from Ják Chapel.
The Church of Ják is an epochal basilica Benedictine Abbey of Ják, located in the heart of Hungary. Constructed in Roman style in the 12th century, it is the lone survivor of Hungarian ethnical monasteries of the Middle Ages. It sits prominently perched on top of the Jáki-Soros-Stream Valley.
The delicately interwoven artwork adorning the Church displays all sorts of art, from sheep to dragons to leaf ornaments, and it is something to marvel at on one’s own.
Being located opposite the Vajdahunyad Castle, this is also an astonishing piece of history to visit if you are checking out the Church of Ják. The gates of the castle are never closed, allowing visitors to take their time to stroll through the gothic castle, the church, the anonymous statue, etc. Church services are essentially held on Sunday noon from Spring to Autumn.
Fort Monostor (Fort Sandberg)
A fearless queen ruled Cintra, nicknamed the “lioness of Cintra,” so it is only befitting that her court is one of the largest forts in Central Europe. Fort Monostor, or Fort Sandberg, is located in the city of Komárom and is a historical monument of the Classist War, making it a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage list. The colossal walls of the fort were made of intricately shaped stones that concealed it from the outside world and protected it against enemies during the war.
Now, Fort Monostor offers nine exhibitions on various military topics and is a fantastic space for nature lovers. Visitors can explore the huge area of the fort by walking along the ramparts and bastions through cool gorges and enjoying the view of the Danube. Tons of animals and diverse birds are waiting to be discovered amidst the green exterior.
Fort Monostor is open from 9 am to 6 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. For information on tickets to the fort, we recommend visiting the official website of the Fort Monostor.
Esterházy Palace or the Tata Castle
From the queen’s house in Cintra, we are taking a leap next to the little house where Yennefer of Vengerberg became a vessel for a monster. What appears to be a little house in a jungle is actually a castle to the north of Lake Öreg in Tata. Built in the 1400s, it was a summer resort and a favored royal residence back in the day.
The castle has been passed down through generations of royals and is loved by many who have contributed pieces of themselves to its reconstruction. In 1889, a count wanted to entertain his guests, and thus, the Tata Palace Theatre emerged, which showcases excellent examples of the neo-baroque and neo-rococo styles.
The Tata Castle is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. For information on tickets, we recommend visiting the official website of Tata Castle.
Szentendre Skanzen Village Museum
We only get to see glimpses of this astronomic centerpiece when Yennefer recalls memories from her childhood as her hometown, but in reality, Szentendre Skanzen Village is a beautiful village that comprises Hungary’s largest open-air museum.
Research is conducted here on folk architecture, interior furnishings, and way of life, as well as the collection of tangible and intangible relics within the Hungarian language territory, safeguarding this heritage and making it accessible to everyone.
The museum is located within the Duna-Ipoly National Park and has a restaurant, cafe and bakery on its grounds.
The museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. For information on tickets, we recommend visiting the museum’s official website.
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Austria
Austria, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is another country that makes up old Europe, and it is, therefore, naturally a part of the Witcher landscape as well.
Burg Kreuzenstein or Kreuzenstein Castle
Featured on our screen for only an episode as Temeria’s abandoned icy castle, Burg Kreuzenstein is a restored castle located near Leobendorf in Lower Austria. It was constructed on the ruins of a medieval castle with money derived from several European novelties. If you ask us, we would say that Kreuzenstein Castle looks really similar to Cinderella’s castle in Disney World and deserves to be a part of your bucket list simply on that basis.
The Counts of Formbach built the original medieval castle in the 12th century. It remained unconquered until the Thirty Years’ War when the Swedish field marshall blew up four parts of it. Today, the castle is a museum and a popular tourist destination. The recently renovated Tavern Pub Kreuzenstein restaurant also sits within the castle grounds for visitors to portal themselves to the Middle Ages within the safety of a cozy tavern with gastronomic delights and live musicians.
The castle gates are open daily from April to November from 10 am to 4 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 5 pm on weekends. To learn more about tickets and guided tours, we recommend visiting Kreuzenstein Castle’s official website.
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Spain
Spain, a vibrant, enthralling country, also appears in The Witcher, though not in the form of hues we usually associate it with, and that would simply be because of the magic of movie-making.
Roque de Santo Domingo, Canary Islands
The magical school of the mages Aretuza was created by casting movie magic over Roque de Santo Domingo, located below the village of Santo Domingo on the Canary Islands. The school’s base is the rocky islet facing the northwestern coast of the island of La Palma. It is easy to imagine an entire world out there when visiting the beach and climbing up to the rock, with the cool ocean breeze and the guzzle of the water as the background soundtrack.
Tilos waterfall, La Palma Island, Canary Islands
The scenes with the Brokilon Forest, home to the dryads, were filmed all over the lush jungles of the La Palma Islands. One of the corners of the Brokilin Forest is Los Sauces or Los Tilos Waterfall. It is located in the San Andrés y Sauces, to the north of La Isla Bonita. The magnificent forest and the waterfall were the first to be declared a World Biosphere Reserve in the Canary Islands and is also a UNESCO Heritage site.
Natural Dune Reserve of Maspalomas
Every time Cirila, the princess of Cintra, finds herself in a desert in her vision, we get to see the baronial Natural Dune Reserve of Maspalomas.
Comfortably snugged to the south of Gran Canaria, the Dunes of Maspalomas are a natural wonder. They were ornamented millions of years ago by crushed organisms, and the wind has been spreading over a large area ever since. They have been protected as a nature reserve since 1987 and were one of the contenders in the 12 Treasures of Spain competition.
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Poland
Poland is the eighth largest country in Europe and the homeland of Andrzej Sapkowski, the mastermind behind The Witcher universe. So far, we have seen glimpses of Poland just once, during the Battle of Sodden in the Season One finale, but here’s to hoping we will see more of this beautiful country in the upcoming seasons.
Ogrodzieniec Castle
Ogrodzieniec Castle is essentially a ruin of a medieval castle in Podzamcze, the south-central region of Poland, called Polish Jura. The history of this Gothic castle dates back to the 12th century when it was constructed to celebrate the then-royal family and protect them. It is one of the most stops on the Trail of the Eagle’s Nests, which is a chain of medieval fortresses built to secure Krakow during the 14th century.
From its initiation until the Second World War, the castle was owned by several generations of royals and endured many reconstructions, battles, and wars. Today, the castle is open to the public and often used as a backdrop in films and series.
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The Lake District, United Kingdom
The Lake District does not need any introduction. Besides being the home of great poets with their muses during the Romantic Era and thereafter, the exquisite National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site has also been made a part of The Witcher universe.
Blea Tarn
If you wondered during Season 2 where those snow-covered mountains were located or whether they were real during any time we got to see glimpses of Princess Cirila training with the witchers, we would like to tell you that those mountains are one hundred percent real. They are the Blea Tarn in the Lake District.
In reality, the Blea Tarn Trail is a very gentle and friendly trail that has been made accessible to those with disabilities. The Tarn is a dreamland for artists with stunning views of lakes, mountains, valleys and waterfalls to click pictures of or paint.
Hodge Close Quarry Lake
If you can recall, Geralt of Rivia slaying a Leshy or any scenes featuring Kaer Morhen that felt particularly spooky, perhaps because there was a literal skull wave on the screen, then you are thinking about Hodge Close Quarry Lake.
Hodge Close, a former network of quarries and mines, has now been completely overtaken by nature. Huge chunks of igneous rock protrude out, almost mirroring the voids carved out of the ground by the early 20th-century quarrying activity. Hodge Close Quarry Lake is a wondrous space that echoes the spirit of the Lake District and presents glorious landscapes for photography, irrespective of the weather.
As we rest up and wait for Season 4 of The Witcher with bated breath, we hope that the White Wolf’s travels inspired you to plan a vacation to one of these beautiful locations this summer and write your epic tale, defeat villains or make some new friends and pour yourself some ale while you are at it. This Bard would not wish you any less.
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