You probably remember that first moment Lucy Pevensie stepped through the coats and felt the crunch of snow under her boots. It felt impossibly real. That’s because, for the most part, it actually was. While big-budget fantasy today relies heavily on "the volume" or green screens that make everything look a bit too polished, director Andrew Adamson and the crew behind the Walden Media films took a different route. They went outside.
If you’re wondering where was Chronicles of Narnia filmed, the answer isn't just one studio in London. It’s a massive logistical map that spans the jagged Southern Alps of New Zealand, the ancient sandstone "cities" of the Czech Republic, and even the humid coastline of Slovenia.
New Zealand was the heart of the Golden Age
New Zealand. It’s the obvious choice, right? After Lord of the Rings, the country basically became the unofficial headquarters for high fantasy. But Adamson—a Kiwi himself—didn't just want to copy Peter Jackson’s homework. He needed a Narnia that felt more like a storybook and less like a gritty medieval epic.
The Pevensies’ first steps into a snowy woods weren't actually in New Zealand (we'll get to that in a second), but the vast, sweeping landscapes of the "Golden Age" certainly were. Most of the outdoor action for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe happened on the South Island. Specifically, the area around Flock Hill.
It’s a strange, otherworldly place.
Huge limestone boulders sprout from the ground like teeth. This is where the Great Battle took place. If you stand there today, you can almost see the Minotaurs charging. The production team actually stayed in the nearby town of Christchurch, and honestly, the scale of the operation was enormous. They had to transport hundreds of extras and heavy camera gear into these remote stations.
Then you have Elephant Rocks. Located near Duntroon in North Otago, this area served as Aslan’s Camp. The rocks are weathered, smooth, and massive. They look like petrified beasts huddling together. When you see the colorful tents of the Narnian army in the film, those are nestled right between these prehistoric formations.
The European winter was actually real
Here is a bit of trivia that messes with people: the snow in the first half of the movie wasn't all fake. While they used a lot of "Epsom salts" and shredded plastic on the studio sets in Auckland, the crew actually flew to the Czech Republic and Poland to get the real deal.
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They filmed at the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks.
Imagine a labyrinth of towering sandstone pillars, narrow canyons, and freezing temperatures. It’s a natural fortress. This is where the children trek through the snow with the Beavers. The famous "Stone Bridge" you see them crossing? That’s a real natural formation in the Pravčická brána area of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. It is the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe.
It was freezing. The actors—mostly kids at the time—were genuinely shivering in some of those shots. Georgie Henley (Lucy) has mentioned in various interviews over the years that the cold helped the performance. It wasn't just acting; they were legitimately trying to stay warm in a Central European winter.
Prince Caspian and the move to the Soca River
By the time Prince Caspian rolled around, the vibe changed. The world was older. Grittier. To reflect that, the production moved into Slovenia.
If you’ve ever seen photos of the Soca River, you’ll know it’s famous for one thing: the color. It is an unreal, piercing emerald green. The crew built a massive wooden bridge over the river for the climactic battle where the river god rises up to destroy the Telmarine army.
Building that bridge was a nightmare.
The water is incredibly fast and cold. The engineering required to make it look "ancient" while ensuring it didn't wash away in a flash flood was a feat in itself. They also used the Bovec region, which is basically an adventurer's paradise. It gave the second film a more Mediterranean, rugged feel compared to the lush greens of the first movie.
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Where was the Dawn Treader actually "at sea"?
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader changed everything. The production moved from New Zealand to Queensland, Australia.
Why? Because they needed a giant boat and a giant tank.
Most of the filming happened at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast. They built a massive, full-scale version of the Dawn Treader that weighed several tons. Instead of putting it in the actual ocean—which is a logistical suicide mission for a film crew—they placed it on a gimbal in a massive outdoor water tank. This allowed them to tilt and rock the ship to simulate waves while keeping the actors safe.
However, when you see those beautiful white sand beaches where the characters land, that’s Cleveland Point and the Whitsunday Islands.
Why these locations matter more than you think
It is easy to dismiss filming locations as just "pretty backgrounds," but for Narnia, the geography is a character. C.S. Lewis wrote these books with a very specific British sensibility, but he also infused them with a sense of "Northernness"—that cold, crisp, ancient feeling.
By using the Czech Republic for the winter scenes, Adamson captured the claustrophobia of the White Witch's reign. By using New Zealand's wide-open plains, he captured the freedom of Aslan's return.
A quick guide for the modern traveler
If you are planning a "Narnia Pilgrimage," you can actually visit most of these spots. It isn't like some film sets that are torn down or hidden on private land.
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- Cathedral Cove (New Zealand): This is the most iconic one. It’s the cave where the Pevensie children realize they are back in Narnia in the second film. You have to hike in, or take a boat, but the limestone arch is exactly as it looks on screen.
- The Soca River (Slovenia): Perfect for white-water rafting if you want to feel like a Telmarine soldier falling into the drink.
- The Adršpach-Teplice Rocks (Czech Republic): You can walk the same trails the Beavers took. Just go in winter if you want the full experience, but be warned: it is brutally cold.
- Elephant Rocks (New Zealand): Located on private farmland, but the owners generally allow the public to wander through as long as you’re respectful.
The "Invisible" Locations
We can't talk about where Narnia was filmed without mentioning the studios. A huge chunk of the interior work—the interior of the Wardrobe, the White Witch's castle, and the Professor's house—was done in Henderson, New Zealand at the Kelly Park Studios.
They built a massive refrigerated set for some of the snow scenes to keep the actors' breath visible. If you use fake snow on a warm soundstage, you don't get that misty breath. To fix this, they basically turned the studio into a giant walk-in freezer.
What the future holds
With Netflix currently holding the rights to the Chronicles of Narnia, the question of "where" is going to come up again. Greta Gerwig is attached to direct. Rumors are already swirling that they might head back to the UK to capture a more "authentic" British feel for the framing stories, but for the land of Narnia itself, they have big shoes to fill.
The original trilogy set a high bar by using real earth, real rock, and real water.
Your Next Steps for a Narnia-Themed Trip:
If you’re serious about seeing these places, start with the South Island of New Zealand. Rent a campervan in Christchurch and head toward Flock Hill. It’s a 90-minute drive. From there, you can head south toward the Waitaki District to see the Elephant Rocks. Most of these sites are free to access, but they require a bit of hiking. Check the local weather apps before you go; the Southern Alps are notorious for changing conditions in minutes, and you don't want to be caught in a real-life "Eternal Winter" without the right gear.
For the European leg, fly into Prague and take a train toward the Polish border. The "Rock Cities" are well-marked, and the tourism boards there have leaned heavily into the Narnia connection, so finding the specific trailheads is actually pretty easy these days.