Somiedo Natural Park is one of the most remote and visually spectacular landscapes in Spain – a place of deep glacial valleys, dense forests, mountain pastures, traditional stone huts, and lakes of extraordinary clarity. It is home to one of Europe's last wild brown bear populations. The nearest city, Oviedo, is more than an hour away. Getting equipment and crew in required planning every vehicle movement through narrow mountain valleys with almost no room for error.
Filming in Somiedo appears to correspond to the Cornucopia scenes, while Teverga represents parts of the arena – a wild meadow within an endless forest, as described in the books. The Cornucopia was installed in a meadow along the path leading to Valle de Lago – one of Asturias' most spectacular glacial lakes – and appears clearly in the film's official trailer, with the Asturian mountains as a dramatic backdrop.
Supervising location manager Pedro Aráez described the location's appeal directly: "Somiedo is a spectacular place. The valleys, forests and mountains have a very wild, untouched feeling, which was exactly what the filmmakers were looking for. It's remote, dramatic and visually unique. When you arrive there, you immediately understand why it was chosen."
Because it is a protected area, strict environmental rules applied throughout the shoot. The crew had to follow strict guidelines to avoid any environmental impact – altering the landscape, disturbing wildlife or leaving traces of production was strictly forbidden. All filming and occupancy permits in protected areas were managed by the production in record time, with compliance with fire prevention regulations a particular priority during the high-risk summer months.
