“Conan the Barbarian” was filmed in different places depending on which version you mean: the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger film was shot mainly in Spain, while the 2011 Jason Momoa film was shot mainly in Bulgaria, with some work in Malta.

Main filming locations

  • Conan the Barbarian (1982)
    • Principal photography took place in Spain, especially around Almería, which provided deserts, rocky landscapes, and coastlines for the Hyborian world.
* Key sequences were also filmed near Segovia (Cimmerian village forests) and among the Ciudad Encantada rock formations in Cuenca for the witch and Subotai scenes.
  • Conan the Barbarian (2011)
    • The reboot was shot largely in Bulgaria, using Nu Boyana Film Studios in Sofia plus natural locations like Bolata, Pernik, Vitosha, and Zlatnite Mostove for outdoor landscapes.
* Additional seaside material was filmed at the Blue Grotto area near Zurrieq in Malta.

Spain vs. Bulgaria at a glance

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Film Main country Notable areas
Conan the Barbarian (1982) SpainAlmería (deserts, coasts), Segovia forests, Ciudad Encantada in Cuenca
Conan the Barbarian (2011) BulgariaNu Boyana Studios (Sofia), Bolata, Pernik, Vitosha, Zlatnite Mostove
Conan the Barbarian (2011) Malta (partial)Blue Grotto near Zurrieq (sea scenes)

Quick scoop style summary

  • If you are thinking about Arnold’s classic 1982 movie, picture rugged Spanish deserts and strange rock formations standing in for the wild lands of Cimmeria and beyond.
  • If you are thinking about the Jason Momoa 2011 version, imagine Bulgarian mountains, forests, and studio backlots, plus a bit of Maltese coastline for the ocean moments.

For travel or film-location tourism, Spain is the place for the 1982 cult classic experience, while Bulgaria (and a side trip to Malta) is where the 2011 reboot’s landscapes live on.

TL;DR: 1982 = mostly Spain; 2011 = mostly Bulgaria, with some Malta.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.