How to Book a Game of Thrones Tour in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is King’s Landing. Not metaphorically — literally. From Season 2 onwards, HBO’s Game of Thrones used Dubrovnik’s medieval walls, limestone streets, baroque palaces, and Adriatic-facing fortresses as the primary filming location for the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Walk through the old town today and you’re walking the exact streets where Cersei took her walk of shame, where Joffrey watched the Battle of the Blackwater from the ramparts, and where Tyrion plotted in the gardens of the Red Keep.

Dubrovnik's historic city walls perched above the Adriatic Sea
The city walls that doubled as the ramparts of King’s Landing — 1,940 metres of medieval fortification that look exactly as dramatic in person as they did on screen.

What makes Dubrovnik’s Game of Thrones connection so powerful is that the city didn’t need much set dressing. The production designers chose it because it already looked like a fantasy kingdom — the honey-coloured walls, the red-roofed buildings tumbling down to the harbour, the imposing fortresses guarding the sea approaches. Stand in the right spot and you can see exactly why showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss reportedly said “this is the place” within minutes of arriving.

Dubrovnik old town from above showing terracotta rooftops and the Adriatic coast
From above, Dubrovnik’s old town is a patchwork of terracotta rooftops enclosed by massive walls — the same aerial perspective used in countless establishing shots of King’s Landing.

I’ve compared the top-rated Game of Thrones walking tours in Dubrovnik. Each takes you to the major filming locations with a guide who knows both the show and the city’s real history — because the truth is, Dubrovnik’s actual history is at least as dramatic as anything George R.R. Martin imagined.

Aerial view of Dubrovnik Old Town and defensive walls along the Adriatic Sea
The Bokar and Minceta fortresses, the Pile Gate, the Lovrijenac fortress across the harbour — every major fortress in the old town served as a filming location.

Short on time? Here’s what to book:

Best value: Dubrovnik Game of Thrones Tour — €24. The most reviewed GoT tour in Dubrovnik. Two hours hitting all the major filming locations with a knowledgeable guide. Unbeatable value.

Best guided experience: Game of Thrones Walking Tour — €30. Smaller groups, deeper storytelling, and clips from the show on the guide’s tablet at each location. The fan’s choice.

Best premium: Exclusive Game of Thrones Walking Tour — €86. The premium option with Iron Throne photo opportunity, props, and the most thorough location coverage. Three full hours.

Contents

What to Know Before Booking

Dubrovnik old town and harbour with fortress walls and island in background
Fort Lovrijenac — this standalone fortress outside the city walls became the Red Keep in the show, and the views from its terrace are among the best in Dubrovnik.

You don’t need to be a superfan

Even if you’ve only watched a few episodes (or none at all), these tours work. The best guides weave the show’s stories into Dubrovnik’s real history, so you’re getting a first-rate walking tour of the old town with a Game of Thrones overlay. The filming locations happen to be many of the same spots you’d want to visit anyway — the city walls, the main square, the harbour, the major fortresses.

Tours are 2-3 hours of walking

Most tours cover 2-3 kilometres through the old town, with frequent stops at filming locations. The terrain involves some stairs and inclines — Dubrovnik is built on hills and the old town has a lot of steps. Comfortable shoes are essential. Some tours include climbing to the Minceta Tower or visiting Fort Lovrijenac, which involve steeper sections.

Book morning tours in summer

Dubrovnik in July and August is brutally hot. The limestone streets radiate heat, and shade is limited in the open squares. A 9 AM or 10 AM tour beats the worst of the midday sun. Late afternoon (4-5 PM) also works well, with softer light for photos and slightly cooler temperatures.

Some locations require admission

Most filming locations are in public spaces — streets, squares, and stairs that are free to access. However, Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep) and the city walls require separate tickets. Some premium tours include these admissions; budget tours point out the locations from the outside. Check what’s included before booking.

Dubrovnik Old Town medieval architecture by the Adriatic Sea
The Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street, was used in scenes throughout the series — it’s the limestone thoroughfare you see in every King’s Landing crowd shot.

The Best Game of Thrones Tours in Dubrovnik

1. Dubrovnik Game of Thrones Tour — €24

Dubrovnik Game of Thrones walking tour
At €24, this is the most affordable way to connect Dubrovnik’s real stones to the fictional world of Westeros — and the guides are genuine fans who know their Lannisters from their Starks.

The most popular Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik by a wide margin. In two hours, your guide takes you to around 15 filming locations scattered through the old town — including the steps where Cersei began her walk of shame (the Jesuit Staircase), the area used for the Red Keep gardens (the Rector’s Palace), and the streets that served as the markets and alleys of King’s Landing.

Guides carry tablets or phones with screenshots and clips from the show, holding them up at each location so you can see the on-screen version beside the real thing. It’s a clever touch that makes the connection visceral rather than abstract. The guide also explains the set dressing and CGI alterations that transformed the real Dubrovnik into the fictional capital, which is fascinating even for non-fans.

Duration: 2-3 hours | Meeting point: Dubrovnik Old Town

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2. Game of Thrones Walking Tour — €30

Game of Thrones walking tour in Dubrovnik
The guides on this tour are storytellers first — they connect the filming locations to both the show’s plot and Dubrovnik’s real medieval politics, which are just as full of intrigue.

A slightly more intimate experience with smaller group sizes and a guide who goes deeper into both the show’s production and Dubrovnik’s real history. The two-hour route covers the major filming locations — the walk of shame steps, the Red Keep exterior, the battle sites, the Purple Wedding location — with detailed explanations of how each scene was filmed.

What distinguishes this from the budget option is the storytelling. Guides draw parallels between the fictional politics of Westeros and the real political intrigues of the Republic of Ragusa, pointing out that Dubrovnik’s actual history involves as many betrayals, power struggles, and strategic marriages as anything in the show. At €30, the small premium over the cheapest option buys you a noticeably richer experience.

Duration: 2 hours | Meeting point: Dubrovnik Old Town

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3. Exclusive Game of Thrones Walking Tour — €86

Exclusive Game of Thrones walking tour in Dubrovnik
The premium option — Iron Throne replica, costumes, props, and a guide who’s practically an encyclopedia of behind-the-scenes production details.

The full fan experience. Three hours covering the most thorough route of any GoT tour in Dubrovnik, with extras that justify the premium price. You get access to Iron Throne replicas for photos, costume props, and a guide whose knowledge extends deep into the production process — how scenes were blocked, what was practical versus CGI, and which actors explored the old town between takes.

The route includes some locations that budget tours skip — the quieter filming spots in the residential parts of the old town, the tower used for Littlefinger’s brothel scenes, and viewpoints where you can see the full extent of the King’s Landing backdrop. If you’re the kind of fan who can quote episode numbers and scene references, this is the tour that matches your level of devotion.

Duration: 3 hours | Meeting point: Dubrovnik Old Town

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4. Epic Game of Thrones Walking Tour — €27

Epic Game of Thrones walking tour in Dubrovnik
A solid middle-ground option — covers all the key locations with an energetic guide, at a price that leaves room for a celebratory drink at one of the filming location bars afterwards.

A strong mid-range option that covers all the essential filming locations in two hours. The guide is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, the route is well-planned to avoid doubling back, and the pace allows for photos at each stop without feeling rushed.

The tour includes around 12 filming locations including the exterior of the Red Keep, the walk of shame steps, the harbour where Myrcella was shipped off to Dorne, and several street scenes from throughout the series. At €27, it sits between the budget option and the premium experience — good for fans who want thorough coverage without the props and extras of the top-tier tour.

Duration: 2 hours | Meeting point: Dubrovnik Old Town

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The Real King’s Landing: Where Fiction Meets Dubrovnik’s History

The old town of Dubrovnik with Sponza Palace and clock tower from within the city walls
The Sponza Palace and Clock Tower on the Stradun — this square served as multiple King’s Landing locations across different seasons. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The reason Dubrovnik works so perfectly as King’s Landing isn’t just aesthetics — it’s because the city has a history that reads like a Game of Thrones plotline. The Republic of Ragusa was a real city-state that survived for 450 years through the kind of political manoeuvring that would make Littlefinger proud.

Ragusa played Venice against the Ottoman Empire, paid tribute to both while allying with neither, maintained a spy network across the Mediterranean, and built walls specifically designed to withstand siege warfare. When the Ottomans demanded fealty, Ragusa’s diplomats negotiated an annual tribute that bought independence without military confrontation. When Venice threatened invasion, Ragusa strengthened its fortresses and called in favours from the Spanish Crown. The parallels to the show’s political intrigue aren’t accidental — the show’s writers openly acknowledged drawing inspiration from real Mediterranean city-states.

Dubrovnik Old Port with fortress walls and boats
The old port — where Cersei watched the Battle of the Blackwater in the show, and where real Ragusan galleys once set sail to trade across the known world. Photo: Dennis Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The 1667 earthquake that devastated Dubrovnik is another parallel. Like the destruction of King’s Landing in the final season, the earthquake levelled most of the city’s medieval buildings, killing thousands. The city was rebuilt in the baroque style you see today — the earlier Romanesque and Gothic architecture survives only in fragments. When the Game of Thrones production team needed to destroy King’s Landing on screen, they were filming in a city that had already been destroyed and rebuilt in reality.

Cathedral of the Assumption in Dubrovnik
The Cathedral was rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake — the original Romanesque cathedral, funded by Richard the Lionheart after he was shipwrecked nearby, was destroyed. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

And the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990s adds a final, more recent layer. Dubrovnik was besieged for seven months in 1991-92 by Yugoslav forces, with over 300 buildings in the old town damaged by shelling. The orange terracotta rooftops you see today include both original tiles and replacement tiles — you can spot the difference by colour (the new tiles are brighter). A city that survived Ottoman politics, a catastrophic earthquake, and a modern siege makes the fictional dramas of Westeros feel almost modest by comparison.

Historic walls and harbour in Dubrovnik under clear blue sky
The old port and city walls — this exact angle was used as the establishing shot for Blackwater Bay in nearly every episode set in Kings Landing.

The Major Filming Locations

Dubrovnik old town with city walls and Adriatic coastline
Nearly every corner of the old town appeared on screen at some point across eight seasons — but some locations were used repeatedly and became instantly recognisable.

Jesuit Staircase (Walk of Shame): The baroque staircase leading to the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius. Cersei’s walk of shame in Season 5 was filmed here, with CGI extending the staircase and adding crowds. In reality, the steps are much shorter — but still dramatic.

Fort Lovrijenac (Red Keep exterior): The standalone fortress outside the Pile Gate served as the exterior of the Red Keep. The interior courtyard hosted the jousting tournament in Season 2. Separate admission required, but worth it for the views alone.

Minceta Tower (House of the Undying): The massive round tower at the highest point of the city walls became the exterior of Qarth’s House of the Undying. It’s part of the city walls walk (separate ticket).

Clock Tower of Dubrovnik in the main square
The Clock Tower — a medieval landmark that has been ticking since 1444 and appeared in numerous King’s Landing crowd scenes. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Pile Gate area (city gates): The main entrance to the old town was used as the gates of King’s Landing in multiple scenes. The drawbridge and fortified entrance look remarkably similar on screen and in person.

Rector’s Palace (Spice King’s palace): The beautiful Gothic-Renaissance palace served as several interior and exterior locations, including the Spice King’s palace in Qarth.

Old Port (Blackwater Bay): The harbour below the city walls became Blackwater Bay, where the pivotal Battle of the Blackwater was set. The harbour area was also used for departure and arrival scenes throughout the series.

Dubrovnik old town walls and buildings beside the Adriatic Sea
The sea-facing walls of the old town — in the show, these were the ramparts where characters gazed out at approaching fleets. In reality, they protected Ragusa from real invaders for centuries.
Red rooftops and medieval walls of Dubrovnik old town
The aerial view that opens practically every Kings Landing scene — red rooftops, white walls, and the blue Adriatic surrounding it all.

Tips for Your Game of Thrones Tour

Ancient fortress wall in Dubrovnik with greenery and architecture
The old town is best explored in the morning or late afternoon — midday in summer turns the limestone streets into a reflective oven.

Watch (or re-watch) key episodes beforehand. The tour is ten times more impactful if the locations are fresh in your mind. Particularly useful episodes: Season 2 Episode 9 (Blackwater), Season 5 Episode 10 (walk of shame), and Season 8 Episode 5 (destruction of King’s Landing).

Combine with the city walls walk. Many filming locations are visible from the city walls — doing the walls walk before or after your GoT tour gives you the aerial perspective that matches the show’s establishing shots. Walls admission is around €35 and takes 1.5-2 hours.

Visit Fort Lovrijenac separately. The Red Keep fortress deserves more than a quick look from outside. The views from the terrace over the old town and harbour are the best in Dubrovnik, and the fortress interior has a brooding atmosphere that suits its on-screen role perfectly.

Bring a battery pack and screenshots. You’ll want to take comparison photos at each location. Having screenshots from the show on your phone (or downloading the guide’s comparison images) makes the before-and-after shots much more satisfying.

Stone buildings and narrow streets in Dubrovnik old town
After the tour, wander the old town’s back streets on your own — the quieter alleys away from the Stradun are where you’ll find the most atmospheric corners, and they appeared in countless background shots throughout the series.
Terracotta rooftops of Dubrovnik old town seen from the city walls
The mix of old and new roof tiles tells a story — the brighter orange tiles replaced ones destroyed during the 1991-92 siege, a reminder that this city has survived real battles, not just fictional ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have watched Game of Thrones to enjoy the tour?

No. The tours work as excellent walking tours of Dubrovnik’s old town with an entertaining thematic hook. Guides explain enough context that non-watchers can follow along, and the filming locations happen to be the city’s most architecturally interesting spots.

Are any indoor filming locations included?

Most tours focus on exterior locations, which are in public spaces. Some premium tours include Fort Lovrijenac (Red Keep) admission. Studio interiors were filmed in Belfast, not Dubrovnik, so the city’s filming locations are predominantly outdoor.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Yes, though children under about 12 may not engage with the show references. The walking tour of the old town is interesting for all ages, and kids tend to enjoy the fortress locations. The tour involves stairs and walking on uneven cobblestones.

When is the best time for a Game of Thrones tour?

Morning (9-10 AM) for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds in the old town. Late afternoon (4-5 PM) for golden light that makes the limestone glow — this is when the city looks most like King’s Landing on screen. Avoid midday in summer.

Can I visit the filming locations on my own?

Absolutely — all the major locations are in public areas. However, without a guide you’ll miss most of the specific spots and the production context. A guide adds enormous value for a modest price, especially the €24 budget option.

Game of Thrones is just one way to experience Dubrovnik. For the city’s real history without the TV overlay, an old town walking tour covers 1,400 years of Ragusan history with depth a themed tour can’t match. On the water, the Elaphiti Islands are a full-day escape to the archipelago where Ragusa’s noble families built their summer estates. And for an entirely different perspective, sea kayaking along the city walls lets you see the fortifications from the water — the same angle the Baratheon fleet would have had approaching King’s Landing.