Dubrovnik: The Original Game of Thrones Tour & Lokrum Option

Dubrovnik supplied the walls, steps, harbor, and stone streets for King’s Landing, and this tour shows you exactly where the cameras were placed. You’ll trace Cersei’s Walk of Shame, look across Blackwater Bay, and climb toward Lovrijenac Fortress, the Red Keep in the series.

I like the smart mix of filming facts and Dubrovnik history. I also like the choice between a focused two-hour walk and a three-hour outing with Lokrum Island and the official Iron Throne. The catch is that fortress entry, ferry fare, and Lokrum admission cost extra, and the route includes plenty of steps.

Key points at a glance

• Cersei’s Walk of Shame: Follow the route through Dubrovnik’s Old Town and see how familiar streets became one of the show’s most famous scenes.
• Lovrijenac Fortress: Visit the real stone stronghold used as the Red Keep, with fine views and a €15 entry fee unless your Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket covers it.
• Scene photos at each stop: Guides use images from the show to help you match modern Dubrovnik with what appeared on screen.
• Lokrum’s Qarth locations: The longer option adds a ferry ride, the Benedictine Monastery, free time, and the official Iron Throne.
• Strong local storytelling: Guides including Tihomir, Jelena, Eddie, Joseph, Karmen, and Ivo are praised for mixing show trivia with useful city history.
• Good off-season choice: The tour operates beyond the main summer period, and smaller groups may sometimes feel nearly private.

Why this Dubrovnik tour works

A Game of Thrones tour can easily become a parade of street corners and character names. This one has a better foundation because Dubrovnik itself is the main attraction. The series locations sit inside a compact, handsome Old Town, so you are not spending the afternoon being driven from one unrelated set to another.

The guide gives you the filming context, then adds local stories about Dubrovnik. That balance matters. Even if your memory of the show is hazy, you still get a useful introduction to the city’s streets, gates, fortifications, and viewpoints.

The guides also bring scene photos. This is one of the most useful parts of the experience. A bare staircase may look like an ordinary staircase until you see the camera angle, the actors, and the surrounding set dressing. Then the connection clicks.

The strongest guides appear to be lively storytellers. Tihomir is repeatedly praised for his humor and clear explanations, while Jelena, Eddie, Joseph, Karmen, Ivo, and Josip are also singled out for their energy and local insight. Your guide will vary, but the overall format gives the tour plenty of room for personality.

Starting beside Large Onofrio’s Fountain

Meet by the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, next to the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for the representative holding a red umbrella. This is a practical meeting point inside the Old Town, close to Pile Gate and easy to recognize once you are in the area.

The fountain is a useful place to begin because it puts you right beside Dubrovnik’s main historic core. From here, the tour quickly becomes a walking route through gates, lanes, squares, and stairs.

Wear shoes with a firm grip. The Old Town has stone paving, and the route includes steps. You will also want water in warm weather, since the tour moves between open viewpoints and narrow streets with limited shade.

Pile Gate and the first King’s Landing scenes

Pile Gate is one of Dubrovnik’s grand entrances and one of the first locations that helps you understand the show’s use of the city. The gate connects the outside world with the enclosed Old Town, making it a natural place for scenes involving arrivals, departures, and crowds.

Your guide explains how the real entrance was framed for the series. Scene photos help you compare the stonework as it appears on screen with what you see in front of you.

This is also where the tour begins to orient you geographically. Instead of hearing a list of filming sites, you start to see how the locations fit together. That is useful if you plan to explore Dubrovnik independently afterward.

Lovrijenac Fortress, the Red Keep

The climb to Lovrijenac Fortress is one of the tour’s main rewards and one of its physical tests. The fort sits outside the Old Town walls on a rocky rise, giving you broad views over the water and Dubrovnik’s stone defenses.

In Game of Thrones, Lovrijenac served as the Red Keep. The guide points out places linked with Tyrion and Varys, along with scenes involving political plotting and court life. The fort’s heavy walls and exposed position make the connection easy to understand. It already looks like a place built for power struggles.

Entry is not included in the $26 tour price. It costs €15 per person, though children under seven enter free. You can also enter at no extra charge if you hold a valid Dubrovnik Pass or a City Walls ticket from the same day or the previous day.

That extra fee is worth considering before you book. Lovrijenac is not just a set location. It adds a major viewpoint and a substantial historic structure to the walk. If you already plan to buy a City Walls ticket, the fort may be covered, making the tour better value.

The climb and stairs mean this stop is not suitable for everyone. The activity is specifically not recommended for wheelchair users, pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, people afraid of heights, or people with vertigo. Respiratory issues and motion sickness are also listed as concerns.

Stradun, Orlando’s Column, and the Old Town streets

Back inside the Old Town, the route continues along Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street. Its broad stone paving gives the guide room to explain how public scenes were organized and how the city’s central spaces became part of King’s Landing.

You then pass Orlando’s Column, another important city landmark used as a reference point during the walk. This section is less about one famous scene and more about seeing the show’s setting as a working city. Markets, crowds, buildings, and open squares helped Dubrovnik play a believable capital.

I like this part because it adds ordinary city life to the fantasy connection. You are not just hunting for a doorway. You are learning how the production used Dubrovnik’s public spaces and how residents lived alongside filming.

The Purple Wedding locations and city market areas also appear along the route. The guide uses behind-the-scenes details and images to explain what changed for filming and which details were added by the production.

The Jesuit Stairs and Cersei’s route

The Jesuit Stairs are among the most recognizable stops. Their curved stone design creates a strong visual link with Cersei’s Walk of Shame, one of the series’ most memorable and uncomfortable scenes.

Here, the guide can show you the direction of the procession and the camera positions used. The stairs are a fine example of why a guide helps. You can stand in the right place and still miss the point without knowing which way the actors moved or how the scene was framed.

This is also one of the more crowded parts of central Dubrovnik at busy times. Be patient with other people using the steps, and leave room for local life to continue around the tour.

At the top, you are near restaurants and a small market area. That makes the Jesuit Stairs a practical place to continue exploring after the tour, though food and drinks are not included.

Choosing the two-hour walk

The two-hour option is the sensible choice if you mainly want the Old Town locations. It covers Pile Gate, Lovrijenac Fortress, Stradun, Orlando’s Column, the Jesuit Stairs, the Purple Wedding area, markets, and other streets used for King’s Landing.

You still get the official Game of Thrones focus, scene images, and the guide’s behind-the-scenes stories. The route also gives you a compact introduction to Dubrovnik’s history, which several guides make a central part of their storytelling.

For many people, this is enough. You see the major locations without committing most of a morning or afternoon to the longer island option. It is also easier to fit around a city walk, a meal, or a visit to the City Walls.

The two-hour walk has good value at $26, especially if Lovrijenac entry is already included through your Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket. If you must add €15 for the fort, the total cost rises, but you are paying for both the guided experience and access to one of Dubrovnik’s best viewpoints.

Adding Lokrum Island and Qarth

The three-hour option includes the Old Town route, then continues by ferry to Lokrum. The boat ride takes about 15 minutes. Lokrum was used as Qarth in Season 2, giving the longer tour a different mood from the stone lanes and fortified walls of central Dubrovnik.

On the island, you visit the official Iron Throne and stop near the Benedictine Monastery. This is the main photo opportunity of the longer option, and it is a fun extra even if you are less interested in the filming details.

The island portion also includes free time. You can swim in coves, walk through the botanical gardens, sit in the shade, or buy a drink or lunch before returning to Dubrovnik at your own pace.

That free time changes the character of the tour. The two-hour option is a focused city walk. The three-hour version becomes part film-location tour and part island break. Choose Lokrum if you want room to slow down after the guided stops, not simply more filming information.

The extra costs are important. Round-trip ferry transportation and Lokrum admission are €30 for adults and €5 for children ages 5 to 17. These charges are not included in the tour price. A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives 20 percent off the Lokrum ferry, while a seven-day pass gives 30 percent off.

How much time and money to allow

The advertised tour price is $26 per person. That covers the English-speaking guide, the Game of Thrones walking tour, and the photo opportunity with the replica Iron Throne on the Lokrum option.

For the shorter route, budget another €15 for Lovrijenac unless you have a City Walls ticket or Dubrovnik Pass. For the longer route, add €30 per adult for ferry transportation and island admission, or €5 for children ages 5 to 17.

The price is fair if you want a guide who can connect the show to Dubrovnik rather than simply point at buildings. It becomes especially good value when the guide is as strong as Tihomir, Jelena, Eddie, Karmen, Joseph, or Ivo, all of whom are praised for humor, clarity, and local knowledge.

Private groups are available. That may suit families or small groups who want a more personal pace, but the standard experience can also work well for solo visitors and couples. In the low season, smaller numbers may give you a more private-feeling outing.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Starting times vary, so check availability when choosing your date.

Who should book it

This tour is best for Game of Thrones fans who want to connect scenes with real places. It also suits curious visitors who have not watched the show, since the city history receives plenty of attention and the locations are interesting on their own.

I would choose the two-hour walk if you have limited time, dislike extra transport, or mainly want the Old Town and Lovrijenac. I would choose Lokrum if you want the Iron Throne, Qarth locations, and several hours of relaxed island time.

Think carefully about the physical demands. The route uses steps and stairs, and the fort involves a climb. Mobility scooters, wheelchairs, and people with vertigo are not accommodated, and the experience is not recommended for people with certain respiratory or motion-related conditions.

Should you book this Dubrovnik Game of Thrones tour?

Book it if you want a clear route through the main King’s Landing locations, useful scene photos, and a guide who can explain both the production and Dubrovnik itself. The strongest part is the way the tour turns familiar images into real streets, stairs, and fort walls.

Choose the two-hour option for a focused and good-value introduction. Add Lokrum if the Iron Throne and a swim or shaded island break sound more appealing than a quick finish in the Old Town.

Skip it if you dislike stairs, have no interest in the show, or want a quiet, unguided walk. For everyone else, the combination of famous locations, strong local storytelling, and impressive views makes this a practical way to see Dubrovnik through two different lenses.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet?

Meet by the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, next to the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for a representative holding a red umbrella.

How long does the tour last?

The Old Town walking tour lasts two hours. The extended option lasts three hours and includes Lokrum Island.

What locations are included in the walking tour?

The route includes Pile Gate, Lovrijenac Fortress, Stradun, Orlando’s Column, the Jesuit Stairs, Purple Wedding locations, markets, and other streets used for King’s Landing scenes.

Is Lovrijenac Fortress entry included?

No. Entry costs €15 per person, with free admission for children under seven. Entry is also free with a valid Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket from the same day or the previous day.

What does the Lokrum option include?

It includes the Old Town tour, a ferry ride to Lokrum, Qarth filming locations, the Benedictine Monastery area, and a photo opportunity on the official Iron Throne. Ferry transportation and Lokrum admission cost extra.

How much are the Lokrum ferry and admission fees?

The combined round-trip transportation and Lokrum admission cost €30 for adults and €5 for children ages 5 to 17. A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives 20 percent off the ferry, while a seven-day pass gives 30 percent off.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour includes steps and stairs and may not suit people with mobility impairments. It is not suitable for wheelchair users, mobility scooter users, pregnant women, people afraid of heights, or people with vertigo.