Dubrovnik: The Original Game of Thrones Tour & Lokrum Option

Dubrovnik gives Game of Thrones fans the rare pleasure of walking through the real setting for King’s Landing. You’ll trace Cersei’s Walk of Shame, look across Blackwater Bay, and see the fortress used as the Red Keep, while a local guide fills in the filming details. The optional Lokrum Island visit adds Qarth locations and the official Iron Throne.

I like the strong mix of screen memories and Dubrovnik history. I also like the practical scene photos, which help you match camera angles to the streets in front of you. The main drawback is the extra cost of Lovrijenac Fortress and, on the longer option, the ferry and Lokrum admission.

This is a walking tour with steps, stairs, and some uphill sections. If you have a City Walls ticket or Dubrovnik Pass, you can enter Lovrijenac without paying the separate €15 fee. Guides including Tihomir, Jelena, Boris, Joseph, Josip, Karmen, and Eddie have been praised for clear storytelling, humor, and local insight.

Key points at a glance

• Walk Cersei’s famous route: Follow the streets and steps connected with the infamous Walk of Shame.
• See the Red Keep from the outside: Lovrijenac Fortress provides fine views and the setting for many royal scenes, but the €15 entry fee is separate.
• Match scenes to real streets: Your guide uses photos and filming angles to show how Dubrovnik became King’s Landing.
• Add Qarth on Lokrum: The three-hour version includes a ferry ride, Qarth filming sites, and the official Iron Throne.
• Get more than television trivia: Guides connect the show to Dubrovnik’s past, markets, buildings, and daily life.
• Plan for stairs and added fees: The route is not suited to wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or people troubled by heights or vertigo.

Why Dubrovnik works so well as King’s Landing

Game of Thrones did not need to build a whole fantasy city here. Dubrovnik already had the stone walls, narrow lanes, grand stairways, sea views, and fortress towers that the story demanded. The pleasure of this tour comes from seeing how familiar streets were turned into a fictional capital through camera placement, costumes, and editing.

You begin near the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, beside the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for a representative holding a red umbrella. This is a useful meeting point in the Old Town, where it is easy to orient yourself before the group heads toward Pile Gate.

The tour lasts about two hours on the Old Town route. I like that length for Dubrovnik. You see a good number of locations without giving up a whole day, and the walk also works as a first introduction to the city.

Your guide speaks English. The guide team changes, but names connected with recent tours include Tihomir, Jelena, Boris, Joseph, Josip, Karmen, Eddie, Ivo, Bruno, and Jo. The strongest feature across the guiding style is the blend of scene knowledge, jokes, and local context. Several guides also help with photographs, which matters when you are trying to recreate a television shot rather than simply snap a building.

Pile Gate and Blackwater Bay

Pile Gate is a natural first stop. It is one of Dubrovnik’s best-known entrances and a key point for understanding how the Old Town was presented as King’s Landing. Your guide explains which scenes used the gate and surrounding approaches, then places the television images beside the real stonework.

From here, the route leads toward the coast and the area used for Blackwater Bay. The setting makes the show’s geography easier to understand. Dubrovnik’s walls, harbor views, and steep rocky edges give the fictional city a strong sense of defense, while the real Old Town remains close at hand.

This part of the tour is especially useful if you have watched the series but cannot always remember where one scene ends and another begins. The guide’s photographs help you see the exact angle and show how a quiet stretch of Dubrovnik could become a tense scene from the capital.

The walking pace is generally manageable, but streets can be crowded during the busiest months. You will get more from the guide if you stay close enough to hear the explanations and leave room for other pedestrians.

Lovrijenac Fortress, the Red Keep

Lovrijenac Fortress is the visual high point of the two-hour tour. Perched above the sea outside the Old Town walls, it was used as the Red Keep. It is tied to scenes involving Tyrion, Varys, royal power, and the political machinery of King’s Landing.

The approach includes stairs, and the fortress has elevated viewpoints. That makes it unsuitable for people with mobility impairments, wheelchair users, mobility scooters, or serious vertigo. Pregnant people and anyone with respiratory issues should also consider the physical demands before booking.

Entry is not included in the $26 tour price. The separate fee is €15, while children under seven enter free. You can avoid that charge if you hold a valid Dubrovnik Pass or a City Walls ticket from the same day or the previous day.

I consider the fort fee reasonable if you want more than a quick look from outside. You get the filming connection, views toward the sea, and a better sense of why this location could represent the Red Keep. If you are mainly interested in the show and want to keep the total price low, you can ask yourself if the exterior and guide’s explanation are enough.

The fort also gives the group a natural pause. Guides may point out the places used for particular scenes and explain how the cast, crew, and local residents worked around one another during production. That local angle is one of the more interesting parts of the experience because it connects a global television production with an occupied, working city.

Stradun, markets, and the Purple Wedding

The walk continues into Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street. This broad stone thoroughfare looks different from the tighter lanes around it, so it helps you see how the production used various parts of the Old Town for different moods and scenes.

Your guide points out locations linked with the Purple Wedding and city markets. These are not just quick photo stops. The value lies in understanding how the same real street could appear as part of a royal ceremony, a crowded market, or a tense public gathering.

The tour also includes streets used in several King’s Landing scenes. Scene photos are particularly helpful here. Without them, some locations may look like ordinary Dubrovnik streets, especially if you watched the series years ago. With the images in hand, you can compare doorways, walls, staircases, and sightlines.

I like this section for another reason: it gives you a useful walk through central Dubrovnik even if your interest in the show is moderate. Guides include facts about the city alongside the filming stories, so you are not left with a string of television references and no sense of place.

Orlando’s Column and the Jesuit Steps

Orlando’s Column adds another important Old Town stop. It sits in a central civic space and helps show the formal side of Dubrovnik, with its public buildings, stone paving, and ceremonial scale. The guide explains its connection to the series and places it within the city’s wider story.

The Jesuit Steps are among the most recognizable locations on the route. They were used for Cersei’s Walk of Shame, and the steep staircase makes the scene easier to picture. Standing at the bottom and looking up gives you a direct sense of the route’s dramatic shape.

This is also one of the places where the tour’s physical demands become clear. The steps are steep, and the route does not suit everyone. People who are afraid of heights, have vertigo, or find stairs difficult should think carefully before booking.

The area around the Jesuit Steps also has markets and restaurants. That makes it a practical place to finish the walking portion or continue exploring after the guide departs. If you take the Lokrum option, the Jesuit Steps are listed as one possible drop-off point, so you may return here after the island portion.

The Lokrum option and Qarth

The extended version lasts about three hours and adds Lokrum Island after the Old Town walk. A ferry ride takes about 15 minutes. The island was used as Qarth in Season 2, giving the longer tour a different visual feel from Dubrovnik’s streets and fortress.

The ferry and island admission are not included. The combined round-trip transportation and Lokrum entry cost €30 for adults and €5 for children ages 5 to 17. Children under the listed age range should be checked at booking, since the supplied pricing only specifies ages 5 through 17.

A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives 20 percent off the Lokrum ferry, while a seven-day pass gives 30 percent off. That can change the value calculation if you already plan to buy a pass for the city walls and other sights.

On Lokrum, you visit the Benedictine Monastery and see filming locations associated with Qarth. The official Iron Throne is another major reason to choose this option. You get time to sit on it and take photographs, which is more satisfying than simply seeing a building used in the background.

The island portion is not only about television. After the guided segment, you have free time to swim in coves, walk through the botanical gardens, sit in the shade, or stop for a drink or lunch. You return to Dubrovnik at your own pace, which makes the three-hour option feel less rushed than a tightly controlled add-on.

That freedom is useful, but remember that Lokrum is not just a short photo stop. If your schedule is tight, the extra ferry and free time can make the outing longer than expected. If you want a relaxed break from the stone streets, the island adds real value. If you only want the most famous King’s Landing scenes, the two-hour route may be enough.

What the guides add

The guide is the difference between a simple location walk and a worthwhile tour. A list of filming sites would not tell you much. A good guide explains what happened in the scene, where the camera stood, what changed on screen, and how the location fits Dubrovnik.

Tihomir is repeatedly singled out for storytelling, humor, patience, and a full two-hour pace. Jelena is praised for clear delivery and pride in her city. Joseph and Josip are described as funny, engaging, and strong on both the show and Dubrovnik itself. Karmen is noted for taking time with photographs and helping people enjoy the stops.

You should not book based on one particular guide being guaranteed, since the team rotates. Still, the repeated qualities are clear: expect an English-speaking local guide who handles both Game of Thrones facts and city history.

Some guides may have worked on the series themselves, according to the experience description. That can provide unusual behind-the-scenes detail, but it is not stated that every departure includes such a guide. Think of it as a possible bonus, not a promise.

Price, timing, and practical value

The base price is $26 per person. For a two-hour guided walk through several major filming areas, I consider that a fair price, especially because the guide also helps you understand Dubrovnik itself.

The final cost depends on what you add. Lovrijenac costs €15 unless your Dubrovnik Pass or qualifying City Walls ticket covers entry. The Lokrum option adds €30 for adults or €5 for children ages 5 to 17 for the ferry and island admission. Food and drinks are separate.

The best value depends on your interests:

• Choose the two-hour tour if you want Cersei’s route, Pile Gate, Stradun, the Red Keep setting, and major Old Town locations.
• Choose the Lokrum option if the Iron Throne, Qarth, swimming, gardens, and island time appeal to you.
• Use a Dubrovnik Pass strategically if you also plan to see the city walls, since it may cover Lovrijenac and reduce the Lokrum ferry cost.
• Consider a private group if you want a more personal format. The experience offers that option, though the price for a private group is not provided.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Starting times vary, so check availability before planning your day around the walk.

Who should book this Dubrovnik tour?

I would choose this tour for a Game of Thrones fan who wants locations explained rather than merely photographed. It also suits a mixed group, since the guides bring in enough Dubrovnik history and local detail to keep a nonfan interested.

The tour is less suitable for anyone who needs step-free access. It is not designed for wheelchairs or mobility scooters, and it may be difficult for people with mobility limits, vertigo, fear of heights, respiratory issues, or motion sickness. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, and pregnant people are advised against the activity.

Book the two-hour route if you want a focused introduction to King’s Landing and the Old Town. Add Lokrum if you have time for a slower island visit and want the official Iron Throne. For most fans, the strongest plan is to check your city pass first, then decide if the extra fort and ferry fees fit your budget.

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 about two hours. The extended version with Lokrum Island lasts about three hours.

What language is the tour in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is Lovrijenac Fortress entry included?

No. Entry costs €15, with free admission for children under seven. Admission is also free if you have a valid City Walls ticket or Dubrovnik Pass.

Can I visit Lokrum Island on this tour?

Yes. Choose the three-hour option, which continues to Lokrum after the Old Town route and includes Qarth filming locations and the official Iron Throne.

Are the Lokrum ferry and island fees included?

No. Round-trip ferry transportation and Lokrum admission cost €30 for adults and €5 for children ages 5 to 17.

Is the Iron Throne included?

The Lokrum option includes a photo opportunity on the official replica Iron Throne.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The tour includes steps and stairs and is not suitable for wheelchair users or people using mobility scooters.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.