Dubrovnik: Full-Day Total Game of Thrones Experience

Dubrovnik’s Old Town supplied the streets and walls of King’s Landing, but this full-day tour goes well beyond the familiar city views. You’ll visit Lovrijenac, take a boat to Lokrum for the Iron Throne, ride out to Trsteno Arboretum, then look back over the city from Mount Srđ.

I like that the route gives you several different filming settings, not just a walk through Old Town. I also like the mix of show trivia and local history: guides including Roko, Darko and Desa have been praised for making room for questions, sharing Croatian context and helping with photos.

The main catch is the extra cost. The $100 tour price does not cover the fort, arboretum or Lokrum boat ticket, and lunch is on you. It is also a long day with plenty of walking, so bring comfortable shoes and plan your food and spending before you set off.

• Lovrijenac is the Red Keep: The fort is the tour’s main meeting of real Dubrovnik and its on-screen double.
• Lokrum has the Iron Throne: You can take a photo on the throne, with a boat ride and island admission costs to budget for.
• Trsteno adds a garden setting: This arboretum, about 15 kilometers from Dubrovnik, served as the gardens of King’s Landing.
• Mount Srđ gives you the broad view: A short photo stop looks down over the city that played King’s Landing.
• Guides bring both worlds together: Roko, Darko, Desa, Ivana, Marko and Makaela are among the guides named by past participants.
• The advertised price is not the full cost: Add the listed €15 fort entry, €10 arboretum entry and €30 Lokrum boat ticket, plus lunch and personal spending.

King’s Landing begins at Lovrijenac

Dubrovnik became King’s Landing when HBO began filming Game of Thrones here in 2011. The city’s stone walls, narrow streets and position above the Adriatic made it a convincing setting for the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. The appeal of this tour is seeing how the show used real places, then seeing those places as part of a living Croatian city.

Lovrijenac, the fort often linked with the Red Keep, is a strong place to start. The itinerary allows about an hour for a guided visit and sightseeing. You’ll have time to connect the real fort with its screen role, while taking in the setting that makes the comparison easy to understand.

The fort’s entry fee is not included, even though the activity information also says skip the ticket line. Budget €15 for entry. That extra charge matters, particularly if you are comparing this full-day outing with a cheaper, shorter walking tour.

Old Town, scene by scene

From Lovrijenac, the route moves through Pile Gate, along Stradun and past Rector’s Palace, the Church of St. Ignatius and the Old Port. These stops are brief, generally around 10 to 15 minutes each, so expect a guided overview and time to spot filming connections rather than an extended visit inside every building.

That pace suits a tour with a lot of ground to cover. A guide can point out where scenes were staged and explain how a familiar street or stairway appeared on screen. Guides such as Roko and Darko have been praised for pairing show details with Dubrovnik’s history, while Ivana has been appreciated for adding local stories and cultural context.

You can ask questions as you go, and that makes a difference. A good guide can help you see more than the exact camera angle: why the city’s architecture worked for the production, how the show brought international attention, and what the location means beyond its television role.

Still, keep your expectations in line with the schedule. This is a highlights tour, not a slow architectural study of every stop. If you want generous time to browse shops, linger over lunch or explore the Old Town independently, plan to return on another day.

Lokrum and the Iron Throne

A boat takes you from Dubrovnik’s Old Port to Lokrum, an island that gives the tour a welcome change of pace. It is associated with the gardens of King’s Landing and is home to the Iron Throne photo stop. For many fans, sitting on the throne is the day’s playful payoff: the chance to put yourself briefly in charge of the Seven Kingdoms.

The route includes a guided visit to Lokrum and the Benedictine Monastery, as well as time at the throne. The scheduled guided portions are short, so don’t assume you’ll have hours to roam the island. One account of the tour describes just over an hour there, with lunch and exploring competing for the same free time. The exact time available can depend on how the day runs.

There is a practical wrinkle: the €30 boat ticket is not included. Lokrum access is also weather dependent. If the ferry cannot operate, the island and throne may be missed, and the day can become shorter than planned. That is worth considering if the Iron Throne is your main reason for booking.

If the boat does run, think ahead about food. Lunch is not included, and a tight island stop can leave less time to decide where to eat. A small snack and water are sensible, especially in hot weather. Darko has been praised for looking for shade and water stops on warm days, but you should still come prepared.

Trsteno’s gardens and the road beyond town

After the island portion, the tour uses a van to reach Trsteno Arboretum, about 15 kilometers from Dubrovnik. The drive is listed as roughly 30 minutes each way. This stop broadens the day beyond stone streets and fortifications, taking you to one of the oldest arboretums in this part of Europe.

Trsteno served as the gardens of King’s Landing. The setting helps explain why the production looked beyond the Old Town for filming locations: Dubrovnik offers the city walls, while the arboretum supplies a different kind of scene. You’ll have about 45 minutes for a guided visit, enough to see the location and understand its role, but not an open-ended garden visit.

Entry costs €10 and is not included. If you are watching your budget, add that fee before judging the tour’s price. It is also worth remembering that this is a day of moving between locations, not a day spent lingering in one place. The van saves you from arranging separate transport, but the itinerary leaves limited time at each stop.

Mount Srđ: the view that ties it together

The final listed sightseeing stop is Mount Srđ, the high point above Dubrovnik. You get about 20 minutes for a photo stop and a view across the city. From here, the scale of the walls and rooftops becomes clear, and it is easier to understand why Dubrovnik could pass for a great fictional capital on screen.

This is a quick stop, not a long visit on the mountain. Its value is the perspective: after tracing the city’s streets and visiting outlying locations, you can look down and take in the whole setting at once. Bring your camera, but don’t expect a long stretch of free time.

The day’s order is worth confirming when you book or meet the guide. The route information places the Old Town and Lokrum before the van rides to Trsteno and Mount Srđ, while the general tour description presents the out-of-town stops first. Either way, the experience covers these locations, but the exact sequence affects when you eat and how much time you spend at each.

What the seven-hour format gives you

A seven-hour tour is a sensible choice if you want more than the city’s best-known Game of Thrones locations. It combines a guided walk, a boat trip, two van rides and visits beyond the walls. That mix is difficult to arrange efficiently on your own, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area or trying to fit the main filming sites into one day.

The time also means less freedom to set your own pace. Some stops are only 10 or 15 minutes, and the island, arboretum and viewpoint each have limited time. If you prefer to linger over photographs or explore every corner, the schedule may feel brisk. A shorter tour might cover fewer locations, but this full-day option is designed to link the city with places farther afield.

Transport is one of the real conveniences. A professional driver is included, and hotel drop-off in Dubrovnik is included at the end. Pickup is not included, so you need to reach the meeting point yourself: the Amerling Fountain at Pile Square, Brsalje 2, near the Dubravka gift shop and restaurant. Look for the blue umbrella marked Du The Tour.

The tour is in English and led by a licensed guide. The experience has been rated highly for transport, with 96 percent of ratings giving it a perfect score. That matters on a day with several stops and road transfers: you are not left to organize your own drive to Trsteno or Mount Srđ.

The guides are a big part of the value

The strongest element of the experience is the guide’s ability to connect filming details with the city’s past and present. Roko, Darko, Desa, Ivana, Marko and Makaela are among the guides named by people who took the tour. Their specific strengths have included clear explanations, humor, local history, filming anecdotes and help with group photos.

You cannot choose a particular guide based on the information provided, so don’t book on the assumption that one named person will lead your departure. But the repeated emphasis on lively storytelling and thoughtful photo help suggests that this is more than a checklist of locations. Guides have also taken care to find shade and water stops in hot weather, a useful touch during a long summer day.

The experience can still work if you are not a devoted fan. The filming locations give the day its theme, but the forts, Old Town, island and arboretum have interest beyond the show. One useful way to approach it is to treat the series as a thread through Dubrovnik, not the only reason each place matters.

The real cost, and how to decide

At $100 per person, the tour’s price buys seven hours of guiding and transport, including a driver, the van journeys and a Dubrovnik hotel drop-off. For someone who wants to see Old Town, Lokrum, Trsteno and Mount Srđ in one day, that can be worthwhile. You are paying for the route and the coordination as much as for the commentary.

But calculate the extras before you book. The listed fees are €15 for Lovrijenac, €10 for Trsteno Arboretum and €30 for the Lokrum boat ticket. That is €55 in additional admission and transport costs, before lunch, coffee or souvenirs. Because the main price is in dollars and the extra fees in euros, check current conversion rates and confirm the charges when booking.

The day is best suited to Game of Thrones fans who want a broad tour, enjoy guided stories and are happy to move at a set pace. It also suits first-time visitors who want an organized overview of Dubrovnik and nearby filming locations. If you mainly want free time, extensive history at every stop or a guaranteed visit to Lokrum regardless of weather, this may not be the right fit.

Wear comfortable shoes. There is walking in Old Town and around the sites, and the route includes multiple transfers. Pets are not allowed. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately.

Should you book this Dubrovnik tour?

Book it if you want a full day of recognizable filming locations with a guide who can place them in the story of Dubrovnik. The strongest case is the range: Lovrijenac, Old Town, Lokrum, Trsteno and Mount Srđ would take more planning to visit independently. The guide and driver make that route practical.

Skip it if you want a low-cost outing with every entry included, or if you would rather spend the day at your own pace. The extra fees are significant, Lokrum depends on the boat running, and some stops are short. For fans who accept those limits, this is a well-rounded way to see how Dubrovnik became King’s Landing and what lies beyond the city walls.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about seven hours. The schedule includes Old Town stops, Lokrum, Trsteno Arboretum and Mount Srđ, with van journeys between Dubrovnik and Trsteno.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at Amerling Fountain in Pile Square, at Brsalje 2. It is near the Dubravka gift shop and restaurant. The guide is identified by a blue Du The Tour umbrella.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Pickup is not included. Hotel drop-off in Dubrovnik is included at the end of the tour.

What extra fees should I budget for?

The listed extra costs are €15 for Lovrijenac, €10 for Trsteno Arboretum and €30 for the boat ticket to Lokrum. Lunch and personal expenses are also not included.

Does the tour include the Iron Throne?

The tour visits Lokrum, where the Iron Throne is located, and includes a photo stop there. The boat ticket to Lokrum is not included, and ferry service can be affected by weather.

What language is the tour in?

The live guided tour is in English.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes. The tour includes walking at several stops.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.