Dubrovnik: The Original Game of Thrones Tour & Lokrum Option

Dubrovnik’s Old Town did more than provide a pretty backdrop for King’s Landing: its gates, streets and stairways became the setting for some of Game of Thrones’ best-known scenes. This original Game of Thrones tour takes you to places linked to Cersei’s Walk of Shame, the Kings Landing riots and Blackwater Bay, with a local guide to connect each spot to the show and the city.

I like two things in particular: scene photos help you match the real locations to their on-screen versions, and the guides fold Dubrovnik’s own story into the tour instead of treating the city as a film set. Guides such as Tihomir, Jelena, Eddie and Karmen have been singled out for lively storytelling, humor and useful filming details.

The main consideration is the walking itself. Dubrovnik’s route includes stairs and steep sections, and Lovrijenac Fortress entry costs extra unless you have a valid City Walls ticket or Dubrovnik Pass. The Lokrum option also has separate ferry and island admission fees, so the advertised price is only part of your total.

• Walk Cersei’s route: See locations tied to her Walk of Shame, the Kings Landing riots and other scenes around the Old Town.
• Look across Blackwater Bay: The route includes Pile Gate and Lovrijenac Fortress, which served as the Red Keep.
• Use the scene photos: Your guide brings images to help you compare filming shots with the real streets and camera angles.
• Choose the Lokrum extension: Add a 15-minute ferry ride to Qarth locations, free time on the island and a photo with the official Iron Throne.
• Budget for entry fees: Fortress entry is €15, while Lokrum ferry transport and admission cost €30 for adults or €5 for children aged 5 to 17.

From Pile Gate to King’s Landing

The two-hour tour begins in Dubrovnik’s Old Town, where a local guide leads you through real streets that doubled as King’s Landing. You can meet at the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, near the Hard Rock Cafe, by looking for a representative with a red umbrella. The fountain is a handy landmark in a compact but busy historic center.

Pile Gate is one of the early stops and a good place to start seeing how the show used Dubrovnik’s existing architecture. Rather than building an entire fantasy city from scratch, the production framed real gates, lanes and stone facades to create its capital. Your guide uses scene photos to show the difference between the view on screen and the same place in front of you.

That visual comparison is one of the tour’s most useful features. The filming sites can look familiar even if you do not immediately recognize them, and photographs help you place characters and scenes in the city. If you have watched the series recently, the stops will likely click faster. If it has been years, the images give you a useful reminder without requiring a full rewatch before you go.

The walk also covers locations associated with the city markets, the Purple Wedding and the Kings Landing riots. You will pass through streets used in several scenes, rather than spending the whole tour at one famous viewpoint. That variety makes the route worthwhile for casual fans as well as people who can name every house in Westeros.

Cersei’s Walk of Shame and the Jesuit Steps

Cersei’s Walk of Shame is one of the most recognizable filming sequences associated with Dubrovnik. The tour visits the route and the Jesuit Steps, where the city’s steep stone stairway gives the scene its dramatic sense of ascent and exposure. Seeing the real setting helps explain how the production turned an everyday part of town into a memorable stretch of television.

The steps are also a good example of why this is not only a screen-location outing. They sit among Dubrovnik’s historic streets and public spaces, and the guide can explain how the show’s scenes relate to the city around them. The result is a more useful visit than simply checking off a backdrop and moving on.

The stairs do require effort. This route is not suitable for wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments or mobility scooters, and the listing also advises against it for people with vertigo, a fear of heights, respiratory issues or motion sickness. If stairs are a concern, consider whether a walking tour is the right format before booking.

You may also appreciate that guides make space for photographs. One guide, Karmen, was praised for being patient and helping with photos, and several guides are noted for making the stops engaging rather than rushing through a list of locations. The guide assigned to your date may differ, but the tour’s format gives you time to look around and take pictures.

Lovrijenac Fortress, the Red Keep above the sea

Lovrijenac Fortress is the tour’s most striking setting. Perched above the coast, it served as the Red Keep, and the route gives you scenic views on the way. The fortress is linked to scenes involving Tyrion and Varys, among other moments in King’s Landing. For many fans, this is where the scale of the production and the drama of Dubrovnik’s setting come together.

There is an important cost to plan for: fortress admission is not included and costs €15 per person. Entry is free for children under 7, and you can also enter at no charge with a valid City Walls ticket from the same day or previous day, or with a Dubrovnik Pass. If you are already planning to walk the city walls, check your ticket before paying separately.

The guide portion includes the fortress stop, but free time and views are part of the visit too. A guide can point out filming connections, while the setting itself gives you a chance to take in the coast and look back toward Dubrovnik. Some of the strongest praise for the tour concerns this stop and its views, so it is worth allowing time to enjoy it rather than treating it as a quick photo break.

The climb and stairs may be tiring, particularly in warm weather or if you have mobility limits. The route’s mix of city lanes, steps and fortress terrain is part of what makes the locations feel tangible, but it also sets a physical limit on who will find the walk comfortable.

Stradun, Orlando’s Column and the city behind the show

The route continues through Stradun and past Orlando’s Column, linking the Game of Thrones locations with the Old Town’s everyday landmarks. These stops help you see Dubrovnik as a real city with its own civic spaces and history, not merely a stage borrowed by a television crew.

That distinction matters. The show brought new attention to Dubrovnik, but the city’s appeal does not depend on knowing the plot. Guides mix filming stories with local history, and the combination is one reason the tour can work even if you have not seen every season. One visitor who had not watched the series still found the mix of show details and city facts rewarding.

Guides also help with filming context that is hard to pick up from a map alone. You may hear about camera angles, how scenes were set up, or where cast members stayed and walked. Some guides have worked on the series themselves, although that is not guaranteed for every departure. Names that have drawn strong praise include Tihomir, Jelena, Eddie, Josip and Karmen, but your guide will depend on the day.

The guide’s style has a real effect on the experience. People who value a clear, funny storyteller tend to get more from the stops than someone who only wants a list of filming addresses. The tour is designed to be interactive and paced as a couple of hours on foot, with room for questions and photographs.

Lokrum Island and the Qarth extension

Choose the three-hour option if you want to continue to Lokrum Island. After the Old Town portion, you take a ferry that lasts about 15 minutes. Lokrum stood in for Qarth in Season 2, and the island visit adds a very different setting from Dubrovnik’s narrow stone streets.

On Lokrum, you can see the official Iron Throne and take a photo on the replica. The guided portion also covers how the island was adapted for filming. Afterward, you have free time to walk, visit the botanical gardens, swim in hidden coves, rest in the shade or stop for a drink or lunch. You can return to Dubrovnik at your own pace.

This extension is best when you want more than a quick television-location walk. Lokrum gives you breathing room after the Old Town’s stairs and crowds, and the free time lets you decide whether to swim, stroll or simply sit for a while. Food and drinks are not included, so bring money if you plan to stop for lunch or a drink.

The extra time comes with a significant additional cost. Round-trip ferry transport and Lokrum admission are not included in the tour price: they cost €30 for adults and €5 for children aged 5 to 17. A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives 20% off the Lokrum ferry, while a seven-day pass gives 30% off. Check your pass terms and the total price before choosing this option.

What the $26 price includes, and what it does not

At $26 per person, the two-hour walk offers a straightforward way to see several film locations with a guide who can explain what happened there. You are paying for more than directions: the tour’s value lies in the scene photos, production details and local context that make the stops easier to understand. If you already plan to explore the Old Town, this can give your walk a clear theme and a useful introduction to the city.

The base price includes the guide, the Game of Thrones walking tour and the Iron Throne photo opportunity. However, the Iron Throne is part of the Lokrum option, so plan on that photo only if you book the extension. The two-hour option does not include Lokrum.

The main extra for the shorter tour is Lovrijenac Fortress admission at €15, unless your City Walls ticket or Dubrovnik Pass covers entry. The longer option adds €30 for an adult or €5 for a child aged 5 to 17 for Lokrum transport and admission. Food and drink are extra in either case.

For a fan focused on the series, those costs can be worthwhile if you want a guide to connect the scenes and locations. If you mainly want a general Dubrovnik introduction, the two-hour tour may still suit you, since guides include city history alongside filming stories. If you have a tight budget, add up the fortress and island fees before deciding which version to book.

Practical details before you set out

The tour lasts two or three hours, depending on whether you choose the Lokrum extension. It runs in English, and a private group is available. Starting times vary, so check the available options for your date.

Meet by the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, next to the Hard Rock Cafe, and look for the red umbrella. The tour lists several possible starting locations, but this is the practical meeting-point instruction to follow. Arriving with enough time to find the fountain is sensible in a historic center with several similar-looking lanes and meeting spots.

Wear shoes suited to walking and stairs. The route through Dubrovnik includes steps, and the fortress visit adds more uneven, uphill walking. Mobility scooters are not allowed, and the activity is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. It is also listed as unsuitable for pregnant women and people with vertigo, a fear of heights, respiratory issues or motion sickness.

Alcohol and drugs are not allowed on the tour. If plans change, 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.

Who should book this Dubrovnik tour?

I would choose the two-hour walk if Game of Thrones is the main reason you want a guide, or if you want a compact introduction to Dubrovnik’s filming locations and local history. It covers major Old Town sites, including Pile Gate, the Walk of Shame route and Lovrijenac Fortress, without requiring a full day.

Pick the Lokrum extension if the Iron Throne photo, Qarth locations and island free time matter to you. It is the more relaxed option after the guided walk, but only if the added €30 adult charge fits your budget. The child rate is €5 for ages 5 to 17.

If you dislike stairs or need step-free access, this is not the right tour. For everyone else, it is a good-value way to put the television locations in context, especially if you enjoy guides who tell stories as well as point out places. Book it for the Old Town walk if that is enough; add Lokrum when you want the island and extra time to yourself.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

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

What does the $26 price include?

It includes a tour guide and the Game of Thrones walking tour. It does not include Lovrijenac Fortress entry, Lokrum transport and admission, or food and drinks.

Where is the meeting point?

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

Is Lovrijenac Fortress entry included?

No. Entry costs €15 per person. It is free for children under 7 and for visitors with a valid City Walls ticket from the same or previous day, or a Dubrovnik Pass.

How much does the Lokrum option cost?

Round-trip ferry transport and Lokrum Island admission cost €30 for adults and €5 for children aged 5 to 17. These charges are separate from the tour price.

How long is the ferry ride to Lokrum?

The ferry ride takes about 15 minutes.

What can I do on Lokrum after the guided portion?

You have free time to swim in hidden coves, walk through the botanical gardens, relax in the shade, or have a drink or lunch. Food and drinks are not included.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. It is not suitable for wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments or mobility scooters, and the route includes steps and stairs.

What language is the tour in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Can I cancel my booking?

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