Dubrovnik: Game of Thrones Tour & Optional Lokrum Island

Dubrovnik gives Game of Thrones fans something rare: the real streets, walls, steps, and harbor used as King’s Landing. You begin at Fort Lovrijenac, where the views over Pile Bay are as dramatic as the show, then walk into the Old Town with a guide who links each stone passage to filming scenes and production stories.

I like the mix of screen locations and Dubrovnik history, since even a less devoted fan can enjoy the city. I also like the optional Lokrum add-on, which turns a walking tour into a longer outing with a ferry ride, swimming, gardens, and the official Iron Throne.

The main catch is cost and timing. The $28 starting price does not include the €15 entrance to Fort Lovrijenac, unless you have a valid Dubrovnik Pass, and the Lokrum option costs extra when selected. The fort and Old Town also involve steps, uneven paving, and narrow streets.

Key points to know before you book

• Fort Lovrijenac opens the tour with a superb city view: You see Pile Bay from the fortress and connect it with Blackwater Bay.
• The guide makes the difference: Katarina, Petra, Ivan, Indira, Dubravka, Marija, and other local guides are praised for clear stories, humor, and personal filming knowledge.
• The Old Town portion is more than a television location hunt: You pass the Franciscan Monastery, Stradun, Rector’s Palace, the Cathedral, and other major sights.
• The Jesuit Steps provide one of the tour’s best photo stops: This is the setting linked with Cersei’s Walk of Shame.
• Lokrum works best as an add-on for half a day: The island offers swimming, walking, food, sea views, and Qarth filming connections.
• A Dubrovnik Pass can improve the value: It may cover Fort Lovrijenac and other city sights, making the extra entrance cost easier to justify.

Starting beside Pile Bay and Fort Lovrijenac

Meet at the entrance to Nautika Restaurant on Brsalje Street, just outside the Old Town. This is a useful starting point because you are close to Pile Gate, the main western entrance, and to the path leading up to Fort Lovrijenac.

The tour first passes the Aphrodite and Pan statue before reaching the fortress. Fort Lovrijenac was built as a defensive stronghold above the sea, and its location explains why it worked so well on screen. You get wide views over the Adriatic and back toward Dubrovnik’s walls, while your guide explains how the production used the fort and nearby bay.

The entrance fee is €15 and is paid separately unless your Dubrovnik Pass covers it. This matters because the fort is not a quick optional glance from the outside. The guided portion takes you inside, so budget for the fee if you do not already hold the pass.

Bring good shoes. The climb to the fort and the stone surfaces inside can be tiring in hot weather, and the Old Town’s polished paving can become slippery. The tour is not suited to people with mobility impairments, and anyone who dislikes stairs should think carefully before booking.

Seeing Blackwater Bay from Pile

After the fort, the route heads down toward Pile Bay. From the pier, you can recognize the setting used as Blackwater Bay, one of the show’s most familiar Dubrovnik locations.

This stop is particularly good for photographs because it lets you compare the real harbor with the heavily edited world on screen. Your guide can explain which parts were changed digitally or altered for a scene, rather than simply pointing at a place and naming it.

The route then enters the Old Town through Pile Gate. The transition is part of the pleasure. One minute you are looking at open sea and a fortress; the next, you are in a compact medieval city where daily life continues around the filming sites.

Walking Stradun through real Dubrovnik

Inside the walls, the tour follows sections of the Old Town and introduces the city on its own terms. You pass Large Onofrio’s Fountain, then walk along Stradun, Dubrovnik’s polished main street.

Stradun is not only a Game of Thrones backdrop. It is the practical spine of the Old Town, lined with pale stone buildings and linked to side streets, churches, courtyards, and public squares. The tour also passes Orlando’s Column and the Church of St. Blaise, two landmarks that help you understand Dubrovnik’s civic and religious life.

You continue toward Rector’s Palace and the Cathedral. These stops add useful context to the filming story. Dubrovnik was not selected only because it looks theatrical. Its compact stone architecture, historic fortifications, and position above the Adriatic gave the production a ready-made setting for King’s Landing.

The guides are strongest when they connect both sides of the story. Katarina has used scene images to help people match the television frame to the actual street. Ivan has also been praised for explaining the practical side of filming in the city, including how scenes were arranged around a working historic center.

The Jesuit Steps and the Walk of Shame

The Jesuit Steps are one of the clearest stops for fans. Their broad stone staircase is associated with Cersei’s Walk of Shame, and the guide usually allows time for pictures and questions here.

This is a good example of why a guide adds value. You can find the steps alone, but a guide can place the scene in context, point out changes made for filming, and explain how the show used the surrounding architecture. The stop also gives you a chance to pause after walking through several busy parts of the Old Town.

The route ends its Old Town section at the port. From here, you either finish with the walking tour or continue by ferry to Lokrum, depending on the option you choose.

Choosing Lokrum for Qarth and the Iron Throne

Lokrum is the tour’s optional second act. The ferry crossing takes about 10 minutes, and the island adds a welcome change from Dubrovnik’s stone streets.

In the show, Lokrum was used for Qarth. In real life, it is a protected nature reserve with gardens, walking paths, historic features, swimming areas, and places to eat. You get guiding on the island when that option is included, followed by free time to choose your pace.

I would select Lokrum if you have several hours available and want more than a quick filming-location walk. You can swim, walk toward the fort, stop at the cafe, or simply enjoy the sea views. One useful warning comes from the route to the fort: it involves a long and sometimes steep uphill walk, so wear proper shoes rather than beach sandals.

The island is not just a fan extra. It changes the character of the day. After the crowded lanes and steps of Dubrovnik, Lokrum gives you open space and time to slow down. If you bring swimwear, you can turn the add-on into a short island visit rather than a simple photo stop.

The official HBO Iron Throne is another major reason to continue to Lokrum. You can sit on it and take your own picture, which gives the tour a playful finish. If bad weather or another incident stops the ferry, the tour ends in the Old Town, where you can still take a photo with an Iron Throne replica.

Keep the holiday calendar in mind. The throne may not always be available. One booking ended without the planned throne photo because the island attraction was closed for a holiday, so check the operating details if that picture is essential to you.

What the guides add to the experience

The best part of this tour is the human storytelling. The route itself is easy to identify, but the guide determines whether it feels like a list of locations or a proper walk through the show and city.

Katarina receives repeated praise for her humor, clear explanations, and use of questions to involve the group. She also adjusts the discussion for mixed groups, which is helpful if one person is a serious fan and another has barely watched the series.

Petra is known for behind-the-scenes detail and, on some tours, personal links to the production. Indira combines filming stories with Dubrovnik’s past, while Dubravka is especially good at keeping non-fans involved. Ivan has been praised for practical information about filming and for useful suggestions about food and drinks after the walk.

Some guides have worked as extras or had relatives involved in the production. That can bring an unusual local angle, though the exact guide is not guaranteed. English and Croatian are the available tour languages.

Group size can vary. Several bookings had very small groups, including parties of four, five, or six. That makes it easier to ask questions and take pictures. There is no promise that every departure will be intimate, and one useful criticism was the lack of earphones on a group walk. Stay close to the guide in crowded areas.

How much walking and time to allow

The advertised duration is two to three hours, but the experience does not feel identical with both options. The walking tour covers the fort and Old Town in that window. Lokrum is scheduled at the end and can turn the outing into a much longer part of your day, especially if you swim, eat, or walk to the fort.

The walking is manageable for many people, but it is not flat or effortless. Expect stairs at Fort Lovrijenac, stone lanes in the Old Town, the Jesuit Steps, and possible uphill walking on Lokrum.

Heat is worth planning around. September visitors appreciated guides who stopped in shaded places and kept an eye on the group’s comfort. If you are visiting during a hot spell, choose an early departure if available, wear a hat, use sunscreen, and carry water. Starting earlier can also help you avoid some cruise-ship crowds in the Old Town.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a sun hat, and cash. If you choose Lokrum, pack swimming items and a towel if you want to use the island’s swimming areas.

Is the $28 starting price good value?

At $28 per person, the basic tour is fairly priced for a guided visit that combines Fort Lovrijenac with several central Dubrovnik sights. You are not paying only for television trivia. You also receive a local introduction to the Old Town, a fort visit, filming context, and help finding the locations efficiently.

The additional costs need a close look. Fort Lovrijenac is €15 unless covered by a valid DU Pass. The Lokrum ferry is listed at €30 and is included only with the selected combination options, so check exactly which version you are booking before you pay.

The Dubrovnik Pass can improve the calculation. It gives free access to many sights and can cover Fort Lovrijenac, so it may make sense if you also plan to visit other attractions around the city. Do not buy it automatically, but compare the pass price with your planned admissions.

For a devoted fan, the value is strongest because the guide’s scene knowledge gives meaning to places you could otherwise walk past. For a casual viewer, the tour still works if you want a compact orientation to Dubrovnik, but you may prefer the walking-only option and spend the savings on another city sight.

Who should book this Dubrovnik tour?

I would recommend the walking tour to Game of Thrones fans, first-time Dubrovnik visitors, couples who want memorable photographs, and families with older children who enjoy film locations. It is also a good choice for a mixed group because the guides include architecture, local events, and city history rather than assuming everyone knows every character.

Choose the Lokrum combination if you want time to swim, walk, and relax after the Old Town route. It suits anyone with a flexible schedule, but it is less useful if you have only a short port stop or need a tightly timed afternoon.

Skip it if you have difficulty with stairs and uneven paving, dislike walking in heat, or mainly want Dubrovnik’s museums and historic interiors. The tour does not include the city walls, and one booking described it as covering almost every corner of the Old Town except the walls.

The experience has earned a 4.9 rating from 676 bookings, with the strongest praise aimed at guide quality, clear filming explanations, small-group interaction, and the blend of show trivia with Dubrovnik’s past. Those are the qualities I would value most here.

My verdict: pick the add-on only if you have the time

Book the walking tour if you want an entertaining way to see Fort Lovrijenac, Pile Bay, Stradun, and the Jesuit Steps while learning how the production used them. It is good value at the starting price, provided you allow for the fort fee.

Add Lokrum if the island itself appeals to you, not only because it appeared as Qarth. The ferry, swimming, paths, cafe, sea views, and Iron Throne make it worthwhile, but you should treat it as a larger outing and check the ferry and throne arrangements before booking.

FAQ

Where does the Game of Thrones tour begin?

The meeting point is at the entrance of Nautika Restaurant, Nautika, Brsalje ul. 3, near Pile Gate.

How long does the tour last?

The guided walking tour lasts about two to three hours. Lokrum is optional and takes place at the end, with extra time needed if you swim, eat, or explore the island.

Is the Lokrum ferry included?

Ferry tickets are included with the selected Lokrum combination options. The listed ferry price is €30 when it is not included, so check the option details before booking.

Do I have to visit Lokrum Island?

No. You can choose the Game of Thrones walking tour alone. Lokrum is an optional addition scheduled after the Old Town portion.

How much does entry to Fort Lovrijenac cost?

Entry costs €15 and can be purchased on site. It is free with a valid Dubrovnik Pass, also called a DU Pass.

What happens if the ferry cannot run?

If bad weather or another incident stops the ferry, the tour ends in the Old Town. You can still take a photograph with an Iron Throne replica there.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, sunscreen, comfortable clothing, and cash. If you select Lokrum and plan to swim, bring suitable swim items as well.