Dubrovnik Game of Thrones Tour & Optional Lokrum Island Visit

Dubrovnik’s Old Town doubles as King’s Landing, but the best part of this tour is seeing how ordinary streets, harbor steps, and a massive seaside fort became major Game of Thrones sets. You’ll stand at the Church of St. Ignatius staircase used for Cersei’s Walk of Shame and look back at the city from Fort Lovrijenac.

I like the mix of filming facts and Dubrovnik history, especially when guides such as Jelena, Joseph, Ana, Edi, and Josip use scene photos to match the real location to the show. I also like the choice of adding Lokrum, where you can see Qarth’s setting and Dubrovnik’s official Iron Throne.

The main drawback is physical: there are plenty of stairs, especially up to Fort Lovrijenac. The base price is attractive, but the fortress entrance costs €15 unless covered by a Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket, and the Lokrum option adds €30 for adults.

Key details that shape the experience

• The route starts at the Large Onofrio Fountain: Look for the red umbrella marked Dubrovnik Walking Tours beside the western entrance to the Old Town.
• Fort Lovrijenac is the tour’s big payoff: The fortress played the Red Keep and gives you fine views toward Dubrovnik’s walls and harbor.
• You visit real story locations: Pile Gate, Kolorina, West Harbour, the Old Town streets, and the Church of St. Ignatius all connect to major scenes.
• The Walk of Shame staircase is the best photo stop: It is the clearest visual link between the show and Dubrovnik itself.
• Lokrum is an optional second act: Add the island for Qarth, a ferry ride, and an Iron Throne photo.
• The price is good only if you budget the extras: The tour costs $24.19 per person, before fortress admission or Lokrum transport and entry.

Starting beside the Large Onofrio Fountain

The meeting point is easy to find inside Dubrovnik’s Old Town, beside the Large Onofrio Fountain and near the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for a guide or representative with a red umbrella and a Dubrovnik Walking Tours sign.

The tour is offered in English and normally lasts about two hours for the city portion. A small detail matters here: the maximum group size is listed as 70 people, so the experience may feel like a large walking tour rather than a private outing. Some departures have used audio guides and split the group so the guide can handle questions more easily.

I would arrive early, particularly during the busy season. The fountain sits near the western gate, and the first stop is close by, but you do not want to spend the opening minutes searching for the group.

Pile Gate brings King’s Landing to life

The walk begins at Pile Gate, the western entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town. You will see the setting for scenes from Seasons 2 and 3, including the royal procession with King Joffrey, the angry crowd, and the riot that follows his order to attack the people.

This stop works best for fans who enjoy matching a scene to its real setting. The gate is not just a backdrop. It is a functioning entrance to the Old Town, with a drawbridge, stone passage, and a tight approach that helps explain why it suited the show’s tense crowd scenes.

Your guide may also cover Jaime Lannister’s return to the city with Brienne of Tarth. Scene photos are useful here because the television series altered angles, backgrounds, and crowd size. You get a better sense of the filming process when you can compare the screen image with the actual gate in front of you.

Kolorina and the docks of King’s Landing

Just outside Pile Gate, the route leads beneath the drawbridge toward Kolorina. This small beach and harbor area became the docks of King’s Landing.

The location appears in scenes involving Joffrey, Cersei, Tyrion, and Sansa as Princess Myrcella leaves for Dorne. It also connects to the plot involving Robert Baratheon’s bastards and Tyrion’s strategy discussions near the city walls.

Kolorina is a short stop, but it gives the tour a useful change of pace. You leave the crowded Old Town and see the rocky shoreline that helped Dubrovnik play a capital city beside Blackwater Bay. The access path and nearby stone surfaces can be uneven, so good walking shoes are sensible.

West Harbour and Blackwater Bay

The next stop is Dubrovnik’s West Harbour, where the tour pauses at one of the piers. This area doubled for parts of Blackwater Bay and was used for scenes involving wildfire.

It also appeared in conversations between Sansa and Shae before Littlefinger arrives with plans involving Sansa’s escape. These are the kinds of details that make a guide worthwhile. Without help, you might see a pleasant harbor and walk on. With the filming context, you can picture how the production framed the pier, water, and walls for the series.

The harbor is also a good place to slow down. The tour is not simply a march from one address to another. The guide explains what happened at each site and connects the location to the plot, local life, and the practical business of filming in a working historic city.

Fort Lovrijenac is the physical challenge

Fort Lovrijenac is the most important stop and the one that demands the most effort. The fortress sits above the sea, reached by a steep staircase. The climb is manageable for many people, but it is not a flat stroll. If you have knee concerns, move at your own pace and expect the guide to pause for the group.

The fortress represented the Red Keep, the castle overlooking Blackwater Bay in King’s Landing. It was used for exterior shots and scenes connected with the Great Hall, the royal court, King Joffrey’s name-day tourney, and the Purple Wedding.

The setting explains why the production chose Dubrovnik. From the fort, you can look toward the Old Town walls and the water, gaining the same broad sense of power and exposure that the show needed for the Red Keep. The views are a major reward even if you are only a casual fan.

Admission is not included in the base tour. The listed cost is €15 per person, but the entrance is free if you have a Dubrovnik Pass or a City Walls ticket. This is an important value point. If you already plan to walk Dubrovnik’s walls, the extra cost may disappear. If not, add the fortress fee before comparing this tour with cheaper options.

Old Town streets filled with plot twists

After the fort, the group descends into the Old Town. The route passes through streets used for scenes of rebellion against Joffrey, the aftermath of the Purple Wedding, and Sansa’s flight toward a ship.

The walk also touches filming locations connected with Jaime’s return, Littlefinger’s brothel, and Tyrion’s conversations with Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne. These stops are spread through streets that are also part of daily Dubrovnik, which gives the tour more substance than a simple collection of movie backdrops.

This section is particularly useful for fans who know the show’s story but do not remember exact locations. A guide can point out how an alley became a palace approach or how a short street sequence was stitched together from different parts of town.

The Old Town portion is also the easiest section for non-fans. Several guides, including Joseph and Ana, have been praised for mixing show details with local history and humor. If one person in your group has never watched Game of Thrones, this part can still work as a general introduction to Dubrovnik.

Cersei’s staircase at St. Ignatius

The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola provides the tour’s most recognizable photo stop. Its broad staircase was used for Cersei’s Walk of Shame.

Your guide explains the scene and the fictional religious ritual behind it, then gives you time for photographs. The stairs are visually strong even without the television connection, with the church rising above the lower part of the Old Town.

This stop can become crowded, so patience helps. It is also another reminder that this is a walking tour through an active city. The staircase is not a private set, and other people may be passing through. Still, the location is close to the emotional center of the series, and it is easy to understand why it is a highlight.

The optional Lokrum Island extension

The city tour ends near Veliki Muo, where you can take the ferry to Lokrum if you have booked the extended option. Lokrum was used as Qarth in Season 2 and adds a different setting after the narrow streets and stone fortifications of the Old Town.

The island option includes the main city route, followed by the ferry ride and a visit to filming locations connected with Qarth. You also get a photo opportunity with Dubrovnik’s official Iron Throne.

The extra cost is €30 for adults and €5 for children aged 5 to 17. That fee covers round-trip transportation and Lokrum Island admission. At that price, the add-on makes most sense for serious fans or for people who already want to visit Lokrum for its own sake. If you mainly want the Old Town filming sites, the basic tour gives you the essential experience at a much lower price.

The listed Lokrum visit lasts about 30 minutes, so it is a brief extension rather than a full island outing. Keep that in mind when judging the cost. You are paying for the ferry, entry, and the Qarth and Iron Throne connection, not for a long independent visit around the island.

What the guides add

The guide is central to the quality of this experience. The strongest feedback has focused on guides who combine show trivia, filming logistics, local stories, and humor.

Jelena has been singled out for explaining both the series and Dubrovnik, while helping people manage the stairs. Joseph is known for a funny, easy style and for explaining the tricks used during filming. Ana has been praised for her enthusiasm and local knowledge, and Edi for mixing Dubrovnik facts with show details. Josip and Ivica have also led tours praised for their energy and grasp of the material.

The names matter less than the style you should expect: this is not meant to be a silent photo walk. You will hear how locations were used, what scenes took place there, and how filming affected local residents. Guides have also been able to keep the tour enjoyable for people who have not watched the series.

That balance is one of the tour’s best qualities. A fan gets plot connections and scene references. A non-fan gets a compact introduction to Dubrovnik’s streets, fortifications, and filming history.

Price, timing, and practical value

At $24.19 per person, the basic tour is fairly priced for a guided two-hour walk in Dubrovnik. You are paying for a route that would be difficult to recreate efficiently on your own, plus access to a guide who can identify scenes and explain the production.

The true cost depends on your choices. Add €15 for Fort Lovrijenac unless your Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket covers it. Add €30 per adult for Lokrum. For many people, the basic tour plus the fort is the best balance. It covers the main King’s Landing locations and the finest view without turning a short walk into a more expensive half-day plan.

The activity is often booked about 28 days ahead, so reserve early if your Dubrovnik dates are fixed. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded, and poor weather may lead to a new date or a full refund.

Wear shoes suited to stairs and stone streets. Bring water, particularly in warm weather, and leave room in your schedule for the climb to the fort. Service animals are allowed, public transportation is nearby, and most people can take part, but the stairs remain the main physical issue.

Who should book this Dubrovnik tour

I would recommend the basic tour to anyone who wants a focused introduction to Dubrovnik’s Game of Thrones locations without spending a full day on the subject. It is especially useful if you want someone else to handle the route and explain the difference between a real Dubrovnik street and a set transformed through camera angles.

The tour suits serious fans, casual viewers, and mixed groups. Non-fans still get local history and city orientation, while fans get the scene-by-scene detail they came for.

Choose the Lokrum upgrade if Qarth and the Iron Throne are high on your list, or if you want to combine the tour with a short island visit. Skip it if your main goal is the Old Town, the Red Keep, and the Walk of Shame staircase.

Should you book it?

Yes, if you like Game of Thrones, want a guided route through Dubrovnik, and do not mind stairs. The strongest parts are the guide-led storytelling, the view from Fort Lovrijenac, and the way scene photos connect the show to the real city.

Book the basic option for the best value, then check if your Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket covers the fort. Add Lokrum only if Qarth and the Iron Throne justify the extra €30. If you prefer a quiet, flat walk or already know Dubrovnik well, this may feel too focused and too hilly. For most fans, though, it is a practical way to see King’s Landing without wasting time finding the locations alone.

FAQ

Where does the Game of Thrones tour start?

It starts at the Large Onofrio Fountain inside Dubrovnik’s Old Town, near the western entrance and the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for a representative with a red umbrella and a Dubrovnik Walking Tours sign.

How long does the Dubrovnik Game of Thrones tour last?

The main walking tour lasts about two hours. The full experience can take about three hours if you choose the Lokrum Island extension.

Is Fort Lovrijenac included in the tour price?

No. Entrance costs €15 per person unless you have a Dubrovnik Pass or a City Walls ticket, which can provide free entry.

How much does the Lokrum option cost?

Round-trip transportation and Lokrum Island admission cost €30 for adults and €5 for children aged 5 to 17. The option includes the main city tour and a ferry ride to Lokrum.

Does the tour include an Iron Throne photo?

Yes. The experience includes an Iron Throne photo opportunity. The Lokrum option takes you to Dubrovnik’s official Iron Throne on the island.

Is this tour suitable for people who have not watched Game of Thrones?

Yes. The route includes Dubrovnik history and local context as well as filming information, so you can still enjoy the fort, streets, harbor, and views without knowing the full series.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded. If poor weather causes the tour to be canceled, you will be offered another date or a full refund.