Split Game of Thrones Tour: City of Dragons

Split’s City of Dragons tour turns Diocletian’s Palace into a real-world map of Meereen. You walk through the same ancient complex used for the palace cellars, dragon scenes, Unsullied patrols, and tense encounters with the Sons of the Harpy. The best part is that the Roman setting is not a backdrop built for television. It is a 1,700-year-old part of Split’s living center.

I like the smart mix of Game of Thrones scenes and Split history, and I like the way guides use photos and video clips to show what happened in each spot. Guides such as Katarina, Hrvoje Baričić, Marko, Dean, Ivan, and Ted have been praised for making the two subjects work together rather than treating the city as an afterthought.

The main consideration is focus. This is a two-hour walking tour in and around the palace, not a full-day study of every Split sight or a tour of every Croatian filming location. If you want a longer visit to the Game of Thrones Museum, plan extra time after the walk.

Key points at a glance

• Walk inside Meereen’s palace cellars: Enter the underground halls where the show placed Daenerys’s dragons and the Meereenese slaves.
• See the filming spots with visual help: Guides use still images and video clips to match scenes with the exact streets and corridors around you.
• Get Roman history along with television trivia: Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, gives the tour weight beyond the show.
• Meet at the Gregory of Nin statue: The 6-meter-high statue opposite the Golden Gate is an easy landmark in central Split.
• Pay $41 for two hours of guiding: The price includes the palace cellars, plus a 20% discount at the Game of Thrones Museum and a free throne photo.
• Join an English-language walk: Small groups may be possible, but group size is not guaranteed, so expect a standard shared tour rather than a private outing.

Starting at the Golden Gate and Gregory of Nin

Your meeting point is the 6-meter-high Gregory of Nin statue opposite the Golden Gate of Diocletian’s Palace. This is a practical place to begin because the statue and the palace gate are easy to identify in the middle of Split’s old center.

The tour starts with the city itself, not with a quick list of filming facts. Your guide sets the scene with stories from Game of Thrones, Croatian legends, and Split’s past. That opening matters because the palace can seem like a maze of stone lanes if you do not know how its parts fit together.

Guides have different personalities, and that is part of the appeal. Hrvoje Baričić is known for adding trivia questions and humor, while Katarina has been praised for giving clear explanations and useful suggestions for places to see, eat, and drink afterward. Dean, Marko, Ivan, Ted, and others have also led highly praised tours. Your exact guide depends on the date and schedule.

Walking through a 1,700-year-old Roman palace

The heart of the outing is Diocletian’s Palace, built by Roman Emperor Diocletian. It is now woven into everyday Split, with streets, shops, and local life inside and around the old structure. You are not walking through a sealed archaeological park. The ancient palace is part of the city people use.

That makes the Game of Thrones connection more convincing. The show’s production did not need to invent a fantasy city from scratch. The existing stone walls, narrow passages, and underground spaces already have the age and texture the series needed.

I especially like this part for visitors who are only mildly interested in the show. You still get a useful introduction to Split and its Roman foundations. Several guides have been praised for explaining the city across different periods, including modern history, rather than filling the entire walk with television trivia.

The route is a walking tour through old streets and underground areas. Bring water, as requested, and wear shoes that feel secure on historic paving. The supplied information does not promise a particular accessibility setup, so ask the operator before booking if you have mobility concerns.

Entering the cellars where Daenerys kept her dragons

The palace cellars are the tour’s strongest physical stop. Your entrance is included, so you do not need to decide on the spot if the underground section is worth an extra ticket. In the series, these halls and corridors served as places where Meereenese slaves lived and where Daenerys kept her dragons.

The fun comes from seeing the real space and then matching it to the fictional one. You walk through the underground complex where characters ran, waited, and plotted. The stone does much of the work, but the guide’s photos and clips help you notice details that are easy to miss when you only see a bare corridor.

This stop also gives the tour a clear value advantage over a simple street walk. The palace cellars are not just a quick photo stop. They are a separate part of the Roman complex, and admission is already built into the $41 price.

The cellars are also where show fans get their most direct connection to Daenerys. You are standing in one of the locations that viewers associate with the dragons, rather than merely looking at a plaque or a production photograph.

Finding the Sons of the Harpy and the Unsullied

Above ground, the guide points out the corridor where the Sons of the Harpy waited for the Unsullied. You also walk streets used for Unsullied patrols. These locations show how the series used Split’s tight passages for scenes that feel tense and enclosed.

The guide explains what happened in the scene, then connects the production choice to the actual palace layout. This approach is more useful than simply saying a scene was filmed here. You learn how the narrow streets, old walls, and underground rooms shaped the look of Meereen.

The visual comparisons are a real help. Multiple visitors have singled out the use of scene photographs and video clips, which let you compare the screen image with the place beneath your feet. If you have watched the show recently, you will likely recognize more. If you have not, the images still explain why each location was chosen.

Do not expect a film set preserved exactly as it appeared on television. Split is a working historic center, and the sites are part of the city. The value comes from seeing how a real place was transformed through camera angles, costumes, and set dressing.

Why the local history is not filler

A weaker screen-location tour can feel like a string of photo stops. This one has a better foundation because the palace itself is the main attraction. The guide explains its Roman origins, its place in Split, and customs and stories connected with the area.

The distinction matters. Game of Thrones gives you a reason to enter the palace, but Split gives the tour its substance. I would recommend it to a fan who wants a quick introduction to the city, and also to a companion who may not know the show well.

Several guides have experience balancing both subjects. The strongest version of the tour, based on the detail available, is not a lecture about Roman architecture followed by a few television references. It moves back and forth between the two, showing how real walls became fictional settings.

The tour can also help you plan the rest of your time. Katarina, for example, has offered suggestions for additional sights and local food and drinks. Those recommendations are not a formal part of the tour, but they can be useful if you have just arrived in Split and need ideas for the rest of the day.

A small-group feel, but no private-tour promise

Group size can shape a walking tour more than people expect. A few recorded tour experiences had only a handful of participants, which made it easier to ask questions and move through the narrow lanes. One early-season outing had just one participant.

You should not assume that will happen on your date. This is a shared tour, not a guaranteed private walk. One direct description makes that clear. If the group is larger, the guide will need to keep people together in busy parts of the palace, and your chance to stop for long questions may be more limited.

That said, the route is only two hours, and the meeting point is central. The short length helps the tour stay manageable. You get a concentrated look at the main Game of Thrones sites and palace highlights without giving up an entire morning or afternoon.

The guide’s ability to speak clearly also matters. English is the stated language. Past guides have been praised for clear English, making sure everyone was present before moving on, and handling crowds around the palace.

What the $41 price includes

At $41 per person, the tour works out to about $20.50 per hour before considering the extras. That is not the cheapest way to walk through Diocletian’s Palace, but the price includes a specialist guide, a two-hour route, and entry to the palace cellars.

You also receive a 20% discount at the Game of Thrones Museum and a free photo on the Game of Thrones throne. Those extras matter most if you want to extend the theme after the guided walk. The museum discount is not the same as free admission, so budget for a separate museum ticket if you choose to go.

The value is strongest for first-time visitors who want two things at once: a palace orientation and filming locations that would be hard to identify alone. You could walk through the old center without a guide, but you would likely miss the exact corridors and production connections.

The value is less clear if you have already taken a detailed Diocletian’s Palace tour or only want a quick photo at one famous filming spot. In that case, two hours of guided history may be more than you need.

The booking terms add flexibility. You can reserve and pay later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Starting times vary, so check availability for your date.

Who should book City of Dragons

I would choose this tour for:

• Game of Thrones fans who want to see Daenerys, dragon, Unsullied, and Sons of the Harpy locations in one walk.
• First-time Split visitors who want a useful introduction to Diocletian’s Palace at the same time.
• Couples or families with mixed interests, since the historical side gives nonfans something substantial to follow.
• Short-stay visitors, because two hours covers both the palace and the show without taking over the day.
• People who like visual context, since the guide can show stills and clips at the places where scenes were filmed.

I would think twice if you need a fully private route, a slow architectural study, or a broader tour of Game of Thrones locations outside the palace area. The supplied information centers on Split and Diocletian’s Palace, not a bus tour to several distant filming sites.

Practical details before you go

Meet at the Gregory of Nin statue opposite the Golden Gate. Arrive with water, and allow enough time to find the landmark in the old center.

The tour lasts two hours and is conducted in English with a live guide. The exact guide can change, but names associated with the experience include Katarina, Hrvoje Baričić, Marko, Dean, Ivan, Ted, Toni, and others.

The activity is rated 4.7 from 556 ratings, a strong overall result. The repeated strengths are clear: guides explain both the show and Split, use images or clips well, keep the walk enjoyable, and often offer helpful local suggestions. The only practical caution is that group size and guide style can vary.

Should you book City of Dragons?

Book it if you want a focused Game of Thrones walk that also teaches you how Split works. The palace cellars, included entry, visual scene comparisons, and local history make this more than a hunt for recognizable backdrops.

It is especially good value for a first visit or a short stay. You see the main palace-related filming locations, receive a museum discount, and still have most of your day free. Skip it only if you want a private tour, a longer palace study, or filming sites beyond central Split.

FAQ

How long does the City of Dragons tour last?

The walking tour lasts two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $41 per person.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live guided tour is conducted in English.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at the 6-meter-high Gregory of Nin statue opposite the Golden Gate of Diocletian’s Palace.

Are the palace cellars included?

Yes. The entrance fee to the cellars of the palace is included.

Which Game of Thrones locations are included?

The route includes the palace cellars used for Meereenese slave scenes and Daenerys’s dragons, the corridor where the Sons of the Harpy waited for the Unsullied, and streets used by the Unsullied Army.

Do I get a discount at the Game of Thrones Museum?

Yes. The tour includes a 20% discount on the museum entrance fee.

Is a photo on the Game of Thrones throne included?

Yes. A free photo on the Game of Thrones throne is included.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.