Dubrovnik: Game of Thrones Walking, Car and Boat Tour

Dubrovnik makes a convincing Westeros because its stone walls, sea views, fortresses, and old lanes need little help from television magic. This tour lets you see that world in three ways: on foot through the Old Town, by boat to Lokrum, and by car to filming sites outside the city.

I like the three-part design, which gives you far more than a standard Old Town walk. I also like the screenshot book your guide carries, since comparing the real location with the finished scene shows exactly what the production changed.

The main consideration is the $294 price, which is substantial for one day. You get three tours and several admission fees, but the experience is best value for dedicated Game of Thrones fans who want the full filming-location trail rather than a quick photo stop.

Key points to know before booking

• More than 15 filming locations cover the Red Keep, Blackwater Bay, Qarth, the King’s Road, and the Walk of Shame.
• Three separate ways to explore Dubrovnik include a two-hour walking tour, a boat trip to Lokrum, and a car tour beyond the Old Town.
• The Iron Throne photo gives you the clearest souvenir of the day, with time to explore Lokrum at your own pace.
• Trsteno Arboretum is worth seeing even if you are not a fan of the show, thanks to its exotic plants and historic gardens.
• Mikki and Dorotea have been praised for friendly banter, quick wit, and strong knowledge of both Dubrovnik and the series.
• You can spread the three tours across separate days, useful if seven hours of sightseeing feels too packed.

Why Dubrovnik works so well as Westeros

Dubrovnik is not simply a backdrop that happens to appear in Game of Thrones. Its fortified Old Town, steep stone streets, harbor views, and offshore island already suggest a place built for palace plots and naval battles.

The tour makes that connection clear by showing the real place first, then matching it to the fictional one. You may recognize the Red Keep, Blackwater Bay, the King’s Road, and the setting for the Walk of Shame, but the useful part is seeing how camera angles and set dressing changed your sense of scale.

You begin near Pile Gate, the west entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town, by the Amerling fountain next to Dubravka restaurant. This is a practical meeting point, but it can be busy, so arrive with the full confirmation document and check the exact starting time before setting out.

The day lasts about seven hours when taken as one outing. You can also arrange the walking, boat, and car sections on separate days, a good choice if you want time for Dubrovnik’s other sights or prefer not to rush through the Old Town.

The two-hour walk through King’s Landing

The walking portion takes about two hours and focuses on the Old Town and its surrounding fortifications. This is where you see several of the most recognizable locations used for King’s Landing, including the Red Keep, Blackwater Bay, and the Walk of Shame.

You will walk on uneven stone streets and encounter steps, so comfortable shoes matter. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or serious back problems, and that is worth taking seriously in Dubrovnik, where old streets can be steep and tiring.

Your guide adds the production story behind each location. Expect facts about filming, actors, and behind-the-scenes incidents, rather than a simple list of places. The guide also uses a book of screenshots, allowing you to compare the television frame with what sits in front of you.

That comparison is one of the best reasons to choose a guided outing. A courtyard may look familiar but not quite right because the show used a different camera height, digital effects, or a narrow section of a much larger location. With the image in hand, you can see the trick.

The walk also gives you a useful introduction to Dubrovnik itself. Even if you arrive mainly for the series, you are moving through the city’s main historic core and learning how its walls, gates, and harbor fit together.

Do not expect every stop to look exactly as it did on screen. Dubrovnik is a living city, not a permanent film set. The value comes from linking the real streets to their fictional roles, then noticing the contrast.

A 15-minute boat ride to Lokrum

The second section begins with a boat ride to Lokrum, an island just offshore. The crossing takes about 15 minutes and offers a short break from the stone streets.

During the ride, you can look toward Villa Šeherezada, associated with Tyrion’s scenes and conspiracies on the balcony. This is a good example of how the tour expands beyond the famous Old Town locations. You are not only following the central streets of King’s Landing, but also seeing the nearby places used to build the show’s wider world.

Lokrum is used as the city of Qarth. Once you arrive, the tour takes you through gardens and to a Benedictine monastery connected with the fictional history of Westeros.

The island section is less tightly timed than the walking portion. After the main visit, you have free time to explore Lokrum before returning by boat. That flexibility is welcome, though you should keep track of the return arrangements and any instructions from your guide.

The island is also where you can sit on the Iron Throne for a photo. It is an obvious tourist moment, but it works. The throne gives you a concrete souvenir from a day otherwise built around matching places to scenes.

The boat section has one practical drawback. The tour is not suitable for people prone to seasickness. The crossing is short, but even a brief boat ride can be uncomfortable if you know you react badly on the water.

Trsteno Arboretum and the gardens of King’s Landing

The car portion takes you outside Dubrovnik to Trsteno Arboretum. The gardens were used for many scenes set in the gardens of King’s Landing, and the site has enough appeal to justify the drive even if you are not watching the show.

The arboretum is described as the oldest botanical garden in the world and contains exotic plants. That makes this stop different from the fortress and street locations. Instead of matching stone walls to a scene, you are looking at a real garden that served as a setting for political conversations and palace life.

Your guide’s screenshot book is particularly useful here. Gardens can be hard to identify from memory because a television scene may show only a fountain, wall, path, or cluster of plants. Comparing the picture with the actual setting helps you understand what the production kept and what it altered.

The car ride also changes the pace of the day. After two hours on foot and a boat trip, you get a chance to sit while moving between locations. Since hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, you should pay close attention to the instructions for where this section begins and ends.

The supplied details do not specify the size of the vehicle or group, so you should not book this expecting a private car unless that is confirmed separately. The important point is that the outing includes a car-based visit to sites beyond the Old Town.

The Belvedere hotel and Oberyn’s final fight

The next major stop is the abandoned Hotel Belvedere. It was used for the battle between the Mountain and Oberyn Martell, one of the show’s most memorable and brutal confrontations.

The appeal here is different from the Old Town walk. The location has a more isolated feel, and its abandoned condition gives you a sharper sense of the contrast between the polished world shown on screen and the actual place today.

This stop may be less comfortable for some visitors than the central sites. You are visiting an abandoned hotel rather than a maintained attraction, so wear sensible clothing and shoes. The tour specifically recommends comfortable clothes and does not allow luggage or large bags.

You also get a useful lesson in production technique. A real location can be made to feel like an arena or a dramatic battlefield through framing, choreography, and editing. Seeing the actual setting helps you separate the story’s emotional power from the physical place where the scene was made.

The King’s Road viewpoint

The final stop is on the King’s Road, with a panoramic view over Dubrovnik’s Old Town. This is a fitting way to end the car portion because it lets you see the city as a whole after spending the day examining small corners and individual filming spots.

The viewpoint is also useful for orientation. From above, you can understand how the Old Town sits between the fortifications and the sea, then connect that shape to the views used in the show.

Bring a camera, but keep your expectations practical. The focus is the wide view and the connection to the series, not a long stop with a formal attraction or meal included. Food and drinks are not part of the tour, so plan accordingly.

What the $294 price covers

At $294 per person, this is an expensive sightseeing experience. The price makes more sense when you consider that you are combining three separate tours with multiple entry costs rather than paying for a single walking route.

Included are a guide for each tour, entry to St. Lawrence Fortress, entry to Trsteno Arboretum, the round-trip boat ticket to Lokrum, and the entrance fee for Lokrum National Reserve. Those admissions can add up, especially when the tour also provides transport between several locations.

The value depends heavily on your interest in Game of Thrones. If you want only a quick look at the city walls and a photograph on the Iron Throne, this is too much money. If you want the full range of locations, including Trsteno Arboretum, Belvedere, and the King’s Road, the bundled format saves you from arranging several separate visits.

You are also paying for interpretation. The guides connect the sites to actors, scenes, and filming details, and the screenshot comparisons make ordinary-looking places easier to understand.

Still, food and drinks are not included, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Build those costs and your own meal into the day. The ability to split the tours over separate days improves the value for people staying in Dubrovnik long enough to use that option.

The guides and the tone of the day

Guide quality matters on a subject like this. A weak guide can simply point at a wall and name a scene. A good one explains what happened there, how the production used the space, and what Dubrovnik contributes beyond its role as a television set.

Mikki and Dorotea have received especially strong praise for their friendly banter, quick wit, and command of both Game of Thrones and Dubrovnik. That combination matters because the experience has two audiences: fans who want production details and visitors who want to understand the city.

The tone sounds lively rather than formal. You should expect stories about filming, actors, and behind-the-scenes moments, with room for humor. If you want a quiet, academic tour, this may not be your style. If you like learning while your guide keeps the pace light, it should suit you well.

The activity is offered in English. Infant seats are available if requested at booking, but large bags and luggage are not allowed.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this to a committed Game of Thrones fan who wants more than the standard Old Town route. The mix of walking, boat, and car travel gives you access to locations that would be awkward to connect on your own.

It also suits you if you enjoy comparing a real place with its screen version. The screenshot book adds real value, especially at Trsteno Arboretum and the Old Town locations where the television version may look larger or more dramatic than the site itself.

Families can consider it if children are comfortable with a long day, walking, boats, and historical sites. The availability of infant seats helps, but the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, serious back problems, or seasickness.

You may want to skip it if you have only a short time in Dubrovnik, dislike organized sightseeing, or are not interested in the show. The city offers plenty to see without a television connection, and $294 is a poor use of your budget if you will not care about the filming details.

Practical advice for a smoother day

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing from the start. You will walk on old stone streets, visit gardens and historic sites, and move between different forms of transport.

Bring the complete confirmation document, not only the ticket. The meeting point is near Pile Gate by the Amerling fountain, next to Dubravka restaurant, but the three sections may have different arrangements, especially if you take them on separate days.

Do not bring large luggage or bags. Pack only what you need for the day, along with a camera and any personal essentials.

If you are unsure about seven hours in one stretch, split the walking, boat, and car tours across separate days. That option lets you give each part more attention and leaves time for other Dubrovnik sights.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Check the starting time and availability before booking, since the schedule is not fixed in the details provided here.

Should you book this Game of Thrones tour?

Book it if Game of Thrones is a major reason you came to Dubrovnik and you want the complete route: Old Town filming sites, Lokrum and the Iron Throne, Trsteno Arboretum, Belvedere, and the King’s Road viewpoint.

The strongest parts are the variety of transport, the screenshot comparisons, and guides such as Mikki and Dorotea, whose humor helps keep a long day moving. The main caution is price. At $294, you should plan to use all three sections and take advantage of the included admissions.

For a serious fan, this is a well-filled day with plenty of specific locations. For everyone else, choose a shorter Dubrovnik sightseeing option and spend the difference on the city’s other historic sights.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is near Pile Gate, the west entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town, by the Amerling fountain next to Dubravka restaurant at Brsalje bb, 20 000 Dubrovnik.

How long does the full experience last?

The combined experience lasts about seven hours. Check availability for the starting time.

Can I take the walking, boat, and car tours on different days?

Yes. The three parts can be taken on separate days instead of completing them all in one day.

Which Game of Thrones locations are included?

The tour visits more than 15 filming locations, including sites used for the Red Keep, Blackwater Bay, Qarth, the King’s Road, and the Walk of Shame.

Is the boat trip to Lokrum included?

Yes. The round-trip boat ticket to Lokrum and the entry fee for Lokrum National Reserve are included.

Is food included?

No. Food and drinks are not included in the tour price.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, comfortable clothes, and the complete confirmation document with all details. Large bags and luggage are not allowed.