Dubrovnik: The Original Game of Thrones Tour & Lokrum Option

King’s Landing feels remarkably real here. This Dubrovnik tour blends Game of Thrones filming sites with local stories, making the city easier to understand as you walk. I especially like the scene photos, which help you match today’s streets with what appeared on screen, and the chance to see the official Iron Throne on Lokrum. The main drawback is the extra cost of the fortress and, for the longer option, the ferry and island admission.

The two-hour route gives you a solid look at the Old Town, Pile Gate, Lovrijenac Fortress, Stradun, the Jesuit Stairs, and several locations tied to major scenes. The three-hour version adds Lokrum, but the advertised $26 price does not cover the €15 fortress entry or the €30 adult ferry and island ticket.

Key points at a glance

• Scene photos make the locations click: Guides use images from the show to explain camera angles and scene settings.
• Lovrijenac brings the drama: The fortress was used as the Red Keep and offers fine views, though its €15 entry fee is extra.
• Cersei’s Walk of Shame route is part of the core tour: You walk through the streets and stairs used for some of the series’ most memorable scenes.
• Lokrum adds the official Iron Throne: The island option includes Qarth filming locations and free time after the guided visit.
• Local guides add more than television trivia: Guides such as Tihomir, Jelena, Joseph, Eddie, Karmen, and Boris have been praised for mixing show details with Dubrovnik’s past.
• The route is stair-heavy: This is not a good fit for wheelchair users, mobility scooters, or anyone troubled by steep steps, heights, or vertigo.

Meeting beneath the Large Onofrio’s Fountain

The tour begins by the Large Onofrio’s Fountain, next to the Hard Rock Cafe. Look for a representative carrying a red umbrella. This is a useful meeting point inside Dubrovnik’s Old Town, but the stone streets and busy foot traffic mean you should arrive with a little time to spare.

There are three listed starting point options connected with the fountain area. Your booking details should tell you which point applies, so check them before setting out.

The tour is conducted in English by a live guide. A private group option is available, which may suit families or friends who want more room for questions and photographs. The standard experience lasts about two hours, while the Lokrum version takes about three.

Pile Gate and the first King’s Landing scenes

Pile Gate is a strong opening stop because it is both a major entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town and one of the city’s best-known filming areas. You begin to see why Dubrovnik worked so well as King’s Landing: old stone walls, narrow lanes, steep approaches, and a compact center that can look medieval with very little alteration.

Your guide explains how the real setting was adapted for the series. Scene photographs are especially helpful here. Without them, you may simply see an attractive gate and busy street. With them, you can compare the real view with the framing used on screen.

I like this early part of the walk because it gives you practical orientation. You are not only following fictional locations. You are learning how the Old Town fits together, which can help later when you return to explore on your own.

Lovrijenac Fortress, the Red Keep above the sea

Lovrijenac Fortress is the visual high point of the two-hour route. Perched outside the main walls, it served as the Red Keep in the series. The fortress is also linked with scenes involving Tyrion and Varys, including their plotting and private conversations.

The approach involves steps and uphill walking. That effort is rewarded with open views and a change of pace from the close streets of the Old Town. You get a better sense of Dubrovnik’s defensive position and why this location could double so convincingly for a powerful royal stronghold.

Admission is not included. The standard price is €15, though children under seven enter free. You can also enter without paying this separate fee if you have a valid Dubrovnik Pass or a City Walls ticket from the same day or the previous day.

That detail matters when planning your day. If you already intend to walk Dubrovnik’s walls, this tour may fit neatly beside that plan. If not, add the fortress charge to the advertised tour price.

Stradun, markets, and the Purple Wedding locations

Back inside the Old Town, the route continues along Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street. This broad stone thoroughfare feels different from the smaller lanes, and it helps show how the production used both grand public spaces and tight corners for King’s Landing.

The guide points out locations tied to the Purple Wedding, city markets, and other streets used across the show. These stops are not all dramatic set pieces. That is part of their value. You see how ordinary parts of Dubrovnik became market scenes, procession routes, and royal streets through costume, crowd control, and camera placement.

Several people who have taken the tour praised this mix of show material and city background. That balance should appeal to you if you have not watched every season, or if your interest in Dubrovnik is stronger than your interest in Westeros. One attendee specifically found the tour enjoyable without being a devoted fan because the local history and general facts carried equal weight.

Orlando’s Column and the city as a working film set

Orlando’s Column is another Old Town stop where the guide connects the real monument and surrounding streets with scenes from the series. The exact appeal here is less about entering a major attraction and more about seeing how familiar city features were folded into the fictional capital.

The guides use behind-the-scenes details to explain the filming process. Several have also discussed where cast members stayed and walked, and how local people lived alongside production for years. That human side gives the tour more substance than a simple list of locations.

The best guides seem to keep the pace moving with humor and short stories. Names praised for this style include Boris, Tihomir, Jelena, Joseph, Eddie, Karmen, Bruno, Ivo, Josip, and Edi. The individual guide will shape the experience, but the repeated pattern is clear: personable delivery matters as much as factual detail.

The Jesuit Stairs and Cersei’s Walk of Shame

The Jesuit Stairs are among the tour’s most recognizable stops. They were used for Cersei’s Walk of Shame, and the climb gives you a direct physical connection to one of the show’s famous sequences.

You will also hear about the Kings Landing riots and other scenes filmed around the nearby streets. The stairs can be crowded, and they are not gentle on knees or feet. Still, they are a memorable place for photographs, especially when your guide shows the angle used by the cameras.

This is one of the tour’s clearest examples of why a guide helps. On your own, you might photograph the staircase and move on. With the scene image in front of you, the setting becomes easier to read. You can see where characters moved, where the camera stood, and how the real proportions compare with the finished scene.

Choosing the two-hour route

The two-hour walking tour is the better choice if you want the main filming locations without giving up most of your day. It includes Pile Gate, the Walk of Shame route, Lovrijenac Fortress from the outside or inside if you pay the entry fee, Stradun, Orlando’s Column, the Jesuit Stairs, market areas, and streets linked to several King’s Landing scenes.

At $26 per person, it is fairly priced for a guided Old Town walk, particularly if your guide combines production stories with useful information about Dubrovnik. The value depends partly on how much you enjoy asking questions and looking closely at the locations. This is not an attraction with sets, props, or special effects. The city itself is the set.

Choose this version if you are visiting Dubrovnik on a tight schedule, traveling with someone who is only mildly interested in the show, or planning to visit Lokrum separately. You still get the official Old Town route and the strongest scenes.

Adding Lokrum and the official Iron Throne

The three-hour option continues after the Old Town walk with a 15-minute ferry ride to Lokrum Island. In Season 2, Lokrum was used as Qarth, giving the extended route a different look from the stone streets and fortresses of Dubrovnik.

The main attraction for many fans is the official Iron Throne, where you can sit and take photographs. The tour includes a guided visit to the throne and an explanation of how the island was changed for filming.

After the guided portion, you have free time. You can swim in a cove, walk through the botanical gardens, sit in the shade, or stop for a drink or lunch. You return to Dubrovnik at your own pace, according to the ferry arrangements.

The island is a good addition if you want a slower afternoon after the more structured Old Town walk. It is less useful if you are focused only on filming locations and do not have time for free exploration. Remember that the round-trip ferry and Lokrum admission are not included. The combined price is €30 for adults and €5 for children aged five to 17.

A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives you 20 percent off the Lokrum ferry, while a seven-day pass gives you 30 percent off. That can change the value calculation if you are already using a pass for the city walls and other sights.

What the $26 price really gets you

The $26 base price covers the guide, the Game of Thrones walking tour, and the photograph opportunity on the replica Iron Throne only when you choose the Lokrum option. It does not cover food, drinks, Lovrijenac entry, or the ferry and island ticket.

For the short route, the cost is reasonable if you want context rather than a self-guided checklist. Guides have been praised for being funny, clear, patient, and good at taking photographs. Tihomir, in particular, has been singled out for keeping the full two hours intact rather than cutting the walk short.

The long route is more expensive once the island costs are added. Even so, you receive both the Old Town filming sites and free time on Lokrum. I would choose it when the Iron Throne matters to you and you can spare the extra time. If you only want to see the Red Keep and Walk of Shame locations, stay with the two-hour option.

Steps, weather, and who should skip it

This walk is not suitable for wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, or visitors using mobility scooters. The Old Town includes steps and stairs, and Lovrijenac adds an uphill section. People with vertigo or a fear of heights may also find parts of the route uncomfortable.

The experience is also listed as unsuitable for pregnant women, people with respiratory issues, and people prone to motion sickness. The ferry portion makes the last concern especially relevant.

Wear shoes with a firm grip and bring water. The information supplied does not specify hotel pickup, so plan to reach the fountain meeting point yourself. The route can work in low season, when one December booking became a private tour because demand was light. That may be appealing if you prefer quieter streets and more direct conversation.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now while paying later. Those policies are useful if your Dubrovnik schedule depends on weather or ferry timing.

Is this tour worth booking?

Book the two-hour version if you want a well-paced introduction to Dubrovnik with a strong television connection. It suits dedicated fans, casual viewers, and even people who have not watched the show but enjoy seeing how a real city becomes a film location.

Choose the Lokrum option if sitting on the official Iron Throne is a priority and you want time for swimming, gardens, and a relaxed island stop. Just budget the additional €30 adult transport and admission cost, and allow for the ferry.

I would skip the tour if stairs are a serious problem or if you want a quiet, purely historical walk. For everyone else, the best reason to book is the guide-led interpretation. The walls, streets, and stairs are already impressive. The scene photographs, filming angles, local anecdotes, and Dubrovnik stories help you see them with fresh eyes.

FAQ

Where does the Dubrovnik Game of Thrones tour meet?

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

How long does the tour last?

The main walking tour lasts two hours. The extended option with Lokrum Island lasts about three hours.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The tour includes a live English-speaking guide.

Is Lovrijenac Fortress admission included?

No. Entry costs €15, with free admission for children under seven. A valid Dubrovnik Pass or City Walls ticket from the same day or previous day provides free entry.

How much do the ferry and Lokrum admission cost?

For the Lokrum option, round-trip transportation and island admission cost €30 for adults and €5 for children aged five to 17.

Is the Iron Throne included?

The Lokrum option includes a photo opportunity on Dubrovnik’s official Iron Throne. The base walking tour includes the guided Old Town route.

Can I use a Dubrovnik Pass for discounts?

Yes. A three-day Dubrovnik Pass gives 20 percent off the Lokrum ferry, while a seven-day pass gives 30 percent off. A Dubrovnik Pass can also provide free entry to Lovrijenac Fortress.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

No. The tour includes steps and stairs and is not suitable for wheelchair users, mobility scooter users, or people with mobility impairments. It is also listed as unsuitable for people with vertigo or a fear of heights.