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Croatia Game of Thrones: Most Popular Locations to Visit

King's Landing
Baloncici /Depositphotos.com

Croatia has always been an attractive and popular destination for tourists. It has a breathtaking coastline with beautiful beaches, enchanting architecture, interesting history, and delicious cuisine (also the people are warm and welcoming).

People in Croatia have been in the tourism business for decades. Regardless, nobody was ready for GoT fans to start flooding into Croatia from all around the globe, only to visit Game of Thrones filming locations.

If you want to explore Croatia, check out these articles as well: 10 Best Cities in Croatia to Visit, Blue Cave Croatia: Visitor Guide and Castles in Croatia.

The HBO series created a madness of chasing Game of Thrones filming locations around the world. 

In this article, you will find out the exact GoT locations in Croatia and their corresponding GoT scenes or buildings.

Was Game of Thrones Filmed in Croatia?

Of course, you are reading the article about it! Most of the scenes were filmed in Dubrovnik and Split. 

The places that were used as Game of Thrones filming locations are just as magical in real life as they are in the series.

Naturally, they are very different from the location in the show (thanks to CGI/special effects or ongoing construction), but are nonetheless worth visiting.

Which Episodes of Game of Thrones Were Filmed in Croatia?

Most of Episode one of Season two from the GoT series was shot in Croatia. Also, scenes from episodes six and ten were set in Croatia. 

Many scenes from seasons one and two were also filmed in Croatia and a few scenes in Seasons four, five, and six.

Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Croatia

1. Bokar Fortress in Dubrovnik – King’s Landing

This fairy-like fortress, also called Zvjezdan, located in the South-western side of Dubrovnik was used to represent the largest of the Seven Kingdoms, King’s landing.

The Bokar Fortress was featured in seasons two and three and is particularly visible when Varys tells Tyrion that he’s ‘quite good’ at being the hand of the king while they discuss battle strategies to defeat Stannis Baratheon’s army.

In the 13th century, the city used to be enclosed with walls which were continually extended and strengthened up until the 17th century. Today, they are 6,360 ft in length and reach the maximum height of about 82 ft [1].

2. Pile in Dubrovnik – Blackwater Bay

Pile Gate represents the main entrance to the old town of Dubrovnik. At its entrance, on the western side of the walls, there is a stone bridge with two arches. 

Next to the gate, there is Pile Bay from where you can enjoy the views the Bokar fortress and fort Lovrijenac can offer. The spot doubles for the Blackwater Bay in Game of Thrones. 

The Pile Gates are a well-fortified complex with multiple doors, defended by Fort Bokar. There is also a stone bridge with two arches positioned at the entrance gate to the Old Town, designed by the esteemed architect Paskoje Miličević in 1471.

The rest of the corners of Pile were used as sets, during the filming of Game of Thrones.

3. Minceta Tower in Dubrovnik – House of the Undying

Minceta Tower is the symbol of the city of Dubrovnik, and the most visited tourist spot. Its rounded walls are six meters thick, built to protect the city from attacks coming from land.

It was used as the location for the House of the Undying in Qarth (in Game of Thrones). It is also the tower where Daenerys was looking for her stolen dragons.

Visitors can take a walk along a high wall and look out over the orange rooftops of King’s Landing, before they reach this prominent defense tower or the House of the Undying.

The Minceta tower, which is a recognizable symbol not only of Dubrovnik but of Croatia, was built in the 15th century, by the medieval builder Juraj Dalmatinac (Giorgio da Sebenico).

Minceta is the highest point of the entire city walls.

4. Fort Lovrijenac in Dubrovnik – Red Keep

Overlooking Pile Bay (aka Blackwater Bay), Fort Lovrijenac or Fort of St. Lawrence is located outside the city’s walls on a 37 meters high cliff and it has 12 meters (around 40 feet) thick walls. 

The Lovrijenac fortress is the most notable of all Game of Thrones filming locations as it doubles for Red Keep and therefore is the mecca for all Game of Thrones fans.

Called  “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar”, the Fort Lovrijenac was used for filming the tournament in Red Keep celebrating the name-day of King Joffrey and the conversations between Cersei and Littlefinger in seasons two and three.

5. Diocletian’s Palace in Split – Daenerys’ Throne Room (Also Where Dragons Are Kept!)

The Diocletian’s Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, built in the 4th century for Emperor Diocletian [2]. It is stunning and it is the most famous spot to visit in Split.

Naturally, it was used as one of the Game of Thrones filming locations. The basements of the palace are where Daenerys trained her three dragons.

The famous “kill the masters” scene in season four, when slaves sitting around a fire were discussing whether they should support Daenerys, was shot in Diocletian’s Palace.

The Diocletian’s Palace is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman architecture in the world. It was built on 30,000 square meters. 

It is encircled by tall walls and on each corner of it, there is a tower. It is another recognizable symbol of Croatia.

6. Klis Fortress Near Split – City of Meereen

The Klis Fortress is located on the top of a mountain, just 20 minutes away from Split. It was the seat of many Croatian kings and now it is a peaceful place where visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of Split and the Adriatic Sea.

The Klis Fortress was used as one of the Game of Thrones filming locations, more specifically for the city of Meereen, the largest one of the three great Slaver Cities, which Daenerys overthrows in season four.

On the top of the fortress, Daenerys famously says “injustice with injustice”. 

7. Trsteno Arboretum, Tresteno – King’s Landing Garden Scenes

The Trsteno Arboretum is a lush garden, built in the late 15th century in Tresteno, near Dubrovnik, and it offers a spectacular view of the Adriatic Sea [3].

The Trsteno arboretum was used for filming the garden scenes at King’s landing such as the scene where Sansa Stark reveals secrets about King Joffrey to Lady Olenna. 

The scene where Lady Olenna and Lord Varys are discussing Sansa’s safety and are plotting to poison King Joffrey is also shot in the garden.

This arboretum covers an area of 25 hectares and it served as the summer residence of the patrician family Gučetić-Gozze.

There are two Oriental Planes that are the pride of the arboretum. They are over 500 years old and are unique specimens of their kind in Europe. These trees are approximately 130-196 ft tall and their trunks are 16 feet in diameter. 

Besides the planes, the arboretum has a collection of over 300 exotic and decorative species of trees and shrubs.

8. St Dominika Street and Stradun, Dubrovnik – the City Watch or Gold Cloaks of King’s Landing

Passing through the Ploce gate leading to the main street of Stradun, there is a labyrinth of lanes flanked by stone houses. This narrow, curved and cobbled passageway flanked by very high walls is St Dominika street, another popular Game of Thrones filming site. 

It is one of the many magical labyrinth-like little stone streets of Dubrovnik.

A number of Game of Thrones scenes were filmed on this street such as the killing of King Robert’s illegitimate sons and the most iconic scene in season five, where Queen Cersei was forced to walk naked around the town as a penance (SHAME, SHAME!!!).

9. Jesuit Staircase

The scene with Cersei Lannister walking naked begins at the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing aka the Jesuit Staircase. These elegant stone steps are one more of the hidden pearls in the old town of Dubrovnik. 

They are on the south side of Gundulic Square. The steps lead up to the Uz Jezuite Street, where the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius is situated.

10. Lokrum Island – the Ancient Port City of Qarth 

This beautiful island, only 600 meters away from Dubrovnik coastline, was used as a Game of Thrones filming location. 

On this island, there is the historic 19th-century attraction – the Napoleonic Fort Royale, as well as the remains of a medieval Benedictine monastery.

The Lokrum Island is the place that doubles for the city of Qarth, ruled by the “pureborn”. The scene where Daenerys meets Spice King was filmed on Lokrum Island.

Tourists and Game of Thrones fans can reach the island by boat from Dubrovnik, with an organized Game of Thrones tour.

Also, you can see the Iron Throne there!

11. Ethnographic Museum Rupe

Another impressive building in Dubrovnik old town is the Ethnographic Museum Rupe which doubles for another Game of Thrones filming location – the brothel where Tyrion Lannister meets Oberyn Martell in season four. 

Also in Season 5 the scene where High Septon walks naked through the streets, forced by a group of Sparrows, was filmed in the street in front of the museum.

In real life the interior of the museum is less vile and tourists can take a walk through the cool tunnel where they can see a collection of folk costumes and textile handiwork.

The building of the museum was built in 1590 and it has been known as Rupe which simply means ‘holes’ in English.

Tour: Game of Thrones Locations in Croatia

There are numerous tourist agencies that will help you book your unforgettable trip into the Game of Thrones world. 

There are seven-day luxury cruises on the Adriatic coast, which will take you to different filming locations in Croatia (every day).

Most of the Game of Thrones locations are in or near the city of Dubrovnik, but there are also some must-see-places in Split.

Tourist guides who are GoT fans will be enthusiastic about showing you the locations of all Game of Thrones scenes that were filmed in Croatia.

References

  1. https://www.wallsofdubrovnik.com/history/
  2. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/97/ 
  3. https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/HICAPS/Hidden-historical-garden-in-the-heart-of-the-Mediterranea1.html 

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