Visiting Dubrovnik’s city walls is, without any doubt, the ultimate experience, especially if you’re a fan of the Game of Thrones fantasy series. Dubrovnik was King’s Landing for several seasons of the original movie series.
So if you want to step into the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, to stand exactly where Cersei watched the Sept explode, where the Gold Cloaks patrolled, or where Tyrion defended the city, it’s all possible in Dubrovnik – if you know where to look.
And that’s what I am here to help you with today, when we’ll talk about touring the famous City Walls. Let’s begin!
Must Know Before Entering
Here are a few things you should know before climbing up the walls for the first time – tips that will save you literal headaches and potentially some money:
1. Keep your ticket! Unless you’re part of an organized tour, make sure you keep your entry ticket to the City Walls, as it also includes entry to Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep in the movie). You don’t have to visit both on the same day, so keep the ticket safe!
2. If you visit during the summer, prepare for some extreme heat. Not only that the limestone radiates heat, there is also NO SHADE on the walls. So apart from water, shades, hats and sunscreen, it’s ideal if you could plan your visit early in the morning or in the afternoon to avoid at least some of the unbearable summer heat.
3. The wall walk follows a strict one-way, counter-clockwise moving system. In other words, you can only move forward, so if you walk past a specific attraction or photo spot, you can’t turn around and go back – instead, you’ll have to do the entire 2km loop once more. Therefore, make sure to take all the photos you need during your first trip.
With these in mind, let’s talk about touring the City Walls themselves. You can follow the DIY route, but you can also go the more convenient (and sometimes more interesting) organized tour route.
There are plenty of tours that offer pretty much the same thing, with the main exception being your guide. I recommend this Ultimate Game of Thrones City Walking Tour for a perfect experience that includes all the Game of Thrones locations, not just the walls.
Pile Gate Entrance (The Riot)
Your journey likely starts here, as this is the main entrance to the Old Town. Before you head up the stairs to the walls, pause at the stone ramp inside the gate.
This is the exact spot where King Joffrey triggered the riot in Season 2. It’s where he was hit in the face with dung and shouted “Kill them all!” to his guards. It’s usually crowded with tourists, which makes it feel even more like the chaotic scene from the show.
Note: If you have more time to spend in the city, I strongly recommend this 5 Days in Dubrovnik Itinerary.
The Bokar Fortress
Once you are up on the walls and moving towards the sea, this is your first major stop.
The Bokar Fortress was included in Season 2 of Game of Thrones and is perhaps best seen when Tyrion and Lord Varys planned the defense of King’s Landing while looking out to sea.
This is arguably the best vantage point on the entire wall. From here, you get a clear view across the water to the Red Keep (Fort Lovrijenac) on the opposite cliff. It’s the perfect place to visualize the map of the city that Tyrion and Varys were discussing.
Seaside Dubrovnik City Walls
Continuing along the sea-facing side of the walls, you will see the open water where the fictional Battle of the Blackwater took place.
Seaside Dubrovnik city walls can be seen in many scenes of Game of Thrones. Who can forget the iconic battle of Blackwater Bay in Season 2, where the green wildfire ripped apart the attacking fleet of Stannis Baratheon?
As you walk this stretch, look down at the jagged rocks and the dark blue water below. While the explosion was CGI, the geography is real. This is the perimeter Tyrion was desperately trying to hold.
If you need help getting around – and to make sure you don’t get lost – I recommend checking out the free Tourist Map of Dubrovnik.
Minceta Tower
As you loop around the land-side of the walls, you will face a steep climb to the highest point in the city.
Minceta Tower was used as the exterior of the House of the Undying in the town of Qarth. This is the setting for Daenerys Targaryen’s visit in Season 2 while searching for her stolen dragons.
In the show, the tower didn’t have windows/doors at the base, which were edited out to make it look like a solid obelisk. You can walk around the base exactly where Daenerys circled, trying to find an entrance.
Also, it’s worth noting that the view from the top is spectacular, looking down over the orange rooftops of the entire city.
Fort Lovrijenac (The Red Keep)
Note: This location is not on the wall loop. You must exit the Old Town through Pile Gate and walk 5 minutes to the adjacent peninsula.
Fort Lovrijenac was used as the Red Keep in King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Lots of the scenes are filmed at this fort, including the tournament in honor of King Joffrey’s name in Season 2.
This is also where the confrontation between Cersei and Littlefinger happened (“Power is power”), and where Cersei watched the Battle of Blackwater. Because it is separate from the main city, it is often less crowded, giving you more space to explore the corridors.
The West Harbour (Pile Bay)
Right below Fort Lovrijenac, there is a small stone pier and a pebble beach. Do not skip this; it is free and iconic.
The stone pier is where Sansa Stark sat watching the ships, hoping for a rescue, and where Littlefinger plotted with her. The beach next to it was used as the departure point for Myrcella Baratheon when she was sent to Dorne.
It is also the ground-level view of “Blackwater Bay” mentioned earlier. You can rent a kayak here if you want to see the walls from the water, just like Davos Seaworth.
The Jesuit Stairs (The Walk of Shame)
Finally, head back inside the Old Town for the most famous location of them all. You will find these baroque stairs on the south side of the city, leading up to the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius.
This is the Great Sept of Baelor steps. It is where Cersei Lannister began her brutal “Walk of Shame” in Season 5.
If you stand at the top of the stairs, you can look down exactly as Cersei did before the High Sparrow shamed her. Be warned: this is a very busy spot. If you want a photo without hundreds of other people chanting “Shame!” behind you, you need to arrive very early in the morning.
Bonus: The “Hole in the Wall” Bars
After walking the walls and climbing the stairs, you will be thirsty (or even during the tour). There is a perfect way to end this tour that feels very “Tyrion Lannister.”
Look for the “Buža Bars” (Buža literally means “hole”). These are cliffside bars located on the sea-facing side of the Old Town walls. You reach them by going through small, unmarked doorways in the stone walls.
They aren’t filming locations, but sitting on the jagged rocks with a cold drink, watching the sunset over the exact same sea where the Battle of Blackwater was fought, is the best way to reflect on your visit.
I repeat – while you can absolutely do it yourself following the route I shared, it’s ideal to book a guided walking tour (they’re usually very affordable) to get more details and actual photos with the exact locations from the movie.
Again, my recommended tour is this one, but feel free to choose any highly-rated one if you, for some reason, want to choose a different one.
And when you’re done with the tour, make sure to head out to Banje Beach just outside the city for some relaxing – all while looking at the city walls you just visited.
Dubrovnik City Walls Working Hours
A visit to the old city walls is available all year round, but the working hours vary depending on the season and the month.
Here is the regular schedule, but make sure to double-check in case there are special occasions or other last-minute changes:
- April 1st – June 30th: 10:00AM – 5:00PM
- July 1st – July 31st: 8:00AM – 7:30PM
- August 1st – August 31st: 8:00AM – 7:00PM
- September 1st – September 14th: 8:00AM – 6:30PM
- September 14th – September 30th: 8:00AM – 6:00PM
- October 1st – October 31st: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
- November 1st – March 31st: 9:00AM – 3:00PM
As mentioned before, if you’re visiting during the peak season – July and August – you should get there well before 11AM or at around 5PM to avoid the extreme heat.
Wrapping up
Dubrovnik is spectacular on its own, but seeing it through the lens of Game of Thrones adds an additional layer of awesomeness, especially for fans of the book and especially the TV series.
Just keep in mind that the area itself is massive and extremely popular, especially during the season, so plan your trip ahead and prepare for the hot weather. As long as you do, it’s impossible not to enjoy the awesomeness there.
And, after your visit is over, don’t forget to come back and share your thoughts and experience in the comments down below.