Top "GAME OF THRONES" places - a guide to a five- day trip around the Croatian coast

4.5
Share
Save

The popularity of Croatia as a tourist destination lies not only in the beautiful and clean sea, but also in coastal cities of incredible history and culture. It is therefore not surprising that the numerous places on the coast suited the producers of the planetarily popular Game of Thrones series perfectly. Indeed, anyone who visits these places will be convinced that they are the perfect backdrop for the fantastic world of Game of Thrones.

For all fans of the series, we have prepared an ideal five-day guide with the most interesting locations:

DAY 1 - SIBENIK

We start our trip in beautiful Sibenik, famous for the Renaissance Cathedral of St. Jacob, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sibenik is the capital of Sibenik-Knin County, the oldest Croatian indigenous city on the Adriatic, located in a protected natural harbor, and was first mentioned in 1066. This is a city with a rich history and various beauties, so it is not surprising that the Game of Thrones team decided to shoot the series here.

Here are the places where the filming took place:

1. Cathedral of St. Jacob - the famous cathedral appears as a backdrop in the ninth episode of the fifth season as the banking city of Braavos. Sibenik Cathedral is one of the architectural highlights of the Dalmatian coast. Begun in the early 15th century, this great cathedral took more than 100 years to complete under the initial guidance of the Venetian architect Antonio Dall, and the responsibility later passed to the sculptor Giorgio da Sebenico and then to Nicholas of Florence.

2. Fortress of St. John - a scene of battle pits in the town of Meereen was filmed here. Daenerys watches the fight from the stands, and Jorah defeats the fighters. The fortress dates back to 1646, when it was built to protect Sibenik from Ottoman attacks. The townspeople were so terrified by these invasions that they helped build the fort, which was completed in a record six weeks. The views from the top are also stunning.

3. Fortress of St. Nicholas - the fortress appears in the scene when Arya Stark sails a sailing ship to the free city of Bravoos. This Renaissance fortress is a unique building of the Venetian fortification system, located at the entrance to the Canal of St. Anthony in front of Sibenik. The fortress had the role of protecting Sibenik as an important Venetian port from the Ottomans.

DAY 2 - TROGIR

The city of Trogir is an example of a beautifully preserved medieval Mediterranean settlement, and its uniqueness is confirmed by its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Walking through its charming streets it is possible to see a multitude of lavish Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque palaces and churches. This interesting mix of different styles forms a visually interesting whole, so it is not surprising that the producers of Game of Thrones recognized Trogir as a place that corresponds to the aesthetics of the series. In the series, Trogir is the city of Qarth - "the most magnificent city in the world that has ever been and will be".

1. Church and monastery of St. Dominic - in the series the monastery becomes the tower of the city of Qarth. The monastery was founded in 1265. The church itself was built from the 14th to the 17th century. Exceptional interior in which, in addition to the masterpieces of great sculptors, visitors can also see many important old tombs.

2. Kamerlengo Tower - a striking tower in the old town served as the backdrop of the city of Qarth, where Daenerys’s dragons were imprisoned. The fortress, built in 1437, was used to house the Venetian army and defend the sea channel and access to the port. Apart from the story from history, the tower also offers a beautiful view of the old town, the promenade and the sea, and it is definitely worth visiting when sightseeing.

DAY 3 - SPLIT

Split is truly a city-museum. It is a city created inside the former palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian, and today an incredible 1700 years of history are intertwined on its streets. If Split was good enough for the emperor, it is certainly good enough for the fantastic world of Game of Thrones.

1. Cellars of Diocletian's Palace - powerful dragons were kept and trained in mystical cellars. The cellars of Diocletian's Palace are one of the best-preserved ancient complexes of this kind in the world, and they are largely responsible for the fact that the historic core of Split was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

2. Diocletian's Palace - in the former imperial palace in the series we can see Daenerys's throne, and here a slave rebellion was also arranged. Diocletian's Palace in Split is one of the main sights of Croatia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a fascinating place to explore. If, however, you’re thinking of a palace like Versailles, think again because it’s actually more like a city within a city.

DAY 4 - DUBROVNIK

Most of the Game of Thrones of all locations in Croatia was filmed in Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik in the series is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms - King's Landing. Dubrovnik can be said to be an elite destination and one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean. It is a city full of stunning architecture and sculptural details, and boasts picturesque old churches, monasteries, museums and fountains that are etched in the memory of every visitor and become a part of him forever.

1. Church of St. Ignatius - monumental baroque staircase of the church of St. Ignatius is the place where the beginning of the legendary Cersei Lannister’s walk of shame was filmed in the tenth episode of the fifth season. The staircase was made in 1738, modeled on the famous Piazza di Spagna staircase in Rome.

2. Rector's Palace - here Daenerys Targaryen asks Spice King for ships to lead her army across the Narrow Sea. This beautiful place was the seat of the government and the rector of the Republic of Dubrovnik. Today, the Rector's Palace houses a cultural and historical museum about the city of Dubrovnik.

3. Fort Minceta - Daenerys Targaryen visits Minceta (House of the Undying) looking for dying dragons in the second season of the series. Minceta is the northernmost and most monumental fortress on the city walls of Dubrovnik. With St. Blaise, it is a symbol of the city of Dubrovnik.

4. Fortress Lovrijenac - here Cersei Lannister spoke with Petyr Baelish in the second season of the series, and a tournament in honor of King Joffrey and his name day was also filmed in this magnificent fortress. Lovrijenac Fortress is located on a cliff outside the city walls. Its purpose was to protect Dubrovnik from Venetian attacks.

5. Bokar Fortress - appears in the second and third seasons of the series. It is seen in the background of a scene in which Tyrion and Lord Varys are planning to defend the King’s Landing. Bokar Fortress is one of the five towers on Dubrovnik's city walls. It was built in 1570 and offers a beautiful view of the surroundings.

DAY 5 - LOKRUM AND TRSTENO

These two filming locations are a logical next stop after you have visited Dubrovnik. Namely, Lokrum is an island located in front of Dubrovnik, and Trsteno is approximately 20 kilometers away. Apart from the fact that these places are interesting as the filming locations of the series, they offer a lot more, so they are definitely worth visiting.

1. Cloister Garden - In this beautiful cloister on the island of Lokrum, Daenerys Targaryen welcomes the Spice King. The cloister garden of the Gothic-Renaissance monastery is one of the few remaining cloister gardens in the Dubrovnik area.

2. Benedictine monastery of St. Mary - within the Visitor Center in the monastery there is an Iron Throne from the series where you can take photos as a souvenir. Benedictine monastery of St. Mary on the island of Lokrum is the oldest and most important Benedictine abbey in the Dubrovnik area, which was founded in the 11th century. With the abolition of the abbey at the end of the 18th century, the Benedictines left the island, and Lokrum became the property of the powerful Austro-Hungarian Habsburg dynasty, which turned the monastery into its holiday residence and first-class architectural monument of this period in Croatia.

3. Arboretum Trsteno - in this beautiful oasis of nature, scenes from the gardens of King’s Landing were filmed. Arboretum Trsteno is the oldest Renaissance garden of enviable beauty. The exact date of its establishment is not known, but it existed as far back as 1492 when an aqueduct for irrigation was built.

We wish you a great time in each of those places, to feel the atmosphere you saw in the series, and be sure to share your impressions with us in the comments!

Itinerary

Guide Location

Reviews

4.5
(28 reviews)
Tommy
I felt excited to visit The Game of Thrones. The guide was of great importance for our five day your to this place. We had a great experience at the Kamerlengo towers. The view of the surrounding area from the tower was breadth taking.
Helene
The trip with my friends was totally worth the visit thanks to the awesome guide that had a well planned tour for the five days that we had decided to visit around the country. We enjoyed the scenic views in the different sites across the different places. Unforgettable moments at the Arboretum Trsteno through the other places that we took pictures of.
Ethan
We enjoyed our stay here thanks to your guide which gave us the real pictures of what to expect and were not disappointed. i enjoyed seeing the transitional style of the huge palace. The stairs served a good backdrop to take a photo.
Albin
This guide really helped me relive the scenes of The Game of Thrones. The places were grouped depending on the cities they were located in. The guide was very organised for a first time tourist to Croatia. I was able to move easily and plan my tours in advance.
Gorm
The Cathedral of St Jacob in Shibenik is an architectural highlight of the Dalmatian coast. The guide was vigilant in spewing the history behind this iconic building. I learned that it was constructed for approximately 100 years beginning in the early 15th century. Venetian architect, Antonio Dalla, was the initial overseer of the construction who passed it to Jurc Dalmatinac, and later Nikola Firentinac. I will visit the location again.
Anna
I visited the beautiful garden suggested by the guide. I experienced the spiri of the queen of fire draogons at the beautiful garden. The guide was soo helpful in my experience through this.
Tijl
My family and i visited various places in the guide around the coast. We had a remarkable experience especially when we visited Cloister gardens on the island of Lokrum and Cathedral of st. Jacob.