If you watched Game of Thrones and thought King’s Landing looked almost too spectacular to be real, there is some good news: much of it is.
From Season 2 onwards, Dubrovnik became the main filming location for the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Its monumental city walls, medieval fortresses, limestone streets and dramatic Adriatic setting required surprisingly little imagination to transform into the heart of Westeros.
Today, you can walk through many of the locations featured in the series – from the Red Keep and Blackwater Bay to the steps of Cersei’s famous Walk of Shame.
Fort Lovrijenac: the Red Keep
Start just outside Dubrovnik’s Old Town at Fort Lovrijenac, one of the most recognisable Game of Thrones filming locations in the city.
Perched dramatically on a rock above the Adriatic, the fortress became the Red Keep, home of the rulers of the Seven Kingdoms. Several scenes involving the Lannister court were filmed here, including King Joffrey’s name-day celebrations.
The setting is every bit as impressive without CGI. Climb to the upper levels and you are rewarded with views across Dubrovnik’s city walls, the sea and the small bay below.
That bay also appeared as Blackwater Bay – making this one of the best places to start your journey through King’s Landing.
Pile Bay and Pile Gate
Just beneath Fort Lovrijenac lies the small harbour at Pile, another location Game of Thrones fans may instantly recognise.
The waterfront featured in several scenes set around King’s Landing and Blackwater Bay, while nearby Pile Gate was used during the riot in King’s Landing, when an angry crowd turns against King Joffrey and the royal party.
In reality, Pile Gate is one of the main entrances into Dubrovnik’s historic centre. Cross the stone bridge and pass through the gate and you find yourself directly on Stradun, the Old Town’s famous main street.
It is one of those places where the transition between Dubrovnik and Westeros suddenly becomes very easy to imagine.
Dubrovnik city walls: the fortifications of King’s Landing
Few locations define both Dubrovnik and King’s Landing as clearly as the city walls.
Stretching for almost two kilometres around the historic centre, Dubrovnik’s fortifications provided the backdrop for numerous scenes throughout the series. Towers, ramparts and sea-facing walls were incorporated into the fictional capital, sometimes with a little digital magic added to the real landscape.
Walking the walls is therefore essential for Game of Thrones fans – but even if you have never watched a single episode, the views alone make the experience worthwhile.
From above, you can see the terracotta rooftops of the Old Town on one side and the Adriatic, Lokrum and Fort Lovrijenac on the other.
Minčeta Tower: the House of the Undying
At the highest point of Dubrovnik’s city walls stands imposing Minčeta Tower.
Game of Thrones fans will recognise its exterior as the House of the Undying in Qarth. Daenerys Targaryen searches for the entrance while trying to recover her stolen dragons, circling the mysterious stone tower.
In real life, Minčeta was one of the most important defensive structures of the Republic of Ragusa.
Climb to the top and you will also find one of the finest viewpoints on Dubrovnik’s walls, with the entire Old Town spreading out beneath you.
The Jesuit Stairs: Cersei’s Walk of Shame
Perhaps no Game of Thrones location in Dubrovnik is as instantly recognisable as the grand Baroque staircase leading towards the Church of St Ignatius.
In the series, these became the steps outside the Great Sept of Baelor and marked the beginning of Cersei Lannister’s infamous Walk of Shame.
Fans still gather here to recreate the scene – preferably with considerably more clothing than Cersei.
The stairs connect Gundulić Square with Boškovićeva Street and are impressive even without their television connection. Their elegant Baroque design and surrounding historic buildings make this one of the Old Town’s most photogenic corners.
Rector’s Palace: a touch of Qarth
Not every Dubrovnik location represented King’s Landing.
The beautiful Rector’s Palace was used for scenes set in Qarth, the wealthy trading city visited by Daenerys in Season 2. Its elegant stone architecture and atmospheric courtyard provided the perfect backdrop for the exotic city.
Away from the world of Westeros, Rector’s Palace is one of Dubrovnik’s most important historical buildings and once served as the seat of government of the Republic of Ragusa.
Today, it houses the Cultural History Museum, so it is well worth visiting for the real story of Dubrovnik as well as its television alter ego.
Gradac Park: the Purple Wedding
A short walk outside the Old Town brings you to Gradac Park.
This peaceful green space overlooking the sea hosted one of Game of Thrones’ most memorable celebrations – and certainly one of its most dramatic weddings.
The wedding feast of King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell, now better known to fans as the Purple Wedding, was filmed here.
Today the park is considerably calmer. With shaded paths, Mediterranean vegetation and views towards Fort Lovrijenac and the Adriatic, it is a pleasant place to escape the crowds of the Old Town.
Lokrum Island: journey to Qarth
King’s Landing is not the only part of Westeros – or Essos – hiding around Dubrovnik.
Take the short boat trip from the Old Harbour to Lokrum and you will arrive at another important Game of Thrones filming location. The island’s botanical gardens and former Benedictine monastery were used for scenes set in Qarth during Daenerys Targaryen’s storyline in Season 2.
There is also a Game of Thrones exhibition on the island, where fans can take their turn sitting on a replica of the Iron Throne.
Once you have finished exploring the filming locations, Lokrum offers plenty of reasons to stay: shady woodland paths, botanical gardens, swimming spots and its small saltwater lake known as the Dead Sea.
Trsteno Arboretum: the gardens of King’s Landing
Around 15 kilometres from Dubrovnik, Trsteno Arboretum became the beautiful gardens of King’s Landing.
This is where characters including Lady Olenna Tyrell, Margaery Tyrell and Sansa Stark shared conversations, secrets and plenty of political plotting.
The real-life location is just as enchanting. Trsteno is known for its historic gardens, exotic plants, Renaissance summer residence and spectacular views towards the sea.
It is slightly removed from the main cluster of filming locations in Dubrovnik, so allow extra time if you want to include it in your Game of Thrones itinerary.
St Dominic Street and the streets of King’s Landing
Some of the best Game of Thrones locations are not grand fortresses or palaces at all.
The narrow stone streets surrounding the Dominican Monastery appeared in numerous scenes depicting everyday life in King’s Landing. St Dominic Street in particular was used several times during the series.
As you wander through this part of the Old Town, it is easy to recognise the combination of pale stone walls, steep staircases and narrow passages that gave King’s Landing its distinctive character.
This is also one of the pleasures of exploring the filming locations without rushing: familiar scenes often appear where you least expect them.
Take your own Game of Thrones tour of Dubrovnik
Most of Dubrovnik’s main Game of Thrones filming locations are concentrated in or around the Old Town, which means you can easily discover many of them on foot.
A guided Game of Thrones tour is a good option if you want to know exactly which scenes were filmed at each location and hear behind-the-scenes stories from filming in Dubrovnik.
Alternatively, create your own route. Start at Fort Lovrijenac and Pile, enter the Old Town through Pile Gate, walk the city walls and Minčeta Tower, then continue towards the Jesuit Stairs and Rector’s Palace.
Save Lokrum and Trsteno Arboretum for longer excursions when you have more time.
Welcome to the real King’s Landing
You do not have to be a devoted Game of Thrones fan to appreciate why Dubrovnik was chosen as King’s Landing.
The ancient walls, imposing forts, hidden stairways and glittering Adriatic backdrop already feel cinematic without any special effects.
But if you do know your Lannisters from your Targaryens, exploring these locations adds another layer to discovering the city.
One moment you are walking through one of Europe’s most beautiful historic cities.
The next, you are standing in King’s Landing.