Dubrovnik - A Game of More Than Thrones

Dubrovnik

There are fewer more inspiring sights than the white limestone walled city of Dubrovnik against the azure blue of the Adriatic Sea. The view from Mount Srd at the top of the expensive cable car, at a former Serbian artillery position, is quite breath-taking and almost worth the cable car fare.

It doesn't take you long to see why this absolutely stunning place was used to film ‘Game of Thrones’. 

The real delight of this city is to walk around its walls during daylight, and to wander its narrow streets at twilight, as the gas lamps flicker against the shiny white walls and the restaurants start to fill.

Over the years, this city has progressively become more touristy and more expensive. However, it's still a complete delight to visit. And the Adriatic islands nearby, which are cheaper to visit and stay in, are also just superb.

You won't find white sand, palm tree lined beaches here. In fact, finding any kind of beach is hard.

But that's not why people come here. They come for that absolutely gorgeous 16th century walled city that truly captivates. It captivated so much that our daughter complained on the days when we didn't visit it!

This is without a doubt one of the unmissable highlights of Europe. It just has to be seen.

How to get there

Dubrovnik

Due to its immense popularity, it isn't too hard to find flights here during the main holiday season, both package tours (which may be expensive) and regular flights. There are buses around thirty minutes after each flight to the Old Town. Out of season you might find it more of a challenge. You might find yourself flying into Zagreb or Split and travelling south by bus.

Dubrovnik

How we did it

We flew in on a scheduled, regular flight and arranged transport from our hosts at Lapad Apartments, who were very friendly and provided an excellent service. We loved both walking around the nearby Gruz Bay and to the Old Town. We also toured the Elafiti Islands on a mock pirate ship, the small neighbouring country of Montenegro and the beautiful historical city of Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. All of our tours were arranged through Viator.

Our Top Tips

Dubrovnik

• Visit Dubrovnik during the shoulder season (April-May or September-October) to avoid massive crowds and heat as this place is very hot in summer.

• You won't find big American fast food chains here and Dubrovnik is all the better for it. The local food, a delicious twist on Adriatic cuisine, is just delicious.

• Don't just stick to either the Game of Thrones tours or the Old Town. There is just so much to see. It's worth heading out to the Elafiti Islands and to the neighbouring countries of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. You will definitely not regret it.