Dubrovnik 🇭🇷

Dubrovnik has become a city of worldwide notoriety due to it's iconic burnt orange roof tops, medieval walled city, and mesmerising blue waters which have attracted many TV shows and movies as a captivating filming location; most notably as King's Landing in Game of Thrones. While on the surface you feel as if you are stepping foot into a GOT scene, there is a much deeper history to Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic, has experienced multiple changes in tide and fortune. Set in an ideal location for trade routes between the Balkens and the Ottoman Empire it served as a major hub for maritime merchants. However, in 1667 a massive earthquake destroyed much of the city. While the city was rebuilt, trade along the Croatian coast steadily declined. Following WWI, Croatian lands were melded into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and later supported the Axis powers after German invasion in WWII. The fall of the Third Reich lead Croatia to join the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The city once again grew in popularity and in 1979 Dubrovnik was listed as a UNESCO heritage site. As such it was one of the few demilitarised areas in the former Yugoslavia. Intensifying conflict between Croats and Serbs resulted in Croatia declaring its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. The Serb dominated Yugoslavian army occupied Croatia in an attempt to prevent their independence and war ensued. The war ended with Croatian victory, however, there was an estimated $37 billion in damage to infrastructure and economy as well as international war crime reviews.

 

Only 20 years later the tourism industry in Dubrovnik would be changed forever as it transformed into the capital of Westeros. 1.5 million tourists pour into the city each year which has been very evident on our visit. Our first morning we walked the City Walls, one of the largest in Europe at 1.2 miles long and up to 82 feet high offering the best views of Old Town.

Later that evening we were supposed to board the ship Daenerys sailed in GOT for panoramic views and walking tour, unfortunately the weather had other plans. We found the Game of Thrones Experience which included various themed games and puzzles you had to work together to solve which the kids loved too. We then nerded out and got to dress up as our favourite characters from the show. The kids begrudgingly agreed until they realised they got to ride a smoke breathing dragon!!

Next day we visited Lovrijenac Fortress, built in only three months in an attempt to prevent Venetians from building a fort in the same location and severing their hold on Dubrovnik. When the Venetian ships arrived with materials for the fort they told (very politely I’m sure) to go home. The fortress also served as the Red Keep as well as the location of King Joffrey’s Nameday Tournament in GOT.

We also scouted out various GOT filming sights such as the ‘Shame Stairs,’ Pile Gate, and ‘Black Water Bay’ to name a few.