We took a 3.5 hour ferry ride from Hvar to Dubrovnik (aka King's Landing). It was the one day out of our entire trip where it was rainy and cold for the majority of the day. Not a good day for traveling, but we made the most of it. From the ferry, we took the bus to Pile Gate, which is a drawbridge from the 1500s and the main entrance to Old Town Dubrovnik. It was our first glimpse into scenes filmed from Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik.
Pile Gate is the arched entryway that is pictured here. This was used for many background scenes in Game of Thrones, including the Lannister procession.
The main street of Old Town Dubrovnik is lined with many shops and restaurants. Be careful when it rains, the marble-lined floors are very slippery!
Be forewarned...Old Town Dubrovnik has many steep steps (equivalent to about 8-10 flights of stairs). Thank goodness for our luggage backpacks! Highly recommended, as it would have been impossible for my wife to carry her luggage up those steep steps by herself.
Like many European towns, the rooms are very small, but cozy. Apartments Bottega was in a very convenient location inside of Old Town Dubrovnik. The stone walls added a nice touch to the ancient architecture of the building.
With Bosnia being a close neighbor to Croatia, Bosnian food is easy to find. Taj Mahal was one of such places and highly recommended. A small restaurant, so wait times may be long at peak hours.
Pljeskavica Stuffed With Cheese (think hamburger stuffed with cheese, aka juicy lucy); so tasty packed with flavor
One of the Taj Mahal specialties...rolled veal and turkey in dough filled with mushrooms and cheese
Another background scene used to film Game of Thrones; used for most of the market scenes in King's Landing.
Church of the Holy Annunciation, as Serbian Orthodox church built in 1877
Saint Ignatius Church in Old Town Dubrovnik
Inside of Saint Ignatius Church in Old Town Dubrovnik
One of the most iconic steps in Game of Thrones, the Jesuit Stairs. You all know what was filmed here, the "Walk of Shame."
Cersei's view before she descended on her Walk of Shame.
The Dubrovnik Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral that has been rebuilt several times due to war and natural disasters.
Inside of the Dubrovnik Cathedral
Rector's Palace was closed for renovations while we were there, but it was used by elected rectors to govern Dubrovnik from the 14th century to 1808. It was also used for the scene where Daenerys asks the Spice King of Qarth for ships to take her army across the Narrow sea.
Church of Saint Blaise, a Baroque church that was built in 1715
Outdoor cafes in Dubrovnik are plentiful. The weather was cool in the evenings (late May) and the air was always filled with the sound of live music.
Exploring outside the city walls of Old Town Dubrovnik
The entrance to the oldest pharmacy in Europe, The Old Pharmacy in Franciscan Monastery that was built in 1317.
Franciscan Church and Monastery in Old Town Dubrovnik
The Cloister in the Franciscan Monastery
Onofrio's Fountains, which was a complex aqueduct system from the 1400s. Croatia has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world (we drank from the tap and didn't get sick)
St Dominic Street, used in many of the market scenes in Game of Thrones
Malvasija, a quaint little wine bar located on the street leading up to our apartment
Grk is a white wine that is made on the island of Korcula, which is another town that we visited earlier on our trip. Similar to a Pinot Grigio, Grk is a dry wine.
Charcuterie board made up of local meats and cheeses
Malvasija Wine Bar in Old Town Dubrovnik
Cities tend to take on a whole new personality at night. These are some of the same places that were visited earlier in the day.
The main street of Old Town Dubrovnik at night
Wandering the alleys of Old Town Dubrovnik
Jesuit Stairs at night
Church of Saint Blaise
The port of Old Town Dubrovnik
With a night like this, it's easy to allow one's imagination to wander. To a time of kingdoms, castles, and dragons.
Far from a night that is "dark and full of terrors."
Although night has fallen, the water is so clear and calm that you can see every rock and creature on the bottom of the sea. The bright lights reflect a rainbow of colors, and the misty clouds add to the dream-like trance of this historic land.