A Long Weekend in Old Town Dubrovnik

Many people may think about the gorgeous beach scene when Croatia comes to mind. But for me, it's Dubrovnik.

I confess that I am a huge Game of Thrones fan, and many scenes from the show are filmed in this city.

You'll notice it everywhere, too — from the moment you walk into the gates. It looks like King's Landing, and you'll see numerous souvenir shops filled with Game of Thrones merchandise.

But more importantly, Old Town Dubrovnik is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has beautifully preserved much of its medieval architecture and defensive walls, and the scenery — the clear blue waters, the weather, the limestone streets — is absolutely stunning.

It's no surprise Dubrovnik is known as "The Pearl of the Adriatic."

So, even if you don't like the show, if you just love old European towns with a lot of history, maybe Dubrovnik will make it onto your list of places to visit, too.

Friday Afternoon:

Pile Gate

This is the main entrance into Old Town Dubrovnik.

Visit the Island of Lokrum 

This can be a nice break away from the touristy areas within Old Town. I actually went to this place first. I didn't need a break from the touristy sites since I had not thoroughly explored the Old Town yet, but with the way my scheduling worked out, it made more sense to go here (namely so I could see Old Town early morning the next day).

There are a number of places you can visit on the island, such as relaxing at Stijene Rocks and swimming in The Dead Sea, a salt lake on the island:

You'll also find a version of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones on Lokrum Island, but the real one is in a souvenir shop in Old Town.

Wander down Stradun of Dubrovnik

Take some time to stroll down Old Town's main street and explore the shops.

Saturday:

Walk the Walls of Dubrovnik

Enjoy walking on a part of centuries old history and viewing Old Town from a different angle. You can visit the forts within the walls and walk down from the wall in several areas.

I'd also recommend coming here before 10 a.m. as you'll notice far less people on the walls, which can make for better photo opportunities.

Minčeta Tower 

This is the highest point of the wall. Game of Thrones fans will recognize this scene where Daenerys is looking for her dragons at the House of Undying.

Fort Lovrijenac

Rector's Palace 

View Dubrovnik from up high

Take the cable car to Mount Srđ for panoramic views of Dubrovnik.

Sunday

Gornji Ugao Tower

I stumbled upon this on accident after wandering around the streets. You can go under Fort Minceta and go on a tour to see a well-preserved medieval foundry.

Franciscan Monastery

Jesuit Staircase and St. Dominic Street 

For the Game of Thrones fans, this was where Cersei's Walk of Shame was filmed.

Ploce Gate 

Wander around the harbor

Monday

Leaving Dubrovnik 

Side note about my luck with planes in Europe: I woke up to a text at 5 a.m., notifying me that my flight back to London had been cancelled because the airline had ceased operations. As it turned out, Monarch Airlines had gone bankrupt, and the U.K. then underwent its biggest peacetime repatriation to bring back travelers stuck abroad. Long story short, I eventually made it back to London.

A note about tourism in the Old City of Dubrovnik

I went in late September and found that the city was quite crowded during the day — sometimes frustratingly so. According to some of the locals, however, the crowds weren't considered bad at all compared to the summer months. One mentioned that if you're walking through Stradun during the summer, you'll usually find yourself stuck elbow to elbow with other tourists. In fact, the increasing number of tourists visiting Old Town each year, especially during the summer from cruise ships, have placed the city at risk of losing its world heritage status. As such, future travelers, take note that the government is planning to place some limits on tourism.