The 51 best things to do in Dubrovnik

What is it? Dubrovnik has served as the location for the fantasy city of King’s Landing ever since the shooting of series two when it replaced Malta as the preferred backdrop for the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Why go? It is now difficult to think of ‘Game Of Thrones’ at all without visions of Dubrovnik springing immediately to mind. Find GoT landmarks in our guide. Or, go a walking tour with a savvy local company.

Don't miss: The Inner courtyard of the Rector’s Palace, with its trademark stone staircase, used for the meeting of Daenerys and the Spice King in Qarth in series two, episode five.

What is it? An uninhabited isle on Dubrovnik's doorstep, Lokrum is an unspoilt isle lush with pines, palms and cypress trees. Its verdant coastline beckons from the hotel windows of Ploče. Dotted with diverse ruins and remnants - medieval, ecclesiastical, Napoleonic, Habsburg - it has long been given over to nature.

Why go? Although taxi boats disgorge tourists from Dubrovnik every half-hour - you can be drinking a beer in Dubrovnik's main square and be here in 20 minutes - no-one may spend a night here. Ancient superstition links back to the curse placed on Napoleon's troops by the Benedictine monks they removed. Subsequent mishap befell the Habsburgs who turned Lokrum into their own summer pleasure zone - hence the peacocks and botanical gardens.

Don't miss: After a leisurely stroll, you can take a dip in the warm, saltwater lake and drink a beer or cocktail at the Lacroma restaurant, that conveniently overlooks the jetty. The last boats leave around 7 pm, depending on the time of year.

What is it? You’ll spend the bulk of your time within Dubrovnik's famed city walls, whose legacy dates back to the 9th century. The walls were built and rebuilt over the centuries as the descructive forces of nature and enemy armies required - today, they surround gleaming stone buildings and the 300-metre-long pedestrian street called Stradun. You'll flit between the city's main gates of Pile and Ploče, cobbled streets dotted with charming boutiques and sea-to-table restaurants.

Why go? To get the essence of Dubrovnik. Cats scatter in from the old harbour as a cacophony of tour guides give their spiels. All is free of traffic until you reach the bus-choked hub outside of the Pile Gate.

Don't miss: The main square and crossing point of Luža, where you’ll find the landmark bell tower (a modern rebuild of the 1444 original); the 1418 Orlando’s Column standing tall in front of the Church of Saint Blaise; the smaller of Onofrio’s fountains, and a statue by Ivan Meštrović of "Dubrovnik's Shakespeare"; playwright Marin Držić.

What is it? The most historic monument in Dubrovnik, the Rector's Palace was rebuilt twice. The first, by Onofrio della Cava of fountain fame, was in Venetian-Gothic style, visible in the window design once you ascend the grand staircase to the Rector's living quarters. Thereafter Florentine Michelozzo Michelozzi was responsible for the loggia façade.

Why go? On the ground floor, either side of a courtyard, are the prison and courtrooms of the Ragusa Republic, and a glittering display of medieval church art. Upstairs, where each Rector resided for his month's stint, is a strange assortment of items: sedan chairs, carriages, magistrates' robes and wigs, portraits of local notables and Ivo Rudenjak's beautifully carved bookcase. One curiosity is the clocks, some set at quarter to six, the time in the evening when Napoleon's troops entered in 1806.

Don't miss: The same ticket is valid for the Archeological Collection, a small but attractive collection of medieval carvings as the Rector's Palace) right by Ploče gate.

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