For the Throne - Dubrovnik, Croatia
Updated: Dec 8, 2020
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Spoiler alert...I will sit on the Iron Throne...forget Khalessi, Jon Snow, Cersei or any other possible candidates! I claimed the throne as I visited King's Landing...err...Dubrovnik. Continue reading to see what else I claimed or should I say enjoyed during my vacation from the vacation in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
I didn't really have Croatia on my radar for 2019 until I did. I booked a flight deal towards the end of 2018 for Turkey which was under $500 USD which obviously gave me room to enjoy other things. Since I was going to stay in Turkey some time, one day I randomly opened Google Flights to see which round trip flights would be affordable to break away a few days from the country that wants you to be their guest and of course I found Croatia! I booked the flight and was ready to be on my way! Now, let me get into the details of the trip...
Where to Sleep at Night
I slept and stored my things at Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik. This hotel is conveniently located near the Pile Gate of Old Town. The hotel has a very chic style and welcoming staff. And due to me being a Hilton Honors member, they welcomed me by upgrading my room and providing me a nice selection of desserts. The room was very cozy with a nice balcony setting. You may also visit the lounge area on the first floor with a beautiful and relaxing setting. And if you leave after check out times, you can store your luggage at the front desk for free. I would definitely recommend staying here if you visit the Dubrovnik area!
How to Have Fun
If you couldn't tell by the intro, I was definitely excited about visiting here to see another Game of Thrones filming location. Dubrovnik is the home of the filming location for King's Landing. I was able to see areas such as the Red Keep, Cersei's Walk of Shame, the brothel in the show, and of course the beauty of the city. If you are a fan of the show, I definitely recommend this tour. Watching the last season, I'm always like OMG I'VE BEEN THERE! If you are visiting Dubrovnik soon and want to check out this tour, please click here!
Did you rent a car and want to venture away from your current surroundings? Well, head on over the border to Montenegro and check another country off your list! The town of Herceg Novi, Montenegro is about an hour away from Dubrovnik. The drive is quite scenic of course and pretty simple. But be sure to drive the speed limit (we were pulled over for speeding). Once we arrived, we checked out some views of the town, grabbed a beer or two, watched the sunset and went to dinner. I believe the restaurant we ate at was Cogo. They had delicious and affordable seafood.
Get up early and walk the city wall. If you take the Game of Thrones tour, you may receive free entry tickets to the wall, which is what happened to us. But if you aren’t as lucky or decide not to do that tour, entry to the wall is about $30 USD and is open from 8am to 3pm (off season) or 8am to 5/6pm (in season). You are able to see some incredible views, take some Instagram worthy pictures and get in a great workout.
Take a boat ride around the Adriatic Sea because it’s relaxing!
Where to Eat
Burger Tiger: This is great if you get in late and need a meal or if you just want something quick. This is the fast food of Croatia.
Lucin Kantun: A great place for tapas with a nice breeze when the windows are open in the midst of the old town. The place is small and quaint but you can enjoy seeing the chef passionately preparing your dishes. This place was incredible!
Konoba Saint Blaise: This wasn't my favorite place as there were pigeons cruising by and my dish wasn't as expected. But it is a decent spot to hang out near Saint Blaise.
Poklisar Restoran: I got off the boat and saw a restaurant. I stopped by and grabbed a drink or two as I watched people walk past. The drink was delicious by the way.
How to Get There
I was in Istanbul, Turkey, therefore I flew Turkish Airlines to Dubrovnik round trip and direct. Upon arrival, I had a prearranged driver with EuroAdria through Viator. The driver was there waiting for me upon arrival and picked me up promptly for my return. If you would like to book an airport transfer, click here!
Did I Go Broke?
Drum roll please.....
I spent a total of $540 for my trip! Here is what I spent it on:
Flights: My round trip flight from Istanbul was a total of $109 USD on Turkish Airlines.
Hotel: This was one of the hotels during my entire vacation in which I paid outright for with no points. I booked the hotel on booking.com for $186 USD. You could save money here by looking for a price deal, using points, staying in a hostel or booking an AirBnB.
Game of Thrones Tour: The thing I just had to do which was a total of $69 USD.
Airport Transfers: My round trip airport transfer (to and from the airport) was a total of $37 USD. You could save money here by using the city bus.
The remaining $139 USD was spent on my boat ride, food, drinks, souvenirs and tips. Obviously, you could spend more or less based on your appetite for things.
What to Be Aware Of
If you have problems walking, I would caution visiting Dubrovnik. A lot of the beautiful sites requires you to walk up and down a lot of stairs. The Old Town is basically made out of stairs!
Avoid visiting during normal or high season! I went in March which was off season. It was a good amount of people there and almost too much at some sites to really enjoy it. But it was just perfect! And the weather was magnificent! But if it was high season, I cant imagine how crowded it would be.
If possible, you can also visit Bosnia. My friends (who rented a car) visited the country once I returned to Turkey.
VIDEO COMING SOON!
Thank you for stopping by! Have a great day!
~ Kita the Explorer
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