"Tracing Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik Though it’s a stunner in its own right, the Adriatic gem of Dubrovnik achieved recent fame as a backdrop for HBO’s hugely popular series Game of Thrones , where it doubled as King’s Landing. Climb the 175 stairs up to Lovrijenac Fortress to see the site of the tournament honoring the fictional King Joffrey. A beautiful spot just outside Pile Gate played Blackwater Bay in the series. The lush 15th-century Trsteno Arboretum, 20 minutes from Dubrovnik, was used to film all the palace garden scenes. While you can do a self-guided walk (there’s a map mounted on an Old Town wall to help), the Game of Thrones tour from Calvados Club is worth the splurge. Guide Lucija Podić, who worked as a makeup artist on the show, will share insider intel you’d never get otherwise."