‘Game of Thrones’ fans flock to Dubrovnik

DUBROVNIK, Croatia — If you want to get an upclose look at King’s Landing and the Red Keep or take a stroll on the same staircase featured in Cersei’s naked walk of shame, head to Croatia. That’s where fans of HBO’s blockbuster series “Game of Thrones,” returning for its seventh season July 16, are keeping tour guides busy.

In the ancient city of Dubrovnik, hawkers sign up eager tourists for “Game of Thrones” tours at the square near Pile Gate, the main entrance to the stonewalled Old Town that features prominently as King’s Landing, the harbor capital of the mythical Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

The series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin, is a fantasy drama of warring kingdoms, diabolical deceit and untamed lust, among other things.

“What’s not to love about blood, sex and violence?” jokes tour guide Ivan Vukovic.

The old city’s stone walls, fortresses, towers and courtyards seem unchanged from the days of Dubrovnik’s golden age in the 14th to 16th centuries. The boulder-studded harbor, clear Adriatic waters and nearby Lokrum Island are captivating, whether you’re a fan of the show or just an ordinary traveler.

The series’s producers say Dubrovnik’s Old Town was a perfect match for the King’s Landing described in Martin’s books.

“To find the full-on, immaculately preserved, medieval walled city that looks uncannily like King’s Landing ... that was, in and of itself, just such an amazing find,” the show’s cocreator D.B. Weiss said in an HBO YouTube video.

Inside the old city, shops are well stocked with “Game of Thrones” souvenirs. Atop the city walls, spectacular views of the rocky coastline make any fantasy seem possible.

EDUCATION IMAGES/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP Pile Gate is the main entrance to Dubrovnik’s Old Town, which stands in as King’s Landing in “Game of Thrones.”