Croatia: To King's Landing (Dubrovnik)

King's Landing (Dubrovnik, Croatia)

It was a windless and calm voyage south, out of the Bay of Naples en route to our next port of call: Dubrovnik, Croatia. As a die-hard Game of Thrones (GOT) fan, I was thrilled to visit the HBO series' setting of King's Landing, the capital of Westeros. GOT enthusiast or not, Dubrovnik is a treasure, with it's surreal marriage of architecture, history, and uncanny sense of place.

I stumbled upon the fabled pier of King's Landing by accident while looking for an alternate view of the city walls... while looking for the right spot to take a shot, I realized I was standing exactly where Sansa Stark, Littlefinger, Rose and Shae gathered in Season 3, Episode 1. I kept telling myself this should NOT matter so much to me, it's just a TV show... but honestly, it's already one of my best memories. A little voice in my head kept chiding.. "you have a bachelor's in History... really, this is more exciting than the Roman Forum?" Yes. Yes it is. I have no regrets.

Hiking trail on Lokrum

Just 15 minutes by ferry from Dubrovnik, the island of Lokrum is a gem. The little island looks like a bumpy green lump in the sea, green because it is a protected natural habitat. Lokrum is crisscrossed by trails, and to our surprise hosts the #2-rated restaurant in all of Dubrovnik. Lokrum is also the filming locale for GOT's Qarth scenes, except for the House of the Undying (that's Minčeta Tower, back in Dubrovnik). It's exceedingly pretty, and we had a lovely half-day here, just swimming off the rocks by the tiny ferry landing and lunching at Lacroma Snack Bar, an offshoot of the island's deservedly high-rated restaurant.

View south to Lokrum, Dubrovnik

Regardless of your passion for all things Westeros, Croatia charmed me like no place has ever done. I can't pin it down to any one thing. Croatia is a heady combination of geography, climate, and people that refuse to be pigeonholed into a neat classification. Euro-centric culture? Yes, but... (see: Ottoman Empire).  EU member? Yes, but... (see: Kuna currency).  Staunchly Roman Catholic? Yes, but... (see naturists). It helps to remember that Croatia is a very new country, having won it's independence from the quagmire of the former communist state Yugoslavia in 1995, just 20 years ago. 

Walking the City Wall, Dubrovnik

What to do with just a day in Dubrovnik? Grab an early breakfast and beat the crowds to walk the Dubrovnik City Walls right when they open at 9:00 am. Arriving before 9:30 guarantees you a mostly crowd-free and leisurely experience. The views are incredible, make sure your camera is charged and ready! If you start at the main entrance near the city gate, about halfway around the city you will be at the seafront, and there are a couple of cafes (the Buza Bar is one) nestled against the outside wall and the Adriatic. It's a nice place to stop for a bracing cappuccino or espresso.

Cold tsatziki soup

Taj Mahal, Dubrovnic

After all that wall-walking, we were famished. What's good in Dubrovnik? How about Bosnian food? A charismatic little cafe named Taj Mahal on the western edge of the walled city was just the ticket for lunch - it specializes in traditional Bosnian home cuisine and is the only Bosnian restaurant in Dubrovnik. I started with a creamy, spicy buttermilk-based cold soup followed by grilled lamb kebab and a baby jacket potato. The cups, bowls and especially the Turkish coffee service (wish I got a photo!) were uniquely handcrafted in traditional designs from pewter, copper, and tin. The outrageously reasonable bill arrives in an ornately carved little wooden box... it's a nice touch.

Dubrovnik, I miss you already...

Next stop: Greece and the Saronic Islands.