Lokrum Island: Game of Thrones, Peacocks, and a Cursed Monastery

There's a small island about 600 meters off the coast of Dubrovnik that most tourists see from the city walls and think, "I should go there." And they're right — they absolutely should. Lokrum is one of the best half-day trips you can do from the Old Town, and if you're a Game of Thrones fan, it's basically required.

But here's the thing: even without the GoT connection, Lokrum is one of the strangest and most beautiful places on the Croatian coast. It's got Benedictine monks, peacocks everywhere, a Napoleonic-era fortress, a botanical garden, a salt lake called the Dead Sea, and a curse that's been scaring off would-be landowners for seven hundred years.

Let me tell you about this island.

The Game of Thrones Connection

HBO used Lokrum Island for the Qarth storyline in Season 2. If you remember the exotic gardens where Daenerys meets with the merchant prince Xaro Xhoan Daxos and the warlocks of Qarth — those lush, Mediterranean garden scenes were filmed in and around the Benedictine monastery on Lokrum.

The monastery cloister and its surrounding gardens were dressed with additional props, fabrics, and set pieces to create the wealthy, opulent feel of Qarth. The showrunners chose Lokrum specifically because the vegetation there looks slightly tropical — you've got agave plants, palms, pines, olive trees, and all sorts of exotic species that were brought to the island over centuries by the monks and later by Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg (more on him in a minute).

The other big draw for fans is the Iron Throne. After filming wrapped, a replica of the Iron Throne was placed inside the monastery for visitors to sit on and take photos. It's the real prop — not a gift shop knockoff. And unlike any other Iron Throne experience, there's usually no queue. You just walk in and sit down. That alone is worth the ferry ticket.

The Curse of Lokrum

Okay, this is the story every guide in Dubrovnik loves to tell, and I'm no different.

Benedictine monks lived on Lokrum from the 11th century until 1798, when Napoleon's forces dissolved the monastery. According to local legend, when the monks were told they had to leave, they didn't go quietly. On their last night on the island, they walked in a procession around the perimeter, carrying candles upside down, and cursed anyone who would try to claim Lokrum as private property.

And here's the thing — it actually seems to work. Every person or entity that has tried to privately own Lokrum since then has met with bad luck, financial ruin, or worse.

Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg bought the island in the 1850s, built a summer residence, and planted those beautiful gardens. He later became Emperor of Mexico and was executed by firing squad in 1867. The next few owners fared no better. Eventually, the island became public property — a nature reserve — and nobody's tried to buy it since.

Is it a real curse? Probably not. But nobody in Dubrovnik will test it.

What to Actually Do on Lokrum

The island isn't huge — you can walk the whole thing in about an hour if you don't stop. But you will stop, because there's a lot to see:

• The Benedictine Monastery & Iron Throne: Right near the ferry dock. The monastery is partially restored and houses a small museum about the island's history plus the Iron Throne replica. Free to enter.
• The Dead Sea (Mrtvo More): A small saltwater lake in the center of the island, connected to the sea through underground caves. It's warm, calm, and perfect for swimming. Honestly one of the most relaxing swims in Croatia.
• Fort Royal: Napoleon built this at the highest point of the island. It's a short hike through pine forests and the panoramic view from the top is absurd — you can see Dubrovnik, the Elaphiti Islands, and down the coast toward Cavtat.
• The Botanical Garden: One of the oldest in the region. Exotic plants from every continent, many planted by Maximilian's gardeners in the 1860s. It's surprisingly lush and shaded — a nice break from the heat.
• Peacocks: They're everywhere. The monks originally brought them, and they've been breeding freely for centuries. They're beautiful but extremely bold — they will try to eat your sandwich.

How to Get There

Ferries run from Dubrovnik's Old Port every 30 minutes in high season (roughly every hour in shoulder season). The ride takes about 15 minutes. A return ticket costs around €20. The last ferry back is usually at 5 or 6 PM depending on the time of year — don't miss it, because there's no accommodation on the island and no way off after the last boat.

The ferry dock on Lokrum is on the northern side facing the Old Town. From there, the monastery is a 2-minute walk and the Dead Sea is about 10 minutes through the forest.

Combining Lokrum With a GoT Tour

A lot of our guests do the Game of Thrones & Lokrum Island tour, which covers the King's Landing locations in the Old Town first, then takes the ferry over to Lokrum to see the Qarth filming spots and the Iron Throne. It's a longer tour (about 3.5 hours total) but it covers both sides of the Dubrovnik GoT experience in one go.

If you'd rather do Lokrum on your own, that works too. Just make sure you leave at least 2-3 hours for the island. It's one of those places where time moves differently — in a good way.

A Local's Honest Take

I bring people to Lokrum all the time, and I still enjoy it every single visit. It's genuinely one of the most peaceful spots near Dubrovnik. The GoT stuff is a fun bonus, but what keeps me coming back is the combination of history, nature, and that weird, slightly eerie beauty that the island has. There's a reason the monks stayed for 800 years, and a reason nobody's managed to keep it since.

Go early in the day if you can. Bring a swimsuit for the Dead Sea. And don't feed the peacocks, no matter how much they stare at you.