Split Game of Thrones Locations: The Best Filming Spots to Visit
Split’s Game of Thrones locations fall into two main groups. Inside Diocletian’s Palace, the cellars, Papalićeva Street, and the Vestibule place several Meereen scenes within a few minutes’ walk of the Peristyle. Klis and Žrnovnica require a trip inland, while Kaštel Gomilica and Trogir lie further west along the coast.
The Palace cellars are the best place to start, since you can reach them on foot from anywhere in the Old Town. While Dubrovnik is roughly three hours away by car and belongs to a separate trip, several of Split’s best beaches fit around the Palace route much more easily.
What Was Filmed in Split and Nearby?
Meereen was assembled across central Split and two inland locations. Diocletian’s Palace supplied the cellars, streets, and Vestibule. Klis provided the exterior walls and gates, while Žrnovnica supplied the river and quarry settings outside the city.
The locations west of Split played two entirely different cities. Kaštilac in Kaštel Gomilica supplied Braavos scenes, while St. Dominic’s Monastery in Trogir provided a brief Qarth setting. King’s Landing was filmed in Dubrovnik, not Split. This is worth stating plainly, as plenty of visitors arrive expecting the Red Keep and find a Roman retirement palace instead.
Game of Thrones Locations in and Around Split
Six main sites account for the principal filming locations in this part of Dalmatia. Two are inside the Old Town: the streets and Vestibule are free to explore, while the cellar exhibition halls require a ticket. The other four require separate transport and, in some cases, advance access checks.
| Location | Filming use | From Split centre | Getting there | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace cellars | Meereen interiors, including the dragon chamber | Old town | On foot | Central passage free; exhibition halls ticketed |
| Palace streets, Golden Gate and Vestibule | Meereen street scenes, the Targaryen banner and Sons of the Harpy sequence | Old town | On foot | Free |
| Klis Fortress | Meereen walls and gates | About 15 km inland | Bus or car | Ticketed |
| Žrnovica | Watermill and quarry scenes | About 10 km east | Car or taxi | Confirm access and permission |
| Kaštel Gomilica | Braavos scenes around Kaštilac | About 15 km west | Bus, train or car | Outdoor village areas free |
| Trogir | Qarth location at St Dominic's Monastery | About 28 km west | Bus or car | Old town free; monastery access varies |
The Cellars of Diocletian's Palace
The substructures below the Palace stood in for Daenerys’s throne room and the chamber where the dragons were chained. They are the closest thing Split has to a landmark filming scene.
What the space actually is matters as much as what was filmed in it. These substructures were built to support and level the emperor’s apartments above, and their layout reproduces much of the vanished imperial residence. Later centuries of accumulated material helped preserve the vaulted rooms until excavation and restoration began.
Navigating the entrance is straightforward once you know it has two parts. The main passage connecting the Riva waterfront to the Peristyle is free to walk through and lined with souvenir stalls. The principal filming rooms are inside the ticketed exhibition halls, which require a ticket purchased at the entrance.
The Palace Streets and Vestibule
The lanes around Papalićeva Street carried the Unsullied and the chase during the slave revolt, while the Vestibule, the round roofless hall above the cellars, appears in the Sons of the Harpy sequence. The Golden Gate is another easy central stop, used for displaying the Targaryen banner after Daenerys took Meereen. The nearby Peristyle also appears in establishing shots and naturally connects these locations on foot.
The streets and Vestibule require neither a ticket nor timed entry, but the filming spots are not marked on-site. You will walk the same stones as the crew did and match them against the episodes yourself.
From the Palace, a 10-to-15-minute walk west along the waterfront promenade brings you to Pizzeria Skipper, where our terrace looks back across the harbour towards the historic centre.
Klis Fortress
The exterior of Meereen sits on a ridge 15 kilometres inland, serving as the setting for the crucifixion sequence and the scenes at the city gates. On screen, it reads as a massive city wall. On foot, it reveals itself for what it truly is: an authentic fortress with 2,000 years of siege history and sweeping views over Split, the channel, and the islands that impress whether or not you have seen the show.
Klis is easiest to reach by car, but public transport is readily available. Local bus line 22 departs from near the Croatian National Theatre (HNK), taking roughly half an hour. Departures vary by day and season, so check the current Promet line 22 timetable before planning the rest of the day. From the bus stop, you will need another ten to fifteen minutes for the uphill walk.
Žrnovnica
The river watermill was used for Missandei’s bathing scene, while the quarry above the village provided the setting for the march on Meereen’s gates and Daario’s duel.
Neither site operates as a conventional tourist attraction. Visiting the watermill may require prior arrangements with the owner, while the quarry is unmanaged and access conditions can change. Always confirm access in advance, stay on public land, and never enter restricted areas without permission.
This stop rewards completists rather than casual fans, as the Palace cellars and Klis offer far more value for your time.
Kaštel Gomilica
The small island fortress of Kaštilac, joined to the mainland by a stone bridge, became Braavos in the scenes where Arya Stark sells oysters along the canals.
It remains a living seaside village rather than a commercial tourist site, complete with laundry drying on lines and boats tied to the walls, which is precisely why it retains its on-screen charm.
Trogir
St. Dominic’s Monastery supplied a brief Qarth location. Since the GoT connection here is limited, it makes more sense to include it as a stop during a broader visit to Trogir rather than making it the sole purpose of your trip.
Trogir itself is worth half a day, with plenty to see beyond its Game of Thrones connection. It is also easy to combine with a trip to the airport or a swim on the way back to Split.
Other Game of Thrones Locations in Dalmatia
Split was not the only Dalmatian city HBO used as a Game of Thrones filming location. Šibenik and Dubrovnik are the two other major locations worth knowing about if you are planning a GoT trip from Split. Šibenik can be visited as a day trip since it’s roughly an hour away by car, while Dubrovnik is better treated as a separate trip.
Šibenik
Šibenik’s official Game of Thrones locations include the Cathedral of St James as part of the Iron Bank setting, the city as Braavos and St John’s Fortress as the fighting pits of Meereen.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik carried King’s Landing from season two onward, and it is roughly three hours south of Split by car in light traffic, while buses and summer traffic can make the journey longer. It requires a dedicated multi-day trip rather than a quick day excursion from Split.
Do You Need a Game of Thrones Tour in Split?
You do not need a guide to explore the public areas of Diocletian’s Palace or for a standard visit to Klis Fortress. However, booking a tour can add valuable scene-by-scene context, streamline your transport, and arrange access to trickier spots.
Context is the main reason to consider a tour. Very few filming spots have physical signage on-site, meaning that without a guide or prior research, you will be looking at ancient stone walls without knowing their on-screen significance.
The main practical factor is transport. The Palace cellars, streets, and Vestibule are completely walkable within the Old Town. A drive to Klis Fortress takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes each way, though exploring the site itself adds another hour or two. By bus, the total depends on the departure schedule and may be longer. Žrnovnica realistically needs a car. Trogir and Kaštel Gomilica are both reachable by westbound buses, and Kaštel Gomilica also has a rail option, although the station requires an additional walk.
Arriving by boat makes visiting the central locations even simpler. If your charter docks at ACI Marina, it takes about 15 minutes to walk east along the waterfront promenade directly to Diocletian’s Palace. This makes it easy to visit the central filming spots either right after stepping off your boat or just before heading back on board.
A One-Day Self-Guided Game of Thrones Route
One day is enough for the three strongest and most accessible stops: the Palace cellars, the surrounding streets and Klis Fortress.
| When | Where | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Palace cellars, streets and Vestibule | The old town is generally quieter, but check when the ticketed cellar halls open |
| Midday | Lunch and transfer | Creates a practical break before travelling inland |
| Afternoon | Klis Fortress | Keeps enough time for the fortress visit, subject to seasonal closing hours |
Explore the pedestrianized Palace cellars, streets, and Vestibule on foot in the morning. If you have a car or take a taxi, enjoy lunch at Pizzeria Skipper first before driving out to Klis Fortress in the afternoon.
If you are taking bus Line 22, explore the Old Town first, walk to the nearby HNK bus stop to catch your ride to Klis, and save Pizzeria Skipper for dinner after returning to Split. This keeps your route efficient and avoids walking west to the ACI Marina only to double back to HNK.
Žrnovnica is best treated as an optional addition rather than part of the main route. It makes sense if you have a car, have confirmed access in advance and want to see every filming site. If you are looking for a proper meal rather than a quick stop around the Peristyle, food worth trying in Split beyond the usual tourist picks includes everything from wood-fired pizza to local seafood. If you are taking the bus to Klis, have lunch after you return to Split rather than trying to fit it into the route beforehand.
Trogir and Kaštel Gomilica are better saved for a separate day, when you can combine the two as part of a westbound trip from Split.
Where to Eat After a Game of Thrones Tour in Split
Meereen never had anywhere decent to eat. Split does, and the walk out of the Old Town leads straight to us: a 15-minute stroll west along the seafront, past the moored boats, to the ACI Marina. From our terrace, the Palace you spent the morning exploring sits on the far side of the harbour, looking remarkably different from across the sea.
Our full menu features pizza from our two wood-fired bread ovens and homemade pasta from the Skipper kitchen, followed by grilled dishes, fresh seafood, and drinks. Join us for lunch during the break between the cellars and the bus to Klis, or unwind here at the end of the day when the sightseeing is done.
FAQ
The Palace streets and smaller filming spots are not consistently marked. Bring a map or reference images, even when visiting Klis or the ticketed cellar halls.
Promet bus line 22 runs from HNK near the Croatian National Theatre to Klis in about half an hour, then a ten to fifteen minute uphill walk. Driving is quicker, though traffic varies.
Yes. It is a genuine two-thousand-year-old fortress with real siege history and one of the best views over Split, the channel and the islands.
Yes. The privately operated museum on Bosanska ulica contains themed rooms, character figures, costumes and prop displays. It is a visitor attraction rather than a filming location.
Visit the Palace when the ticketed cellar halls open. For Klis, choose a cooler part of the day but check seasonal closing times. Spring and autumn are quieter than midsummer.