I spent two days in the summer of last year in this wonderfully fascinating Croatian city. Its rising popularity with tourists and association with the hit TV show Game of Thrones made it a haven for western tourists, and a priority for me for years.

My first activity of the day was to go sea kayaking around the walled city. To my delightful surprise, we departed from the dock that is prominently featured in Kings Landing! I expected a casual, scenic stroll around the outskirts of the city, but quickly turned into what felt like an olympic race! After 3 hours of upper arm pain, jarring sights of nudists on the beach and a swim through caves I was ready to find land.

Directly after, I eagerly hopped off the kayak, straight to a Game of Thrones walking tour, which was led by a location manager for the show (I unknowingly surrendered myself to spoilers). The extensive tour presented the locations for the infamous walk of shame and the House of the Undying. It also presented the surprise filming location for the new Star Wars film (yes, that scene that everyone hated), where one of the main streets had been turned into a lavish and futuristic city.

The Game of Thrones tour was definitely a highlight of the trip, and smugly ended with me sitting on a replica of the Iron Throne in the city’s Game of Thrones shop (definitely worth a visit)!

One aspect that stood out about the city was its ever-present and abundant nightlife. I visited two: Skybar and Revelin. Skybar, while a little rough around the edges, showcased danceable classics and bucket cocktails (literally bucket-sized). Revelin’s jaw dropping castle setting inside the walled city and notable performers (Idris Elba was dJing the night I was there) proved grand in scale, but I found myself lost in the large crowd and overpriced drinks.

Dubrovnik was clearly a highlight in my most recent trip to Europe. Its beautiful walled city was one place I was happy to get lost within. If you’ve got the time and energy, I recommend taking a few hours to sea kayak around the coast in order to really absorb the scale of the city.

It’s popularity is on the rise, so I suggest you get in quick!