Game of Thrones fame or Roman grandeur? Split and Dubrovnik face off

One is a magnet for Game of Thrones fans, the other for weary emperors of yore. But which Adriatic gem is for you? Our experts help you decide.

By Mal Chenu

The Game of Thrones people could have filmed their wildly popular TV series in Split. But they didn't. They wanted the most awesome King's Landing possible. So they went to Dubrovnik. And so should you.

Dubrovnik played the role of King's Landing in all five seasons of the show, making it about the only character not to have been violently killed off. This is entirely appropriate, as the city has survived many an attempted destruction.

A regular port of call on Adriatic and Mediterranean cruises, Dubrovnik is the top dog on the Dalmatian coast. Known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic", Dubrovnik's Old City is a World Heritage site. It tops almost all lists of "most beautiful walled cities". Parts of the walls date back to the 8th century but most of the existing structure and forts were built between the 13th and 17th centuries.

The imposing grey limestone fortifications have survived attacks, sieges, battles, the great earthquake of 1667 and modern-day overtourism. This last imposition is managed by allowing entrance to the walls at three points as well as requiring walkers (white, or any other colour) to proceed in a one-way, anticlockwise direction.

The superbly preserved walls run for two uninterrupted kilometres around the Old City, linking four sturdy fortresses. Every step offers views of the azure Adriatic and harbour, and/or the gates, towers and battlements of the edifice, and/or the roofs, gardens and courtyards of current residences.

Game of Thrones fans will easily recognise the seaward-facing walls as a key defensive point in the Battle of the Blackwater, Fort Minceta as the House of the Undying, and Fort Lawrence as the core of the Red Keep. Non-fans will simply revel in the majesty and splendour of it all.

Dubrovnik's incredible seafaring history is portrayed inside the 14th-century St John's Fortress on the south-east side of the walls, which also houses an aquarium.

Inside the walls is Stradun, the polished limestone main street of the Old Town. Stretching 300 metres from Pile Gate to Ploce Gate, Stradun is bookended by ornate fountains and bell towers, and is lined with shops, al-fresco cafes and restaurants.

Stunning gothic and Renaissance buildings, such as Sponza Palace, Church of Saint Blaise and the Rector's Palace, are all nearby.

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If you want even grander fairytale views of Dubrovnik, as well as the nearby island of Lokrum and the more distant Elafiti islands, you can take a cable car up to the adjacent 412-metre-high Srd hilltop.

In Dubrovnik, everywhere you look, everywhere you walk, every exorbitant price you pay for a drink or an ice-cream, is a revelation you will remember forever.

By Amy Cooper

Ask yourself this: even if you're into Game of Thrones, would you holiday in Kings Landing? It's aggro. Hellfire, treachery, naked walks of shame - and a real-life plague of cosplay Khaleesis and plastic dragon eggs.

That's the downside of Dubrovnik; it's a magnet for hordes of Game of Thrones fans who descend on it like the show's own white walkers. Best skip it for Split, a spacious stunner just 230 kilometres north up Croatia's Dalmatian coast. With turquoise-lapped beaches and ancient edifices, Split is it for anyone who yearns to bask on the Adriatic without a faux Jon Snow blocking your sun.

Split's real backstory beats any Game of Thrones plot. In the third century, Roman emperor Diocletian invented the sea change when he decided ruling the world was too stressful and opted to quit and retire to the coast.

Diocletian's digs are the old town, a thrumming hub of bars, restaurants, shops and hotels woven into old palace structures. Awe-inspiring original features remain, including a 3500-year-old sphinx and parts of the Cathedral of St Dominus, topped by a belltower that rewards your 180-step climb with sweeping Adriatic panoramas.

The palace walls bustle with so many bars you can do a crawl through the ruins in DJ dens, jazz joints and cocktail clubs, ending at the it-crowd haunt, Lvxor. Or dine like Diocletian on delicious Dalmatian delights like danac (cinnamon rolls) and soparnik (chard-filled savoury pie).

This city's beguiling Split personality mixes ancient and modern at every turn. In one frame, you'll see some of the world's best-preserved Roman edifices snuggled up to contemporary stores, galleries and hip boutique hotels - plus nightclubs that throb until 5am.

The city's sun-drenched shore boasts a rarity on Croatia's pebbly coastline - sandy Bacvice beach, a safe swimming spot. For more breathtaking beaches you can hop over to Solta, Brac, Hvar and Vis - idyllic islands within easy reach by ferry. And if you really want to Split heirs, this city has superior Game of Thrones credentials, too. There's a museum dedicated to the show in Diocletian's Palace, and the palace basement was the on-screen lair of Game of Thrones' dragons.

Forget Dubrovnik's deluge of dodgy Daeneryses. In this battle for the throne, Split's the only game in town.