A short drive from Dubrovnik on the Croatian coast, there’s a lovely garden which was made famous by the TV show Game Of Thrones. Trsteno Arboretum was used extensively in later series of the show as the palace gardens of Kings Landing. There’s lots to enjoy here though whether you’re a fan of the show or not.
Large parts of the garden border the coast and have lovely views. These views are best seen when framed by the old pavilion (pictured above) which looks out over the Trsteno harbour. In Game Of Thrones, this structure was often seen in filming as it was a favourite place for Lady Olenna Tyrell (played brilliantly by Diana Rigg) to spend her time. Other nearby areas with similar views were also used in the filming of the TV show. There’s a new cafe which has been constructed in the garden to make the most of the view too.
Elsewhere in the garden, we liked the old Olive Oil Mill, the arched aqueduct which is still used today for irrigation of the garden, the impressive fountain area (pictured above) and the small chapel. The arboretum has a history stretching back 500 years. It was created as the summer residence of a wealthy family who set about growing plants and trees from around the world. The house remains on the site, but is not open to the public.
We loved the relaxing feel here and very much enjoyed our visit to Trsteno Arboretum. We spent a couple of hours wandering around and sitting by the fountain. Afterwards, we’d recommend a visit to Trsteno harbour down the hill which is really pretty.
LOCATION AND CONTACT
Address: Trsteno Arboretum, Potok 20, Trsteno, Croatia
Tel: +385 20 751 019
To get to Trsteno, catch local bus 12, 15, 21, 22 or 35 from Dubrovnik’s bus station near the ferry port. Check return bus times to make sure you’re not waiting too long. We chose to visit in a hire car and there is a small amount of free parking near the main gate. If you prefer to visit on an organised tour, the Game Of Thrones Complete Tour calls in here.
MORE ON TRSTENO ARBORUTUM
More Things To Do In Dubrovnik
Trsteno Arboretum – Wikipedia
Game Of Thrones Filming Locations – Free-City-Guides.com
Stay near Trsteno – Booking.com