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There’s a reason they filmed Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik, and it’s the same reason that the Dubrovnik Half Marathon is one of my favorite races. The reason is pure beauty. It’s a city that transports you to another time and place, and it’s a race that’s one of the prettiest I’ve ever done. Crystal blue water, beautiful mountains, historic streets, it all adds up to a bucket list half marathon.

Travel to Dubrovnik

The first thing you’ll need to consider when you do this race is how you want to spend your time in Croatia. Croatia is a beautiful country, but its U-shape means that many people choose to fly in and out of different cities (typically Zagreb and Split or Zagreb and Dubrovnik). But that doesn’t mean you have to do this. Flying in and out of the same city tends to be cheaper. For this trip, I flew in and out of Dubrovnik and accepted that we simply weren’t going to see as much of the country because we had to go back. But we still saw a lot and have no regrets about this trip. 

From Dubrovnik airport it’s very easy to take an Uber to the city center, or if you are staying outside the Oldtown you can rent a car, but don’t do this if you’re staying in the Old Town.

Hotels in Dubrovnik

Speaking of where to stay, I really enjoyed staying in the Old Town, it was super close to the start and finish and we found a very nice hotel. I’ve marked it with a pin on the map below. 

If you’re looking for a more budget option, leaving the Old Town may be the best option as the hotels tend to be cheaper outside the city walls. It’s still very accessible to the race, you just may have to deal with more hills. 

Things to do in Dubrovnik

One of my favorite things about the Dubrovnik Half Marathon is that it comes with a city card, and unlike most city cards, this one is absolutely worth it. You’ll get free access to the City Walls, the Lokrum Island Ferry, Rector’s Palace and all of the major museums in the city. Just getting through the things you have access to will take 3 days, so I would recommend spending your time focusing on those things.

If you’re looking for someone to plan a vacation around a wine marathon for you, look no further. I offer trip consultations, tailored travel itineraries, and end-to-end trip planning. I even support running clubs traveling in large groups.

Race Registration for the Dubrovnik Half Marathon

The Dubrovnik Half by Dumotion has a simple race registration process, the only thing you need to decide is what tier do you want? The race has three different entry fee options, with most of the differences being in what free things you get access to. I chose the basic package, and while I didn’t get a shirt, I was still quite happy with the race experience. 

If you’re feeling up for the challenge, you can also register for the Run the Wall challenge, which allows 100 runners the opportunity to race along the historic city walls the day before the half. This wall is almost entirely stairs, so be ready for a challenge if you decide to do this. 

Bib Pick-up

When you arrive in Dubrovnik, one of the first things I recommend doing is stopping and getting your bib. I’m always a fan of getting this out of the way early, because the crowds always come on the last day right before they close and you don’t want to be caught up in that. Getting your bib early is especially important in this race because it will give you access to the city pass and discounts on local restaurants. You don’t want to have even a single day of being in Dubrovnik without these perks.

Dubrovnik Half Marathon Course

While this course is beautiful, it is not fast. Starting in the center of Old Town, the first hurdle to a fast race comes in the initial hundred meters. The arches to let people in and out of the city are too small for the hundreds of runners. The congestion lasts until you have fully left the city before it finally thins out. There is also a big hill right at the start (and the finish), but after that it’s smooth and flat out and back until you reach the end. 

The end of the course through the city gates also creates some congestion as you head into a fast and slippery downhill with a sharp turn into the city. The entrance is split half for runners, and half for other people to leave/enter the city so it’s quite a narrow space to fit. They have signs along this point for people to slow down so they don’t wipe out and hit the runners. 

The course is also low on shade, as you will spend most of the time running alongside the water. The cliff does provide some sun protection on the way out, but on the way back you will definitely want to make sure you put on sunscreen.

Water and Aid Stations

There were plenty of water and aid stations available during the race, but depending on the temps you may still want to bring your own as well. I was luckily given an entire bottle of powerade at one of the stations that I ran with during the race that kept me cool, but I saw quite a few people looking at me with envy.

Cheer Zones

Unfortunately, the cheer zones for this race were almost non-existent. Unless you’re traveling with your own cheer zone, don’t count on anyone during the majority of the course. However, it felt a bit like the race knew that, because they had multiple signs up with fun motivational phrases throughout the course to keep runners going.

Game of Thrones Filming Locations During the Race

I called this a Game of Thrones race for a reason, the course passes four different filming locations that were used in numerous parts of Game of Thrones.

St Dominic’s Street

Right at the start of the race, while you are heading out and fighting through the crowds, you will pass a door with a series of rounded steps. These steps were used in Game of Thrones by the Faith Militant while they were preaching the new way. This street was also featured in the search for Robert Baratheon’s bastard children in season one.

Fort Lovrijenac and the West Harbor

As you reconnect with the water after your first loop around the city, you’ll be able to look out and see Fort Lovrijenac, an 11th Century Fortress, overlooking the West Harbor. The fortress was used for many of the interior shots of the Red Keep, while the harbor was used as the set of Blackwater Bay, including almost every King’s Landing scene that was near water.

Pile Gate

At the end of the race, you will re-enter the city through Pile Gate and down the ramp. The exterior of the gate was used by Jamie Lanister and Brienne of Tarth to enter King’s Landing after a long journey from the North. The ramp was also used as the scene of the mob attack on the Lannisters after Myrcella is sent to Dorne. Luckily, the only mobs you have to worry about are the tourists who you will hit if you don’t take the hill slowly.

Of course, the places you pass along the route are only a small portion of the many locations used during the filming of Game of Thrones, but you can discover the rest after you finish your race. 

If you’d like to sign up for next year, you can visit the Dumotion website here. I also created the only Facebook group designed to help connect female runners with potential travel and race partners for international races.