A mystery shipwreck has been discovered in the seas off Dubrovnik, Croatia, at a spot that fans of Game of Thrones will recognise.
Founded in the 7th century, the historic port, once dubbed the “the pearl of the Adriatic”, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with holidaymakers drawn to its southern European sunshine, scenic coasts, and relatively cheap marketplace. That renown was given a further boost when the city became the location for the fictional King’s Landing in HBO’s hit TV series.
Now, with screen tourism in the news again following the release of a new season of The White Lotus, in Thailand, Dubrovnik is not keen to step out of the limelight. Having provided the backdrop for such iconic Game of Thrones moments as Cersei Lannister’s season five naked “Walk of Shame”, with the city’s ancient walls almost “a paid actor”, now the city’s seas are now making headlines thanks to diver and underwater builder, Ivan Bukelic, who proudly told press: “I can now say I discovered a boat at the Old Town Dubrovnik.”
He made the find back in April 2025. The wreck was buried around 70cm under the sea bottom. Croatia’s Ministry of Culture was immediately informed and they have been carrying out radiocarbon analyses on fragments of the vesel to ascertain how old it is.
While vessel type and dimensions are unknown, it has been revealed that the mystery ship appears to date back to the 1700s, according to marine archaeologist Irena Radić Rossi. Some are speculating that the vessel likely carried merchant goods given the significance of Dubrovnik as a trading hub.
Plans are now evolving to protect the intriguing shipwreck, just as Dubrovnik itself has required safeguarding from the effects of overtourism. The city became one of the first places to change the way it manages cruise ship arrivals in 2017 when authorities introduced a “Respect the City” scheme to limit cruise ship disembarkations to 4,000 at any one time.
Other shipwrecks in the Adriatic include German and Italian warships, cargo and passengers ships, and fishing vessels. The world’s most valuable shipwreck is thought to be the San Jose, a Spanish galleon carrying an estimated $17 billion in today’s terms, scuppered by British cannons in 1708 – and believed to have been found off the Columbian coast in 2015, with a haul of coins and Chinese porcelain that still lies untouched.
