Dubrovnik Old Town– the best sights

Things to do in old town dubrovnik . The best sights and insider tips for your visit to Dubrovnik!

The picturesque Old Town of Dubrovnik, surrounded by impressive city walls, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. This historic gem boasts well-preserved medieval architecture and offers a wealth of cultural and historical sights waiting to be discovered.

Considered one of the best-preserved examples of medieval cities, Dubrovnik’s Old Town is now a living open-air museum.

Things to see in dubrovnik old town – Strolling through the narrow streets of the Old Town takes visitors to magnificent palaces, impressive churches and lively squares, all imbued with an aura of times gone by. Dubrovnik’s Old Town offers a unique combination of history, culture and breathtaking beauty.

The History of Dubrovnik Old Town

To understand Dubrovnik, you must first understand what it once was: a free republic that survived for nearly five centuries through intelligence, diplomacy, and an almost stubborn insistence on independence. Founded in the seventh century by Roman refugees fleeing the Slavic invasion of Epidaurum — modern Cavtat, a few kilometres to the south — the settlement that would become Dubrovnik grew on a small rocky island separated from the mainland by a shallow channel.

That channel was eventually filled in during the twelfth century to form the Stradun, still the main artery of the old town today. But even before then, the city had begun its long rise under the name Ragusa — a name drawn, most likely, from the Latin word for the rocky promontory on which it stood.

A Maritime Power to Rival Venice

The Republic of Ragusa — officially proclaimed in 1358 after it shook free of Venetian authority — became one of the most sophisticated city-states in the medieval Mediterranean. At its peak in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Ragusan merchant ships sailed to every major port in Europe, the Levant, and North Africa. The republic’s fleet was the third-largest in the world. Its merchants were among the wealthiest in the known world. What made Ragusa remarkable, however, was not simply its wealth but the mechanisms it used to protect and sustain it. The Ragusan republic was governed by a noble council with a rector who served a single thirty-day term — an early experiment in the prevention of tyranny. It abolished the slave trade in 1416, long before most of the world considered such a thing imaginable. It established one of the world’s earliest public health systems, quarantining ships during the Black Death. It built hospitals, orphanages, and a pharmacy — the Franciscan Monastery’s Old Pharmacy, still operating today — that dates to 1317, making it one of the oldest functioning pharmacies in the world. Ragusa’s great rival was Venice, the dominant Adriatic power that controlled much of the Croatian coastline. The two republics circled each other for centuries with the wary respect of near-equals. Ragusa paid tribute to the Ottoman Empire — not out of weakness, but as a calculated diplomatic insurance policy that bought it freedom of trade across the eastern Mediterranean and protected it from Ottoman aggression while the Venetians bled themselves dry fighting endless wars.

The Earthquake of 1667 and the Great Rebuilding

On April 6, 1667, catastrophe struck. A devastating earthquake struck Ragusa, killing nearly two-thirds of the city’s population — some estimates put the death toll at 5,000 in a city of roughly 7,000 people. The city burned for days afterward. The earthquake cracked open the republic in ways that time never quite healed; the old noble families were devastated, the economy was shaken to its foundations, and rivals moved quickly to exploit the weakness. What emerged from the ruins, however, was something remarkable. The Ragusan citizens — with a resilience that seems to have been in the water here — rebuilt. The city that rose from the rubble was grander than before, built in a harmonious late baroque style that gives Dubrovnik Old Town much of its visual unity today. The Stradun was laid in its current form, the cathedral was rebuilt, and the palaces were restored. The earthquake erased a medieval city; what replaced it was a baroque masterpiece.

The End of the Republic and the Siege of 1991

The Republic of Ragusa survived the earthquake but could not survive Napoleon. In 1806, French forces occupied the city, and in 1808 the republic was formally dissolved — ending over four centuries of independence. Dubrovnik passed to the Habsburgs, then to Yugoslavia, and finally to the newly independent Croatia in 1991.

That year brought a horror the city had not seen in centuries. As the Yugoslav wars began, the Serb and Montenegrin forces of the Yugoslav People’s Army besieged Dubrovnik — a city with no military significance — for eight months, bombarding it with artillery in full view of the watching world. The shells damaged or destroyed roughly two-thirds of the buildings in the old town, shattered the medieval roof tiles, and killed hundreds of civilians.

The international community was outraged. UNESCO moved quickly to coordinate a reconstruction effort that became one of the largest and most meticulous in European history. Artisans were brought in to source and cut the same limestone from Korčula island that had been used for centuries. Roof tiles were matched to historical photographs. By the mid-1990s, Dubrovnik’s scars had been largely healed — though those who look carefully will notice the difference in shade between the old tiles and the new.

That the city not only survived but thrived is testament to the same stubborn vitality that kept the Republic of Ragusa independent for so long. Dubrovnik Old Town history is, at its heart, a story about a city that refused to disappear.

Walking the Dubrovnik City Walls

The Most Famous Walk in Croatia

No visit to Dubrovnik Croatia is complete without walking the city walls — arguably the single most spectacular thing you can do in the entire country. Built between the eighth and sixteenth centuries and standing largely intact to this day, the walls encircle the entire old town in a continuous loop of roughly two kilometres, rising in places to a height of twenty-five metres and stretching to a width of six metres at their thickest point.
The views from the top are extraordinary. On one side: the old town spreads out below you, a tightly packed mosaic of orange rooftops, church domes, and narrow stone streets. On the other: the Adriatic, its improbable blue shifting with the light from turquoise to navy to the deepest green depending on the hour and the season. There is a reason this walk has been described by travel writers for decades as one of the finest urban walks in the world. The claim does not feel like an exaggeration when you are up there.

The wall, which is up to 25 metres high and six metres wide in some places, was built to defend the city against attacks from sea and land. It is a prime example of medieval military architecture and one of the best-preserved fortification systems in Europe.

Walking on the dubrovnik old town city walls is an unmissable experience for every visitor. dubrovnik old town walking tour, which lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours, offers stunning panoramic views of the Old Town, the azure sea and the surrounding landscapes. It is advisable to start the walk in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds and the heat of the day.

Towers, Gates, and Fortresses

The walls are punctuated by a series of towers and fortresses that once formed the defensive backbone of the republic. The largest of these is the Revelin Fortress to the east — a massive free-standing structure built in the sixteenth century that now serves as a concert and event venue. The Minčeta Tower to the northwest is the tallest point on the walls and the place most Dubrovnik city wall walkers make for first, for the simple reason that the view from its top is among the best in the city. The Lovrijenac Fortress sits just outside the western walls, perched on a rocky cliff above the sea. It is not strictly part of the wall walk but is closely associated with it — you can see it from the walls and visit it on a combined ticket. Famously, the inscription above its gate reads “Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro” — “Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world.” It is a phrase that captures something essential about Dubrovnik’s character.

When to Walk the Walls

Timing matters enormously. In the height of summer, the Dubrovnik city walls become extremely crowded by mid-morning, and the limestone reflects the heat mercilessly — walking in the midday sun of July or August is genuinely uncomfortable. The single best time to walk the walls is as early in the morning as possible, ideally right when they open. First light on the old town, before the cruise ships have disgorged their passengers and before the tour groups have assembled at the gates, is something close to magic. The walls are generally open from 8 AM, though hours vary by season. In spring and autumn they close earlier in the evening; in summer they stay open later, and an evening walk is a lovely alternative to the morning if you want to catch the golden hour light on the rooftops. Entry tickets can be purchased at any of the three entrances: near the Pile Gate on the west, near the Ploče Gate on the east, or in the old town near the harbour. Tickets are not cheap — they are among the more expensive single-attraction admissions in Croatia — but they include access to all the towers, and the experience justifies the cost completely.

Top Attractions Inside Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik Cathedral

The Cathedral of Dubrovnik, also known as the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a magnificent example of Baroque architectyour. Built in the late 17th century, after the devastating earthquake of 1667 that destroyed the original Romanesque church, the cathedral reflects the city’s reconstruction phase.

The facade of the cathedral is impressive, with its large pilasters, niches with statues, and a large central window that fills the interior of the church with natural light. The interior of the cathedral is equally impressive, with an ornate main altar and several side chapels, each decorated with ornate paintings and sculptures.

A particularly fascinating aspect of Dubrovnik Cathedral can be seen at night. As the sun sets and the city is bathed in a soft light, the cathedral’s great dome shines in all its glory.

The nighttime illumination highlights the architectural details of the cathedral and creates an almost mystical atmosphere. This nighttime scenery makes the cathedral a popular subject for photographers and a romantic attraction for evening strolls through the old town.

Stradun – the main street

Stradun, also known as Placa, is the main central street of Dubrovnik Old Town. This impressive street stretches straight from west to east, connecting the Pile Gate in the west with the Ploče Gate in the east. The street is paved with smooth limestone slabs and is lined on both sides by symmetrical, uniformly designed stone houses built after the reconstruction.

The Stradun is about 300 meters long and was rebuilt in the Baroque style after a devastating earthquake in 1667 that destroyed large parts of Dubrovnik Old Town.

The Stradun is not only an architectural masterpiece, but also the beating heart of dubrovnik old town. The street is lined with numerous shops, boutiques and souvenir shops offering a variety of products, from handmade goods to high-end fashion items. This makes the Stradun a popular shopping destination for tourists and locals alike.

The atmosphere on Stradun is a mix of historic charm and vibrant urban life. A stroll along this street allows you to admire the well-preserved Baroque architecture while experiencing the hustle and bustle that makes this central axis of the Old Town so special.

Onofrio Fountain

In Dubrovnik Old Town there are two famous fountains that are considered masterpieces of medieval architecture: the Big Onofrio Fountain and the Small Onofrio Fountain.

The Great Onofrio Fountain, located at the western end of the Stradun near the Pile Gate, is particularly impressive. With its circular basin and central dome, it is a popular meeting place and a prominent landmark of the city. The fountain is decorated with 16 carved masks from which the water gushes, and served as the city’s main water supply in the Middle Ages.

The Small Onofrio Fountain is located at the eastern end of the Stradun, near the Ploče Gate and Sponza Palace. Although smaller and less elaborate than its large counterpart, it serves a similar function and is a charming sight.

Both fountains were designed and built in the 15th century by the Neapolitan architect Onofrio della Cava to supply the city with fresh water from a spring about 20 kilometers away. They are integral parts of Dubrovnik’s historic water supply system and testaments to the engineering skills of the time.

Rector’s Palace

The Rector’s Palace — Knežev dvor — is one of the architectural masterpieces of Dubrovnik Old Town, a building that manages to be grand and intimate at the same time. Built in the fifteenth century in a hybrid Gothic-Renaissance style by the Neapolitan architect Onofrio della Cava (yes, the same man who built the fountain), the palace served as both the official residence and the office of the Rector — the republic’s monthly head of state. The interior is now a museum with an excellent collection of Ragusan artifacts: paintings, furniture, coins, and documents that bring the republic’s history to life. But it is the courtyard that most visitors remember — a space of extraordinary beauty, with delicate stone columns and arches rising around a central atrium. Summer concerts are held here regularly, and there are few more atmospheric places in Croatia to hear classical music.

Church of St. Blaise

In Luža square, directly across from the Sponza Palace, stands the baroque Church of St. Blaise — Crkva Sv. Vlaha — one of the most beloved buildings in the city. Built in the early eighteenth century after its predecessor was destroyed in a fire, the church is dedicated to Saint Blaise (Sveti Vlaho), the Armenian martyr and patron saint of Dubrovnik, whose image appears on the city’s flag, its coat of arms, and seemingly every available surface of stone in the old town. The building’s most precious object is a fifteenth-century silver-gilt statue of Saint Blaise that stands on the high altar. In his hand the saint holds a small model of Dubrovnik as it appeared before the 1667 earthquake — an invaluable historical document in miniature, showing the city’s towers and rooflines as they once were.

Pile Gate and Ploče Gate

The Pile Gate and the Ploče Gate are the two main entrances to Dubrovnik’s Old Town and serve as important connecting routes for visitors and locals. The Pile Gate, located west of the Old Town, is the main entrance and an impressive example of medieval architecture. It consists of an outer and an inner gate, connected by a drawbridge that once crossed a moat.

The Ploče Gate, east of the Old Town, provides another important entrance and is similar in structure to the Pile Gate. Here too there is a combination of outer and inner gates, connected by a bridge.

Historically, both gates played a central role in the defense and control of the city. Both gates are decorated with magnificent statues and ornaments that reflect Dubrovnik’s rich history and cultural heritage.

Sponza Palace

Sponza Palace is one of the most magnificent buildings in Dubrovnik Old Town and an outstanding example of Dalmatian Renaissance architecture. Built in the early 16th century, it combines Gothic and Renaissance elements.

The palace originally served as a customs house and was a central point for trade in Dubrovnik. Merchants from all over the world came here to clear their goods and conduct business. In addition, Sponza Palace has been used for various purposes over the centuries, including as a mint, treasury and bank.

Nowadays, Sponza Palace houses the Dubrovnik State Archives, which houses valuable documents and historical writings. This collection includes important records dating back to the 12th century and provides an invaluable insight into the city’s history and cultural heritage.

In addition to its function as an archive, the Sponza Palace also serves as an exhibition venue for various cultural events and exhibitions. Visitors can view changing exhibitions here that cover both historical and contemporary topics.

Franciscan monastery

The Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik is an impressive example of medieval architecture and an important cultural heritage of the city. The monastery was originally built in the 14th century, but was rebuilt and expanded several times due to wars and natural disasters. After a devastating earthquake in 1667, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style, preserving many Gothic and Romanesque elements.

A prominent feature of the Franciscan monastery is the picturesque courtyard, which is surrounded by about 120 finely crafted columns. Each of these columns is individually decorated and features elaborate reliefs depicting various plant and animal motifs.

The monastery church houses one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, which has been in operation since 1317 and now serves as a museum.

The Franciscan monastery houses a museum that exhibits a valuable collection of sacred artworks, manuscripts and historical artifacts. Particularly noteworthy are the old medical equipment and recipes from the pharmacy, which offer a fascinating insight into the medical history of the Middle Ages.

Dubrovnik and Game of Thrones

King’s Landing in the Real World

When HBO chose Dubrovnik as the filming location for King’s Landing — the capital of the Seven Kingdoms in Game of Thrones — it set off a wave of cultural tourism that transformed the city’s international profile. For several years during filming (roughly 2011 to 2019), the old town was the backdrop for some of the most-watched television in history. Fans who arrive today find that the reality is, if anything, even more spectacular than the screen.

The overlap between the show’s fictional city and the real city of Dubrovnik is remarkably strong. The city walls, the harbour, and the narrow stone streets needed almost no modification to convince audiences they were watching a medieval fantasy capital. This is not a coincidence: the show’s creators specifically sought a location with the visual weight and historical authenticity that Dubrovnik uniquely possesses.

Game of Thrones Filming Locations in Dubrovnik

The most iconic Game of Thrones filming location in Dubrovnik is Fort Lovrijenac — the fortress on the cliff outside the western walls — which served as the Red Keep in several key scenes. Fans will also recognise the Jesuit Staircase (modelled on the Spanish Steps in Rome) as the site of Cersei’s notorious Walk of Shame, one of the most memorable scenes in the series. The harbour area, the Pile Gate, and the streets around the Dominican Monastery all featured prominently, as did the Minčeta Tower, which appears as the House of the Undying. St. Dominika Street — a narrow, atmospheric staircase street in the old town — served as the backdrop for numerous crowd scenes. The beautiful Rector’s Palace featured as the palace of the Spice King in Season 2.

Game of Thrones Walking Tours

Several companies offer dedicated Game of Thrones walking tours of Dubrovnik that trace the filming locations through the old town, offering context about how specific scenes were shot and how the real spaces were transformed through CGI and production design. These tours run daily throughout the season and can be booked in advance online or through the tourist board. Even visitors who have never seen the show tend to find them interesting, since the tour doubles as a thorough introduction to the old town’s landmarks.

Lokrum Island: The Green Island Just Offshore

A ten-minute ferry ride from the old town harbour takes you to Lokrum — a lush, forested island nature reserve that offers a perfect half-day escape from the crowds of the old town. Uninhabited year-round except for a small staff, Lokrum is covered in dense Mediterranean vegetation: holm oaks, pines, agave, and the peacocks that roam freely across the island, having been introduced in the nineteenth century and apparently choosing to stay. The island has a ruined Benedictine Monastery at its centre, founded in the eleventh century and suppressed by Napoleon’s forces in the early nineteenth century. The grounds include a botanical garden established in 1959 and a small natural history museum. The monastery’s cloister is lovely, and the café in the cloister garden is perhaps the most atmospheric refreshment stop in the wider Dubrovnik area. The natural saltwater lake on the island’s south side — the Dead Sea, as locals call it — is one of the most inviting swimming spots in the region: sheltered, calm, and warm even in early summer. The island’s rocky coastline offers numerous jumping and swimming spots, including a naturist beach on the far eastern side. Ferries run regularly from the old town harbour throughout the summer season; in peak season they leave every thirty minutes.

Conclusion

Dubrovnik is a true gem of the Adriatic, combining rich history and impressive architecture. For an unforgettable visit to Dubrovnik Old Town, we recommend starting the day early to avoid the crowds and enjoy the fresh morning air.

Start at the Pile Gate and take a walk on the city walls to enjoy the impressive views. Then, explore the main street, Stradun, and take a break in one of the many charming cafes.

Don’t miss the historic fountains of Onofrio and the Sponza Palace, which offers a fascinating insight into Dubrovnik’s past. A visit to the Franciscan monastery is also worthwhile, especially the quiet courtyard and the museum. Plan the evening so that you can see Dubrovnik Cathedral at night – the illuminated dome is a sight to behold.

Dubrovnik offers a perfect mix of history, culture and picturesque beauty that captivates every visitor, map of dubrovnik old town.

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