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Old City of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik · Croatia

Background

World Heritage since
1979
Type of site
Cultural
Sea power from
13th c.

The walled 'Pearl of the Adriatic' on the Dalmatian coast, a Mediterranean sea power from the 13th century. Built on trade, it was the only city-state on the Adriatic to rival Venice.

An earthquake in 1667 destroyed many of its palaces, but its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains survived. It was damaged again in the conflict of the 1990s and restored in a programme coordinated by UNESCO.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 13th c.Becomes a Mediterranean sea power
  2. 15th–16th c.The city-state at its height
  3. 1667Earthquake; the Stradun rebuilt in uniform Baroque
  4. 1979Inscribed as World Heritage
  5. 1990sDamaged in armed conflict, then restored

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    City Walls
    The full circuit above the red roofs and the sea.
  2. 2
    Stradun
    The marble main street, rebuilt after 1667.
  3. 3
    Rector's Palace
    The palace of the old republic's ruler.
  4. 4
    Pile Gate and Onofrio's Fountain
    The western entrance and its big fountain.
  5. 5
    Fort Lovrijenac
    The cliff fortress outside the walls.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Walls at Opening
The walls have almost no shade, so start early.
Consider the Dubrovnik Pass
The Old Town is free; you pay to walk the walls. The pass adds most museums and buses.
Mind the Stone
The old streets are polished smooth and can be slippery.
Allow About 2 Hours
For the full walk around the walls.
Watch Your Things
Wikivoyage advises the usual care against pickpockets.

A Day in the Old City

From the GoGo Dubrovnik guide · Open the Dubrovnik Guide ›

  1. 08:00
    Walk the City Walls2 hrs
    The full circuit over the roofs and the sea.
  2. 10:30
    The Stradun1 hr
    The marble main street.
  3. 11:45
    Rector's Palace1 hr
    The old republic's palace.
  4. 15:00
    Fort Lovrijenac1 hr
    The fortress on the cliff outside the walls.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: May–Aug. Rainy season Nov–Dec.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Nov (161 mm), driest Jul (35 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
Kotor is about 50 km away and Mostar about 80 km, so both make day trips.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 95 · Wikivoyage: Dubrovnik (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Dubrovnik guide · UNESCO listing