Many say that the farther south you go on the Croatian Adriatic, the more beautiful it becomes. Dubrovnik is the southernmost city in Croatia and perhaps the most magnificent one! A real gem in terms of attractions and beaches! And for fans of Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik is almost a pilgrimage site!
Table of Contents
About the city
Dubrovnik is known as the pearl of the Adriatic, and its center has long been part of the Cultural World Heritage.
It was under the ownership of the Hungarian crown until 1526. A significant Hungarian relic is that the city’s monasteries keep the jawbone and skull fragment of King Saint Stephen, and the right hand of Saint Ladislaus.
The city is one of the most important centers of Croatian art, language, and literature, and has been the home of many famous poets, writers, painters, and scientists.
The patron saint of the city is Saint Blaise (Sveti Vlaho), and his statues can be found throughout the city. Saint Blaise is as important to Dubrovnik as Saint Mark the Evangelist is to Venice, so the city’s largest church is also named after him.
Dubrovnik attractions
Old town and the city walls
Its most famous attraction is undoubtedly the wonderful Old Town.
The city walls were built between the 13th and 17th centuries, are 1940 meters long and 25 meters high. Their thickness ranges from 4 to 6 meters, and about 3 meters at the seafront. Several forts were also built into it.
The city walls have five forts:
- Minčeta Tower was completed in 1319 and expanded in 1464.
- Bokar Fort is on the western side of the city walls, also known as the star fort. It was built between 1461 and 1463. The summer games are held here.
- St. John’s Fort is located on the southeastern side of the city and was built in the 16th century.
- Lovrijenac Fort is located on a 36-meter-high rock on the outer western wall, built in the 14th century. The next paragraph will discuss more about it.
- Revelin Fort lies on the eastern side of the city and was built in 1462.
The city can be entered through two gates:
- Pile Gate, or the western gate. The gate consists of two parts: the inner Gothic part, built in 1460, and the outer Renaissance gate, built in 1537.
- Ploče Gate is located at the eastern end of the city and was built in the 15th century.
Saint Lawrence Fort (Lovrijenac)
Above Pile Bay, after climbing many steps, you reach the fort, which served as numerous filming locations for Game of Thrones.
The triangular, three-level fort offers a magnificent view of the Old Town and the sea.
This fort can also be visited with a ticket purchased for the city walls.
Stradun
The main east-west street within the Old Town is Stradun. It is the only wide street in the Old Town. Another name for it is Placa Dubrovnik.
The street is 500 years old and has fortunately preserved its appearance from that era. The 300-meter-long main street is full of cafes, bars, and shops.
„Main square”
Dubrovnik’s central square is at the eastern end of Stradun.
Here stands the city bell tower or clock tower (Zvonik), first built in 1444.
Its most famous attraction is the Orlando Column, which depicts the knight Orlando with a sword in his hand. For a long time, this was the world’s only such monument.
The already mentioned Saint Blaise Church (Crkva sv. Vlaha) is also located here. The 14th-century Romanesque church was damaged in an earthquake and fire, and got its present form in 1715. A statue of Saint Blaise can be seen above the entrance.
To the left of the clock tower (facing it) is the Sponza Palace. The Gothic-Renaissance style palace gives an idea of the type of palaces that were built in the city before the earthquake of 1667.
Cathedral
Dubrovnik’s largest church is the cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The cathedral of Dubrovnik was built in 1713 on the site of a 12th-century cathedral destroyed in an earthquake, but archaeologists also found remains of a 7th-century church.
Onofrio’s Fountain
At the western end of Stradun, inside the Pile Gate, we find this almost circular fountain.
Built around 1440, the fountain, one of the symbols of the city, provides water through 16 water spouts.
Cable car (Žičara Dubrovnik)
From the city center, a cable car offers an easy way to reach the mountain peak above the city. A wonderful panorama of the city and the Elafiti Islands unfolds before us.
The lower station of the cable car is located above the Buža Gate, from where you can reach the mountaintop in a few minutes.
At the mountaintop, there is a fort which houses a war exhibition. It’s also accessible by car.
Attractions around Dubrovnik
Trsteno Arboretum
Northwest of the city, along Route 8, is the world’s oldest arboretum, established before 1492.
One part is a historical park with a beautiful 18th-century baroque fountain. The other part is the green area with about 300 tree species.
Lokrum Island
A popular excursion destination for Dubrovnik residents, with landscaped paths, an arboretum, and monastery ruins.
Legend has it that Richard the Lionheart founded the island’s monastery in 1192 after surviving a storm at sea near Lokrum on his return from the Crusades. In reality, the Benedictines built the monastery in 1023.
The main attraction is the Royal Fort, which offers a fantastic panorama of Dubrovnik and the sea. Many scenes from the Game of Thrones series were also filmed here.
On the southern part of the island is the Mrtvo More (Dead Sea), connected to the open sea by an underground passage, ideal for children and beginner swimmers.
Access to the island is ticketed, which must be purchased along with the boat ticket.
Elaphiti Islands
Three islands belong to this group: Koločep, Lopud, Šipan. Many highlight Lopud.
Organized boat excursions are available, and several scheduled services run to the islands daily.
On Lopud, it’s worth walking (about 2 km) to Sunj Beach, a gently sloping sandy beach in a bay.
Cavtat
A seaside town 18 km southeast of Dubrovnik, Cavtat has a pleasant atmosphere.
It lies in a beautiful setting and benefits from not being overcrowded. Although it doesn
‘t have very good beaches, it’s still worth spending a few hours here for the ambiance.
Beaches and shorelines
Plaža Banje
Dubrovnik’s most famous beach, located directly east of the Old Town walls. The short, pebbly beach is very popular, so expect it to be crowded.
Plaža Sveti Jakov
Located about 1 km to the southeast, this beach has fine pebbles. Due to its location, it’s a quieter beach, mainly visited by locals.
Plaža Bellevue
A small beach in a little cove, about 50 meters long, bordered by rocks.
A pebbly beach with crystal clear water, ideal for children.
Beach below Buza Bar
Not really a beach, but popular due to its location.
On the southern side of the city walls, at the base of the walls and rocks, is a bar called Buza. From here, you can go down a rocky staircase and jump into the water from the rocks.
Uvala Lapad
Located to the west of the city, in a bay at the entrance to the Lapad Peninsula.
A gradually deepening pebble beach, but there are rocky areas in the water. The area is surrounded by numerous restaurants, bars, and accommodations.