Dubrovnik Old Town

Why Dubrovnik Old Town is special
Dubrovnik Old Town - despite its touristy character - remains one of the world's most picturesque destinations.

Top 5 Dubrovnik Old Town must dos and sees
Absorb the Medieval townscape
View the facades on the Stratun (description below) and in the maze of narrow back alleys. Nearly all the buildings were erected over 500 years ago and are designed in the Roman, Gothic and Baroque architectural styles.

Walk the wall
Stroll along the top of the 24 meter (80 foot) high fortified wall that encircles the burg. It takes about an hour and offers perspective views of the city and Adriatic Sea.

Promenade down the Stradun
It's the main street and hub of activity - and is flanked by picturesque buildings and outdoor people-watching cafes.

Visit the photogenic Old Port
It's a snug, charming harbor with small moored boats (see photo above).

Take the cable car ride
Enjoy an eagle's eye view of Dubrovnik Old Town and its environs from a mountain belvedere.

Other leading attractions
They include (alphabetically): • Aquarium and Maritime Museum • Bell Tower • Church of St Blaise • Church of the Assumption • Dominican Monastery • Franciscan Monastery • Minceta Fort • Onofrio's Fountain • Rector's Palace • Sponza Palace

Dubrovnik Old Town tips and insights
Touristy
Dubrovnik Old Town is no longer the local community it once was. Only a small percentage of its previous native population remains. Today, it's vaguely like a touristy theme park. Visitors - not locals - dominate the scene. And most of the workers you see don't actually live within the walls.

Avoiding the crowds
The destination is a popular cruise ship port-of-call during the peak summer season. Nearly a million cruise passengers per year go on organized or self-guided shore excursions. To avoid congesting conditions of large-cruise-ship days, do your major-venue sightseeing early in the day before cruisers disembark - or in the late afternoon after most cruisers return to their boats.

Best time of the year to come
May through mid-June (before summer temperatures and visitor counts soar) is your best bet. September is a good alternative (though daytime sightseeing hours become shorter).

How to pronounce
Dubrovnik = due-brove-nick

Costly
Be prepared. Dining, drinking, accommodations, souvenir shopping, and other common vacation expenses are typically higher than in similar Mediterranean resort ports. And a high percentage of attractions (including museums and historical buildings) charge hefty admission fees.

Slippery
Wear good-traction shoes when it rains because the time-smoothed stones become slippery.

Summer Festival
Music, dance, theatre and other cultural performances take place from mid-July through late August. This festival is widely known.

Beaches
The nearby coastal area has a number of beaches. They can be fun, but unfortunately, they are typically pebbled, not sandy - and can be packed during peak tourist periods.

War damage
In 1991, the Dubrovnik Old Town was shelled over several months during the Balkan conflict.

Cruise ship docking
Cruise ships either dock (about 15 minutes from Dubrovnik Old Town) or tender their passengers into and out of Old Port.

Location in Croatia