Dubrovnik: More Than A Kings Landing

I’m a big “Game of Thrones” fans so when my husband had a conference in Dubrovnik where they film the series, I was definitely coming along.

More than being a setting for this HBO fantasy series, the place is filled with old world charm and city walls that have stood the centuries and you can walk along them and gain a feel of life long ago, and scout for possible dragons!

Gradske Zidine (Dubrovnik Old City Walls)

The old defensive stone city walls run uninterrupted for 1940 meters (6365 feet) or 1.2 miles and reach a maximum of 25 meters (82 feet) and are 22 meters (72 feet) thick.

They were constructed mostly between the 12th and 17th centuries. The walls are reinforced by three circular and 14 quadrangular towers, five bastions (bulwarks), two angular fortifications and the large St. John’s Fortress.

The walls allow for views of the old town and out over the blue Adriatic Sea. The walls safeguarded the city from attacks and helped it remain an independent city-state for centuries.

Access to the Walls: You can access the wall from the Stradun, which is next to the Pile Gate, by St. John’s Fort and St. Luke’s Fortress.

Pile Gate: This is how you enter the Old City crossing a drawbridge, down onto Stradun. Here you can see Dubrovnik’s patron St. Blaise, above the gate and there is a more modern depiction further on.
Minceta Fort: This 15th-century bastion is north of the Pile Gate and you can enter here through steep steps that includes expansive views
Polce Gate: You enter Old Town through this gate on the eastern side and offers views of the city and port.
Revelin Fort: This is by the eastern wall and is a 16th century fortress and used for exhibitions.
Bokar Fort: Renaissance fort stands over the original port and you can see the Lovrijenac Fortress in the distance across the water.
St. Luke’s Fortress: This is a 13th century fortification and a semicircular bastion with cannons and it also now houses a restaurant and bar.
St. John’s Fort: This protects the old fort from enemy ships and started in the 13 century and added onto through the 16th century.

Hours: April – May, Aug. –Sept: 8 am – 6:30 pm daily; June- July 9 am – 7:30 pm; Oct. 8 am – 5:30 pm; Nov. – March, 10 am – 3 pm.

Admission: 30 kunas and an audio guide is available.

Onofrio Fountain

Near Pile Gate. It is topped by a large dome designed by architect Onofrio Giordana della Cava. The water from the fountain is still drinkable.

Address: Poljana Paska Miličevića 2000, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Orlando’s Column

It is at the end of Stradun, it is a symbol of freedom and dedicated to the 8th century knight Roland who saved Dubrovnik from a Saracen attack.

Address: 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovačka sinagoga (Synagogue)

A small 15th century synagogue, one of the oldest in Europe and included a congregation of Jews that had been expelled from Spain and Italy in the Medieval era.

Hours: Weekdays from 10 am – 8 pm.

Admission: 20 kunas.

Address: Zudioska 5, Stari Grad, Dubrovnik.

Sponza Palace

It is a 16th century palace with a courtyard done in the gothic Renaissance stylpe. It contains the archives of the Republic. You can see the Memorial Room for the Defenders of Dubrovnik, a small gallery dedicated to those who died defending the city and remnants of the flag that once flew atop Mt. Srdj.

Hours: Daily, 8 am – 7 pm

Admission: 25 kunas.

Address: Stradun 2, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Knezev Dvor (Rector’s Palace)

Was the seat of the Rector, who was elected every month to run the city. You can see the entrance inscription: Obliti privatorum publica curate (forget the private and worry about the public), showing the importance of the state.

The ground floor contains large rooms where the Great Council and Senate would meet. The stairs include three lifelike hands on each rail. The Portico is ornately carved.

You can see statues of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint and checkout the prison cells.

The former living quarters of the rector upstairs also contains the Cultural History Museum with exhibits of life in Dubrovnik until the fall of the republic.

Hours: Daily, 9 am – 6 pm.

Admission: 70 kunas

Address: Ul. Pred Dvorom 3, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Placa (Stradun)

This was once a shallow sea channel that separated the island of Laus from the mainland.

It was filled in the 12 century, but still divided the city with the nobility living on the south side and the commoners living on the north by the hillside.

It is 300 meters longs and goes through the heart of Old Town from Pile Gate to the Ploce Gate. It is paved with limestone and shines like glass during the summer with the constant foot traffic.

Franjevački samostan (Franciscan monastery)

Known for its pharmacy that was started in 1318. The monastery also includes a cloistered garden, Romanesque arcades with double columns with each having grotesque figures. You can also see a painting of what Dubrovnik looked like before the 1667 earthquake.

Hours: May – Oct. daily 9 am – 5 pm; Nov. – April, daily 9 am to 2 pm.

Admission: 30 kunas

Address: Stradun 2, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Pomorski Muzeji (Maritime Museum)

The museum is located in the Fortress of St. John and shows the maritime history of Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas. You can see 17th and 18th century shipwrecks, cannons, nautical instruments, ship logs and models of ships.

Hours: May- Oct., 9 am to 6 pm; Nov. – April, 9 am to 4 pm (Closed Mondays).

Admission: Tourists can buy a combination ticket, which is valid for four museums including the Bishop’s Palace. 100 kunas or 150 kunas for Dubrovnik Card. The cost for the museum itself is 80 kunas.

Address: Ul. kneza Damjana Jude 12, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Akvarij (Aquarium)

The aquarium is located in the medieval St. John’s fortress and has exhibits on Adriatic Sea flora and fauna. It has a wide variety from manta rays to small sharks along with sponges, sea urchins and octopus.

Hours: Daily year-round, 9 – 6 pm.

Admission: 40 kunas.

Address: Ul. kneza Damjana Jude 2, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Crkva Svetog Vlaha (Church of St. Blaise)

It is an 18th century baroque church. The silver statue on the high altar is of St. Blaise holding a model of Dubrovnik, and it is part of a parade that takes place on Feb. 3, the Day of St. Blaise.

Hours: Monday- Saturday, 7 am – noon and 4 pm – 8 pm; Sunday, 7 am – 1 pm.

Admission: Free

Address: Luža ul. 2, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dominikanski samostan (Dominican Monanstery)

This religious complex was founded in 1225 and features a Gothic-style church and museum with a rich collection of religious paintings.

Hours: Daily year-round from 9 am – 6 pm.

Admission: 20 kunas

Address: Ul. Svetog Dominika 4, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Katedrala Uznesenja Blažene Djevice Marije (Dubrovnik Cathedral)

Legend says the church was constructed through the efforts of Richard the Lionheart who had been shipwrecked near here. One can find numerous paintings, a treasury, including the skull of St. Blaise in the form of bejeweled Byzantine crown and also an arm and leg of the saint encased in gold plating.

Hours: Daily, 10 am – noon and 3 pm – 4 pm, closed Sunday.

Admission: Cathedral is free and the treasury is 15 kunas.

Address: Ul. kneza Damjana Jude 1, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia