Dubrovnik's Old Town: A Walking Tour of the Walled City

Dubrovnik‘s towering walls guarded the medieval city-state against envious neighbors for centuries. On this walking tour of Dubrovnik‘s Old Town, I‘ll show you its ancient fortress, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and reveal some of the secrets behind its formidable walls.

Our tour starts in the imposing shadow of Pile Gate, which protects Dubrovnik‘s historical core. I‘ll share the Old Town‘s history and a few tales of Dubrovnik‘s past as a city-state in what was the Republic of Ragusa. As you make your way through alleys and picturesque squares, including the Gunduliceva Poljana Market, you‘ll travel back in time to the city‘s golden age. You‘ll visit a square called Poljana Paska Miličevića where you’ll have an opportunity to drink from Onofrio‘s Large Fountain and find out that, surprisingly, its source is one of the shortest rivers in the world, the Ombla. The tour comes to an end along the elegant Stradun Street, where the city‘s patron saint is celebrated each year during the feast of Saint Blaise.

Along the way, you‘ll have a chance to:

• Climb the Jesuit Stairs to the Church of St. Ignatius for a panoramic view of the Old Town
• Admire Dubrovnik‘s rulers, who avoided conflict by trading – rather than fighting – with the enemies that surrounded their borders
• Learn about the roles of the major and minor councils in governing Dubrovnik at the Rector‘s Palace
• Discover the historical old port and get a sense of why the city-state‘s residents enjoyed such a pleasant lifestyle
• Find iconic filming locations from Game of Thrones, such as King‘s Landing, the Red Keep, and the passage where Cersei Lannister‘s walk of shame commenced
• Hear about the Golden Age of the Republic and the flourishing of arts and science in the city
• See the Lazzaretti, a small group of interconnected buildings, and hear about how sailors were forced to quarantine here for 30 days before entering the city
• Take in the former Jewish ghetto and see the area’s synagogue, still in use
• Sit and relax on Stradun (or Placa) Street with views of Sponza Palace, Orlando‘s Column, and Dubrovnik Clock Tower

By the end of this one-hour tour, you‘ll have a better understanding of the rich history, local lifestyle, and peculiar details that make Dubrovnik so unique. You‘ll also get recommendations on what to do and see after the tour.