View of a city by the sea, built on a steep cliff and surrounded by a massive city wall. Numerous red roofs can be seen. There are two large fortifications within the city wall. Several small rocks rise out of the turquoise sea in front of the city. A green-covered cliff towers out of the picture on the right.

Dubrovnik – Pearl of the Adriatic

Published: 05 August 2024, 15:00

Dubrovnik lives up to its nickname, the “Pearl of the Adriatic”: like something out of a picture book, the coastal city rises above the turquoise-coloured sea on a steep cliff, surrounded by a massive city wall with towers and fortresses. Plenty of impressive sights, such as the Rector’s Palace and the Franciscan monastery, can be found in the old town’s charming little streets. The nearby island of Lokrum, the green Mljet National Park and the charming village of Cavtat invite visitors to enjoy a variety of excursions. Picturesque beaches and crystal-clear water along the southern Dalmatian coast offer ideal opportunities for relaxation. Whether culture, nature or relaxation – Dubrovnik boasts all the prerequisites for an unforgettable holiday.

Numbers, data, facts

Time difference: none
Population: 41,000
Official language: Croatian
Currency: Euro (EUR)

Ten Dubrovnik highlights

View of a walkable city wall, which is bordered on both sides by a wall. A rectangular gate within the city wall can be seen in the background, behind which are several old buildings with red-tiled roofs. On the left of the picture are some ruined remains of walls through which a fenced path leads. The sea can be seen in the back-right corner of the picture.

Dubrovnik’s old town can be explored on foot along the two-kilometre-long city wall. It is in excellent condition, as are the Minčeta and Lovrijenac fortresses. © rudiernst/stock.adobe.com

View of a huge, circular fortress with a round castle tower in the centre in the evening light. The fortress is part of a larger fortification that can be seen in the background. Trees and bushes can be seen below the fortress walls. The sea and parts of the coast are visible in the background.

The circular Minčeta fortress within the city walls is the most striking in the city and, alongside Lovrijenac, also the largest and best preserved. © Boris Stroujko/stock.adobe.com

View into an old town street; there are empty tables and chairs in front of several restaurants. Three-storey old buildings with green window shutters rise on either side. Illuminated historical lanterns hang from the building on the left of the picture. The roads are wet, the sky is blue. It has been raining.

It’s also worth taking a look at what lies within the city walls: Dubrovnik’s old town is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the world. © ecstk22/stock.adobe.com

Bird’s-eye view of an old town jutting out into the sea, surrounded by a city wall. In the foreground is an orange-coloured cable car gondola. It looks as though the picture was taken from high up from a cable car. There are more buildings outside the city wall. Densely overgrown rocks can be seen in the foreground.

An unforgettable experience: the cable car takes you a good 400 metres up Srđ Mountain. There is a wonderful panoramic view over the city and the coast from the top. © Balate Dorin/stock.adobe.com

View from above into the pedestrian zone of an old town, which runs towards a narrow rectangular tower. There are many people on the street and an awning is visible on the left of the picture. The buildings on both sides of the pedestrian zone have striking, angled red-tiled roofs. On the left, a higher part of the building, presumably a tower, rises out of the picture. A rocky coastline can be seen blurred in the background.

The shopping street Stradun or Placa is the heart of the old town and runs between the Pile Gate in the west and the Ploče Gate in the east. © rustamank/stock.adobe.com

Aerial view of a small, yellow sandy beach with white sunbeds, parasols and lots of people. The turquoise sea is crystal clear. Some people are swimming in the water. On the left is a larger raft with two people. Old town buildings with red-tiled roofs and a fortress can be seen in the background.

Banje Beach, which directly borders the old town, is popular with locals and tourists alike and boasts fine sand and crystal-clear water. © Simun Ascic/stock.adobe.com

A picture taken in the evening of a large, round fountain on a brightly paved square in an old town. The fountain is surrounded by a high wall and covered by a dome. Three steps lead to the basin in front of the fountain. To the left of the fountain is the long nave and narrow tower of a church, which is illuminated.

The Large Onofrio’s Fountain is one of Dubrovnik’s landmarks. With a diameter of 16 metres, it was once part of a complex water supply system. © xbrchx/stock.adobe.com

View into the inner courtyard of a light-coloured building, into which the sun is shining from above. Spread over two floors, numerous ornate round arches and columns can be seen and a curved staircase with stone balustrades leads upwards. On the left is a small water basin against the wall.

There are many beautiful buildings in Dubrovnik. One of the most impressive is the lavishly decorated Rector’s Palace from the 15th century. © donyanedomam/stock.adobe.com

View of a densely overgrown forest in a hilly landscape at dusk. Some very long, pointed conifers rise out of the forest and there are mountains visible in the background.

The Konavle Valley near Dubrovnik is known for its picturesque villages, vineyards and landscape. It is also known as the “Golden Valley of Dubrovnik”. © KimWillems/stock.adobe.com