One of the most impressive things to do in Dubrovnik is take a walk around the city walls. The walls surround the medieval Old Town and give visitors an unparalleled view of the city. Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a well-known site in the Dalmatian region, thanks in part to featuring in the hit television series Game of Thrones, and its preservation and conservation make it a true history-lovers paradise. There is no better way to start your Dubrovnik adventure than with a trip around the city walls.
The history of Dubrovnik is believed to date back to the 7th century, when the original town (known as Ragusa) was founded by Roman refugees who had fled from nearby Epidaurus. The small settlements in the region joined together and closer to the 12th century, the city was more commonly referred to as Dubrovnik. The city really started to gain prominence from the 9th century onwards, due to its strategic location on the coast.
City walls first began to be built in Dubrovnik around 9th century, but it wasn’t until the 13th century that the current outline of the walls were completed and the entire city was encircled by them. The walls continued to be built up over the years, with more towers added by the 15th and 16th centuries. Unfortunately, in the year 1667 Dubrovnik suffered a devastating earthquake which destroyed most of the city, but fortunately left much of the walls intact. In fact, to this day the walls have been so well preserved, that the city of Dubrovnik was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Today, exploring the city walls allows visitors to have the best views over Dubrovnik. The walls run for a total of 1940 metres and takes approximately two hours to walk the whole way around. From the walls, you’ll be able to see a number of the city’s historic buildings including St. John’s Fortress, Fort Lovrijenac as well as the Bell Tower which dates back to the 15th century. From the walls you’ll also get a beautiful view of the ocean and can even stop and have a drink or a snack at one of the cafes en-route.
There’s a few places you can start your journey of the walls, but I would recommend starting at Pile Gate. The gate was built in the 16th century and is one of the four original entrances to the city. It’s a cool experience to walk across the bridge that, while today is built from stone, would have originally been a drawbridge and pulled up at night to protect the city. If you look up while walking through the gate, you’ll see the statue of St. Blaise, the patron saint of Dubrovnik. The gate is still one of the main entrances for the city walls and tickets can be purchased just inside for about 200kn.
One of the most impressive sites you can explore as a part of the Dubrovnik city walls is Fort Lovrijenac, also known as the St. Lawrence Fortress. The fort is not actually connected to the city walls, but sits on a cliff just outside. Lovrijenac dates back to the 11th century and the story of its building is one of my favourite stories I learned of during my visit.
The site of the fort was initially scouted by the Venetians as a place to build their own fort and secure control over the region. However, upon hearing of these plans, the people of Dubrovnik worked together to quickly build a fort on site and Lovrijenac is believed to have been built in just three months time. When the Venetians eventually arrived (with all of their building materials) they were surprised to find a fort already built and unable to continue with their plans. As a result, this helped to secure Dubrovnik’s own control over the region.
Today, Fort Lovrijenac is open to the public and can be visited as a part of your ticket to the city walls. The stunning location is also sometimes used as a theatre during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. The fort might also look familiar to fans of Game of Thrones, as it was portrayed as the Red Keep in the series.
Overall, the city walls of Dubrovnik are a fascinating walk through the city’s history and highly recommended for a scenic and informative visit.
Key Information for Visiting Dubrovnik’s City Walls
1. How much is a ticket to visit the city walls of Dubrovnik?
A ticket to the Walls of Dubrovnik costs about 200kn (which is about $28 USD or £22). This also includes a visit to Fort Lovrijenac.
2. How do you get to the city walls?
There are a few entrances along the walls, but I recommend starting at Pile Gate. Here you can purchase your ticket to the walls as well as enter on to the walkway.
3. When are the walls of Dubrovnik open?
In the summer, the walls are generally open from about 8am to 7pm, although this does differ. I would recommend checking here for updated entry times before your visit.
4. What historical sites can you see from Dubrovnik’s City Walls?
From the Dubrovnik city walls you’ll have a great view over the entire Old Town and will be able to see buildings such as St. John’s Fortress, Fort Lovrijenac, the Bell Tower as well as many others.
4. How long does it take to walk around Dubrovnik’s city walls?
It’s advisable to leave about 2 hours to explore the walls, if you are planning on walking the whole way around. This does depend on how busy the walls are, but I would say leaving yourself 2 hours total is safe.
6. What other historical things are there to do in Dubrovnik?
The entire Old Town of Dubrovnik is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means there are lots of historical attractions to explore. As a part of your ticket to the city walls you can visit Fort Lovrijenac, also known as St. Lawrence Fortress. Within the city walls you can visit the Rector’s Palace, Onofrio’s Fountain, or take a walk along the Stradun (the main street in the Old Town). For a further list, check out 10 Historical Things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
This article’s information was last updated in August 2022.