Dubrovnik Landmarks

THE 10 BEST Dubrovnik Sights & Landmarks

Dubrovnik Landmarks

Sights & Landmarks
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What travellers are saying

  • Emina S-R
    8 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a really great place for photos and videos. There are many stairs. It closes at 15:00, but when i went they told us we can leave at 15:30. It's a long way to go.
    Written 11 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Brian R
    Horsens, Denmark746 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful and very old town full of beautiful sights, nice restaurants and a very interesting history. There is still massive restauration going on from the extensive damages caused by the aggression in the 1990’s, so many buildings look quite new.
    Written 29 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CPaM68
    Texas663 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stradun, the main street in Old Town Dubrovnik, starts as you enter through the Pile Gate and runs all the way to the harbor. At the start of the street is a square with a fountain, the old Franciscan Monastery, and stairs which access the walkway on top of the walls. (We actually took a walk around the walls, which offered a fantastic view of the city, before we explored the town.) There are churches, museums, candy shops, ice-cream shops, clothing shops, souvenir shops, bakeries, open-air cafes, and bars on both sides of the street. The street is only about a quarter of a mile long and the crowd of people can be very heavy at times during the day when the cruise ships are in. Streets to the right or left take you to more restaurants and charming shops, but it seems most tourists just stay on the main walkway and window shop. Fortunately, the street is very wide. Looking closely, you might see the chips in the walls of the buildings from the war in the 1990s. (PaM)
    Written 5 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • BMishra
    New York City, NY53 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We had an enjoyable time hiking up to the top from the old city. A good excuse to get some exercise to burn off some of the lobster pasta and wine from the night before. The trailhead is a little tricky to find. There is nothing particular to see on the hike itself but the views are great, particularly at the top of the old city. On the steeper side but it’s quick.
    Written 18 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • tinaNtravel
    San Jose, CA2,011 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is included in the Dubrovnik Pass and well worth a visit after walking the wall. Yes, it is more stairs, but you get fantastic views of the Dubrovnik walled city. There are several levels. The lowest levels can be accessed for free. The higher levels require the pass. Be sure to check for the staircases, as one level seemed like the highest, but actually there were more stairs, not directly in view, that you can take to the very top.
    Written 18 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lapad is a large peninsula situated about four kilometers outside of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, on its Western side. It is a relatively new part of Dubrovnik as most of the buildings were constructed in the late 1960s and 1970s. There are also numerous large hotels located right on the beach and a vibrant central area with restaurants and bars.

    Previously, before the 1930s, there were just a couple of villas here that were owned by local merchants and nobility. From the beginning of the 20th century, some of the local businessmen started the construction of small, family-run hotels, that were and are still situated in Uvala bay, in the near vicinity of the beach.

    As tourism in this area exploded, larger and larger hotels were constructed as well as the Lapad promenade. Seeking a bit of solitude after three long days in Dubrovnik, we hopped on a bus to Lapad. Although the area was busy, it was much quieter than the Old Town and we wanted to enjoy viewing the sunset. We began by taking a leisurely stroll along the Lapad Promenade, a scenic walkway that skirts the coastline. Shaded by pine trees, there are numerous cafes and restaurants where you can savor local cuisine while gazing at the azure waters of the Adriatic. I read that this pathway received an upgrade that was finally completed in 2020.

    Too soon it was time to stop and enjoy a cocktail while watching the sunset. I heard about Cave Bar More and although one can sit inside, in a cave, we were fortunate to find a table on the outside terrace.

    Once settled, as the day drew to a close, we enjoyed the magical setting, witnessing a spectacular sunset.
    Written 19 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The main entrance to Old Town, busy Pile Gate (the name derived from Greek word pylaj meaning gate), used to have a wooden drawbridge which was pulled up at night to prevent unwelcome guests entering the medieval, walled city.

    The drawbridge was replaced by a stone bridge from 1537. The bridge crosses a moat which is now a green space.

    Pile Gate or “Vrata od Pila” is one of the two main gates in this medieval walled city and is the main entrance into the fortified Old Town of Dubrovnik. It is very interesting to see the fortification and the size of the massive city walls when viewed from the top of the wall.

    The Pile Gate, built in the mid-16th century on the western side of the walls, is a strong defensive structure built on different levels.

    It looks like a tower that connects two bridges located above the moat of the walls and leads to a second internal door.

    In a niche above the oval arch stands a small statue of St. Blaise, the patron saint of Dubrovnik. He appears to be cradling Dubrovnik in his arms.

    From this gate there is also a nice view of the Lavrijenac fort.

    Of course we had to take a Game of Thrones tour and we learned that Pile Bay was one of the most used Game of Thrones Dubrovnik filming sites. The overall backdrop was used for the Blackwater Bay battle scenes. The stone walkway at the bottom is where Sansa and Shae stood and spoke of the ships sailing by...fantasizing of where they were headed. The beach in the middle is where we watched the departure and return of Myrcella.

    Going through the Pile Gate we entered a completely different world. Located right next to the deep blue sea, this neighborhood is a great place to walk, and take picture after picture of the old red tile houses, and the small, winding streets like mazes. The area has also been recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site.

    After we passed through the gate, we found a lively little square surrounded by several landmarks. To our left, was a steep staircase that lead up to the imposing Minceta tower. This was our starting point for our walk along the wall.
    Written 4 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Once we passed through the Pile Gate, we found a lively square surrounded by landmarks which we would visit after we walked the walls. To the left of the Pile Gate we found one of the entrances, presented our tickets and climbed a steep stairway that lead up to the Minceta Tower. The prefect starting point to one of Dubrovnik’s best activity, albiet expensive, walking around the top of the walls.

    This tower is one of the most visited of the wall’s defensive structure and was originally built in 1319 by a local builder Nicifor Ranjina, as a strong four-sided fort after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire (1453). The fortress was named after the Mencetic family who owned the ground which the tower was built upon.

    Michelozzo Michelozzi, an Italian architect and sculptor was tasked to further fortify the tower in 1461 using new warfare techniques which fortified the pre-existing tower even more. The second circular tower was added to the basic structure of the fortress making it the highest point of the walls.

    When we began our walk of the walls, posted signs sent us counterclockwise so by the time we reached the Minceta Tower, the crowds had built up and my patience was wearing thin. The line to enter the tower was quite long, so we decided to give it a skip as we were in dire need of refreshments.
    Written 4 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Located between the Town Hall and the Church of St. Blaise, the Rector's Palace was built in the thirteenth century. It underwent reconstructions in Renaissance style due to damage to the façade due to an explosion and in the Baroque style after the earthquake of 1667.

    In the Middle Ages, the Republic of Dubrovnik was ruled by a rector (similar to a Venetian doge), who was elected by the nobility. To prevent any one person from becoming too powerful, the rector’s term was limited to one month. During his term, the Rector lived upstairs in the palace.

    Its present appearance is a culmination of many additions and reconstructions throughout its turbulent history. In the courtyard there is also the statue of Miho Pracat, shipbuilder, banker and philanthropist. This was the first monument erected here to an ordinary person in the seventeenth century.

    The Rector’s Palace fulfilled many roles. Not only was it the place the rector lived and worked, it housed the Upper and Lower Council, was the site of many administrative offices, and home to public halls. It was also a prison.

    Today, the Rector’s Palace is home to the history department of the Museum of Dubrovnik, which takes visitors back through the history of the Dubrovnik Republic.

    The majority of the rooms within the palace contain furniture which has been recreated to suggest what the original style and atmosphere of the rooms would have been.

    There are also pieces of art, coats of arms of many noble families, paintings from old masters, coins minted by the Republic, the original keys of the city gates, and a number of important state documents, all of which are on permanent display at the palace.

    If you just stand in the doorway, you can generally get a free peak into the palace’s impressive courtyard. Our entrance was covered by the Dubrovnik pass.
    Written 13 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • tinaNtravel
    San Jose, CA2,011 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This museum is in the building next to the Gondola building on the top of the hill. It costs 5 euros to enter and it is rather small, with each separate room containing a video and/or photos taken during the 1991-1995 war. You can go up to the rooftop to get great views of Dubrovnik and the sunset, without the crowds that are at the Gondola building.
    Written 18 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Onofrio's fountain is one of the first things you encounter when entering the Old Town through the Pile Gate. It owes its name to the Neapolitan architect Onofrio della Cava who brought water to Dubrovnik with an aqueduct in the mid-fifteenth century.

    Rebuilt several times after the earthquake of 1667 and war damage, it is one of the meeting points in the city also to cool off with its water while visiting.

    This massive fountain is equipped with 16 masks with mouths from which water comes out. The water flows into a stone reservoir below. All topped by a red coloured stone domed roof.
    It served, like the Small Fountain of Onofrio, exactly on the opposite side of the Stradun, to supply the city by drawing water from a well located 12 km from the town, and has still performed this function since the 15th century.

    It is often used as a meeting point and rest stop for locals and tourists but is also still functional after six centuries as one can stock up on water for free (and Dubrovnik is now an expensive city where everything has to be paid for...). As an aside, can you see the statue of a dog above one of the spouts? Locals refer to it as “kuchak” the fountain dog.
    Written 4 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Gabriele S
    Hassloch, Germany6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very nice greeting from the host upon arrival...we visited the museum on our 28th weeding anniversary which was a nice start of our day....it's a real nice little place..and entrance fee of 9 € is ok
    Written 29 October 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    In the middle ages, the monasteries in Dubrovnik flourished. We took advantage of the free entrance that came with our 3-day Dubrovnik City pass and visited at the end of the day to take advantage of getting away from the hordes of tourists (cannot complain as we too were tourists) and relax in the sun-dappled cloister – an oasis in the busy Old Town. We entered through the gap between the small church and monastery.

    The Monastery dates back to the 14th century, but it was significantly damaged in the earthquake of 1667 and had to be rebuilt. The church was restored in the Baroque style and became one of the largest and most grandiose Franciscan monasteries.

    Although the construction of the Monastery started in 1320, the beautiful south portal of the church was made much later, in 1498, by Ragusan sculptors’ brothers Leonard and Peter Petrović.

    The Gothic Portal of Franciscan Monastery’s Church survived the earthquake of 1667. This fantastic portal is a Pieta which shows Virgin Mary holding her dead son Jesus on her knees. There are also sculptures of Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist.

    Our guide explained that the monastery has two cloisters. The upper was built in the Renaissance style, with arches and semicircular vaults) while the lower cloister was built in the Romanesque-Gothic style with arches and double columns.

    This magnificent 14th-century cloister, which was not damaged by the 1667 earthquake, was the creation of local sculptor Mihoje Brajkov. It consists of rows of elegant double-pillared columns encircling the Monastery’s inner courtyard. The capitals were all different, decorated with various plant, human and animal like figures.

    I found the Romanesque cloister to be one of the finest features of the Franciscan Monastery and we took numerous pictures. Although we did not attempt to count all the columns, we were told that it had 120 columns and 12 massive pilasters.

    I noticed that some of the portals inside the courtyard seemed to be made with a lighter coloured stone. These were the ones that were repaired after being hit during the 1991-1992 siege.

    We also dropped by the Franciscan Monastery Museum which is located in the capitular room, next door to the old pharmacy. On display is a collection of a variety of religious art and artefacts that were once owned by the friars. The exhibits included an old library that contains some exceptional and very rare books.

    In the far corner of the monastery stands its original medieval pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe.
    Part of the Franciscan’s mission was to contribute to the good health of the citizens, so they opened this pharmacy in 1317 and has been in continuous operation ever since.

    Mortars, measuring apparatus and beautifully decorated jars were among the exhibits.

    Before leaving, we visited the small church which was constructed in Baroque style with a single nave. Surprisingly, it was largely empty.
    The main altar with the statue of the resurrected Christ between four twisted marble columns was created by the sculptor Celia from Ancona in 1713.

    The five side altars were sculpted by the Venetian Giuseppe Sardi between 1684 and 1696. The decorations on the altar of St. Francis were painted in 1888 by the painter Celestin Medovic. The poet Ivan Gundulić is buried in this church.

    With the hustle and bustle of the streets of Dubrovnik, the visit to this monastery was a haven of peace.

    Written 8 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SnowyShasta
    Portland, OR2,151 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This tower and related experiences are included in the cost of the Dubrovnik pass, but are really not well advertised and not easy to find. We were really happy that we'd visited, because we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and basically had it all to ourselves, even on a day when the city and walls were quite busy.

    The entrance here is hard to find. This tower is just under the Minceta Fortress, in the far northwest corner of the walled city. The Minceta Fortress and its top are part of the City Walls walk, but this tower is entered in a completely different place, from the town itself. Basically walk uphill and towards the corner of the walls as far as you can from town (we started at the Franciscan Church and went up from there). It's also called the Foundry Museum, since there's some views of the ancient city foundry.

    Overall we spent a full hour exploring here. There isn't a lot by way of signs, and we only saw a few other people during our hour, so we just wandered around and enjoyed the exploration and the sights.

    Once inside, we started off viewing the casements (from which guns/cannons were fired); these are fairly similar to others we've seen in old forts. You then go through the tower, where there are a couple rooms that have some small exhibits. This area also has (towards the bottom) some really nice and clean restrooms.

    Exiting the tower itself, we were on a part of the city walls different from the main wall walk. These walls are a little lower, and led us over the top of the Pile Gate entrance to the old city, and eventually to Fort Bokar (southwest corner of the old city). That has its own entry in TripAdvisor, so I'll put more details there. On the way we could descend down into another area that had some archaeologic excavations. Eventually we exited down some stairs a little bit to the south of the Pile Gate.

    Definitely recommend a visit here if you have any interest in old fortifications. We also enjoyed the views from a different angle looking out from the walls into the newer part of Dubrovnik, down onto the Pile Gate entrance, and out towards the sea.
    Written 22 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • CatharineB
    Ottawa, Canada1,117 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The present day church stands on the spot of an earlier Romanesque structure destroyed in the earthquake of 1667.

    Church of Saint Blaise was rebuilt in the Baroque style between 1706 and 1714 by the Venetian architect and sculptor Marino Gropelli (1662¬-1728) on the foundations of the badly damaged Romanesque medieval church. He modeled the
    Church on Sansovino’s Venetian church of San Maurizio.

    The church has a wide staircase and terrace that is a popular place to sit and watch the world go by, or to just wait until the church reopens in the afternoon.

    On top of the façade is a semicircular gable and a balustrade with three statues and a free standing statue of Saint Blaise (in the middle).

    Dedicated to the patron saint of Dubrovnik, St Blaise has been honoured from the 10th century. According to legend, St Blaise saved the people of Dubrovnik when the Venetians anchored their ships in front of the Island of Lokrum. The people of Dubrovnik believed the Venetians’ assurances that they would leave after they were supplied with food and drink. The Venetians used the opportunity to see the sights and observed the weaknesses in the City’s defenses and prepared for a nighttime attack.

    St Blaise revealed the Venetians’ intentions to a parish priest in a dream who alerted the authorities giving them time to prepare for the attack. The predication came true and the city was saved. The priest described St Blaise as an old grey-haired man with a long beard, a bishop’s cap and a stick in his hand. Precisely the way his statues look like all over Dubrovnik, and always holding a model of the city in his left hand.

    After climbing the steps to reach the interior, we found the barrel vaulted interior to be richly decorated in Baroque style. There were various art objects on display, some of them saved from the earlier damaged church.

    The main altar, in a combination of white and polychrome marble, shows in a high niche a precious, gilt silver Gothic statue of Saint Blaise, crafted in the 15th century by an unknown local master.

    The saint carries a scale model of the Romanesque church which was destroyed by the earthquake in 1667 in his left hand. He is flanked by two kneeling angels.

    There was a devastating fire in 1706 which badly damaged the church, everything disappeared in flames, apart from this silver statue of St Blaise, which was saved by some miracle.

    The beautiful Baroque church is well worth a visit – and it’s free.

    Written 8 December 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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