History · Dubrovnik · Croatia
8 historic sites to see in Dubrovnik
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alaexis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with City Walls of Dubrovnik, Fort Lovrijenac and Rector's Palace. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 3 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Old Town (Stari Grad), Pile and Ploče
Historic sites in Dubrovnik
Historic site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
1.City Walls of Dubrovnik
The circuit takes in views over the Stradun's rooftops, the Old Port and the open sea. Entrances are by the Pile Gate, the Ploče Gate and St John's Fortress, and the ticket also covers Fort Lovrijenac.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Active
Castle · Pile
2.Fort Lovrijenac
Its gate carries the motto 'Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro' (freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world). Its terraces look straight across to the walls, and Shakespeare plays are staged here during the summer festival.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Palace · Old Town (Stari Grad)
3.Rector's Palace
Inside, the Cultural History Museum shows the rector's rooms, the old prison cells, coins and portraits from the republic's centuries of independence.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Viewpoint · Ploče
4.Mount Srđ and the cable car
The Napoleonic Fort Imperial at the top houses an exhibition on the defence of Dubrovnik during the 1991–92 siege.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
5.Franciscan Monastery and old pharmacy
A small museum shows old pharmacy jars and manuscripts.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Religious site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
6.Cathedral of the Assumption
Its treasury displays gold and silver reliquaries of St Blaise, the city's patron saint.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
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Palace · Old Town (Stari Grad)
7.Sponza Palace
A memorial room inside remembers the city's defenders killed in the 1991–92 siege.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
8.Church of St Blaise
On the altar a silver-gilt statue of St Blaise holds a model of Dubrovnik as it looked before the 1667 earthquake, a valuable record of the lost city.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Stari Grad) | City Walls of Dubrovnik, Rector's Palace, Franciscan Monastery and old pharmacy, Cathedral of the Assumption, Sponza Palace and Church of St Blaise | 1.5–2 hours + 1 hour + 45 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 minutes + 20 minutes |
| Pile | Fort Lovrijenac | 45 minutes |
| Ploče | Mount Srđ and the cable car | 1.5–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 2 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is City Walls of Dubrovnik; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town (Stari Grad)): City Walls of Dubrovnik → Rector's Palace → Franciscan Monastery and old pharmacy → Cathedral of the Assumption → Sponza Palace, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Town (Stari Grad), Pile and Ploče): Church of St Blaise → Fort Lovrijenac → Mount Srđ and the cable car, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 10 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The city belongs to locals, with the Feast of St Blaise filling the Stradun with processions.
- January: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Quiet and mild but often wet and windy; many seasonal restaurants and hotels close, though the Old Town stays lived-in.
- March: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Spring sunshine between showers; good for walking the walls without heat, though the sea is cold.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town (Stari Grad) — Car-free lanes inside the walls, stone steps, churches and terraces on the Stradun
- Ploče — Hillside hotels east of the walls with Old Town views and Banje Beach below
- Pile — The western gate, city bus hub and Fort Lovrijenac on its rock
More of Dubrovnik
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Dubrovnik?
City Walls of Dubrovnik. The walls run for about 2 kilometres around the Old Town, up to 25 metres high, with towers, bastions and the round Minčeta Tower at the highest point.
+Which of these are free in Dubrovnik?
Cathedral of the Assumption and Church of St Blaise.