Dubrovnik is one of the most stunning cities along the beautiful Dalmatian Coast, and was rightly dubbed as ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’ by Lord Byron. The amazingly well preserved medieval fortress city of Old Town juts out from the steep limestone coast, with the bright orange rooftops contrasting perfectly against the shimmering blue waters of the Adriatic Sea. After our splendid stay in Split, Dubrovnik was the last stop on adventure through Croatia.

The history of the Croatian Dalmatian Coast and Balkan Peninsula is a complicated one. It’s prime location along trading routes, protected bays and harbors gave it immense significance from a shipping perspective, hence various kingdoms and empires desired and occupied it over the centuries. From the early Romans, to the Spaniards, Venetians, Ottomans, French, to the Austro-Hungarians, Dubrovnik and Dalmatia have fought through and survived many an invasion.

During World War II, Mussolini’s Italians took over, and it was after the war in 1945 that Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia were incorporated into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under Josep Broz Tito. The most recent conflict that wrecked havoc on this region was the Homeland War that erupted when Serbian forces attacked Croatia after the dissolution of the Yugoslavia Confederation in 1991, with some of the war damage unfortunately still visible to this day.

The erstwhile republic of Dubrovnik (aka Ragusa) was one of the wealthiest city states from the 13th to 18th centuries, with its trading related riches rivaling those of the Venetians and Ottomans. The strong ship building and seafaring tradition of the republic’s history lives on today in the maritime museum and various replica ships that ply the harbour ferrying tourists around the different islands. St Blaise was the patron saint of the republic and considered its protector – his likeness is visible throughout the city on statues, paintings and frescoes.

1. Walk the City Walls

Taking the counterclockwise tour of the fortress city’s walls is the best way to take in the stunning views of Dubrovnik’s red tiled. Baby A definitely enjoyed running all along the elevated walls while Shelly and I took our time savoring the amazing views of Dubrovnik from various vantage points.

2. Climb up to Fort Lovrijenac

This hulking fortress set outside the north eastern Pike gate was once where the Republic of Dubrovnik stored its vast wealth of gold. Climbing the steep staircase to the top of the Fort rewarded us with even better views of the Dubrovnik fortress ramparts and walls. Game of Thrones fans will recognize Fort Lovrijenac as the setting for most scenes featuring the Red Keep in the show.

3. Visit the Franciscan Monastery and Museum

Within the hustle and bustle of Old Town, we found the calm garden oasis of the Franciscan Monastery and Museum. The uniquely double pillared columns of the main cloisters are the main features of the courtyard, and they provided great framing for some pics of Baby A.

4. Wander through Old Town

Amongst the many highlights of our Dubrovnik trip, were our aimless strolls though the numerous cobblestone alleyways of Old Town. We really enjoyed gazing at all the elaborate architecture, popping into the richly decorated museums and churches, and leisurely coffee breaks.

5. Recreate your very own scenes from Game Of Thrones

As most Game of Thrones aficionados know, Dubrovnik serves as the eye catching backdrop of King’s Landing for the hit series. Old Town and the City Walls are packed with locations that were used during filming, and there are countless guides and companies offering Game Of Thrones tours for the hardcore fans. From the Jesuit staircase infamous for Cersei’s walk of shame, the circular steps of the Dominican Monastery where protest speeches against the Lannisters happened, to the Pile Gate harbour that served as Blackwater Bay – there were more filming locations here than we had time to fully seek them out.

6. People watch in Stradun

The Stradun is the Main Street within Old Town, lined with bars, restaurants, churches, and museums on each side. The street is marked by the Dubrovnik clock tower on the southern end and the tower of the Franciscan Church on the northern end.

7. Cats, Cats, Cats! Play with Dubrovnik’s furry felines.

One of the striking features of Dubrovnik was the vast number of stray cats that we kept seeing everywhere. Apparently the cats were a feature since back in the medieval times, when each household was mandated to have their own cat to help keep rodent infestations down. Baby A was infatuated with the feline creatures and couldn’t get enough of chasing after the cats through the alleyways of Old Town.

8. Cruise around the harbour in a Boat Tour

For a different perspective of Dubrovnik and its fortress walls, we took a short panoramic boat tour from the old harbor. Being on the water and looking up at the mighty City Walls afforded us a clear view of how imposing the city must have seemed to would be invaders. The boat tour also took us around the greenery covered Lokrum island and some of its secluded caves.

9. Ride up the Cable Car for panoramic views of Dubrovnik

The best spot to enjoy the beautiful sunsets overlooking Dubrovnik is from the Cable Car station and the adjoining Panorama Restaurant up the hill. We spent our last evening in Dubrovnik at the summit, enjoying a leisurely dinner while watching the myriad colors of the sunset across the Adriatic Sea.

10. Take a day trip to Kotor in Montenegro

One of the more popular day trips out of Dubrovnik is to Kotor Bay in Montenegro. Less than a 2 hour drive away, the trip gave us the opportunity to visit the charming Our Lady of the Rocks Church in Perast, enjoy the picturesque views of the fjord-like bay from the winding road, and walk through the tiny medieval fort city of Kotor. Read more about our day trip here: A Day Trip to Kotor, Montenegro