Dubrovnik

The UNESCO Old Town of Dubrovnik

The Old Town of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO heritage site, is the most famous historic city centre in Croatia. It is encircled by city walls with two entrances, Pile in the west and Ploče in the east. The old part of the town, in the form of an irregular pentagon, is intersected by the wide central street of Stradun, small lanes, flights of steps and squares. The distinctive monuments include the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries with their cloisters, the Large and Small Onofrio’s Fountain (16th century), the Rector’s Palace (15th century), the Sponza Palace, Orlando’s Column (1418), the Bell Tower (1447), and the baroque Church of St Blaise (Sveti Vlaho – 1706).

Church of St Blaise (Sveti Vlaho)

The baroque Church of St Blaise (Sveti Vlaho), the patron saint of Dubrovnik, was built from 1706 to 1715 on the site of an older Romanesque church that burned down in a fire. It is distinguished by its richly decorated façade with a portal and wide flight of stairs. The central part of the church is covered with a dome. The main marble altar features a 15th-century gilded silver statue of St Blaise holding in his hands a model of the city before the 1667 earthquake. It is interesting that the statue survived both an earthquake and a fire that struck the old church.

Information:
Pile Tourist Information Centre
Brsalje 5, Dubrovnik
T: +385 20 312 011
E: tic.pile@tzdubrovnik.hr

Franciscan Friary and Church

The construction of the Franciscan monastery began in 1317 in the area between Stradun and the Minčeta Tower. Over time, wonderful stone buildings emerged here with a monastery, the most beautiful cloister in Croatia, a church, a pharmacy, and a rich library as a testimony to the priceless heritage of the Republic of Ragusa. The church today houses an altarpiece by the painter Celestin Medović and the grave of the poet Ivan Gundulić. The monastery library holds more than 70,000 works, including 206 incunabula, and the pharmacy has been operating since 1317, which makes it unique in Europe. In the monastery, you can visit a museum which holds books and archival material, old exhibits from the pharmacy, and ancient apothecary vases from Florence and Siena.

Information:
Franciscan monastery museum
Placa 2
T: + 385 20 641 111
E: mala.braca@du.t-com.hr

Cable car and Srđ Hill

If you want to see the most beautiful panorama of Dubrovnik, board the cable car and in four minutes you’ll be on Srđ Hill with its large amphitheatre at the top station. Here you can relax in the snack bar, buy souvenirs, and enjoy a spectacular view of Dubrovnik at 405 m above sea level. Perfect photos are guaranteed!

Tickets can be bought at the cable car stations.

Information:
T: +385 20 414 355
E: info@dubrovnikcablecar.com
Cable car lower station
Petra Krešimira IV bb, Dubrovnik

Elaphiti Islands

The Elaphites consist of eight islands and five islets, of which only three are inhabited: Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. Wooded Koločep is the closest to Dubrovnik. Its peace, Mediterranean aromatic herbs, and beaches lapped by the crystal-clear sea are the dream of every modern traveller. Lopud will enchant you with its sandy beaches, fortresses, small churches, summer houses and artworks, while Šipan is rich in vineyards and olive groves and has over thirty churches, several monasteries and sixty Gothic-Renaissance summer houses. You can reach the Elaphites by boat from the Port of Gruž, or you can opt for our interesting trip on board a replica of a traditional Dubrovnik sailing boat, the Karaka!

TAKE A TRIP ON BOARD THE KARAKA