Dubrovnik's stone city walls running along a sheer limestone cliff above the waves of the Adriatic

Heritage · Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik-Neretva County

Dubrovnik City Walls

Almost 2 km of medieval ramparts and towers encircling Dubrovnik's Old Town

Ambient sound · similar settingFootsteps on a Mediterranean trail among cicadas

Photo: Namrata Shah (@thebimblebee) / Unsplash

Discover Dubrovnik City Walls

Few experiences in Croatia match a walk along the ramparts of Dubrovnik. The walls run in a continuous loop around the Old Town for roughly 1,940 metres, rising and falling with the rock, so that one moment you look down into hidden gardens and courtyards and the next straight onto waves breaking against the cliffs below.

Along the way you pass bastions, towers and lookout posts that once guarded the Republic of Ragusa: the round Minčeta Tower on the landward side, Fort Bokar above the Pile Gate, St John's Fortress at the old harbour, and the detached Lovrijenac fortress on its own rock across the western bay. Allow a couple of hours, bring water, and take it slowly; the views change around every corner.

Don’t miss

01Minčeta Tower, the round landmark at the highest point of the landward walls
02Fort Bokar, a 15th-century fort by Michelozzo guarding the Pile Gate
03St John's Fortress, protecting the old harbour on the south-east side
04Lovrijenac fortress, standing alone on a 37 m rock outside the western walls
05Seaward ramparts with views of Lokrum island and the open Adriatic

History & culture

The story of Dubrovnik City Walls

Dubrovnik's defences grew over several centuries, with most of the walls built between the 13th and 17th centuries and the most intense phase of work from the early 15th to the late 16th century, when the threat from the Ottomans was at its height. Renowned architects of the time contributed: Michelozzo di Bartolomeo designed Fort Bokar and worked on the Minčeta Tower in the 1460s, Giorgio da Sebenico completed Minčeta, and Antonio Ferramolino's design for the Revelin fortress outside the Ploče Gate was approved in 1538.

The free-standing Lovrijenac fortress, 37 metres above the sea, carries the republic's famous motto above its gate, a Latin line meaning that liberty should not be sold for all the gold in the world. The fortifications helped the small republic stay independent until 1808, and the Revelin fortress came through the 1667 earthquake undamaged. Today the walls are part of the Old City of Dubrovnik World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1979, and Lovrijenac is a much-loved stage of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

Local life & traditions

For the people of Dubrovnik, the walls are a symbol of the republic's long independence and of the city's survival through the 1667 earthquake and the 1991-92 siege. The Latin motto at Lovrijenac about liberty is quoted with pride, and performances of Hamlet at the fortress have become closely associated with the Summer Festival. Locals often recommend walking the walls slowly and respectfully, remembering that families still live in the houses just below.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Walk the full circuit of the walls, pausing at the towers for views over the rooftops, church domes and the Stradun far below. The landward stretch near Minčeta gives the highest viewpoints, while the seaward side runs right above the cliffs. Many visitors combine the walls with a visit to Lovrijenac across the bay, which gives a classic view back towards the Old Town.

In summer, look out for evening performances during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, when Lovrijenac becomes an open-air theatre. Photographers will find the best light in the first hour after opening and late in the afternoon.

When to go

The walls are fully exposed to the sun, so in July and August they are best walked as soon as they open or in the late afternoon. April, May, September and October bring comfortable temperatures and clearer views, and winter can be pleasant on calm, sunny days, though bora winds can make the ramparts chilly.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Managing body: Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities (Društvo prijatelja dubrovačke starine), founded in 1952; Gundulićeva poljana 2, 20000 Dubrovnik. Source: citywallsdubrovnik.hr ↗
Extent: The walls are 1,940 m long, made up of the main wall, sixteen towers and three fortresses, plus other defensive elements. Source: citywallsdubrovnik.hr ↗
Ticket validity: A ticket is valid for one tour of the walls; re-entry is not possible. Source: citywallsdubrovnik.hr ↗
Residents: Citizens of Dubrovnik-Neretva County must show an ID card at the entrance. Source: citywallsdubrovnik.hr ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Walk early or late in the day in summer: there is little shade on the ramparts.
Wear comfortable shoes; the route includes many steep steps.
Carry water, a hat and sun protection.
Check current opening hours and ticket arrangements with the official walls operator before you go, as they vary by season.
The walk works in one direction, so plan where you want to finish before you start.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Dubrovnik City Walls: food, markets & places to stay

The main access points to the walls are around the Pile Gate in the west, close to the bus stops for the rest of the city, and near the Ploče Gate and the old harbour in the east. Lovrijenac stands on the rock just west of the Pile Gate. The Stradun and the Franciscan monastery are at the foot of the walls near the Pile Gate, and the cable car to Mount Srđ starts a short walk uphill from the northern walls.