Old City of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik gleams like a jewel set between sea and mountains. Its 13th-century walls, intact after earthquakes and wars, enclose a labyrinth of white marble streets, Gothic palaces and Baroque convents. From atop the walls, the Adriatic sparkles impossible blue while red tiles create a sea of terracotta.

Dubrovnik was a powerful maritime republic rivaling Venice. Its old town represents an exceptionally preserved medieval urban ensemble, with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The walls are one of Europe's best-preserved defensive systems.