Dubrovnik has always been one of the most popular destinations in the Croatian Adriatic, but since the film crew of the fantastic series "Games of Thrones" regularly uses the city as a film setting, the number of visitors has exploded. The old city of Dubrovnik is a pedestrian zone. Dubrovnik has always been one of the most popular destinations on the Croatian Adriatic, but since the film team of the fantasy series "Games of Thrones" regularly uses the city as a film backdrop, visitor numbers have exploded. Dubrovnik's old town is an area-wide pedestrian zone. It invites you to stroll around and the many cafés and restaurants make sure that you always find a place to rest.

Dubrovnik, the medieval town at the southernmost tip of the Croatian Adriatic, belongs to the sunny region of Dalmatia. Once there, you will be enchanted by the diversity of this beautiful port city: Beautiful beaches invite you to swim and relax, impressive sights for sightseeing and nearby excursion destinations make a trip here simply perfect. Although the pretty harbour town has only a little more than 42,000 inhabitants, there is a lot to experience here, both historically and culturally. Above all, of course, the old town, the historical core of the city, which was already included in the list of the world cultural heritage of the UNESCO in 1979. The area within the fortified walls is not large with approximately 1.5km² and very clear, but it is full of sights and can be well explored in one day. This medieval area is particularly interesting to see because of its imposing city walls and the numerous architectural monuments from the Middle Ages, the Baroque and Renaissance periods. The architectural masterpieces are still in excellent condition today. The most intense impression can be gained by walking along the 1.9 km long city wall - a must! Depending on how intensively you devote yourself to the towers, bastions and the magnificent view that leads over stairs and sloping plains, you should allow for about two hours.

A special attraction is the church of St. Blasius, the city's patron saint, on the Placa Luza, a magnificent sacral building in baroque style. Also a must is the cathedral of Dubrovnik from the 18th century. The best known and most popular part of the city is Stadrun, also called Placa, the main street of the old town of Dubrovnik, which divides the historical core into the northern and southern part. Impressive sights, such as the Onofrio fountain, the city bell tower and the Sponza Palace decorate the Stadrun, which is also a venue for various festivals. If you need a little refreshment - the Gelateria Gossip offers delicious ice cream. To the left and right of the main street, narrow picturesque lanes branch off and it is worthwhile to look into some of these lanes lined by high Renaissance and Baroque houses, especially those that lead up steep stairs to the north. A must for Games of Thrones fans is of course a visit to the Lovrejenac fortress, west of the old town on a 37-metre-high hill, which is the scene of many scenes in the film series and the seat of the Baratheon Kings.

Besides the many sights, there are also a lot of things to do here: exciting diving trips, kayaking directly under the pile gate, hiking and boat trips and swimming on beautiful beaches with crystal clear water. Very popular is for example the Banje Beach, a fine gravel beach in the immediate vicinity of the famous city walls with a view of the island Lokrum, and also the Buza Beach, a natural rock beach directly below the city walls, which offers access to the crystal clear sea through the rock steps. Both beaches offer you a fantastic view of the wide sea and some of the offshore islands, Banje Beach is also known for its variety of leisure activities, such as jet skiing, paragliding and boat trips.

So it's best to take a few days - I'm staying at Valamar President on the Babin Kuk peninsula just outside Dubrovnik - an elegant beach hotel with pools and spa. In the low season not too expensive and the bus with stop directly in front of the hotel brings you in a quarter of an hour to the Piletor and thus in front of the gates of the old town.

Finally, a tip: instead of taking the cable car and driving up to the Srd mountain, you can rent a car for one day and drive up a small road to the local mountain Srd in the morning. Here you can enjoy the fabulous view of Dubrovnik and the offshore island of Lokrum away from the crowds and in the company of cows. Then how about one of the two following excursion destinations in the surrounding area: The Elaphites and front gardens of Dubrovnik, a breathtaking archipelago in southern Dalmatia, are only a few kilometres northwest of Dubrovnik. Especially the island Lopud is worth seeing and only a 40-minute boat ride away from Dubrovnik. Some of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia await you here. Or visit the Mljet National Park: Mljet, about 90 kilometres west of Dubrovnik, is one of the most heavily wooded islands in the Mediterranean. Pure nature and beautiful beaches.