Price: €20

Dubrovnik History Guided Walking Tour

90 minutes

Brsalje ul. bb

Every day at 11:00 am,  5:30 pm

Dubrovnik has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979, which should tell you a lot about all the cool facts you can learn and mesmerizing historical locations that you can check in the city.

Before you start your journey in the city, you ought to learn a bit about its his- tory. Although there are different theories as to when the town was first inhabited, it’s certain that it thrived during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries thanks to its natural resources and merchant trading.

Back in 1667, most of Dubrovnik was destroyed because of a massive earthquake that was followed by enormous fires. Thankfully, the inhabitants didn’t give up, and the city was reconstructed in the architectural style we see today.

Dubrovnik History Guided Walking Tour

Throughout the centuries, Dubrovnik has been ruled by a great number of rulers. Croatia’s renowned cultural attraction was most likely founded back in the seventh century by the Byzantine Empire. Five centuries later, the Venetian Republic took control of the entire region, including Dubrovnik. Fast forward to 1358, Ragusa gained independence and flourished by creating alliances with foreign countries.

Unfortunately, the Republic didn’t last long because of the 1667 earthquake and the Age of Discovery, and it was formally abolished in 1808. In 1814, Dubrovnik was handed to the Hapsburgs before finally becoming part of Croatia after World War I. All of that makes it easy to understand why different cultures, architectural styles, religions, and even cuisines collide in Dubrovnik – all the more reason to participate in our world-famous Dubrovnik guided tour!

Highlights

  • Explore Dubrovnik’s history and learn how the town came to be a major power and one of the most advanced maritime republics of all time before – one that’s prosperous, culturally-rich, and breathtakingly beautiful
  • Visit the city’s most renowned attractions, landmarks, and landscapes, including palaces, monasteries, forts, and walls
  • Listen to mesmerizing facts and stories about the city from the mouths of local guides who have been exploring Dubrovnik since birth
  • Walkthrough the Old Town’s streets and alleys with a local guide who’s friendly, knowledgeable, and always ready to help

Why You Should Participate in This Dubrovnik Guided Tour?

  • The tour comes at a bargain price, allowing you to save up for other trips around Dubrovnik
  • You’ll get to hear unknown facts told by local guides who know every stone in the city
  • Stroll through the streets and alleys and become a part of Dubrovnik

Meeting point

1. How to recognise our guides?

Our guides will be wearing ORANGE shirt with our logo.

2. Meeting Point

We will meet you at Brsalje street Amerling fountain, Pile square (main entrance at the old town)
3. Park Gradac
Park Gradac Dubrovnik
Park just outside of the Old Town favored by locals as a quick get away from Old Towns crowd

4. Old town

Dubrovnik Old Town

The heart of Dubrovnik and Kings landing

Itinerary

2. Your trip down history lane will begin at Brsalje Square outside Pile Gate

Old Town’s main entrance. From there, your expert, local guide will lead you to Dubrovnik’s most renowned historic landmarks. You’ll get to observe and admire attractions and monuments like Onofrio’s Large Fountain, the Rector’s Palace, Orlando’s Column, and many more up close.Here are the main landmarks you’ll be visiting during this Dubrovnik guided tour:

3. Brsalje Square

Before entering Old Town, we’ll take you away from the crowded street to the low balustrade. From there, you’ll observe the Adriatic Sea, Fort Lovrijenac to the right, as well as the Bokar Fortress to the left.

Fort Lovrijenac, which is Dubrovnik’s oldest defence structure, is built on a rocky peninsula. During the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, the fortress hosts several Shakespearean productions as well as other theatrical productions. Who would’ve thought that a mighty fortress that kept enemies away for centuries would be used as a place of art today?

4. Pile Gate

As Old Town’s main and oldest entrance, Pile Gate is always full of tourists who want to explore the real history of Dubrovnik. As you walk through the gate, don’t forget to admire the statue of St. Blaise that’s carved above the 16th-century outer entrance and the figure of the city’s patron that’s carved inside the 15th-century inner gate.

5. Onofrio’s Large Fountain

Once you’re inside the gate, check your left, where you’ll notice a stairway that leads up to the Minčeta Tower above the ramparts. To the right, you’ll find Onofrio’s Large Fountain, which was used to supply Dubrovnik with fresh water during the Middle Ages.

6. Church of Our Saviour

The Church of Our Saviour was the only renaissance-style church to survive to the 1667 earthquake that destroyed most of Dubrovnik. That’s why it became a symbol of strength in Croatia despite its tiny size.

7. The Franciscan Monastery

There’s a lot to explore in the Franciscan Monastery/Museum, but what’s notable is the small stone protruding from the bottom left of the building’s front and the guests who keep jumping on it. Don’t forget to snap some pictures!

8. Stradun Side Streets

The Placa side streets lead the way to the clock tower as well as Ploče Gate. As you walk down the alleys, you’ll notice that all the buildings have pretty much the same style, which is the result of the reconstruction that happened after the 1667 earthquake that hit Dubrovnik.

9. Sponza Palace

As the tour guide leads you to Luza Square, take a look at the left, and admire the Sponza Palace with its magical renaissance arches. The Sponza Palace used to be the city’s customs house, but it currently hosts Dubrovnik’s archives.

Inside the Memorial Room of the Dubrovnik Defenders. There, you can find images of destruction as well as pictures of the young citizens who died when the city was under siege during the War for Independence in the early nineties.

10. Orlando’s Column

As you exit the Sponza Palace, you’ll find Orlando’s Column right in front of you and the Clock Tower to the left. To the right of the Clock Tower, you’ll find the Town Hall. Onofrio’s Small Fountain, which you’ve seen at the beginning of the tour, is in front of that.

11. Dominican Monastery

The original Dominican Monastery building was destroyed back in 1667 because of the infamous earthquake. The current complex was built in the 17th century, and it includes a large church, a museum, and cloisters.

Inside, you’ll find a wide selection of breathtaking paintings, and you can attend several concerts inside the church during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

12. The Old Harbor and Ploče Gate

To the left of the Dominican Monastery, you’ll find Svetoga Dominika. From there, continue your Dubrovnik guided tour to explore Ploče Gate, the Old Harbor, and Revelin Fortress, all of which are must-see landmarks in the city.

13. Gradska Kavana and the Rector’s Palace

As you walk back from the Dominican Monastery, Gradska Kavana, which translates to Town Café, will be on your left. The Venetian-Gothic Rector’s Palace is located there as well, and it’s topped with mesmerizing carvings that are worth observing.

14. Dubrovnik Cathedral

Dubrovnik’s cathedral was built back in the 17th century, and besides being aesthetically-appealing with its Baroque style, it houses a rich treasury that’s loaded with priceless relics.

15. St Blaise Church

Saint Blaise Church is yet another building that was established back in the 17th century as a tribute to the city’s patron saint. The church’s altar is the main attraction, on top of which there’s a statue of Saint Blaise holding a model of the city of Dubrovnik before it was wrecked because of the earthquake.Of course, our Dubrovnik guided tour includes a plethora of other locations, attractions, and monuments, but those are the notable destinations during the journey.

At each landmark, you’ll get to hear cool stories that cannot be heard anywhere else. We assure you that you’ll lose yourself in the grandeur of the real-life King’s Landing. After all, that’s what our local guides are best known for – being friendly, and mesmerising our guests with their cool facts and unknown legends from over 14 centuries of Dubrovnik’s dramatic and breathtaking history.

This Dubrovnik guided tour will give you a thorough background on how Dubrovnik came to be one of the world’s most prosperous and advanced maritime republics of all time. You’ll also learn about the city’s cultural, social, and economic achievements over the years and centuries – something that’s both enriching and fun.

Keep in mind that the Dubrovnik guided tour doesn’t include entering any churches or museums.