Walking The World’s Most Beautiful City Walls | Dubrovnik Old Town

Walking The World’s Most Beautiful City Walls | Dubrovnik Old Town

in the southern region of the Dalmatian coast still stands a medieval gem which blesses the Adriatic coastline with its formidable stone walls and orange roofs which have contrasted beautifully against the crashing pearly blue waters for centuries it’s no surprise this city is considered one of the most iconical towns in the world so join me as we walk the legendary city walls of Drovnik where we’ll be soaking in its world famous views and rich layered history and so our exploration of De Brnik’s world famous city walls begins here in the much quieter southwestern part of the medieval city and as we approach to the entrance I soon find out of course the popularity of this city means there is quite a heavy price to pay €40 per person to walk along some walls is certainly extortionate though surprisingly as you will see is still so worth it and so we begin on the walls by St john’s Fortress which was originally built over 600 years ago and would have no doubt been crucial in helping to protect the East Harbor which we are walking alongside now [Music] the harbor would have no doubt been a place of paramount importance as Drovnik flourished mostly in seafaring and trade though despite the city’s minuscule size Dravnik once boasted one of the largest merchant fleets in the world in its golden age so lucky to have the place completely to ourselves at the beginning of the walk our 8:00 a.m start for the walls opening certainly paid off not only that we were blessed with clear skies as the glorious spring sunshine seemed to light everything up golden [Music] straight ahead the city is dominated by Mount Serge which offers spectacular views over the city and coastline we pass by the clock tower of Dravnik which stands over the main street Stradden and continue to be wowed by the continuous flocks of flying by swifts [Music] anyway so the walls in total are 1,940 m all the way around and it encircles the old town completely and I think they were first developed in about the 13th century when the Venetians were here and the walls are up to 25 or 26 m in places and I think thickness wise between four to six meters thick on the land side over that way and between one and three meters thickness over there on the seaside carrying on we approached the northeast corner of the city on the land side which offers views onto Revel fortress which is one of two external forts guarding the city this one would have protected the eastern entrance by plot gate from above you can see that the Revelin fortress is encapsulated within a moat which would have no doubt added an extra layer of protection not only to this external fortress but to the entirety of the land perimeter of the old town as we carry on up the stairs towards the northern stretch of the city walls we catch glimpses over to St john’s fortress where we started at a higher vantage point now incredible scenes begin to open up across the entirety of the old town amidst the shining glow of limestone are the wonderful orange roofs which has long been a tradition supposedly as far back as the 13th century as I gaze across my eyes can’t help but be drawn to the iconic Jesuit steps which was of course popularized by the worldrenowned TV series Game of Thrones as we carry on in our climb we pass yet another tower fortification which is one of 16 around the entire perimeter meanwhile the most prominent structure of Mincchetta Tower just off the right gets nearer and looking down into the narrow and steep alleyways the city begins to spring to life beneath us [Music] as we approach the highest point of the defensive walls the panoramic views become almost completely unrestricted with the second external fortress Fort Lauenat appearing on the right and views over the city which would make you feel as though you were in a fairy tale though as incredible as it is the city hasn’t been without its misfortune what’s also really cool is there was a really big earthquake in 1667 I believe and the original walls weren’t harmed but the city inside was pretty much flattened and actually kind of led to the demise of Dravnik as a city which was obviously really prosperous before that for quite a long time and then 130 years later or so after the earthquake Napoleon came along and took over the place but he actually took it over quite easily as well because the city just wasn’t quite what it used to be carrying on with our walk once more it’s not long now until we reach the highest point on the walls it’s hard not to feel like a Game of Thrones villain as you peer over the fantasylike city as though it were all your own though in the real world this city is not built on fantasy but resilience from earthquakes to sieges to the far more recent brutal war in the ’90s Drovnik has had to rebuild itself time and time again yet somehow it still shines stepping back into the 15th century climbing up the steps of Menetta Tower we finally arrive to the highest part of the mighty Dravnik Fortress [Music] in the distance stands Fort Lauians perched a top a prominent rocky crag and isolated from the main walls by the crushing waves of pearly blue waters set aside the simple charm of the West Harbor it certainly adds to the already enchanting landscape of medieval magic and though it’s hard to believe there is still more yet to come [Music] and back to Menetta Tower you can see Fort Imperial on top of Mount Serge which the French built during Napoleon’s short 8-year rule over Dbronik and the hillside it is situated on was once covered in oak forests this is thought to be the reason why Dravenic got its name with Drava meaning oak wood or oak grove we carry on now onto the western flank of the walls where the normality of everyday life blends in amongst the grandeur of the past [Music] [Music] it comes as no surprise that as the morning passes by us the crowds grow larger as always my usual advice of visiting things early still stands this is the difference that just a couple of hours makes and it will still get busier anyway we now pass overhead the main street Stradden which gives us a delightful perspective over Anafhrio’s fountain and the lined street which centuries ago was nothing but a boggy marsh and now approaching the dramatic final stretch we edge closer to the sea the same Adriatic waters await that shaped the city’s rise from the Republic of Rakusa to present day De Bronik and though this city has been under the influence of numerous powers over the past 700 years the dramatic backdrop on the southern side of limestone walls clinging to craggy cliffs has somewhat stayed the same as we walk along another incline onto the southern section now the walls lead us back out almost directly above the waves and with Menchetta Tower and its adjacent defenses receding into the distance we find ourselves nearing the end of our adventure on this magnificent piece of history however I do seem to find myself at the start of a traffic jam with the endless sea to my right and what seems to be people’s gardens on the left a strange sense of normality seems to surround us on the later stages of our walk as people sit by with a drink and soak up the scenery of it all and finally before we finish I’d like to take a moment to thank you for joining me in exploring the wonderful walls of Dravnik and before you go you should definitely check out my other video which is entirely dedicated to exploring the city of Dbronik i’ll link that in the top left on top of that I’m also working on another video which contains some valuable tips recommendations and advice for those who want to visit for themselves when that’s out I’ll link that in the bottom left anyway I hope you enjoyed this video and that I managed to do this place justice it truly is special

Join me for a full walk along the breathtaking Dubrovnik City Walls — one of the most iconic and historic experiences in all of Croatia. In this Dubrovnik vlog, we explore the legendary stone walls that have protected the Old Town for centuries, offering world-famous views over the Adriatic Sea and the orange rooftops of Dubrovnik. From the peaceful early morning calm to panoramic viewpoints like Minčeta Tower and Fort Lovrijenac, this Dubrovnik city walls tour captures the beauty, history, and atmosphere that make this place so special. Whether you’re planning a visit in Dubrovnik 2025 or just wondering are Dubrovnik city walls worth doing, this in-depth Dubrovnik city walls guide will show you what to expect, how to make the most of your walk, and why it might be worth the €40 ticket. We pass stunning landmarks including St John’s Fortress, the Jesuit Steps, Revelin Fortress, and the dramatic cliffs that line the southern walls. If you’ve ever asked are Dubrovnik city walls worth walking or searched for the best Dubrovnik city walls walk, this video will give you a real sense of what it’s like. Shot during spring with stunning light and fewer crowds, this walk offers a true taste of Dubrovnik Croatia at its most magical. For anyone visiting the Dubrovnik old town and looking for a raw, honest, and cinematic walkthrough of its iconic walls — this one’s for you.

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As always, a huge thanks to Scott Buckley for his incredible compositions, used in this video:
https://youtube.com/c/ScottBuckley

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