38 Best Sights in Southern Dalmatia, Croatia

Dubrovnik's city walls define the Old Town and are one of the world's most stunning architectural achievements. A walk along the top is the ultimate Dubrovnik must-do for the magnificent views of the sea outside the walls and the terra-cotta rooftops and gleaming white streets within. Most of the original construction took place during the 13th century, though the walls were further reinforced with towers and bastions over the next 400 years. The walls completely encircle the Old Town as part of a fortification system that also includes the Pile Gate (still the main entrance into the Old Town) and Ploče Gate (the main entrance coming from the east); both have drawbridges that used to be raised each night so no one could come in or out—the keys were given to the Rector. There are also six fortresses, including freestanding Fort Lovrijenac to the west and Minčeta Tower to the north (the highest point in the Old Town). On average, the walls are 80 feet high and 2 km (1¼ miles) long, 10 feet thick on the seaward side, and 20 feet thick on the inland side. The inland walls are thicker because when they were constructed, the largest threat came from the Turks who might attack from that direction. (Ironically they got the direction right, but not the source: it was Napoléon, attacking from the inland fortress atop Mt. Srđ, who finally conquered the Republic.)

The entire circuit takes a couple of hours. Tickets can be purchased at the main entrance inside the Pile or Ploče Gate or at a quieter entrance beside the Maritime Museum. Note that the walk can be strenuous, especially in the heat, and involves many stairs with very little shade, so bring water and sunscreen; there are a couple of shops along the way if you need refreshments. In summer months it gets crowded from around 11 am to 3 pm, so it is best done first thing in the morning or later in the day.

Originally built in 1969 and reopened in 2010 after being destroyed in the siege, this is one of the top experiences in Dubrovnik. The ultramodern cable car whisks you up to the top of Mt. Srđ for the best view over the Old Town, Lokrum, and the Elafiti Islands. You can also join an hour-long buggy tour of the area, go for a hike, have a cocktail at the smart Panorama Restaurant, or just grab a seat and enjoy the view. At the top you'll also find the Imperial Fort, built between 1806 and 1812 by Napoléon during his short rule of the city and now home to the Homeland War Museum.

To reach the cable car, follow the signs from the Pile or Ploče Gate along the outside of the wall or climb the steps from the Stradun toward the mountain and exit via the Buža Gate. Buses from Gruž will drop you off right outside the entrance, where tickets can be purchased. If possible, try and plan your visit for sunset, when the views are magnificent and the line is shorter.

Korčula Town is often called "mini-Dubrovnik" for the high fortified walls that surround its stone streets and the circular fortresses jutting out into the sparkling sea. But to constantly compare it to Dubrovnik is to sell it short; Korčula Town is an architectural achievement in its own right and one of the most stunning locations along the Adriatic Coast.

Within tiny Korčula Town, you'll find a treasure trove of Gothic and Renaissance churches, palaces, and piazzas. These important buildings, as well as the town's fortified walls and towers, were mostly built by the Venetians who ruled the town between the 13th and 15th centuries, the island's golden age. One of the most interesting aspects—and the main physical difference between Korčula and Dubrovnik—is the design of its streets, which are laid out in a fishbone pattern. The main road stretches right through the town like a spine; the streets on the western side are straight to allow a breeze to circulate in summer, while the streets on the eastern side are curved to prevent cold northeastern winds from whistling unimpeded through town in the winter ("medieval air-conditioning" as the tour guides like to say). The other main difference is that while Dubrovnik's Old Town heaves with visitors throughout the summer, Korčula Town is car-free, compact, and relaxed. You can spend a pleasant few hours browsing through its myriad boutiques, then settle in at one of the excellent restaurants along the periphery of town to admire the views of the Adriatic and the Pelješac Peninsula beyond.

Perched on a hill overlooking Trstenica Beach, award-winning Korta Katarina is a sophisticated venue to try Pelješac wines and the most accessible winery from Orebić. Korta is the name for the typical courtyards outside sea captains' homes around town, while Katarina is the daughter of the American couple, Lee and Penny Anderson, who traveled to Croatia in 2001, fell in love with it, and opened the winery. A winery tour, tasting, and optional food pairings, which range from gourmet tapas to a divine five-course pairing menu, can be arranged in advance. For an immersive winery experience, the five-star Villa Korta Katerina next door, a Relais & Chateaux member, has eight luxury rooms available to rent.

Some of Dubrovnik's most natural and peaceful beaches can be found on Lokrum, the island just off Dubrovnik's Old Town. It's a wonderful place to spend a day spotting peacocks (a Hapsburg legacy), feeding wild rabbits, or just enjoying the fresh air among the pines.

Tiny Lokrum has swirled with legend and mystery ever since Richard the Lionheart was supposedly cast ashore there in 1191 upon returning from the Crusades. The story goes that when the Benedictine monks who owned the island at the time were expelled to make room for aristocrats in the 19th century, they left behind a curse on any future owners of the land, including Hapsburg Emperor Maximilian I, who was executed in Mexico just eight years after he turned the monastery into his summer residence. To this day, it is considered bad luck to stay overnight on the island, though many a pair of romantics have tried.

Lush and fertile, Lokrum is home to the ruins of the abandoned 11th-century monastery, which is set among exotic botanical gardens. At the top of the island is a star-shaped fortress built by Napoléon's troops during French occupation and later used by the Austrian army. Footpaths leads down to the rocky shoreline, past the "dead sea" lake, where there are cliffs to jump from, coves to bathe in, and a small stretch of coast reserved for nudists. You can also visit a small Game of Thrones museum with the original Iron Throne (Lokrum was one of many filming locations around town).

To reach Lokrum, take a taxi-boat from the Old Port (€7); tickets can be purchased at the tourist information center beneath the Bell Tower on the Stradun. Boats run every half hour from April through November, and the ride takes approximately 15 minutes.

A counterpart to the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb—except with happier endings—this delightful museum a short walk outside the Pile Gate is a simple life-affirming celebration of romance spread over four floors. Each room has a different theme, from Croatia-specific tales and local lore to celebrity love stories to an exhibit about the movies and series filmed in Dubrovnik (yes, Game of Thrones is represented). The top floors are perhaps the most moving, with items sent in from real people and notes scribbled on heart-shaped Post-its tacked all over the "love wall." 

Most people come to Mljet to visit the peaceful national park that covers the entire western part of the island and encompasses the towns of Pomena and Polače. It has miles of dense pine forests, shady biking and walking trails, and two interconnected bright-blue saltwater lakes, Malo jezero (Little Lake) and Veliko jezero (Big Lake). The Benedictine monks who owned the island from 1191 to 1410 dug a transport channel to the coast through the lakes, which turned them from freshwater to saltwater. In the middle of Veliko Jezero is the Isle of St. Mary, with its charming 12th-century monastery, now a small restaurant. You can reach the Isle of St. Mary by boat or kayak from the small bridge, Mali Most. Mountain bikes are also available to rent at Mali Most or from Hotel Odisej in Pomena. The section of the park that includes the lakes and the monastery is ticketed; park entrances are within walking distance from the ports in Polače or Pomena. Malo jezero is a short walk from the entrance in Pomena.

There are idyllic swimming spots all around Mljet, but the village of Babino Polje in the center of the island is home to the most magical of all. Greek legend has it that when the hero Odysseus was shipwrecked off the island known as Ogygia, he swam into a cave where he was met by a nymph called Calypso; he was so bewitched that he stayed with her for the next seven years. The cave is tricky to reach so there are never any crowds, which adds to its mystique.

You can get there directly by boat or, if you're traveling by road, park at the Tommy market in Babino Polje and follow the signs through the olive groves on foot. The walk takes around an hour and includes a steep downhill section and uneven rocks, so make sure to wear decent shoes and bring water. Once you arrive, you can jump off the rocks and swim through a short tunnel into the cave; aim to arrive around noon, when the sun is high and the water is aquamarine. There is a makeshift café perched on the rocks above the cave; there may or may not be someone working there, but it makes a great place to stop for a break.

Located in an industrial factory in Gruž, the Red History Museum tells the story of the rise and fall of communism in Croatia. Founded by a young group of entrepreneurs in 2019, among them a designer, a historian, and a couple who worked on film sets, it is a fun and fresh museum designed to be touched and explored. Taking a steadfastly neutral approach, the exhibits focus largely on everyday life under communism, from the clothing of the era to kitchen sets to sex education, with historical information weaved effortlessly throughout the colorful displays.

There are records of salt being collected by Romans in this area dating back to 167 B.C, but it was the Republic of Dubrovnik that fully recognized the economic potential of the salt pans. In 1333, they founded the towns of Ston and Mali Ston and built a fortified wall to protect them. Eventually sea salt became the Republic's most valuable product, generating a third of its wealth. You can tour the massive salt pans—the oldest in Europe—to learn about the ancient collecting process, still in use today: the pans fill with seawater, which evaporates in the sun, and the salt that remains is shoveled out. If the salt pans are closed when you arrive, ask at Vila Koruna restaurant in Mali Ston (whose owners also operate the salt pans) about organizing a tour. You can buy small souvenir bags of sea salt around Mali Ston, which make an excellent culinary gift from the region.

In order to protect the enormously valuable Ston salt pans, in 1333 the Republic of Dubrovnik built a 7-km (4½-mile) fortified wall (purportedly second in length only to the Great Wall of China), effectively controlling land access to the peninsula. The stretch of wall that remains is 5½ km (3½ miles) long, and you can walk atop it from Ston to Mali Ston, which takes about 40 minutes and offers incredible views of the channel and the salt pans. It's a strenuous walk, so good shoes and a moderate level of fitness are recommended.

The Placa, commonly referred to as the Stradun, is the main street and the beating heart of Dubrovnik's Old Town. Stretching 300 meters from the Pile Gate to Luža Square and the Bell Tower, it was once the shallow sea channel separating the island of Laus from the mainland; although it was filled in during the 12th century, it continued to divide the city socially for several centuries, with the nobility living in the area to the south and commoners living on the hillside to the north. Today, the Stradun is the best people-watching promenade in town, with enough cafés, gelaterias, and boutiques to keep you busy for days.

One of Croatia's best sandy beaches, this swath of white sand backed by pine forests, with a couple of unobtrusive bars and restaurants, is worth the 2½ km (1½ mile) trek across Lopud. The path is quite hilly in both directions, so you might want to hail a golf cart to get there or back—you'll see them driving around the island's main promenade in the morning and parked along the road just above the beach later in the day, waiting to bring people back to town.

All walks down the Stradun lead to one point: the Bell Tower. The centerpiece of Luža Square, this bright white structure from 1444 is one of the main symbols of the city, reaching 31 meters (102 feet) high and featuring a moon dial and the original bell from 1506. Look a little closer to see Dubrovnik's two favorite mascots tolling the hours on either side of the bell; known as Maro and Baro, the current figures are made of bronze, while the original wooden men are now found in the Rector's Palace.

This 18th-century Baroque church on Luža Square was built on the foundation of an earlier church that had been destroyed in a fire. Of particular note is the silver statue on the high altar of St. Blaise holding a model of Dubrovnik, which was the only thing that survived the fire. It is paraded around town each year on February 3, the Day of St. Blaise.

The only freestanding part of Dubrovnik's fortification system, this impressive tower stands on a 37-meter-high sheer rock overlooking the sea outside the Pile Gate. Construction began sometime in the 11th century; the story goes that the Venetians planned to build a fortress atop the rock from which to conquer Dubrovnik, but the Republic learned of their plans and beat them to it. The seaward walls are 12 meters thick while the walls facing Dubrovnik are only 60 centimeters thick, so that in the event the fortress was captured it could easily be destroyed from within the city walls. Above the entrance a Latin enscription reads: "Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro"—"Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world." The fortress makes a particularly memorable venue during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, when it is the setting for Hamlet, and it is also recognizable to Game of Thrones fans as the Red Keep.

Built in 1317 in Romanesque-Gothic style, this solid-stone Franciscan monastery on the Stradun has a delightful cloistered garden; a 17th-century library that contains more than 20,000 books; a small museum; and its chief claim to fame, a pharmacy that was founded in 1318, making it one of the oldest in Europe. Much of the original church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1667; the striking Pietà, located atop the door on the Stradun and sculpted by local masters Petar and Leonard Andrijic, was one of the only things that survived. In the Treasury, a painting shows what Dubrovnik looked like before the disastrous earthquake. Ivan Gundulić, the Republic's most prominent poet, is buried in the monastery. Watch for locals and tourists jumping up on a small gargoyle's head attached to the outer wall of the monastery along the Stradun. Legend has it that if you can stand on the head facing the wall and take off your shirt without falling down, you will find love. Give it a shot, but it's harder than it looks.

Perched 492 feet up the hill above Orebić is this modest 15th-century Franciscan monastery. During the heyday of the Dubrovnik Republic, the Pelješac Peninsula was under Dubrovnik's control, while just across the channel Korčula was ruled by their archrival, Venice. From their privileged vantage point on the hill, the Franciscan monks could spy upon their island neighbors, under strict orders to send a message to Dubrovnik if trouble looked likely. The monastery is also home to the Our Lady of the Angels icon that was said to protect captains on their voyages; when they passed under the monastery on their way home they would sound their sirens in greeting and the monks would ring the church bells in return. Today it's a welcoming retreat, with a lovely cloister and a small museum displaying scale models of the ships that local sea captains sailed across the oceans. You can also walk around the cemetery, where gray marble tombstones shaded by cypress trees mark the final resting places of many a local seafarer. It's worth the strenuous 40-minute hike from the center of Orebić (or the easier 5-minute drive) for the spectacular views across the channel to Korčula.

Located in a 16th-century stone palace on the main square, this charming museum contains items from all eras of the island's history, from Neolithic stone knives to vessels excavated from Greek and Roman shipwrecks to wooden ship models built in the 1960s. Don't miss the replica of the Lumbarda Psephisma, a striking 4th-century-BC stone tablet that details the establishment of a Greek colony in Lumbarda. There are also quirky objects in the original kitchen in the attic, such as gadgets for making macaroni and kneading bread.

Find this monumental Baroque staircase, Dubrovnik's very own version of the Spanish Steps, at the south side of Gundulićeva Poljana. At the top is the lovely Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, built between 1699 and 1725. This staircase will be particularly familiar to Game of Thrones fans as the steps from Cersei's walk of shame scene.

On the main square, the splendid 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, built by several generations of celebrated local stonemasons, is one of the most important buildings on the island. Enter through the beautifully carved Romanesque main portal, which is guarded by Adam and Eve standing underneath twin lions. Inside the cathedral, there are two paintings by Tintoretto. Be sure to climb the bell tower next door; it's steep and awkward, but worthwhile for the views.

Legend says that when Richard the Lionheart was shipwrecked on Lokrum Island, he vowed to show his thanks to God for saving his life by building a cathedral on the spot; locals convinced him to move his plans to Dubrovnik instead. The present structure was completed in 1713 in Baroque style after the original was destroyed in the 1667 earthquake. The interior contains a number of notable paintings, including a large polyptych above the main altar depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, attributed to Titian. The treasury displays 138 gold and silver reliquaries, including the skull of St. Blaise in the form of a bejeweled Byzantine crown and an arm and leg of the saint, likewise encased in decorated gold plating.

The main entrance into the Old Town, the Land Gate is topped by the 15th-century Revelin Tower, housing an exhibition connected with the Moreška sword dance and offering panoramic views. Like the other towers around town, it features a winged lion—the symbol of Venice—and the seal of the Rector of Korčula, as well as a plaque commemorating the coronation of the first Croatian king, Tomislav. Walk up the grand steps to enter the Old Town; the main thoroughfare starts on the other side of the gate and leads all the way to the Berim Tower on the other end of town.

The former home of local son Vlaho Bukovac (1855–1922), one of Croatia's greatest artists, has been beautifully converted into a gallery of his life and work. The two floors feature more than 200 works of art, including self-portraits and oil paintings from the periods he spent in Paris, Zagreb, Prague, and Cavtat. There's also period furniture and personal items. The stone house itself is a lovely example of typical 18th-century architecture; the east wing is covered in murals that Bukovac painted as a gift to his father when he was 16 years old.

A couple of blocks east of the main square is the place where legendary 13th-century explorer Marco Polo is said to have been born while Korčula was part of the Venetian Empire. The house itself is nearly in ruins but the tower next door is open, offering great views over the Old Town. At the time of writing, the finishing touches were being put on a new museum celebrating the explorer's life.

Built between 1438 and 1440, the Large Onofrio Fountain is one of Dubrovnik's most iconic sites and popular meeting points, and it's the first thing you'll see upon entering through the Pile Gate. The 16-sided stone fountain is topped by a large dome and was designed by architect Onofrio di Giordano della Cava. Along with the Small Onofrio Fountain at the other end of the Stradun, it was part of a complex water-supply system designed to bring water into the Old Town from a well 12 km (7½ miles) away. It originally had more sculptures, but they were damaged during the earthquake in 1667; the 16 that remain spout water that is still cold and drinkable.

A series of interconnected medieval buildings located just outside the Ploče Gate, these were the original quarantine stations where traders had to spend 40 days (quaranta giorni in Italian, hence the word "quarantine") before they could enter Dubrovnik to ensure they didn't bring any diseases with them. Because the Republic was involved in so much trade with other countries, they were always at risk of catching serious diseases, such as the plague or cholera, which were killing thousands of people across Europe and Asia at the time. In 1377, the first quarantine stations were built on remote Dalmatian islands (first fully outdoors, then in small wooden stations so they could be burned easily if disease was detected). In 1647, construction was completed on the lazarettos, which were strategically located on the road that led to Dubrovnik from the south and right next to the main port. The quarantine requirement was finally abolished in 1872. Lazareti is now a sleepy area that's home to a couple of restaurants, art galleries, and shops.

As you round the bend onto Lopud by sea, the first thing you'll notice is the imposing Franciscan monastery on the tip of the island. Dating back to 1483, it was abandoned and remained empty for 200 years before being rescued by Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, creator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Foundation (TBA21). After a meticulous 20-year refurbishment, the property has been converted into a luxury villa and private art gallery. It manages to retain the contemplative atmosphere of the monastery, with an infusion of furniture and art—everything from the Old Masters to modern photography—from the Thyssen-Bornemisza family's private collection, which at one point was second only to the collection of the Queen of England. The entire property, which sleeps 10 people, can be rented; if €10,000 per night is a bit out of budget, tours of the monastery can be arranged when the villa is not otherwise occupied.

Above the aquarium, located on the first and second floors of St. John's Fortress, this museum's exhibits illustrate how rich and powerful Dubrovnik became one of the world's most important seafaring cities. On display are intricately detailed models of ships as well as engine-room equipment, sailors' uniforms, paintings, and maps.

The peaceful St. Rocco Cemetery sits atop the highest point of the peninsula overlooking the city and surrounding area. Its centerpiece is the mausoleum, sculpted from white Brač stone by beloved Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović for the Račić family in 1921. It is octagonal in plan, and the main entrance is guarded by two art nouveau caryatids.