Walking The Dubrovnik City Walls – A Traveler’s Guide 2026

Wondering if walking the Dubrovnik city walls is worth it?

The short answer is yes! However, you’re here because you want to know more than that so we’re going to dig deeper into why you should visit the Dubrovnik city walls.

This was probably one of our favorite activities when we visited Dubrovnik. We loved exploring the streets of Old Town but walking the walls brought our enjoyment of the city to a whole new level.

We’re going to share all the important details that you probably have questions about. This  includes ticket pricing, where the entrances are located and the best time to visit, in our opinion (Hint: It’s not first thing in the morning when the walls open!).

Soon you’ll be on your way to planning your visit to the city walls!

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Walking the Dubrovnik City Walls

Located on the southern tip of Croatia, Dubrovnik is one of the best examples of a medieval fortified city. Partially surrounded by the Adriatic, Old Town Dubrovnik is one of the main draws to the city, and rightfully so. 

Not surprisingly, the walls surrounding Old Town have become an attraction in their own right and something not to be missed.

It offers a bird’s-eye view of the streets of Old Town which is great for people-watching. In addition, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the area surrounding Old Town including Lokrum, Old Town harbor and Fort Lovrijenac. It really is a photographer’s dream.

Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, photography or just being outside enjoying the views, walking the walls is a great experience for anyone.

History Of The Walls

The city walls were built primarily for defensive purposes against intruders.

Construction began in the 13th century and updates to strengthen and expand them continued through the 17th century. 

As you see them today, they include not only the walls themselves but also an impressive list of supplemental structures including:

• Sixteen towers
• Three fortresses
• Six bastions
• Two corner fortifications
• Three bulwarks with turrets
• Three moats
• Two flank fortresses
• A breakwater
• Two drawbridges

In 1952, the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities, a non-profit organization, was founded in the hopes to bring awareness to the public of the need to preserve the walls and other monuments that are important to Dubrovnik’s cultural heritage.

Prior to the society’s formation, many monuments were falling into disrepair and in danger of being destroyed. 

Over the years, they’ve been able to restore the walls and other monuments close to their original state. They were able to do so by using proceeds earned through entrance fees, membership fees and donations. 

In 1979, the Old Town, including its well-preserved walls, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

However, it was once again in danger of being destroyed due to armed conflict in the early 1990s. Because of this, in 1991, UNESCO added it to their List Of World Heritage in Danger.

If you’d like to learn more about Dubrovnik’s Old Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, click here.
To read more about UNESCO’s List Of World Heritage in Danger, click here.

After extensive restoration efforts, the Old Town and its walls were eventually removed from the endangered list in 1998. 

Distance

Stretching a continuous 1,940 meters long (1.2 miles), the walls envelop Old Town and can only be accessed through one of three gates: Pile Gate, Ploče Gate and Buža Gate. 

They’re an imposing sight, even from a distance.

Arriving from the airport, you‘ll approach Old Town from a higher elevation so as the city comes into view, you can see the entirety of the walls laid out before you in all its splendor.

If you have time, stop at one of the overlooks to get a photo. It’s quite a sight.

As amazing as they are from a distance, seeing them up-close helps you to fully understand the magnitude of work that not only went into building them but also the work that’s required to maintain them.

Hours Of Operation

While many businesses in Dubrovnik close during the off-season, the walls are open year-round. This means you’ll be able to visit regardless of the season. The one exception to this is Christmas Day, the only day of the year that it closes.

Hours will vary depending on the time of year so be sure to check prior to planning your visit especially if your time in the city is limited. 

Please note that you will need to exit the walls by the closing hours noted. You will not be allowed to stay beyond these times.

Here is a breakdown of the operating hours by month. These hours have been verified as of the publishing of this post.

*- The reduction of working hours will depend on the date of change from summer to winter time (last weekend of October)

Ticket Price

You have three options to choose from when purchasing your tickets for the city walls:

• Purchase tickets directly from the ticket office either online or at the ticket offices located near the wall entrances in Old Town
• Buy a Dubrovnik Pass 
• Book a guided tour that includes your entrance ticket

Let’s explore your options in more detail.

Ticket Office

Here are the current admission prices for the walls if purchased directly from the ticket office:

*To be eligible for a student rate, you must present a valid Croatian Student Card (X-ica), International Student Card (ISIC), or European Youth Card)

If you’d like to purchase only the city walls entrance ticket and not the Dubrovnik Pass or a tour, we highly suggest purchasing it directly from the ticket office either online or in-person.

When purchasing your ticket through a third party website, it’s likely that you’ll receive a voucher which will need to be exchanged in-person at one of the ticket offices. This probably defeats the purpose of purchasing it in advance.

Dubrovnik Pass

Whether you’re spending one or multiple days in Dubrovnik, we highly suggest purchasing a Dubrovnik Pass. The pass is offered in a 1-day, 3-day or 7-day version.

Current pricing for the Dubrovnik Pass
Valid March 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025

As you can see, for the same price as a single city walls ticket, the Dubrovnik Pass not only includes admission to the walls, but it also allows access to other popular attractions including:

• Ethnographic Museum
• Archeological Exhibitions
• The Pulitika Studio
• Bukovac House
• Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik
• House of Marin Držić
• Cultural History Museum, Rector’s Palace
• Dulčić Masle Pulitika Gallery
• Dubrovnik Natural History Museum
• Friars Minor Franciscan Monastery Museum
• Maritime Museum

In addition, you’re entitled to free use of the public buses for the length of your ticket and discounts for various things including dining, shopping and entrance to other attractions nearby. If you’d like to purchase a Dubrovnik Pass, you can do that here.

Certain discounts are only available with the purchase of specific passes so be sure to consult the Dubrovnik Pass website for the most up-to-date information here.

Like a standard admission ticket, entrance with the Dubrovnik Pass does not include a guide.

City Walls Tour

If you’d like something more than a self-guided tour, you may want to consider booking a tour that includes not only your entrance ticket but a guide as well.

Keep in mind that not all city wall tours include your entrance ticket. Be sure to review the inclusions prior to purchasing the tour.

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Ticket Inclusions and Exclusions

Here’s some information regarding what is and is not included with a standard ticket or Dubrovnik Pass purchase.

What is Included With a Ticket?

The admission price gives you a one-time entry and full access to the walls as well as admission to Fort Lovrijenac.

A ticket for the walls is valid for a one-time entry. This means you cannot exit and re-enter. To do so would require having to purchase another ticket. 

What is Not Included With a Ticket?

Standard tickets do not include a guide. It is a self-guided tour. However, you can contact the Dubrovnik Tourist Guides Association if you would like to arrange for this separately or you can book a tour.

Is There a Time Restriction For Your Ticket?

Your ticket is only valid for the day you purchase it. However, it’s not for a specific time so you can enter at any time that’s convenient for you.

There also isn’t a time limit once you enter the walls so you can wander until your heart’s content.

Where to Buy Tickets

You can purchase tickets for the walls in advance online through the City Walls Dubrovnik website here.

You can also purchase them at the ticket offices in Dubrovnik which are located near the entrances to the wall.

The main ticket office is located at the beginning of Stradun just inside Pile Gate near Onofrio’s Fountain. You can either purchase your ticket or exchange a voucher here. 

This is where we purchased our tickets since it was the closest location to our hotel in Old Town, however, there are additional ticket offices located near Ploče Gate and St. John’s Fortress.

Where to Find the Entrances

There are three entrances to the city walls: the Pile Gate entrance, the Ploče Gate entrance and the St. John’s Fortress entrance. You can enter or exit at any of them. The trick is finding them because they’re not very obvious.

Pile Gate Entrance

The first is located just inside Pile Gate. Once you enter Old Town through the gate, you’ll find yourself at the beginning of Stradun, the main street that runs through the center of Old Town.

If you’re looking down Stradun, to your right is Onofrio’s Fountain. Directly across from the fountain is a steep staircase to the left of the Church of the Holy Savior. The staircase is the entrance to the walls.

The wall entrance located nearest to Pile Gate tends to be the busiest. This is because a large number of visitors enter Old Town through this gate. It is also the beginning of Stradun, the main street, where Onofrio’s Fountain is located. People tend to congregate in this area so it gets very crowded.

If you encounter a large crowd on the day of your visit, we suggest entering through one of the other entrances.

Ploče Gate

After entering Old Town through Ploče Gate, continue walking along the Fort Revelin walls, eventually crossing a small bridge.

Continue along until you reach the small Gothic Church of St. Luke. There’s a stone archway right next to the church. Once you pass under the arch, you’ll find the ticket booth for the walls.

St. John’s Fortress

The last entrance can be found by making your way to Old Town harbor. Once there, you can follow the signs to the Maritime Museum. The entrance to the walls is located next to the museum.

Best Time to Visit

We’re going to go against the grain here.

A lot of suggestions for visiting the walls tell you to visit early in the morning when they open to avoid crowds. This is definitely an option but we actually suggest walking the walls in the late afternoon and here’s why.

Cruise ship and walking tours will generally start at around 9 am, give or take, so if you start your walk when the walls open at 8 am, it’s doubtful you’ll be able to avoid the tours the entire time.

If you aren’t bothered by crowds, visiting early in the morning is a great option for you. However, if this doesn’t sound ideal to you, we recommend visiting the walls in the late afternoon. 

In order to avoid crowding, visitors to the wall are directed to walk in a counter-clockwise direction. Because some areas of the walkway are narrow, this helps to keep things flowing and ensures a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

We chose to begin our walk at approximately 3:00 in the afternoon and we found this to be an ideal time.

Many of the tours have started to wind down by this time of day so we were able to walk the walls at a leisurely pace and take pictures without feeling like we were in someone else’s way.

Also, the lighting was ideal for taking pictures. Most importantly, we were able to find seats at the bar without having to wait!

It was still very hot at this time of day, but if I’m being honest, it was fairly hot at 8 am as well.

How Long it Takes

We knew walking the city walls was a must-do activity when we visited Dubrovnik so we made sure to allow plenty of time to fully enjoy the experience.

In total, we spent approximately 2.5 hours wandering the walls and exploring all the nooks and crannies of this amazing historical landmark.

This allowed for ample time to walk at a leisurely pace, take plenty of photos and to stop and enjoy a drink at the cute bar which has some of the most amazing views of Lokrum as well as Fort Lovrijenac.

We suggest allowing yourself at least 1.5-2 hours to walk the walls in its entirety. If you’re visiting during peak hours, from 10am to 2pm, allow yourself additional time to account for the crowds.

Available Facilities

If you’re worried that there aren’t any facilities on the wall, never fear! You can find restrooms at a few places along the wall.

There are a couple of cafes as well which offer high top tables and incredible views in every direction. These are great places to stop for a bit of shade and to enjoy a drink or some ice cream. 

Keep in mind that the seating at the cafes is very limited so if you’re visiting during a peak time, you may need to wait a bit for a table.

Helpful Tips

Now that we’ve shared the basics for visiting the walls, we want to give you some additional tips that will help you to better prepare for your visit.

Bring Sun Protection and Water

You’ll find that there’s very little shade available along the walk so you’ll be subjected to walking in full sun. You can find some shade at the cafes but seating is limited so you’ll want to protect yourself. 

We highly recommend bringing sunscreen and water. A hat may not be a bad idea either. Also, don’t forget your sunglasses!

The Walls are Not Accessible

Given that the walls aren’t accessible, this may not be an ideal activity for those with mobility issues.

Another thing to consider is that there are many sets of stairs along the walk, some very steep. When combined with the searing heat, it can be quite challenging even for those without mobility issues.

We also don’t recommend bringing baby carriages for the same reasons already mentioned above.In addition, it may be difficult to maneuver a carriage through the crowds of people.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

Though it’s not a particularly long walk, there are many stairs and the walkway can be uneven in some spots so we suggest wearing a comfortable pair of shoes.

FAQs

We’ve provided the most important information to help you plan your visit to the city walls but we know that there are always more questions to be answered. Here are the answers to some of the most common ones.

Is it worth walking the city walls in Dubrovnik?

In our opinion, it’s definitely worth walking the city walls. It allows you to see the Old Town and surrounding area from a different perspective.

It’s also a great way to get a respite from the crowds of Old Town especially if you visit early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

How long does it take to walk the walls of Dubrovnik?

You should allow at least 1.5-2 hours to walk the walls, possibly more, if you’re visiting during peak hours. This will allow you plenty of time for picture-taking and taking in the sights.

If you’re really pressed for time, you can certainly walk the walls with less time but we wouldn’t recommend it.

Can I walk the walls of Dubrovnik for free?

As amazing as that would be, unfortunately, you cannot walk the walls for free. 

However, the money is put to good use. All proceeds from ticket sales go towards operating expenses as well as maintaining and preserving the walls. 

In a Nutshell: Walking the Dubrovnik City Walls

I can honestly say that we enjoyed every minute of walking the Dubrovnik city walls. The views alone were worth the time commitment and heat exposure. 

You don’t need to be a history buff or a photographer to enjoy this activity. Although, I have to say, the pictures I took from the top of the walls were some of my favorites of the entire trip. No matter which direction you look, it’s a postcard worthy shot.

If you can only choose one activity in Dubrovnik, walk the city walls. It’s something you’ll always remember!

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