Things to see in Dubrovnik

A circular stroll around Dubrovnik's sturdy city walls is nigh on essential. The 2km (1.2-mile) path that winds its way around the myriad fortresses provides a series of stunning vantage points from which to survey the Old Town rooftops, the old port, the Adriatic Sea and the harsh limestone crags to the north. Allow at least an hour, particularly if you’re taking photos. The walls themselves are 25m (82ft) tall at their highest and 12m (39ft) wide at their broadest – little wonder that history has proved them to be so insurmountable.

Access is from the Stradun, Svetog Dominika or Kneza Damjana Jude.

This monastery complex lies just off the Stradun and is one of the most interesting sights in Dubrovnik. At the entrance you’ll find a working pharmacy believed to be the third oldest in the world – it was fully refurbished more than a century ago but dates back to the 1300s in its earlier guise. In the museum adjoining the cloisters can be found a range of old medicines and elixirs from medieval times. Other highlights of the complex include the single-naved Church of St Francis itself and an interior courtyard bordered by ornate cloisters.

Look out for the ‘We are forbidden to cheat and use false measures, and when I weigh goods, God weighs me' motto which reveals much about one of the former roles of this graceful 14th-century palace. It also served as Ragusa's customs house and state mint. Today it is home to the moving Memorial Room of the Dubrovnik Defenders, where harrowing photos and video footage bring the 1991-1992 siege to life. The entrance to the palace is through a substantial Renaissance-era portico, while inside there’s a courtyard with a double cloister. The building also plays home to the State Archives.