Our quick guide to Croatia's wonderful Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is an unspoiled walled city on the southern coast of Croatia. The city itself is not large, with its population being just under 40,000, but is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. In 1979, Dubrovnik was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and earned its famous nickname "Pearl of the Adriatic".

Dubrovnik developed due to maritime trade and was the only city-state that could compete with Venice in the Middle Ages. Dubrovnik experienced its greatest development during the 15th and 16th centuries. Dubrovnik was the heart of the Croatian language and literature exchange, a home to many famous poets, playwrights, painters, physicists and other scientists.

Today Dubrovnik is the most famous destination in Croatia, an elite destination and one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean. Dubrovnik used to be an independent republic that then lived mostly on trade. It managed to survive many years of constant threats from the powerful Ottoman Empire and Venice. In the nineteenth century, many celebrities recognized Dubrovnik as a place to be. George Bernard Shaw once said that "those who seek paradise on earth should visit Dubrovnik and find what they seek". The city is visited by many royals, presidents and diplomats. Former Pope John Paul II was a big fan of Dubrovnik and became an honorary citizen.

Imbued with stunning architecture and sculptural details, Dubrovnik has spectacular churches, monasteries, museums and fountains.

A walk on the walls around the old town provides a great view. It may be best to visit the walls in the early morning or late afternoon during the mid-summer months as it can get very hot. It takes about an hour to walk the entire wall, so make sure you leave yourself enough time before buying a ticket.

Dubrovnik is surrounded by its city wall which is 2 km long and known all over the world. There are 3 entrances: from Stradun (which is the main street of the city) at the Pile Gate, at Fort Saint Johns and at the Customs House Gate.

Within the city walls you will find Fort Minceta and Fort Sant Johns on the southeast side. Also within the city walls are Fort Lawrence on Pile and Fort Revelin on Ploce.

Minceta Fort is one of the most beautiful cultural sights in Dubrovnik. It is on the northwest side of the city inside the city wall and was built according to the design of Renaissance builder Juraj Dalmatinac. St Lukes Tower can be seen by walking along the land side of the city wall up to the Ploce gate. St. Luke's has protected the entrance to Dubrovnik's port only until today.

St John's Fort was built in the 16th century and is well worth a visit, on the ground floor is a wonderful aquarium and on the first and second floor is a Maritime Museum.

For swimming and sun, visit Dubrovnik's Lapad, Banje and Lokrum Island beaches. Lapad is a car-free, sandy beach on the Lapad peninsula, about 3.5 km from the Old Town. There you can relax in the shade and stroll along a long pedestrianized street full of cafes and restaurants where you will also find several popular pebble beaches called Lapad beaches. These beaches are truly beautiful and make Lapad definitely one of the most beautiful parts of Dubrovnik to visit while there.

Banje, which is near the old town, is a very nice pebble beach. There is a part with an entrance fee, but also a general part that is more lively and relaxed. Here you can easily beat the heat in the center of the city.

If you want to escape the beaches, which can be crowded during the summer season, take a ferry to the island of Lokrum, just outside Dubrovnik. It only takes 10 minutes by boat and costs around 80kn each way. The last ferry is at 20:00 during the summer, with a ferry leaving every 30 minutes. There you can swim in designated spots where you can find ladders to enter the sea or you can just choose a nice spot on the rocks where you can swim and enjoy the silence. For a great view of Dubrovnik, climb the forts on the northern part of the island.

Another reason why Dubrovnik has risen in popularity in recent years, aside from its history and beauty, is its starring role in the HBO TV hit "Game of Thrones" where the old city has stood in for "Kings Landing", "Qarth" and other fictional locations since the show's second season in 2012.

There are plenty of "Games of Thrones" tours available but many filming locations are simply stumbled upon just by walking around, you just have to keep your eyes open.

Much of the filming took place on the city walls and also the fortress Lovrijenac and on a small beach and pier in a bay directly below the heart of the city. In addition to Durbovnik, Game of Thrones was filmed at Lakrum, Diocletian's Palace in Split, Klis Fortress and the Old Town and waterfront in Sibenik.

For a great view of the entire city and the island of Lokrum etc. visit Mount Srd with a fortress containing a small museum 400 meters above Dubrovnik. There are several ways up:

The first way is to hike up on a winding road. It takes around 90 minutes from the old town. The second way is to take the cable car which takes you up in less than four minutes and provides a wonderful experience. A return ticket costs around 100 kn. The third way is of course to get there by car.

Try Cliff jumping in the caffe bar Buza.