DUBROVNIK (CROATIA)

Dubrovnik is an UNESCO World Heritage Site that suffered damage in 1991–92 during Croatia’s struggle for independence, but much of the old city has since been restored. It is known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century. Its well-preserved buildings range from baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace, now a history museum. Paved with limestone, the pedestrianized Stradun (or Placa) is lined with shops and restaurants.