10 reasons to discover Dubrovnik

They call Dubrovnik the pearl of the Adriatic, and for once the nickname is earned. A walled city of pale stone and red roofs spilling down to a sea the colour of sapphires — it is one of those rare places that feels almost too photogenic to be real. Here are ten reasons to put it at the top of your list.

1. Walk the city walls. The mile-and-a-quarter circuit above the rooftops is the single best thing to do in Dubrovnik — go early or late to beat both the heat and the crowds.
2. Wander the Stradun. The main street's marble paving has been polished to a shine by centuries of footsteps; it glows at dusk.
3. Ride the cable car up Mount Srd. From the top, the whole walled city sits below you like a model, with the islands scattered beyond.
4. Swim off the rocks at Buza. Through a hole in the seaward wall, a cliff bar serves cold drinks above the spot where locals dive straight into the deep blue.
5. Sail to Lokrum. A ten-minute boat ride reaches a green island of peacocks, shady pines and a salt-water lagoon.
6. Find the film sets. Fans will recognise King's Landing at every turn — the steps, the harbour, the walls all played their part.
7. Catch the golden hour. When the day-trippers leave, the Old Town empties and the low sun turns the stone honey-gold.
8. Eat from the Adriatic. Grilled fish, black risotto and oysters from nearby Ston, with a glass of Peljesac red.
9. Take a day trip. The Elaphiti islands, the vineyards of Peljesac and pretty little Cavtat are all within easy reach.
10. The sea itself. More than anything, it's the water — clear, calm and impossibly blue — that you'll remember.

Stay a little longer than you think you need to. Dubrovnik rewards the slow traveller — the ones still on the walls when the light turns and the swallows come out over the rooftops.