Towering above the dazzlingly blue waters of the Adriatic, the sturdy medieval walls of Dubrovnik are a truly astounding sight. These magnificent walls were built in the 13th century, with some reinforcements added in the 15th century, to protect it from the Ottoman Turks.

Now world-famous for its starring role as King’s Landing in HBO’s Game of Thrones, the near-perfectly preserved walled town ranks as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. It’s possible to do a circuit of the arresting battlements, which offer amazing views of the old town’s terracotta rooftops, passageways, Baroque churches and out to sea. It was a close-run thing but, for us, this place had to rank number one.

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now discover the secrets behind the world's most famous walls

The most captivating walled towns, cities, ranked