Bathed by the reflections of the shimmering Adriatic, and with an old town surrounded by the walls that have withstood centuries of turmoil, the Croatian city of Dubrovnik remains one of Europe's most enduring treasures.
Just as an oyster shell protects life within, Dubrovnik's walls nurtured a flourishing maritime republic that once rivaled Venice.
For centuries this city of stone and light has dazzled visitors, none more so than the romantic poet Lord Byron, who named the city, The Pearl of The Adriatic.
Cross the medieval bridge and enter the city through the grandest of its entrances, Pile Gate.
Once inside, climb the ramparts for a history lesson like no other.
Dubrovnik's walls first rose in the 7th century, but most of what stands today was built in the 14th and 15th centuries to repel Ottoman attack.
These are walls, which have been shaken by armies and earthquakes.
These are walls whose every stone tells the story of resilience and liberty.
It takes an hour or two to walk the Old City's ramparts, depending on how often you are stopped in your tracks by the views.
Dubrovnik's citizens have always valued harmony, and that sense of order and unity continues today as visitors circle the Old Town in an anti-clockwise direction.
