The walls surrounding the old city of Dubrovnik have protected it since medieval days. In some places, the walls are more than 25 meters tall (about 80 feet) and up to six meters thick (about 20 feet.) They are perfectly preserved and open to the public to climb its many steps, providing a dramatic view of Dubrovnik's rooftops.

The Pile gate is the outer gate to the city, dating from 1537, and protecting an older inner gate within. The drawbridge (now just a walkway) was lifted each night, the gate was closed, and the key was handed to a prince. We saw the original keys on display at a museum in town.

Note the huge iron doors, especially impenetrable from the moat outside, and the complex system by which the drawbridge was raised and lowered. The wheel (next to the postcard stand) hoisted the drawbridge, assisted by the counterweight iron balls hanging by the door.

On the exterior side of this gate is a statue of Saint Blaise, set in a niche. Saint Blaise is the patron saint of Dubrovnik, acclaimed all over the city, and the patron saint of the ornate church on the town's main square.

The rooftops of Dubrovnik are a patchwork of old and new tiles, and can be seen at their best from the top of the city walls. Beyond the old town are the harbor and coastal islands of Southern Dalmatia.

Korčula is the name of an island and the main town on the island, just outside the Pelješac peninsula. Well-protected by its city walls, legend holds that Korčula was founded by a Trojan, in some accounts by the mythical hero Aeneas, but not substantiated by archaeological evidence. Walls have existed since the thirteenth century, but the current city was not built until the fifteenth century.

The layout of the old town conforms to the shape of the small protrusion of land on which it sits. The streets are in a fishbone shape, curved or straight to take advantage of shade all day or cool winds.

The Moreška has been performed in Korčula since the fifteenth century. Once performed all over the Mediterranean—and possibly originating in Spain—the chivalric dance tells the story of two kings competing for a beautiful princess.

The fight involves about a dozen pairs of Red and Black knights, each with two swords, paired off in an extremely well-timed and graceful display of swordsmanship. There are seven dances (or battles), each with a distinct choreography.

Originally only performed once a year, there are now two performances per week for tourists to enjoy.