The main east-west thoroughfare is Placa, though locals prefer to call it Stradun. This is like one long pedestrian plaza, with lots of cafes and touristy shops. The marble-paved Placa basically splits the old town into two. The northern part rises up steeply to match the green hills in the background. The southern half of old Dubrovnik is basically level, as it meets the harbor side.
The west end of Placa, which leads from the Pile gate, is marked by the large Onofrio Fountain rotunda (built in 1438) that is a water fountain to grateful sun-baked travelers. If you have been to Rome, you may have heard the term "pubs of Rome" applied to the wealth of drinking fountains about town. The two Onofrio Fountains at either end of Placa are in essence the "pubs of Dubrovnik". Just north of the rotunda is the Franciscan Monastery, significant because it holds a pharmacy and museum that has been functioning since the 1300's.
Pred Dvorom is a prominent pedestrian street running perpendicular to Placa at its easternmost point, and is in a sense an extension of Placa. A stroll down Pred Dvorom includes the City Hall, the arcaded 14th Century Rector's Palace, and the Cathedral.
The Orlando Column (dated 1419) in the center marks the east end of Placa, with perhaps the finest ensemble of buildings in Dubrovnik. The arcaded Sponza Palace (built 1441) is the north "wall" of this square, with the slender clock tower on the east side. Placa officially ends at the tower, though a smaller serpentine path continues past this eastern wall to the eastern Ploce Gate. The smaller Onofrio Fountain is also on this east wall. St. Blaise's Church is the south boundary, and has a convenient staircase that is a good spot for people watching. This church from 1715 has an eclectic Italianate-Palladian-Baroque style.