After being told by many clients and friends of the unique beauty of Dubrovnik, I couldn’t wait to experience the city for the first time. I’m not entirely sure what I expected but I can honestly say that Dubrovnik exceeded my every expectation.
We arrived at mid-morning and enjoyed wonderful views on the coastal drive from the airport into the city. The coastline is truly striking with sheer cliff paths falling away to the clear azure waters below – but nothing compared to the view of the city itself.
A picturesque Old Town
Once we settled into our hotel, a lovely little place called the Hotel Lero that we’d picked for its location – just 10 minutes walk from the centre – we went for a little wander into the old town (Grad in Croatian). I was straight away taken by this iconic city. Walking through Pile Gate and down into the centre, the limestone streets and baroque buildings gave the old city such a unique charm, managing to look both clean and modern yet traditional at the same time. Tucked away on the side streets were wonderful little shops selling an array of merchandise, the local market and dozens of restaurants, cafes and bars. There was also (as one might expect) a number of shops selling memorabilia from one or two recent movies/TV series that were filmed in the area. That’s right, if you are a Game of Thrones or Star Wars fan, maybe leave some space in your suitcase as you’ll find plenty of trinkets and treats for your collection in Dubrovnik.
Head upwards to escape the crowds
Visiting the city during the daytime did have one slight disadvantage. Due to its popularity, there are always large crowds from either the cruise ships in port or the tour groups pouring in for the day. The late afternoon into early evening however was really pleasant so for those able to spend a long weekend there, I’d highly recommend joining a day tour or getting out of the city centre from about mid-morning until about 3pm. One way to get away from the crowds is to head up in the Dubrovnik Cable Car to the top of Mt Srđ. If you can grab a spot right next to the window, you are sure to get those postcard style photos of the city as you ascend, but even if you don’t, there are plenty of lovely viewing platforms once you reach the top.
UNESCO World Heritage sites and more
My favourite way to escape the hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets was a visit to the beautiful neighbouring island of Lokrum. I must take a moment to thank a good client who suggested this island to us as it was a brilliant excursion – one that I will now absolutely recommend to anyone planning a city break in Dubrovnik. Lokrum is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the Lokrum Island Nature Reserve, and it’s only a short ferry ride from Dubrovnik. You can walk the lovely treks or visit the nature reserve or even jump off the rocky shoreline for a swim in the sea. The water is rather deep, and very salty, but really refreshing on a hot day. You can finish off your visit at one of the island’s cafes where you can enjoy a coffee and a light bite or even a cocktail.
Departing this wonderful place after three nights was just the perfect amount of time. If I’d stayed any longer, I think they would have run out of ice-cream (the second best ice-cream I think I’ve ever had on my European travels, second only to Gelataria Dondoli in San Gimignano). If you would like to chat in more detail about Dubrovnik or have your own stories to share, I’d love to hear from you, but otherwise, until next time!
For more information, contact Nicki Harrison at nicki.harrison@travelcounsellors.com.