Top 10 Dubrovnik Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia is known as one of the world’s finest and most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world – and certainly one of the most beautiful places I have traveled. Because of its trading port on the Adriatic, it was a huge world-trade powerhouse. Still referred to as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”, this city seems unchanged after all of these centuries even after surviving a devistating earthquake in 1667 and a civil war attack in the 1990s. The ancient walls still enclose the city – which I have to describe as historic but also beautifully enchanting.

For the next couple of blog posts, I will give more specifics on things to do while in Dubrovnik but I thought I would start with a little summary of my favorite things to do. This is a great ancient city to visit with many things to do so let’s go!

Walk around Old Town- This is a wonderful place just to stroll along and get lost in medieval days. The good news is you CAN’T really get lost as the town is situated to resemble a fishbone. The main “bone” is the central street, Stradun (the paving stones were laid in 1453), and the small streets on the left and right resemble the rest of the “bones”– find this main street and you can’t get lost! You will probably enter through Pile Gate (the traditional entrance to the city since the 15th century). and will immediately find the Great Onofrio Well. This fountain dates to the 15th century and still functions with clean tap water which you can directly drink! From here you will find monuments and other historical attractions along the way, but visitors can also enjoy more modern markets, cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Walk the Old City Walls – These well-preserved city walls are a symbol of Dubrovnik and offer incredible views of the Old Town below and the crystal blue Adriatic Sea. Parts of the walls date back to the 11th century with other parts were added in the 13th through 15th centuries as the threat of Turkish invaders grew. The walls were reinforced by strategically placed forts and towers along the way and are 20 feet thick and 82 feet high in some places – so we are talking about a serious defensive structure!

Just as a heads up, the walls get a little narrow in some areas and there are some steps to climb so be careful of those around you. But trust me, it will be difficult not to get distracted with views below of the Renaissance fountains, Baroque churches, shining marbles plazas, and cobbled-stoned streets and houses below. There are many guided tour options available but it you want to do it on your own, the cost is 200 Kuna per adult with 1 Kuna equaling about $0.15 USD.

Go on a Game of Thrones Tour- Dubrovnik IS Kings Landing and this is where many of the scenes were filmed. I admit I am a fan, so this was on my “have to do” list. We not only got to visit the scenes set around GOT’s Kings Landing – the Red Keep, Walk of Shame, Little Finger’s Brothel, etc. but also got to hear about Dubrovnik’s history which surprisingly shares some level of political intrigue with the hit series. One of the GOT thrones awaits at the end of the tour where you may have your picture taken at no charge if you were on the tour. If you do watch, you can’t help but say, “I was there, I was there!” while watching the most recent episodes. Various tour companies offer this option and generally cost around 150 – 200 Kuna for a 2.5 – 3-hour tour.

Take a short taxi boat ride to Lok rum Island (also known as the Greenest Island in the Adriatic) – Less than a half mile offshore from Dubrovnik’s Old Port, this small forested island offers some nice beaches (even one nude if you dare) and some historic attractions of its own. There is also a beautiful botanical garden on the island to stroll if you choose. The highlight for me was climbing to the top of the 19th century Napoleonic Fort Royale where I caught the most spectacular views of Old Town. People have been visiting here for over a thousand -- some of the oldest artifacts found here are from the 5th centuries! It is also known as the Game of Thrones Island as many scenes were filmed here and another GOT throne is on display for an additional photo opp if you wish. But be sure to get the last boat at 8 pm as the island is uninhabited and a legend says the island is cursed for those who stay there at night. Who knows if that is true but obviously no one wants to risk it! Allow yourself a good three or four hours to take advantage of all there is to see. Cost is 150 Kuna round trip and includes an entrance fee.

Rectors Palace (in Old Town) – this Gothic style structure was one of the few that survived a huge earthquake that severely damaged the city in the 17th century. It may be one of the few buildings nearly untouched from it’s original construction. The Rector was the equivalent of the president or prime minister (plus he kept the keys to the city gates), so he was THE major man of the city, and this was his dwelling. But this palace also included a courthouse, parliament chambers, and even dungeons. Now, it is a museum packed with valuable and historic exhibits where visitors can tour and see rooms and artifacts dating to the 14th century including paintings, furniture, and even carriages. Cost: 130 Kuna for adults but the ticket also includes admission to other Dubrovnik museums and archaeological displays

Visit one (or a few) of the 40 beautiful churches in Old Town (39 are Catholic and one Orthodox)- I recommend The Church of St. Blaise, named after the patron saint of the City, as it is one of the city’s major sights. The existing Baroque church was built in 1715 on the foundations of a badly damaged Romanesque medieval church. The outside is exquisite with statues and detailed carvings. The interior is richly decorated in Baroque style. The main alter is a combination of rich marble and includes a gilt silver Gothic statue of Saint Blaise crafted in the 15th century. Admission is free but is still a working church so may be closed during Mass.

Cathedral and Treasury – The cathedral currently standing dates from 1673 to replace the original 12th century which was destroyed by the earthquake. Another earthquake in 1979 warranted digging under the cathedral which uncovered a Romanesque cathedral beneath the current one and even more digging uncovered ANOTHER church underneath that one, dating back to the 6th century! The treasury of the cathedral contains historical and valuable artifacts, including the skull of the city’s patron Saint Blaise, which is encased in a jewel-encrusted crown. The entrance to the cathedral is free; you can enter any day except during the mass. Ticket price for entrance to the Treasury is 15 Kuna.

Franciscan Monastery and Pharmacy- Opened in 1317, it is still a functioning monastery. The attached original pharmacy (said to be the oldest in Europe) is now a museum. A new pharmacy to replace the old was built around the corner and is still an active pharmacy! Inside the museum you will find fragments of books dating back to the 10th century as well as paintings, jewelry, and ornate ceremonial robes – even relics of saints encased in intricately designed gold. Cost 30 Kuna

Take the Dubrovnik Cable Car (or taxi) to the top of Mount Srd for spectacular views- Since we have returned from Croatia, there have been reports the cable car has temporarily closed. Normally, you can take the cable car up Mount Srd and get the best views of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area from the top. The ride takes about three minutes. I must admit the cars shut down the afternoon we planned to go due to strong winds, but a clever taxi driver was waiting in front of the station offering to take us up for roughly the same price. We jumped at the chance and was glad that we did because our driver stopped at one extra scenic spot the cable car wouldn’t have and we were able to catch incredible views of Old Town and the surrounding areas below. Cost: 170 Kuna.

Visit the Elaphite Islands – North of Dubrovnik and a motorboat away are the beautiful and lush islands (only three are inhabited) which makes for a wonderful day trip. There are several daily crossings offered by a few touring companies. The islands have long been popular with the aristocracy of Dubrovnik, who built pleasure villas here as options to get away from the main city. Some islands have monasteries, and all have many old churches – some dating to pre-Romanesque times. Each have uncultivated areas and lovely beaches where you may wander at your leisure. There are a few cafes and bars on the island that you can stop at for refreshments. You might even run in to some of the locals there too. Several tour companies offer three island boat tours (full day) with lunch included for about 297 Kuna.

We really enjoyed touring and visiting Dubrovnik this past month. Make sure to stay tuned for the next few weeks where I will be expanding on some of the things we did and saw while there. I will also be sharing some of the day trips we took to the bordering countries of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina!

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*One general note: You many decide purchasing a Dubrovnik card is a good value for your dollar depending how you decide to tour the city and how long you decide to stay. We took more tour options so the price was not effective for us but might be for you – it’s worth checking out for your needs: http://www.dubrovnikcard.com