Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

In the July of 2017 my friend and I were trying to decide on a holiday destination that offered heat, excursions and something a little bit different, and so, we chose Dubrovnik. A wonderful, walled city in the south of Croatia, known for its distinctive old town and dubbed ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’. We decided on a 4 night, 5 day trip and although it was enough time to do everything that we had planned, a couple of days extra for relaxation would have been perfect.

On our first day we arrived at Dubrovnik airport from London Gatwick around midday and jumped in a taxi for the 30 minute journey to our accommodation, located a short walk to the Old Town. Once settled we decided to take a stroll and explore the surrounding area. It was blisteringly hot and I have never experienced a city with so many steps. We walked down the hill and ended up at the Old Town’s impressive gates. Entry into the old town is free of charge and is an absolute must with its beautiful cobbled streets that you can just lose yourself in for hours. It feels like a step back in time with no cars, authentic stone and high city walls. I loved that you could turn a corner and find a cave bar or a restaurant or shop or yet another striking sea view.

Of course, we cannot talk of Dubrovnik’s Old Town without mentioning Game of Thrones. As many fans will already know, Dubrovnik Old Town doubles as King’s Landing, with many famous scenes being filmed there including Queen Cersei’s walk of shame. You can freely follow in her footsteps and walk the famous steps yourself (just with the added option of stopping for a GOT-themed cocktail halfway down & of course without an angry mob throwing things at you). I remember our tour guide telling us that when filming was taking place, the residents of the old town were told to keep their window shutters closed and no peeping was allowed, they were rewarded by being paid per window, so the more windows they had, the richer they became.

The Red Keep is also in Dubrovnik Old Town, well worth the climb up the many steps once again. The views are just incredible and I still have the sea’s shade of blue etched in my memory. Across the water, only a short boat ride away, is an island called Lokrum which I really regret not visiting. It is inhabited with fat rabbits and peacocks and doubled up as the City of Quarth in Game of Thrones. Blackwater Bay is located just in front of the Red Keep, instead of an army of ships it was filled with kayaks and canoes instead which lost it some authenticity.

On one of the days we booked a trip across the border to Bosnia & Herzegovina, I must admit that I had no knowledge of this country and so, no idea of how this trip would be or what to expect. The stories that we were told on our tour of Mostar will never leave me. It is truly one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to, with such a sad history. Our tour guide was just a child when The Bosnian War broke out, a fight for independence that resulted in awfully horrific violence and deaths. The things this man had to endure as a child made me go cold, his childhood was one of many things lost and devastated. We walked across Stari Most (known as Mostar Bridge), a UNESCO Heritage site & now thought of as a symbol of peace. This beautiful bridge was destroyed during the war but has now been rebuilt and is often subject to tourists and locals jumping a heart-stopping 82ft into the water below.

The following day we decided a trip to the beach was in order. We boarded a ferry and set off to the island of Lopud, one of the Elaphiti Islands, famous for its pristine sandy beaches. We had a wonderful day soaking up the sun and sampling some of the local cuisine whilst enjoying the sea views. It’s a very peaceful and tranquil place, there are no cars on the island so there is no noise apart from the chatter of people and the lapping of the waves.

Other days were spent enjoying a sunset tour, this is available from outside the Old Town gates and is a fantastic way to spend an evening. It’s only for two hours or so and you get driven right to the top of a beautiful hillside with uninterrupted views of the sun setting in all of its glorified stages. We also did the Dubrovnik Cable Car, there’s something so aesthetically pleasing drifting over the orange rooftops of the Old Town. We had the bright idea of doing the City Walls Walk during the afternoon heat, despite the severe dehydration that followed it is highly recommended. 

All in all, this trip is one that I look back on very fondly and would love to repeat at some point in the future. It offers something for everyone, the sun-seekers, cocktail-lovers, the explorers, the foodies and the Game of Thrones enthusiasts. You have my word, you will not be disappointed.

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