Dubrovnik
As you can imagine – this area gets absolutely manic at times. There is a water fountain under one of the trees nearby, where you can fill your bottles – the only thing you will get for free in Dubrovnik! I entered the city through the arched Pile Gate, which has a one-way system to help with the crowds; the first thing you see is the huge stone Onofrijeva Fountain, and the entrance to the City Walls on the left. Straight ahead is the Stradun – the main thoroughfare of the city, paved with marble cobbles that shone in the early morning sun, having had centuries of wear. There are narrow lanes extending off to both sides all the way down the Stradun, until I reached a large open space at the bottom with The Orlando Statue and many important buildings, various palaces, a 15th century bell tower and the loggia.
Most of the buildings you see today in Dubrovnik were built after the great earthquake of 1667, which destroyed almost everything. The Sponza and the Rector’s palace, next to the city hall, were the only buildings that survived, as well as the massive, solid walls City Walls which remained untouched. The medieval infrastructure of Dubrovnik is so organised, it is very easy to find your way around – although be warned that many of the lanes have countless steps. Its well-preserved buildings range from the immense baroque St. Blaise Church, the Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace (which is now a history museum).
The prosperity of the city was based on its maritime trade; achieving a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. In the early 19th century, during a period of Austrian dominance, was the early beginnings of tourism. Lord Byron, on his Grand Tour, was said to have called Dubrovnik ‘the Pearl of the Adriatic’ due to the marble street reflecting in the midday sun; and prominent authors like Bernard Shaw and Agatha Christie were dazzled by its setting. In 1979 Dubrovnik joined the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but in 1991, after the break-up of Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik was besieged by Serbian and Montenegrin Army for 7 months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After repairs and restoration works, Dubrovnik has re-emerged as one of the top tourist destinations in the Mediterranean and today millions marvel at its medieval splendour.
I went through an archway and came to the picturesque harbour, a delightful sight in the early morning sun. You can walk around the waterfront area, passing bars and restaurants, all the way round until you reach St John’s Fortress - Dubrovnik's Maritime Museum, which in the past has guarded the entrance to the old city.
It is a fascinating place to learn about the Republic's impressive naval power, with exhibits of model ships, navigational equipment, flags and maps -surprisingly in the 16th century Dubrovnik had one of the world's largest fleets, with over 180 ships. There is an Aquarium on the ground floor of the fortress with a display of Adriatic underwater life, including loggerhead turtles, conger eels and octopuses. Heading around the other side if the harbour, I came to the second major entrance to the city, the Gate of Ploče.
This gate is protected by the freestanding quadrilateral shaped Revelin Fortress, with one of its sides descending towards the sea, and is connected to the city by a wooden drawbridge and a twin-spanned stone bridge over a protective ditch. This became the strongest of the city fortresses, safeguarding the eastern land approach to the city. It is a beautiful area – both looking out over the harbour and inland, along the length of the magnificent walls with colourful gardens below. Next, I headed back into the inner part of the city, passing the Dominican Monastery and Sv. Sebastian Church, a popular spot for wedding photographs; and quickly arrived back at the Stradun.
The Sponza Palace which should have been free to get in, was charging an admission fee that morning – perhaps because there were 2 cruise ships arriving that day. The Gothic-Renaissance Sponza Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in the City, built in approximately 1516 with open arched porches both outside and inside the main building. Its inner courtyard used to house the custom office, a warehouse, the mint, the bank, the treasury, and the armoury and nowadays it is home to Dubrovnik’s archives. Almost opposite is St. Blaise Church (which is free to get in), with its towering columns and grand steps, it looks as if it should be the cathedral.
Next to this is the impressive 12th century Rectors Palace, now the Historical Museum, containing the artistic and historical heritage of the Republic of Ragusa. The building used to be the seat of the Rector of the Republic and housed an armoury, a powder magazine, the watch house and a prison. From here it is only a short way to Dubrovnik’s Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary – legend says it was originally funded by Richard the Lionheart in 1190, after being shipwrecked nearby whilst returning from the Crusades. The first Cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake in 1667 but rebuilt in 1713 and this is also free to go inside.
There are so many pretty alleyways and lanes to explore in the city, you can’t get lost here – there are signs all along the Stradun saying what can be found down each lane, they either start or end at the walls or the main street.
At the top end of the Stradun (Pile Gate end) is The Franciscan Monastery and Museum, which has one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, founded in 1317, as an in-house pharmacy for the friars, but later serviced the whole town. The pretty courtyard and cloister leads to the Old Pharmacy Museum where you can see various pharmaceutical tools, containers, grinders and similar from the times of old Ragusa.
The Pharmacy is still functioning nowadays and offers products which are made according to ancient Franciscan’s recipes especially good skin cream products made from local wild herbs. From here, I found the local market, and ended up at the footsteps of the Baroque Jesuit stairs, described as similar to the Spanish Steps in Rome. These aren’t ornate though but feel very authentic and have been made infamous by a well-known television series.
At the top of the stairs is the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuit College – the view looking back down the street is quite atmospheric – especially if you recognise it from a famous scene from Game of Thrones. From here I went down to Dubrovnik’s small West Harbour with its old stone jetty, and up the old steep cliffside steps to Lovrijenac Fortress.
You do have to pay to get into here but are rewarded with the most amazing views of the city, completely encompassed by the walls - it is the best place to view the huge, cylindrical oceanside Fort Bocar.
Lovrijenac Fortress (also described as Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar) dating back to the 11th century, is a triangular shape, built around the contours of the rock - perched high up on a 37-metre-high cliff. It was built hurriedly in 3 months to keep the invading Venetians out; but over the years it has been reconstructed several times, with 2 drawbridges and walls up to 12 metres thick. Inside is a quadrilateral court with mighty arches and 3 terraces with parapets, the broadest looking south towards the sea, originally defended by 10 large cannons.
Due to its fantastic outlook, it is often used as the setting for movies, television shows and summertime theatre presentations such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Over the entrance to the fortress, an ancient inscription says - NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO (Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world).
From here I headed back through the city, past the marketplace which was now buzzing with customers; although it was still only mid-morning, everywhere was crowded – shops, and restaurants as well as all the streets. To avoid the hustle and bustle, I went back to the Old Port and caught the ferry over to the nearby island of Lokrum, arriving at the small port of Portoc.
What a difference a 10-minute boat ride can make - an escape to another world full of pine trees, cypresses, palms, eucalyptus, cacti and agave, with a rocky shore where you can find some decent spots for bathing. There, in the middle of the island is the Dead Sea – a Salt Lake that is replenished with fresh sea water by the changing tides – another ideal spot for bathing.
One of the first things I came across was the Botanical Gardens, described as a stimulating 19th century garden, with hundreds of different kinds of trees and plants, as well as peacocks which were also brought to the island more than hundred years ago. I found the gardens disappointing, they were dreary, nothing special and not particularly inviting.
The island is full of historic and cultural things to see; there's an abandoned 11th-century medieval Benedictine Monastery, (remains of the old walls are still there, hidden among the vegetation) and an adjoining villa built by Archduke Maximilian von Hapsburg.
A fable says that a few hundred years ago, a member of the Maximillian family banished the monks from their monastery and the island; so, they put a curse on the family – resulting in mysterious deaths of all remaining family members.
There is an exhibition in the Monastery depicting this, with an eerie atmospheric film in a cave, showing shadows of monks walking through the darkness. There are also exhibits telling of how the the island was shelter to King Richard the Lionheart, when he was shipwrecked on his trip back home from the third Crusade in the 12th century.
There is a delightful courtyard area, part of the villa, and this leads to a larger exhibition room in which you can find information on the history of the island, and for lovers of the Game of Thrones series – an Iron Throne to sit upon and have you photograph taken.
An extensive lawned area next to the villa, has tame rabbits and strutting peacocks, plus the Lacroma bar-restaurant, almost overlooking the Dead Sea. There are several walking paths around the island, one called The Path of Paradise, which I thought sounded interesting; this was one of the ways up to the 19th century Fort, the highest point of the island, renowned for its panoramic views.
It was extremely hard going up there, the path was rugged, very steep with high steps and the shingle underfoot was unstable; I would not recommend it unless you are quite fit and safe on your feet. I wish I had bought my walking poles with me – it was that bad! The fort itself was just an old round building with an adjoining crumbling brick ruin, the only place to sit and have a rest was on a rock or the ground – I wasn’t very impressed. But the downhill journey would be easier – so I thought! I continued along the path, which was just as steep as the earlier one, and lost my footing more than once; this path seemed to never end.
It really was a long way back to some sort of civilization; although I did have a ranger pass by on his quad bike, checking that everyone had a ticket allowing them onto the island! I asked him for a lift back – but I don’t think he understood……….or didn’t want to! Eventually I made it back, had something to eat and drink and found some free toilets. I hadn’t expected it to be such a long walk back around the lower part of the island, but at least it was in the shade of the trees – a nice respite from the scorching sun.
Even though it had been a hard few hours, it was invigorating, and I would highly recommend visiting the island – especially if you want to get away from the crowds for a few hours. It costs 150KN for a return day trip, the boats run every 30 minutes, and the last boat comes back at 7pm - no-one is allowed to stay overnight on the island. www.lokrum.hr/eng
I was determined to make the most of my second full day so made sure I was in the town by 7:30am again; I still couldn’t believe how many people were having guided tours even at this early hour. One of Dubrovnik’s main attractions are the medieval 13th century City walls, with its intricate and complex system of forts, bastions, towers and detached forts.
They are the most important feature of Dubrovnik and a world-renowned symbol - the white stone beauty, and one of the main reasons why Dubrovnik is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic.
They are just over a mile's walk, a one-way circuit along the battlements and can take you anything from 1 to 2 hours to complete, depending how many stops you make – although you can get down half way around, by the Old Port. Further reinforcements, including several imposing towers, were added in the 15th century, to protect the city against the Turks. I joined the queue to get my ticket and was amongst some of the first to walk the walls that day. What a day it was!
I climbed the steep entrance steps by Pile Gate and turned left out towards the ocean – with a great view of Lovrijenac Fortress and the bay below. The weather was perfect, and I could not have imagined the incredible views that were at every single turn.
It really is a photographer’s paradise; the white walls, the blue Adriatic Sea, and the ornate buildings rising from the sea of red roofs. It is not something you want to rush – it is a very special experience and I felt very honoured to be able to see Dubrovnik from a completely different angle. The first major corner overlooks the cylindrical Bokar Fortress, and the rest of that side runs parallel with the ocean, which was perfectly calm that day – I did feel lucky.
As I approached the next corner, seeing the beautiful island of Lokrum in ahead of me, the pathway narrowed and there were elegant turrets – an ideal place for a selfie! I passed a restaurant, which would have made an excellent breakfast stop – but it wasn’t open – make sure you take a drink with you. As I approached the Old Harbour there were steps down, so that you could get off the Walls if you wanted to – an escape route if you had had enough.
More people started their walk just here too, and if you wanted to carry on – you just had to show your ticket again. The next section of the wall was tougher, you could see that it kept rising higher and higher with hundreds more steps, and the sun was blazing down - but it was well worth the effort. I love my photographs from this section of the wall, especially of the town below – because the sun was behind me and I could really capture the deep orange colour of the buildings.
Along this north wall, you arrive at the last tower, the 14th century landlocked Minceta Fortress - the highest point of the walls. It is a huge round fort constructed with a decorative gothic crown, giving it a sense of power and nobility - you can climb up inside the tower for the best view. You may think it would be boring seeing the same sort of view all the way around, but it was nothing like that – every section had its own special view. Even the last part, seeing the Stradun in all its glory was wonderful. With the One-Way system that is operated around the walls, I never felt overwhelmed with the volume of people that were up there – it is only the outlook that overwhelms you.
As well as the incredible views out to sea, you can glimpse into the present day life of the city, into people’s back gardens, into school yards, into quaint squares and see the many churches from different angles. The Walls are open from 8am until 7pm and costs 150 HKR (but if you have a ticket from Lovrijenac Fortress you get 50 HKR deducted). I can see why it is the “Must see and do” attraction of Dubrovnik and it had certainly lived up to its reputation. www.citywallsdubrovnik.hr
In need of a rest, I decided to go on the Cable Car to the city's peak – it is easy enough to find, go out of any of the cities eastern gates, over the car park and just follow the signs a short way up the hill to the Cable Car Station. You can only pay in local currency (150KN) or by credit card – nothing else is accepted. It’s a modern experience, a complete contrast to medieval Dubrovnik, where visitors can take in the best vistas without having to trek hundreds of steps up the steep hill. Dubrovnik’s Cable Car was built in 1969, having 2 carriages, each carrying up to 30 people, which make regular 3-minute runs to the top of Mount Srđ.
The 3 minutes went far too quickly for me; I just couldn’t get enough of the view that was unfolding below me. There isn’t much at the top, a viewing area, a small souvenir shop, a classy terraced restaurant, which boasts the best views of Dubrovnik and where I just had to sit and enjoy a nice drink and soak up the atmosphere.
On a clear day, you can see up to 37 miles and for this reason the neighbouring Imperial Fortress was built in 1812 by Napoleon. It was all very well organised, and even though there was quite a queue to get back down, it moved on quickly and I didn’t have to wait too long – again enjoying the city from a completely different angle. I can highly recommend a trip up the mountain as the view you will see is like nowhere else on earth. www.dubrovnikcablecar.com
I had, had the best 2 days imaginable in Dubrovnik – it had more than surpassed my expectations. The crowds were the worst part, but that is becoming the norm in many major cities now – that’s why I think it is important to stop in (or close to) the town and be able to make the most of the quieter early and late parts of the day. The Dubrovnik Card is an excellent way to see the city, it gives you 24 hours travel on the local buses as well as entrance to certain museums, the City Walls, a Guide Book and various discounts. You can choose from 1, 3 or 7 day options – starting at 200KN. One of my highlights had been going on a Game of Thrones Tour of the city – it was absolutely brilliant; so much so, that I am going to do a blog about it – watch this space!
I hope you enjoyed my account of a few days in Dubrovnik.
Lynne
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