Few places manage to combine history, scenery, beaches, food, and pop culture quite like Dubrovnik. Massive stone walls encircle the Old Town, protecting a maze of marble streets, hidden courtyards, and centuries-old buildings that seem to rise straight from the sea. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognize countless filming locations from King’s Landing to the famous Jesuit Staircase – better known as the site of Cersei’s Walk of Shame. No matter your interest, the city is ridiculously beautiful, and there is something for all to enjoy!
Having walked the famous city walls last August, we decided to skip the €40 admission this time and explore a different side of Dubrovnik. Climbing higher and higher through endless stone stairways, we found ourselves wandering quiet residential lanes, tiny cafés and restaurants tucked between ancient buildings, and terraces with incredible views over the terracotta rooftops and sparkling Adriatic below. The lower streets were overflowing with cruise ship passengers, but apparently most people draw the line when it comes to climbing several flights of stairs 🙂
Of course, no visit would be complete without sampling some local flavours. A flight of Croatian wines, paired with local cheeses and olive oils, made for a pretty enjoyable afternoon. Croatia continues to impress us with its food and wine scene.
The only hiccup? Provisioning. May 30 is Statehood Day (Dan državnosti) in Croatia, a national public holiday commemorating the first democratically elected multi-party Croatian Parliament convening on May 30, 1990. A public holiday meant virtually everything closed at noon Saturday and wouldn’t reopen until Monday. Our plans to restock groceries evaporated the moment we arrived. Not a supermarket, corner store, or bakery to be found open.
After exploring the old town, we wandered back toward our Marina for dinner at a fantastic Asian-Mexican fusion restaurant, before returning to KORA.
Tomorrow is a big one. We’ll be checking out of Croatia and heading to Montenegro, with multiple stops, border formalities, and plenty of opportunities for “character-building” docking manoeuvres along the way. If you’ve followed our adventures for any length of time, you’ll know that docking is often where sailing becomes the most exciting part of the day.
Stay tuned… 😅
