When I mentioned to some people I was going to Dubrovnik, their faces lit up. Anyone who has visited the the place will testify to how beautiful it is. I had never been to Croatia before and to be honest didn’t know a lot about it.
The old town which is pretty sizable is a UNESCO heritage site, and was a pretty important port for trade in the Adriatic. It has been a Republic and occupied by various other nations, more recently it was damaged and rebuilt in the 1990’s after the break up of the former Yugoslavia.
Understandably the locals prefer not to focus on this (coming from a place that has had it’s own troubles I’m glad that they prefer to look ahead, instead of dwelling on a difficult past). More recently, the city has been one of the most recognisable locations from Game of Thrones.
The architecture is beautiful and I don’t think I have ever been to such a clean city (I mean it seriously looks like the whole place has been freshly scrubbed just for you coming). The old town has steered away allowing the eponymous chains seen in most cities. You won’t find a Star Bucks or McDonald’s to save your life.
It is however not a cheap place to eat or drink. Eating out was at times eye-wateringly expensive. Food in the old city tended towards Italian, with pizza being a popular choice. During the day, the bakeries sell savoury pastries and sandwiches, and this is probably the most affordable way to eat. I didn’t really see much in the way of local food promoted, so I can’t really tell what Croatian food is like.
Dubrovnik is ideally located if you want to visit other cities/countries. You can take day drips to Montenegro, or do as we did and visit Mostar in Bosnia.
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 