Dubrovnik is the strong brand name of Croatia in the travel industry, which has not accidentally caught the eye. The Mediterranean temperament and the culture of the Croatian Riviera have established it as the "Saint Tropez of the Balkans"!
In Dubrovnik, you will see that the influences from Italy are strong, architecturally, artistically, in the dialect and gastronomy as a large part of the beaches of Croatia belonged for centuries to the neighbouring country. The city was created in the 7th century; in the 14th, it gained its autonomy until the 19th century where Napoleon's army occupied it, while the 15th and 16th centuries are considered the golden age of Dubrovnik.
Wandering around Dubrovnik and discovering sights
Dubrovnik is considered the Mecca of Croatian tourism, and wandering around the city you will discover many interesting sights and more. You will cross the bridge to reach the historic centre from the inner gate, which is the main entrance, here during the summer months you will see queues of tourists waiting.
The Old Town and the Walls
In the Old Town within the walls, which today has only 1,000 permanent residents, a real masterpiece and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the tour of the labyrinthine alleys begins at the West Gate on the 15th floor of the Onouf fountain. Fresh drinking water has arrived here that still exists today, which is very important for a medieval city. You will also see a dog - a stallion that is considered the protector of the fountain as the Croats even symbolically believe that water should be guarded 24 hours a day.
Wandering in the historic centre
Starting wandering in the historic centre, you will be enchanted by the medieval atmosphere to such an extent that you will not be able to realize that this city in recent history had been almost completely destroyed in the city of Yugoslavia and managed to be reborn from its ashes.
In fact, during the war, ⅔ of the city was destroyed, 4,000 of the 6,000 people were killed, many buildings of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance had to be rebuilt with elements of baroque, which was the original style of architecture, while the 6th of December 1991, go down in history as the worst day in Dubrovnik as it is estimated that 2,000 bombs fell only inside the historic centre. The "trails" are now covered, while there are maps of places in the city with aura and red signs to inform visitors about the damage of the city. However, this city managed to get back on its feet and today is the Mecca of Croatian tourism.
The historic centre functions entirely as an open-air cultural space where various artistic events occur, a living nucleus full of people in a tremendous tourist season that lasts up to nine months. It has many cafes and restaurants as well as (few) boutique hotels with a few rooms, of course very expensive.
Ride the cable car
A great experience is the cable car ride from which the view of the city during the climb is impressive. You will pass over the tiled roofs of the houses and from the tops of the pines to reach the top from where the panoramic view of the view is breathtaking! There is also the excellent restaurant Panorama which, in addition to the 360-degree view, serves delicious Mediterranean cuisine in an environment of simple luxury.
At this point, we should point out the remarkable beauty of the city and its surroundings, which you can discover by driving your car and crossing every wonderful corner. If you do not own your own vehicle, you can always turn to the choice of a hired car, which can be obtained from the company Enjoy Travel, which operates throughout Croatia, offering great prices and offers to all its guests.
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