2/17 We flew from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, where the airport is quite a few miles down the coast from the city. So we used an “Uber” to drive us to Dubrovnik. Our driver was a friendly, talkative fellow who told us about living in the area and drove us within walking distance of our Air B&B apartment. The last few blocks to our apartment are on pedestrian walkways, alleyways and lots of steps, so no cars.
In booking our space, we had to choose between an apartment right in the old city, within the city walls of Dubrovnik, or an apartment outside the city, which means a lot of hill climbing, but great views. We chose the great views and never regretted it. From our apartment we looked down over the old city, with Lokrum Island sitting just beyond, and the gorgeous Adriatic Sea opening to the south and west. Now we really understand the value of such a magnificent view. Over breakfast, we watched the morning colors as the sun rose over the mountains behind us, and later we watched the sunset with brilliant pinks, reds, and oranges over the Adriatic. So, so lovely.
From our place a fifteen-minute walk downhill took us to the Pile Gate entrance to the old city. Multiple paths lead to the old town and to main roads, grocery shopping, buses, and restaurants. But it was no fewer than 140 steps, and heading back home it was all an uphill climb. After settling into the apartment on our arrival, we ventured down to the city, walked the Stradum (the main pedestrian road within the walls), and found a great lunch at the restaurant just across from the church of St. Blaise.
February is not the tourist season, so many places were closed. The weather during our stay was beautiful, sunny and warm, but quite abnormal for February in Dubrovnik. The cable car to the top of Mt Srd and the Panoramic Restaurant there were closed, as were the ferries that regularly facilitate island hopping for tourists. But there was still plenty to do, to see, and to learn about the fascinating history of this area. And it continues to be a very strange winter, with plenty of sun and warm temperatures, in the 50’s and 60’s – not the usual winter here at all. We visited an empty beach or two. But we prefer looking on the bright side of things, so we enjoyed having no tourist crowds to contend with.
The old city of Dubrovnik is surrounded by the city walls, within which it’s all a pedestrian zone. The large main road called the Stradum is wide and welcoming, but venturing elsewhere involves very narrow, mazelike streets, and climbing lots of steps. We typically ate breakfast at the apartment before setting out, usually down into the Old City. Sara cooked at our apartment several evenings. Again she is craving vegetables, so one day we walked up to Gruz for the farmers market. On another trip to Gruz, we visited the Red Museum and located the main Bus Station from which we would travel on from Dubrovnik.
Walking Dubrovnik, we see cats everywhere. Sara found this intriguing and stopped for to take pictures of the little critters whenever she could.
Our Highlights in Dubrovnik:
Walking the City Walls: From these tall walls you look down across the rooftops of Dubrovnik. During tourist season, there are even a few refreshment stands along the walk, but not in February. It’s a long walk because you feel a constant urge to stop and take photos.
Food and Drink: Tasting Croatian wines at DiVino. A Delicious Bosnian meal with wine at Taj Mahal; The Irish Pub served a local Croatian beer, Tomislav. Evan loved it.
The next group of photos are taken as we walk along the top of the City Wall.
Game of Thrones Tour: We are fans, so we had to take the tour. Our guide, Davor, was a mischievous joker who made the tour lots of fun. Beginning in season 2 of GoT, the producers used Dobrovnik to shoot many scenes, and Dobrovnik (with some CGI enhancements) became “King’s Landing” for the series. Davor had been an extra for a few scenes in the film, so he shared some insights on the filming in Dubrovnik and explained why Dubrovnikians don’t like GoT. We visited locations where scenes were filmed, in the city and in Fort Lawrence which sits on a cliff just to the west. Davor had his notebook with images from the GoT series to remind us of select scenes. Needless to say, this was great fun, inspiring us once again to watch the series from beginning to end.
Dubrovnik Free Walking Tour: On a Saturday morning, we joined the free tour from the Tourist Information Center. The tour ended near St. Blaise Church with a celebration and demonstration of traditional Croatian song and dance with joyous young people in traditional costumes.
Our guide for the Game of Thrones Tour recreated some of the scenes that were shot in Dubrovnik. Here are a few......the arm holding the photos is our guide's arm. We could't photograph his face.
Mount Srd: The climb up to Mt. Srd and Fort Imperial is much higher and steeper than the photos can reveal, so we took the bus, which goes most of the way to the top. There is a lovely cable car that takes tourists from Dubrovnik below right up to the top — but not in February. Even our bus ride was a bit scary as we climbed up narrow roads with switchbacks and steep hillsides dropping below roads with no shoulders and no guardrails.
Built originally by Napoleon, Fort Imperial sits atop the mountain looking down upon, Dubrovnik. This was crucial during The Siege of Dubrovnik, (October 1991 to May 1992) when the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), now under Serbian control, attacked the city in their efforts to deny Croatia’s bid for independence. Despite regular shelling, sniper fire, and a great deal of damage to priceless historical sites, the Croatians held on and the JNA never took Fort Imperial or the city itself, but the damage was extensive. Now a museum, Fort Imperial tells the story of the siege.
At the top, we enjoyed the museum and the panoramic views of Dubrovnik, the nearby islands, and the mountains heading inland. We decided to walk down, since downhill is usually easier than uphill, but this one was quite the challenge. It’s a steep walk manageable only by regular switchbacks, and the walkway is rocky and uneven. Along the way, each switchback turn has a relief sculpture representing a scene from the passion of Christ. It’s the “Stations of the Cross” that you would find within most Catholic churches. As we struggled slowly down, we were passed by two muscular young men running up, and later the same two came quickly down, this time taking turns carrying a stone that must have weighed at least fifty pounds.
The Red Museum: What was life like for regular folks in Communist Yugoslavia (about 1945-1992)? Life in Tito’s Yugoslavia (officially the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) is clearly reflected in the Museum, both the good and the bad. It includes a typical home/apartment with all goods – nearly all made in Yugoslavia since goods from outside were not available. A second section of the museum reflected the down side, how anyone critical of the regime or its leader was imprisoned and treated with extreme brutality. On the way out, Sara took a photo of Evan in a red Yugo, the inexpensive “people’s car” built in Yugoslavia. As we travel on, we’ve seen a few Yugo’s still on the roads here in Eastern Europe.
Carnival Week in Dubrovnik: On a couple of days local school children paraded through town, sang songs, and competed for the best costumes.
Sunset over the Adriatic: On our last night here, we found a spot just outside the city walls, looking out over the Adriatic Sea. We enjoyed wine on the terrace as the sun approached the distant horizon, falling gracefully into the sea, and sending swathes of pink and orange into the slowly darkening blue sky. This, my friends, is the way to spend an evening.
