I came to Croatia with no expectations. We decided to stop here before spending a few days in Greece. I honestly was so excited for Greece that I really didn’t care about seeing Croatia. That is, until we arrived in Dubrovnik…
Dubrovnik, Croatia
(1) The old part of the city is surrounded by a wall from the medieval era. This wall separates old Dubrovnik from the new parts of the city. When you’re booking your stay, try and find a place somewhere inside the walls.
(2) Don’t miss out on seeing the Walls of Dubrovnik. From the top of the wall you have amazing views of the city and you can walk completely around. Make sure to get your iconic orange rooftop picture here. There are also some great restaurants and bars along the wall so don’t climb down just because you are thirsty or need some shade.
(3) We went to Lady Pi Pi for breakfast and dinner and… wow. The meat was smoked outside on the terrace and the fish was so fresh. Try to get here before they get busy because you can’t make reservations and there is usually a line. But the view and food is well worth the extra hassle.
(4) By the dock you can get a good view of the mountain and new city. Walking around here you’ll see a few restaurants and be bombarded by people trying to get you to rent a boat. If you’re interested… grab a flyer.
(5) The ice cream here was pretty amazing as well. It sounds like I went on an ice cream tour of the world, but you can’t judge me for trying to help y’all out. You can find some anywhere on the main street for around 2 euro, but my favorite was near the wall entrance at the end of the main street.
(6) Check out the local beach, Banje. There is a bar and lounge chairs right on the beach, but they will charge you an hourly or daily price for the chair. However, if you are on a budget like we were: B.Y.O.T (bring your own towel).
(7) There is an open air market quite early in Old Town and even if you don’t buy anything, it’s a nice walk around enjoying the sights and the smells.
(8) While standing on the beach, you’ll see an island not too far away. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can rent a kayak and go exploring for a few hours. There are plenty of kayak rentals on the beach, or tourist water-sport shops nearby.
(9) On the main street, Stradun, you will feel like you’ve gone back in time. The pathway seems untouched due to the fact that you won’t see cars driving in Old Town. I highly encourage you to take your shoes off and feel the smooth road under your feet.
(10) Literally the only thing I knew about Croatia is that a lot of filming for Game of Thrones takes place here. Speaking of, if you are a GOT fan, they offer so many tours to some of the film spots all around town.
(11) Sponza Palace is located within the city. This palace has a courtyard and now holds archives going all the way back to 1022.
(12) The Franciscan Church and Monastery is one of the churches in town that you should take a peek inside. It is a great way to get out of the sun for a bit and I loved every church that we took a peak inside.
(13) My last suggestion is to walk! Walk around at night and in the day. The city has different feels at each time of day and it is a town made for walking. Wander up the many alleyways filled with homes, shops, and restaurants. You are always guaranteed to find something new.
by Ashton Anderson, Guest Contributor
The Bohemian Mermaid 