The City
The walled city of Dubrovnik is, unsurprisingly, Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction. An essentially medieval town reshaped by Baroque planners after the earthquake of 1667, Dubrovnik seems to have been in a time-warp ever since. Churches and public buildings blend seamlessly with the green-shuttered stone houses into a stunning scene, relatively untouched by the twenty-first century. Outside the city walls, suburban Dubrovnik exudes Mediterranean elegance: gardens are an explosion of colourful bougainvillea and oleanders; trees are weighted down with figs, lemons, oranges and peaches.
Dubrovnik’s port is the natural gateway to the southernmost islands of the Croatian Adriatic, with the sparsely populated, semi-wild islands of Koločep, Lopud and Šipan providing beach-hoppers with a wealth of out-of-town bathing opportunities. Slightly farther out to sea, the green island of Mljet is one of the most beautiful on the entire coast – you’ll need a day or two to do it justice.
Dubrovnik has always exerted a firm hold over the popular imagination. Its use from 2011 to 2016 as a location for the Game of Thrones series bestowed the city with a new and unexpected aura of otherworldly glamour – and increased visitor numbers too. But this should in no way overshadow the city’s very real place in European history. For the Croats themselves, Dubrovnik has always been a powerful metaphor for freedom. For much of its history it has been a self-governing city-state, independent of foreign powers. After the conflict of 1991–95, reconstruction was undertaken with astonishing speed, such there is barely any indication that conflict ever took place here at all.
However, Dubrovnik’s tourist industry has been so successful that one may detect a degree of complacency or self-satisfaction. The city’s museums are the most disappointing of any major Croatian city, and many local restaurateurs are focused on raising prices rather than culinary horizons. Certain aspects of the city’s appeal remain immune to tourist numbers, however, most notably the uniquely beautiful setting and the unjaded straightforwardness of the locals.
The city is worth a visit at any time of year, but spring and summer are the best. In July and August, the Summer Festival fills the town with added glamour and in wintertime, the Feast of St. Blaise brings a parade and special Mass, with plenty of eating and drinking. If you dislike big crowds, this might be a time to stay away. Bear in mind though, a good half of the city’s hotels are closed from November through to March, and a lot of restaurants take the whole month of January off.
Food and Drink
The choice of fish and seafood in Dubrovnik is as fine as anywhere in the Adriatic, with the waters around Mljet and the Elaphite Islands particularly rich in squid, lobster and shells. Oysters from nearby Ston also feature heavily on local restaurant menus. Among the dishes associated with Dubrovnik in particular are Šporki makaruli (“dirty macaroni”), tubular pasta served with a goulash sauce; and rozata, a vanilla-flavoured custard dessert similar to crème caramel. The vineyards of the Konavle produce respectable red wines of the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Plavac varieties, as well as Kadarun, a light and fruity rosé.
Title Image Credit: Miroslav Vajdic (Image Cropped)