Added to one of my most favourite places to visit...
Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It's known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with well preserved massive stone walls; it is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. For some, others know this place as "King's Landing" from Game of Thrones as a lot of the filming took place in this city. Now let me show you around the beautiful place...
Mount Srd:
As soon as I arrived I took a hike up to the top of Mount Srd. This mountain stands tall over Dubrovnik at a height of 1,352 ft (412 metres) and this is arguably where you will find the best views of the city! The hike to the top takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, however you can also take the cable car all the way up as an alternative method to getting to the top. A One Way ticket will cost you €15 and a return ticket will cost you €27. To buy your tickets, check out this website: www.dubrovnikcablecar.com. Regardless of the method you choose, the views are spectacular and I highly recommend trying to get here for sunset! At the top you can also find a gift shop, a restaurant and of course the Homeland War Museum, showcasing documents of the Croatian War of Independence.
(Left) Hiking up Mount Srd, (Centre Left) Homeland War Museum, (Centre Right) Panorama Restaurant & Cable Car Station, (Right) View of Dubrovnik
Walls of Dubrovnik:
Back in the city, one of the main attractions is of course walking the walls of Dubrovnik. Entry to the walls costs €35 but is definitely worth it. There are 3 entrances into the Old Town: via Pile Gate (the main entrance), Buza Gate or by Ploče Gate. To walk around the entire walls takes approximately 1 hour - the views are spectacular showing you both views towards the city, as well as views towards the Adriatic Sea and nearby Lokrum Island. Built in order to protect the city and its residents from invaders that plagued the countryside in those days, the walls are especially impressive for the fact that they have never been breached in the course of numerous battles and sieges. Today, the Walls of Dubrovnik are considered to be some of the best fortification systems from that era. I recommend buying the tickets online so you can skip the queues. You can find tickets at wallsofdubrovnik.com, where you can also buy the Dubrovnik Pass which will include many more attractions within the actual city itself. And don't forget, tickets to the walls also includes entry to Fort Lovrijenac!
(Left) Tvrđava Minčeta: the highest point along the walls, (Centre Left) the walls from Fort Bokar, (Centre Right) a turret viewpoint looking out at the Adriatic Sea & Lokrum Island, (Right) the marina: Porat Dubrovnik
Fort Lovrijenac:
Just a short walk outside the city walls, you will find the "Red Keep" or Fort Lovrijenac: built overlooking the sea and standing 37 meters on a rock-face this seaside fortress is one of the most impressive locations in Dubrovnik. The fortress was of prime importance for the defence of Dubrovnik, against attacks from land and sea. The fort houses a chapel of St. Lawrence, and a courtyard with a cistern now serves as a magical venue for theatrical performances.
There are many other points of interest within Dubrovnik to visit including the following:
Dominican Monastery & Museum
Jesuit Stairs
Jewish Synagogue
Lokrum Island
Plaža Banje Beach
Rector's Palace
Sponza Palace
St Blaise Church
St Ignatius Loyola Church
Stradun Placa
(Left) View of the marina from Ploče Gate, (Centre Left & Centre Right) Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, (Right) Franciscan Church and Monastery
For my next blog I'll be travelling very nearby, stay tuned!
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