things to do in dubrovnik, croatia

The walled city of Dubrovnik

I think Croatia is an absolutely beautiful country.

Given that Croatia is participating in this year's World Cup, I think it appropriate to pay homage. For this post, I'm focusing on the walled city of Dubrovnik, also known as the Red Keep in King's Landing, as known by all you Game of Thrones fans.  There are many things you can do there but these are my top suggestions:

1. Check out the sights and learn about her history. 

The walled city from Mt. Srd

          Fort Imperial atop Mt. Srd. Until recent memory, Croatia was a part of Yugoslavia, and under the influence of the Soviet Bloc. Then, there was that bloody war involving the Serbs, the Bosnians and the Croats. All that history is still fresh, and, when you visit, you may be able to hear first-hand stories from locals you meet about life in those days. Or, you can check out the walled fortress high above the old town where they have a museum. You will not only have great views of the walled city below, but will also learn about Croatia's history. You can hike up, take a cable car, or drive up. We hired a car and our driver, Cvijeto, was a well of information. Either way you choose to get around, it is worth exploring.

Inside the walls.

          The old town and its walls. I can't say it enough. This city is gorgeous! Just walking up and down Stradun (the main street), walking the walls above the city (for a fee), visiting all the gates (Ploce, Pile and Buza), checking out the forts and museums, and peeking inside all the churches and a synagogue, you will feel the old world charm and a bit of magic. But, remember that as touristy the old town could be (it's not so bad in  late fall/winter), people still live inside the old town. My husband and I decided to rent an apartment inside the walls and it certainly was an experience to walk the streets, alleys and backways where most tourists do not go. Just be prepared to walk up and down a lot of stairs. While you walk the streets, look closely. You may still be able to see bullet holes from the war. It brought chills down my spine, especially because I still distinctly remember watching live news coverage of the carnage.

The red roofs of old town.

          The new town. Dubrovnik is more than the old city. If you get the chance, try to visit where most folks live. I actually found it a nice (long) walk to get from the old town to Lapad. There, you could check out the marina, various restaurants and parks, and people watch. 

2. Drink wine and eat a lot of food.

Fresh seafood

          Wines.  Before my visit, I was unaware that Croatia made any wines. I know! So, it was a pleasant surprise that they actually make some really amazing wines.  (In fact, on a recent visit to New Zealand, I learned that their wine industry started because of Croatian immigrants, who started planting wine grapes there.) If you visit Dubrovnik, you have to try wines from Dingac, which are full bodied reds and perfect with meat. Also, try and visit Dingac and you will see how the grapes are grown on a very steep hill facing plenty of sun.

If you are in the old town, make sure you grab a drink at Buza Bar. It is a bar outside the western part of the city walls facing the Adriatic Sea. The entrance is a tiny hole in the wall but you should see a sign saying, "Cold Drinks." The perfect time to go is around sunset but, if you can't go then, visit anytime.  The booze may be overpriced but it's worth it for the views alone. And, you can literally (not just figuratively) say that you have been to a hole in a wall!

Cevapi

          Food.  It is no surprise that seafood reigns supreme in Dubrovnik given that it is right on the coast. Eat everything. Fish. Mussels. Oysters. Cuttlefish. They have them all. They all taste really fresh and simply prepared. You also have to try the cheeses. They might not be as popular as Pag Cheese but they are similarly tasty hard sheep cheeses. You also have to try their favorite street food called, cevapcici (cheh-vahp-chee-chee), or cevapi (cheh-vah-pee), for short. It is a sausage made of ground beef, pork and lamb, and served in a flat bun. It has a nice kick because it has a lot of nice spices like paprika and cayenne pepper.

Izpod Peke

Finally, one of my favorite dining experiences was eating at a restaurant called, Konoba Dubrova, located above the old city walls. There, we had lamb cooked all day "izpod peke" or "under a bell."  That meant that the meat, together with potatoes and onions, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, were slowly cooked inside a cast iron dome covered in hot coals. The dish was juicy yet simple and full of flavor. When my husband and I dined there, we asked the server where their meat came from. The server pointed outside and said that the meat came from their sheep herd nearby. When we asked where they got their potatoes and other vegetables, our server again pointed outside and said they came from their farm. Not once did he mention "seasonal" or "local" or "farm to table" or any of that crap. It was just food. And it was delicious.

The beach in late fall/almost winter.

3.  Go to the beach.

Ok, I didn't fully appreciate the beach because I went in late fall. But, I visited it, and it's pretty. I can only imagine how awesome it would have been if I went during the summer months. So, if you go in summer, let us know how it is to soak up the sun in Dubrovnik's beaches.

Feral cat!

4. Take pictures of a lot of feral cats. 

I don't know why but there were lots of them when I visited. Some were very cute. Just sayin. 

5.  Buy ties. 

Did you know that the tie or cravat originated in Croatia? I didn't either until I went there. I saw a lot of tie shops and didn't know about the whole cravat history until I visited.

Sunset in the marina in Lapad.

If you have visited Dubrovnik, what did you enjoy about the city?  If you want to hear about other parts of Croatia, please do check in later.