Dubrovnik, Croatia

The area where Dubrovnik lies, known as the Dalmatian Coast, is one of the most gorgeous areas we have seen. With its steep cliffs, crystal clear water, and various islands, it's no wonder the Dalmatian Coast has become popular with tourists. Dubrovnik is known as "The Pearl of the Adriatic" and since 1979 it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dubrovnik's main claim to fame is the magnificent city walls that encompass what is known as "Old Town". They were built starting in the 13th century (with additions and more fortifications being added until the 16th century) as a defense against attacks. The walls are an impressive sight from afar and walking them was a pretty fantastic experience.

The orange rooftops speckled the city below and we could smell the enticing aromas from the kitchens of homes and restaurants. We also had amazing views looking out to the Adriatic Sea.

Afterwards, we rode a cable car up to Mount Srd (not misspelled) in order to see a bird's eye view of the city.

We also took some time to walk around the city, have lunch, and visit the war photography museum.

Looking down at Placa Stradun

The next day we went kayaking in the sea. Leaving from just outside the city walls, we kayaked around the island of Lokrum. We fought a strong wind and choppy sea, but we pushed on through! Our guides led us to a cave where we stopped for a snack, swam in the sea, and snorkeled. We loved seeing Dubrovnik from this perspective and thoroughly enjoyed our 7.5 km kayak trip.

Our starting point

Hello there!

The steer captain

At a meeting point to wait for everyone else (we were fast!)

Snack break

Towards the end with Old Town ahead of us

Our hotel was in the Lapad region of Dubrovnik, just a short bus ride or long stroll to the Old Town. It had a private beach situated on small cliffs on a mountainside. It was a little funny seeing all of the lounge chairs resting on rocks instead of sand, but it actually worked out pretty well. The water was so clear that you could see all the way to the bottom... at some points around 150 feet. There were many entry points into the sea including a few places to jump off of. Jon and I must have jumped into the sea about 20 times.

There was a nice long path along the coast that led to many restaurants and other points to get into the sea.

Before dinner the first night

Entrance point into the sea

View from our balcony

We wish we were able to stay longer... but isn't that always the case? We would have loved to explore some of the surrounding islands more, but we just ran out of time. I guess we'll just have to plan another trip back!

Il nostro viaggio a Dubrovnik e' stato fantastico! Le mura della citta' erano molto belle con tanta storia. Le viste dalle mura erano magnifiche. Mentre a Dubrovnik abbiamo fatto kayaking intorno all'isola di Lokrum per 7.5 chilometri. Il mare era molto chiaro e potremmo vedere per 50 metri giu'. L'albergo aveva la sua spiaggia privata dove nuotavamo nel mare. Saltavamo anche da rocce alte. Abbiamo fatto questo molte volte! Il cibo della Croazia del sud e' simile all'italia del sud. Hanno pesci, gamberi, cozze, polpi, e alcune carni per tutte le portate. Nei piatti c'era anche per antipasti risotto, ravioli, e pasta, ma non per una portata. Il cibo era buono, ma naturalmente l'italia ha migliori cibi italiani :)