Dubrovnik
This was one we were really looking forward to. We hadn’t even originally planned on coming here, as the costs really climb, especially in high season. However, it was our flight home that ultimately determined our route. When researching flights, we found that the cheapest flight back to Manchester around the date we wanted was from Split. So, in the end, it made sense to visit both Dubrovnik and Split and stretch the budget a little further, especially as we were in our last week.
Herceg Novi is close to the Croatian border, so it wasn’t long before we reached the checkpoint. I was glad we’d taken the advice and caught the early bus, as we still had quite a wait at the border and we were almost at the front of the queue.
We all had to get off the bus at passport control, and once through, we thought that was it. How wrong were we! That was just the Montenegrin side. We then joined another queue, this one much slower, for the checkpoint up ahead on the Croatian side.
It took over an hour before we had to get off the bus again, and with the new regulations, we had to complete the biometric checks before finally being allowed on our way. So, a journey that could possibly have taken an hour and a half ended up taking more like four hours.
The bus ride on the Croatian side was really scenic, passing through lots of beautiful little coastal resorts. It also gave us a lovely approach to Dubrovnik. The road we travelled along was elevated, giving us our first views of the beautiful walled town as it gradually came into sight.
When we finally arrived at the bus station, we ordered an Uber for the short journey to our apartment, which was just a short walk from the Old Town. We were keen to get out and start exploring.
We found a lovely route into the Old Town, following a pedestrianised lane towards the entrance. We’d already had our first glimpse of Dubrovnik from the bus, but now we were seeing it from a completely different angle, with the massive stone walls rising above us as we made our way towards the entrance.
The Old Town is enclosed by these impressive medieval walls, rising dramatically above the Adriatic. They really do give Dubrovnik its unmistakable character.
What I particularly liked about the gate we entered through was the view down into the town. From above, the steep staircase gave us a wonderful vantage point over the rooftops, with the church domes and steeples rising above them. Washing was strung across the narrow streets, while lanterns adorned the old stone walls, creating a wonderfully atmospheric scene as we made our way down into the heart of the Old Town.
Every section of stairs led to another street running across, each one lined with restaurants and small guesthouses. We loved it immediately. We took a few detours along the crossways, not wanting to miss a thing, and around every corner there seemed to be another photo waiting to be taken.
We even came across a basketball court tucked into a corner beneath the high, imposing city walls. With the most incredible views stretching out towards the sea, it must surely be one of the most spectacular places in the world to play a game of basketball. What a place!
You can walk all the way around the city walls, but at €40 we felt it was quite expensive, so we decided to leave that one. I’m sure we weren’t missing out too much!
We spent hours exploring, venturing into what we’d call the main square, with its dome-capped bell tower, museums and historic Venetian-style church. It was busy with visitors, and being much more open, it felt even hotter in the baking sunshine, especially after the welcome shade of the narrow streets.
We were very happy to come across a large water fountain where we could refill our water bottle before setting off to explore some more.
We eventually followed the perimeter of the city walls and discovered an archway leading out to some steps, with a lively bar below. It looked out over the ocean and was clearly popular with people who were jumping off the rocks into the sea. It looked very inviting, but my days of jumping off rocks are definitely over, so we were quite happy to sit and watch for a while.
We then headed back into the town and realised we were close to the now-famous steps that featured in Game of Thrones, where Cersei Lannister made her infamous walk of shame. If you’ve watched the series, you’ll know exactly the scene I mean!
We hadn’t quite explored all of the Old Town yet, but we decided to leave some of it for the following day. As we were only here for two days, we felt confident we’d be able to see most of the sights without rushing around. Sometimes it’s nice to leave a little unexplored so you have something to look forward to the next day.
The following morning, we returned to the Old Town, ready to explore the parts we had left undiscovered the day before. We wandered through more of the narrow alleys, passing little homes, small guesthouses and hotels, all tucked away amongst the old stone buildings. We just kept wandering, turning down one street and then another, until eventually we felt we had pretty much been down every street and alley there was. Somehow, we eventually found ourselves back at Cersei’s famous staircase and the larger squares we had seen the day before.
Feeling happy that we’d now covered pretty much everything, we decided it was time for a cool down. We fancied a swim today, although this time we weren’t quite brave enough for the rocks! Instead, we headed to the small town beach, which was only about a ten-minute walk from the walled town. It was a small cove and, being peak season, it was very busy, but we managed to find a little space near the rocks at the far end. Just enough room for us to put our towels down and dry off after our swim.
The water was lovely and clear and so refreshing. It was exactly what we needed after spending the morning wandering around the Old Town in the heat.
We stayed for an hour or so before heading back to the apartment to chill for a while and wait for sunset. We planned to head back into the Old Town later that evening, as we hadn’t yet experienced it at night. It was our last night here, so we definitely didn’t want to miss seeing what the town was like once the sun had gone down.
The Old Town was just as we’d expected and had a wonderful vibe by night. The narrow alleyways looked completely different once the sun had gone down, with many of the restaurants in the little side streets lit by candles, with fairy lights strung overhead. Most were busy with people enjoying dinner, but rather than feeling too hectic, it had a lovely atmosphere.
People were strolling around, stopping to look at the restaurants, while others wandered through with an ice cream in hand. The old stone walls were all softly lit up, adding to the atmosphere. We just enjoyed wandering around with no real plan, taking it all in and seeing the Old Town at night.
It was still busy, as you’d expect in peak season, but somehow it all added to the atmosphere. We took our time wandering around, enjoying our last evening. It had definitely been worth coming back at night.
Our visit here had only been short and sweet, but we felt we’d had enough time to see and enjoy this beautiful place. I’d say it was definitely up there as one of the most memorable places we’ve visited so far back in Europe. Tomorrow, we’ll be taking the bus to Split, which will be bittersweet as it will also be the last place we visit before we make our way back to the UK.
