TALES FROM MY FEET: Captivating Croatia
The journey from Split to Dubrovnik by land passes through the Neum corridor. It is a nine-kilometer-long stretch of Bosnia-Herzegovina territory that provides this country with its only access to the sea.
It can take some time to go through two borders, with a stop in between, so it is best not to have anything planned for the rest of the day. The Croatians are fervently hoping to hasten the building of the bridge so they could finally bypass Neum, but until then, this is how it’s done.
The Pearl of the Adriatic – Dubrovnik – is known all over the world to Game of Thrones
(GOT) fans as the setting for King’s Landing, so this writer, a proud GOT fanatic, actually shed tears upon catching a first glimpse of the City Walls. But to be honest about it, even without its GOT fame, this beautifully restored medieval city is undeniably one of the most gorgeous places in the world.
The brilliant waters of the Adriatic enhance the beauty of this city, in addition to the famous rooftops that catch your
attention even from afar. Orange roofs on white structures sparkle in the sun, and only when you walk around do you realize that some roofs carry scars from the Balkan War in the 1990s.
The Old Town, a Unesco Heritage Site, is a walled city that encloses Dubrovnik’s historic city center.
Between the 11th and 17th centuries, this city rivaled Venice as a trading port, and with the Old Harbour perfectly positioned between huge, sturdy stone walls, it is easy to understand why.
The only way to explore this area is on foot, so except for the ferry rides to the other islands, every tour is a walking tour. Our guide often mentioned the devastation from the earthquake of 1667 and the Balkan War and patiently showed us certain areas that were meticulously reconstructed in the Stradun (the main street). Today, all new work done in the city center is strictly controlled by the government so as to maintain its best-preserved status for future generations to come.
You will need a couple of days to explore the Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, Renaissance fountains, steep cobbled streets, houses and wide, marble-paved squares inside the City Walls. The most fascinating thing about this big, beautiful maze is that despite its being such a historic place, it is very much a lived-in city where locals who own the cafés take the time to talk to visitors and even share the recipe for their famous calamari. Their markets, shops and bazaars are there for you to savor, whether you buy something or not. The Croats we met on this trip were so kind, so friendly and gracious that we truly felt at home. So if you want a perfect vacation somewhere different, go to Croatia, let your eyes open in wonder, your heart bask in delight and your stomach be perfectly content.