Travel: Sample the delights of Dubrovnik
On the twisting mountain road from the airport,
I get my first glimpse of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, a spur jutting into the Adriatic. It’s easy to imagine this ancient coastal settlement as the island it once was, protected by the sea and early barricades.
A channel separating the city from the rocky shore was filled in during the 11th century and the citizens of the Middle Ages constructed impenetrable stone walls, strong enough to repel
The Croatian port is a living museum, hugged by its huge stone walls. Beverley Watts falls under its magical spell
enemies and withstand the devastating 1667 earthquake. These impressive fortifications (featured in the TV series
Game Of Thrones) are now on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. A two-hour walk along the 1,940-metre perimeter is an essential part of any visit. At up to 23m high, the views from here of Dubrovnik’s historic centre and craggy coast either side are spectacular.
You ascend via three access towers (citywallsdubrovnik.hr), and you can make a pit stop at the small cafés and bars en route.
The entrance fee is 150 Kuna (around £18), so for 180 Kuna (around £22) the 24-hour Dubrovnik Card is worth snapping up (dubrovnikcard. com) – it also includes visits to six museums and two galleries.
If some of the terracotta roofs of the medieval city below look a little less faded than others, it’s because they’ve been lovingly restored. The historic centre was shaken by more tremors in 1979, then damaged during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in what locals call the ‘Homeland War’.
Now, though, all has long been peaceful, with lazy cats sunning themselves on terraces, and washing strung out across windows to dry in the hot sun.
Where to go
The Old Town is a pedestrianonly zone, and comfy walking shoes are advised for exploring the narrow streets and open squares. Gruž Harbour is a popular cruise-ship port, so plan your wandering for sundown when the passengers have returned to their berths.
An important link between the Mediterranean and Balkan states, Dubrovnik prospered with its shipyards and trade in cloth, wine, oil and salt – known as ‘white gold’ – and its wealth is displayed in its historical buildings, imposing turrets and grand fountains.
The limestone-paved main street Stradun (or Placa) runs straight through the centre, and is bordered with shops and
restaurants. Close by is the baroque Church of St Blaise, the city’s patron saint, though his gold-plated bones rest in Dubrovnik Cathedral Treasury.
What to do
The Renaissance Sponza Palace, built as a 16th-century customs house, holds the city archives – with the earliest document dated 1022 – and holds regular exhibitions of contemporary art.
The Gothic Rector’s Palace is a cultural history museum, and the Franciscan Monastery’s 1317 Pharmacy is still open for business, with displays of the friars’ ceramic jars and potions.
For a rural excursion, the lush green island of Lokrum, only 15 minutes by local ferry, is a quiet haven with walking trails, a monastery restaurant, coves perfect for swimming and resident peacocks.
There are also lots of trips
– in speedboats, cruisers and even wooden galleons – from Dubrovnik to the Elaphiti Islands. Keen sailors can hire their own boats. The three largest islands are Kolocep, Lopud and Šipan, all relaxing retreats and car-free.
Kolocep is dotted with small chapels; Lopud has beautiful beaches and a botanical garden, and Šipan features citrus trees, olive groves and vineyards.
Where to eat
Once the summer getaway of rich Dubrovnik families, Šipan is also home to restaurant
Bowa (bowa-dubrovnik.com).
In this very special place, the tables are set out in a small clutch of elevated ‘cabana’ huts on stilts around a sandy cove. It’s a really magical setting for lunch on a balmy day.
The asparagus and egg, prawns with fennel, soparnik (a pie filled with Swiss chard) and fish of the day dentex (yes, it has big teeth!) with olive oil, garlic and herbs were all delicious washed down with Croatian Krajancic wine.
Somehow, I squeezed in a dessert of chocolate mousse with strawberry and raspberry gel and, after coffee, we waded into the limpid, azure water below our thatched dining room.
It felt close to paradise…