Ragusa was the name of the old city state of Dubrovnik which existed for 7 centuries before being dissolved by Napoleon. Now, 12 years after it was wantonly attacked by the Yugoslav army and Serb and Montenegrin irregulars, it has become a popular holiday destination.
Although the war damage was extensive, everything was quickly repaired. The only way you can really tell of what happened is that the red roofs of the 17th century old town look suspiciously new!
Dubrovnik is set snugly against the karst (mountainous) coast of Croatia. On the lower slopes, cypresses and pines give shelter to the town. And wherever there is a bit of coast that looks like as if it can make a beach, people use it. At the Old Harbour pier you can see people diving off and why not! At this time of year, the Adriatic is warm and
very easy swimming although you have to look out for sea urchins.
Pleasant as the new town is, it is the Old City with its intact city walls that visitors come from. Built to a baroque style after an earthquake in 1667, it is a living community. The style is rather austere and the city government (slogan: Libertas) forbade gaudy signs or excessive adornment. As you walk down the very wide main street, Stradum you can see that many cafes and shops have painted on their signs on the lanterns that light up the street. There are many period piece churches and other religious buildings to look at as well as a synagogue, a rector's palace, a city hall and two fountains. Because Croatians love to go out for their evening horzo (walk), the flagstones on Stradum have been worn down to a fine polish which can make you feel as if you're skating rather than walking! Once your feet get tired from wandering, you can always sit down at a cafe or a slasticarna (ice-cream parlour) to rest your feet. Croatians do do very tasty ice-cream, there were some fruit flavours I hadn't tried before.
The weather is of the Mediterrenean model in Dubrovnik, that is warm dry summers and mild winters so a visit at any time of year can be a pleasure. Accomodation is not a problem, although you will probably not stay in the Old City. Many of the main hotels are in the suburb of Lapad. Standards are good and up to usual Western levels, indeed some hotels have their own beaches. If you'd rather stay in somewhere with a bit more personality, you can follow the signs that say "Sobe, Room, Zimmer etc" and stay with a Croatian family offering private rooms. At their most basic, you'll have to use the hosts' bathroom, but at their most comfortable you can have very lavish facilities.
Dubrovnik appears to have recovered economically from the war, for one thing I have never seen so many designer clothes shops in a town of 30,000! There are also many restaurants in the old Town, serving a variety of Pizza, pasta and seafood. While there are quite a few bars in the old Town and outside (they close at midnight), clubs are thin on the ground. There is one in the Lazareti (quarantine complex) just outside the old City at the Southern (Ploce) gate and another at the Northern (Pile) gate but that's it. I also get the feeling that music tastes are a bit behind. There was a band playing a free concert on one of the squares in the Old City which seemed distinctly prog-rock to me but the Croatian teenagers loved it!
There are plenty of excursions to make from Dubrovnik: Mostar in Bosnia-Hercegovina, Montenegro, Cavtat and further north, Korcula and Split. I stayed closer to home, just visiting some local islands. Lokrum is only 1km offshore from the Old Town and is worth visiting for its secluded air and beaches. North of Dubrovnik lie the Elaphite (deer) Islands. They are basically gorgeous, with varied landscapes, deserted monasteries, palaces and forts and beaches all to yourself. I went to the middle one, Lopud and it was lovely to walk amongst deserted vineyards and dusty paths.
Dubrovnik is not too expensive but I wouldn't say it was that much cheaper than UK prices. Ferry travel is cheap,(£2.50 return to Lopud) and you can get a good restaurant evening meal for about £10. Be sure to come when the Dubrovnik festival (July and August) is on, there are always lots of concerts in the various monasteries and castle ramparts and other events as well. Ragusans are well aware of their past history as an independent city-state and are proud of expressing it!
Finally, a word of warning about the beaches. They will mostly not be sand, although you can find some sand beaches on the Elaphite Islands. In other cases they are likely to be pebbly, rocky or be concrete bathing platforms. I didn't find that a problem, but some people might. I would also say that if you are looking for a place where you can go clubbing every night, Dubrovnik isn't it. That said, I would recommend it as a destination for just about everyone. Enjoy!
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The blend of the old with the new & modern lifestyles plus natural beauty make this a must see destination - not far away any idea of flight price/airlines/ approx. cost/ease of availability of accommodation/hotel when you went? Thanks.
timmyotoole 03.07.2003 23:21
Never heard of Dubrovnik, but Croatia as a whole is becoming a popular tourist destination once again. The image of the bustling street and open cafes with music drifting through the mild evening air is one that fills me with longing. An interesting and well presented opinion, cheers, Timmy.
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![Beautiful Planet: Croatia - Dubrovnik / Ragusa [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/69880752.jpg "Beautiful Planet: Croatia - Dubrovnik / Ragusa [DVD]")
Jul 3rd, 2003
very helpful by (100%):
