Best things to do in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik town, one of the most famous towns in Croatia. The city gaining a boost of popularity due to the hit TV show Game of Thrones being depicted as the fictional city of “King’s Landing”, the home of the Iron Throne. But Game of Thrones isn’t the sole reason you should come to Dubrovnik, the city having a wide range of various exciting sights and things to explore, see and experience.
One of the interesting things about this town is that it’s split off from the rest of Croatia, having been divided by the border of Bosnia & Herzegovina. So if you plan on visiting Dubrovnik make sure to bring your passport with you 🙂 The town also hosts several festivities along with the rest of Croatia over the years, so if you are lucky you might be able to witness some.
Dubrovnik's fortifications
One of the first things anyone will notice when they visit or even think of Dubrovnik would be it’s towering outer walls. Qualified for an UNESCO World heritage site in 1979. The limestone defenses of the outer walls date back to the 15th century when Constantinople fell, giving Dubrovnik’s past leaders a warning that the Ottomans were on their way.
If you want to explore and walk around the walls it will take you an hour or two to make the full lap, admiring the stunning views whilst doing so. While it is possible to walk around the walls unattended a guided tour will give you some interesting stories about the place.
Lovrijenac Fort
Dubrovnik is scattered with various forts and defenses, one of them being Lovrijenac Fort. Located around 40 meters above the sea level this stunning fortifications looks over Dubrovnik. The fort earned a spot in city’s folklore during the long period of disagreements with the Venetians. A rather amusing tale is that the invaders tried to build an outpost during their mission to take over the city only to have the locals beat them to it; erecting the fortress in only 3 months (A rather impressive feat compared to how long it takes for something to finish here in Split). The fort is also a recurring stage for a performance of Hamlet during the Dubrovnik summertime festival.
St. John Fortress
If you happen to be exploring the southeastern side of Dubrovnik’s fortifications you will notice a fortress protecting the port. A rather ingenious deterrent the town used was a heavy metal chain that connected the fort and the fortress which they raised up to damage incoming ships. St. John’s Fortress is a historic place that’s worth checking out.
Dubrovnik's Old Town
One among many Old Towns in Croatia, Dubrovnik has one as well. Explore and sight see the historic hub of the city with various shops and bustling city life. Dubrovnik was reconstructed to be as beautiful if not more beautiful than it was before the earthquake of 1667. For anyone interested in historic architecture and history in general you’ll be happy to know that there’s an assortment of museums in the Old Town. The old town is solely for pedestrians, having a traffic free zone so you’ll need to walk around. Dubrovnik has a lot of steps so be warned 🙂
Surveying Dubrovnik from up high
It’s safe to say that Dubrovnik is a beautiful town, but what would be the best place to admire this beauty one would wonder. Take a trip up to Mount Srd with a cable car leading up to it. Once you reach the top you can take in the beauty of the Old Town of Dubrovnik. The nighttime view in particular being rather fascinating to experience.
Short Summary
The trick about visiting Croatia is that you shouldn’t stay at one place for too long. Croatia is a big country that’s worth exploring, whether you are only capable of visiting a couple of towns it will be worth it. Choose a tour to go on, Rafting and Zip-lining being a popular choice among many.
Whether you are here in Dubrovnik for one day or a week, there’s bound to be many opportunities to see utterly magnificent sights. 🙂
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Picture taken from Pixabay