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davidx Dubrovnik - A travel report by David
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Dubrovnik,  Croatia - flag Croatia -  Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija
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davidx's travel reports

Starved of time in Dubrovnik

  23 votes
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
We didn’t spend long enough at this beautiful city in 1976, for reasons which will become apparent. Since then it has been appallingly damaged by war and, I believe, rebuilt to its former glory.


Dubrovnik travelogue picture
We arrived at Dubrovnik by overnight boat from Bari in Italy. It was more of an achievement in those pre-internet days to arrange this from the UK and for seven of us to arrive together in that way was still something to occasion comment. It was our first experience of a communist country [Yugoslavia then] and we were surprised at the number of competitors wanting to take us for a trip to a nearby small island. We were to find, to our surprise, that the Communist Party was less in evidence here than in capitalist southern Italy. The thing that most impressed from the sea was the city’s completely walled character and it was like going by the wrong type of vessel into the past. Actually the city dates from the 7th Century, the walls having been started in the 12th. The city had an interesting history over this period coming at one time under the protection of the Byzantine Empire and later under the Normans, who were in control of Sicily. Later still the city appears to have been a free port with any number of treaty links with other ports until 1238, when it fell under the control of Venice and found its trade much restricted as a consequence. It was a republic but all power was in the hands of the nobility and intermarriage between the three classes was prohibited! The republic had its disasters, a massive fire in the 1290s and the Black death in 1348 were two of the worst. However, unlike most of Dalmatia, Dubrovnik became independent of Venice in 1358 and would seem only to have had to pay tribute to the Croation King and the Sultan and in reality to have enjoyed independence. What is often called its Golden Age followed in which it was important in trade and built up a significant ‘empire’ of its own. In 1667 this ended as a result of a massive earthquake. Dubrovnik never regained its earlier glory but was of some importance, enough to incur enmity and the republic was finally abolished by the Napoleonic commanders in the early 19th century. [Cont. at end]

Favourite spots:
Dubrovnik travelogue picture
We intended to spend the day of landing largely in Dubrovnik and go on to Kotor to camp in the late afternoon and then to return after three nights for most of another day on our way north. This was squeezed at both ends. Wife and one daughter with bad stomachs meant we left for the site before lunch and later we were flooded out at Kotor and had to be in the car all night. It seemed wise to travel farther than Dubrovnik. However I think that, irrespective of the amount of time, a walk round those wonderful walls would have to be favourite. We went round early in the day with shadows still showing in places and a sustainable heat level and it was simply great. The only snag was when my eldest son [then 12] picked an unripe fig and was blasted by the angry owner.

What's really great:
Dubrovnik travelogue picture
After going right round the walls and having a cafe breakfast [those of us who could face one!] we chose one of the competing boatmen for the 10 minute trip to the tiny island of Locrum and that’s special enough for anybody. Among its delicious smelling pine forests there are numerous rocky beaches. We found ourselves alone at one with stone steps and a shower and had no hesitation, although it was still early in the day, about taking a swim. Both the clarity and the warmth of the water were just what was needed after a night on board the ferry. http://about.dubrovn-ikbedan dbreakfast.com/lokru-m.htm [no gap]

Sights:
Dubrovnik travelogue picture
If we’d not been messed up [see favourites] there would be plenty here on Dubrovnik’s fine buildings.
As it is I can only draw your attention to
http://www.drewsulliv an.com/photopage/p hoto_db.htm [no gaps]
However I hope my photos were sufficient to show that, despite lack of time, it really was great. In short, if you have not been yet, GO.

Accommodations:
Dubrovnik travelogue picture
We didn’t sleep at Dubrovnik so I can’t help with this. There would appear to be no problem.


Other recommendations:
Dubrovnik travelogue picture
HISTORY CONTINUED:
At the Congress of Vienna after the wars Dubrovnik was given to Austria and later became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Between the World Wars it was part of Yugoslavia but early in WW2 it became part of the German-backed Kingdom of Croatia. After WW2 ist history was part of that of Croatia generally and it suffered particularly in 1991 when shelled and besieged for months by the Serbian-Montenegrin army.


Published on Tuesday February 22th, 2005


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Mon, Feb 26 2007 - 08:13 PM rating by travler

Interesting report with a lot of super pictures.

Sun, Oct 23 2005 - 12:00 PM rating by jesusferro

I want to visit Croacia next year. Thank you very much for the info

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