Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast looks out across a shimmering blue Adriatic Sea. One of its most popular resorts is Dubrovnik, this ancient walled city was called ” The Pearl of the Adriatic ” by Byron and is still as stunning today as it was back then . A friend chose Dubrovnik as the perfect destination to celebrate a special birthday with the girls. 🥰
Lapad Bay.
Gill booked us a spacious apartment near the Beach at Lapad Bay, just a 10 minute bus ride from the Old Town. This turned out to be a great idea as it was quite the peaceful oasis to return to after trips out. Most of Dubrovniks beaches are shingle and Lapad Bay is no exception , quite handy if your not that keen on sand. There were always plenty of sun loungers to choose from here and lots of waterside restaurants and bars. Seafood is a popular menu choice ( of course! ) and your sure to find a Game Of Thrones themed 🍸 cocktail. The TV show was famously filmed in and around Dubrovnik, this is Kings Landing territory.
Elaphite Islands.
The temperature in late June in Dubrovnik was a Hot Hot 30 degrees Celsius. So a boat trip to explore the nearby Elaphite Islands was a welcome respite from the heat. I love a sea breeze! Arwen had booked a surprise excursion for Gill, the one she chose stopped off at a sea cave ( with a sea swimming opportunity) and took in three islands ‘ Lapud, Sipan and Kolocep’.
All the islands are car free ( though you may see the locals whipping about on golf carts) ,which make for a very relaxing experience. Our boat trip gave us a couple of hours on each island. Lopud seemed to be the most cosmopolitan and was even hosting its own film festival. We kept an eye out for film star Edward Norton, who was rumoured to be holding an acting seminar there.
In Sipan lunch was included , high up in a sleepy village where the soundtrack to our meal was a thousand singing cicadas. Unfortunately there were also quite a few mosquitos, the only time we saw any on our holiday.
The island of Kolocep has a smooth sandy beach and we had time for a spot of sun bathing and swimming/paddling here. Saw some spiny black sea urchins in the crystal clear water. Be careful where your stepping!
The Old Town & City Walls.
No trip to Dubrovnik is complete without exploring the Old Town and walking the City Walls. Stradun is the main thoroughfare that sweeps through the centre. This pedestrianised tiled walkway glimmers in the sunlight and is lined with shops, cafes and restaurants.
To view the city at its best , it’s a good idea to walk the walls. Bare in mind that you will have to pay 35 Euros to do this. The Walls entrances are open to the public from around 10am until 9pm. It took us about an hour and 3 quarters ( with plenty of photo opportunities) to walk all the way round. I suggest wearing some good comfy trainers or walking sandals and don’t forget water and sun cream. There are refreshment stops along the one- way route. If your a Game Of Thrones fan , you may recognise some filming locations up on and from the ramparts.
Lokrum Island.
Lured by the thought of visiting another beautiful island, three of us caught the hourly ferry from the Old Port to Lokrum. Lokrum is a UNESCO- protected nature reserve, a 15 minute boat journey from the Old Town . Lush green woodland and botanical garden cover the isle and the rocky coves are popular with swimmers.
The island has a large population of free-roaming peacocks. And they are everywhere, On the monastery walls, in the woodland, amongst the picnickers and even on the beach. They were brought to Lokrum by the Austrian Archduke Maximilian who spent time on the island with his wife Charlotte. Maximilian & Charlotte had a charmed life ( until they moved to Mexico & the Archduke was sentenced to death by firing squad) , but others suffered greatly. Rumour has it that Lokrum is cursed! Through the years many of its inhabitants have met grim deaths. Assassinations, murders, double suicides. You can read about them here….
Even today it is forbidden to stay the night on Lokrum ( just in case) , the last ferry leaves early evening.
Lokrum is a beautiful place to visit and we didn’t get chance to see half of it. I can recommend the Benedictine Monastery, the Botanical Gardens and a saltwater pool called The “Dead Sea” Lake.
I really enjoyed my all too short trip to Dubrovnik in Croatia. Is it somewhere you would consider going? Have you visited elsewhere in Croatia?
sunshine and celandines 