We’ve just returned from a most excellent Eastern European adventure, fueled in a large part by the advice and suggestions from this forum. The third leg of our trip was four days (June 20-24) in Dubrovnik, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
We stayed in a soba that we found through Dubrovnik Apartment Source (www.dubrovnikapartmentsource.com). (I can’t recommend this website highly enough…we got to pick exactly the apartment we wanted, saw photos of it ahead of time and were very pleased with the place. It was all arranged very easily via e-mail.) We were up on the hill above the Pile Gate of Dubrovnik with our own little terrace overlooking the old town below and the Adriatic beyond.
It could not have been lovelier…which is a good thing considering the number of steps and switchbacks we had to hike to get to it! Dubrovnik is not for sissies. It was quite warm while we were there so by the time we had hiked up the steps in town to the wall and then up the hill to our house, we were usually soaked through and panting. Yes, it was a 10 minute walk from the Pile Gate, but it was uphill ALL the way. Just keep that in mind when choosing accommodations.
But as I said, we were instantly rewarded with the most amazing view. We had a small kitchen in our apartment so we got breakfast essentials in town and enjoyed our tea and toast on our terrace every morning. It was worth every singe step.
We really liked the town. It was a tad crowded with tourists, especially on the Saturday we were there as the cruise ships downloaded all their passengers, but it was all manageable. We did wait until Monday when the crowds had died down to walk the wall and were glad that we had waited.
Some of our favorite moments included:
*Breakfast and dinner at Orhan (sp?), the restaurant on the little cove behind Nautica. It is near the big bus stop and there is a sign pointing you in the right direction. The restaurant has a beautiful setting, really good food and reasonable prices.
*An afternoon on the beach just to the south of town. It was a little crowded but you can rent chairs, umbrellas and towels and dip in the water when the sun is too hot. Plus there is a very responsive waiter who will bring you all the beers you want (for a fee, of course!).
*A morning on Lokrum Island. We caught the first boat over and had first dibs on the beach we found. There is an excellent outdoor restaurant on the edge of the abandoned monastery. The food was great and the setting was excellent.
*Lots of good (if a bit expensive) shopping. We found beautiful handmade jewelry and embroidered goods. In most cases, we spoke with the makers of the pieces so were able to learn a little bit about the artistic process and the history of each craft.
*Buza I and Buza II for late afternoon drinks. These two bars are carved out of the cliffs on the Adriatic side of Dubrovnik and are unbeatable for views. The beers were nearly as steep as the cliff, but you are paying for the setting as much as for the beverages. The best way to find the bars is to walk along the wall to find them and look for the doors that get you through the wall. The doors are not very well marked, but they are the only doors that open into the wall on that side, so just pop in!
*Watching Croatia ALMOST beat Turkey in soccer during the Euro 2008 tournament with the rest of the locals on a big screen TV set up next to the clock tower. It was really fun to be part of that crowd. It would have been more fun if the home team had won! Oh well.
Dubrovnik is a little off the beaten path but it is well worth the effort it takes to get there. For those of you about to embark for Dubrovnik, I am quite jealous. But I console myself with the memory of the sun shining over the Adriatic as I sip my breakfast tea.
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Thnaks for the great report - I am really lookig forward to our trip now!
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Great report Atleebrak.
We were in Dubrovnik at the same time, staying at the other side of town at the Hotel Argentina and you%26#39;ve summed up perfectly the relaxed ambience of the place.
Hope its not too long before I%26#39;m back in Buza II having a beer and chilling out beside the Adriatic - though there wasn%26#39;t much chilling out when the Turkey match went to penalties!
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Now we can%26#39;t wait to get to Dubrovnik in Sept. We have also booked an apartment near the Pile gate. Orhan - Buza 1, Buza 2 here we come. Your excellent report has really whetted our appetites.
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Nice report Atlee.
Do you know what does Buža actually mean in local dialect?
a hole!
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What a great review. Thanks, I%26#39;m leaving for Croatia in 3 weeks. Tell me about the jewelery shopping. I buy for Christmas presents. I love jewelery from around the world and so does my daughter in law .Linda
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THere are shops run by Albanian catholics with silver ware. THey are called Filigran. Look for MORCIC, which is typical for the area all along the Croatian coast.
Once all the women had a pair of earrings with morcic, it is still very popular, worn by men too.
I wouldn%26#39;t shop in Dubrovnik, i would choose some littler ,less touristy town.
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