Located in the extreme south of Croatia, Dubrovnik is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic. Famous for its distinctive Old Town, it is encircled with massive stone walls that were completed in the 16th century. A wealth of sites lies within the walls where well-preserved buildings range from the baroque St. Blaise Church to the Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace, now a history museum.
A rich and powerful city state until 1806, the proud city once known as Ragusa has a population of over 40,000. Structural damage suffered at the hands of the Yugoslav People’s Army, has been repaired and visitors once again flock to this tranquil city, nestled between the Adriatic and Dinaric Alps. With its sublime location, overlooking the calm blue waters of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most magnificent walled cities.
During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world, with consulates in more than 50 foreign ports. Brave sailors, hard-bargaining merchants and shrewd diplomats, the people of Dubrovnik became extremely rich, leading sophisticated lifestyles and valuing refinement and the arts.
Today, visitors come here for leisure, not to trade. The main draw is the charming pedestrian-only Old Town, packed with aristocratic palazzi and elegant Baroque churches all contained within the sturdy medieval fortifications. Add to this the beaches, pristine sea, informal eateries serving top-notch seafood, chic five-star hotels and adventure sports facilities, and your holiday is made.
Regardless of whether you are visiting Dubrovnik for the first time or the hundredth, the sense of awe never fails to descend when you set eyes on the beauty of the Old Town. It’s hard to imagine anyone becoming jaded by the city’s white limestone streets and the endless shimmer of the Adriatic.
