Ahh, Dubrovnik. The "pearl of the Adriatic". I had heard so much about Dubrovnik before we visited. A co-worker told me it was one of her favorite places she's ever visited. A friend insisted that we HAD to go to Dubrovnik on our European trip. I heard rumors that some obscure television show is filmed there. (I actually don't watch Game of Thrones.) But, when we arrived in Dubrovnik...I felt disappointed. The streets were packed with hordes of tourists who had docked for the day on cruise ships. I mean, packed. It was hard to take a picture of the beautiful medieval walls without a crowd in front. A steady stream of tourists were on the city walls, walking the perimeter like a line of ants, one right after the other. A late-2000s guidebook that my friend had given me listed admission to the city walls as 50 HRK (almost $8) per person. My husband and I felt that we could pay that for what we heard was a "must-do" attraction. And, it's not every day that you get to walk on medieval walls. We were shocked to learn that, in 2016, admission to the city walls had tripled to 150 HRK, which, at today's exchange rate is over $23 per person! On a backpacker's budget, we couldn't afford nearly $50 for one attraction. Nearly every restaurant inside the walled city of Dubrovnik had the same menu at higher prices than we had seen anywhere else in the Balkans, giving us very little choice in food or price point. Game of Thrones t-shirts waved from shops. I felt like we had arrived in a medieval theme park that had been set up for cruise ship visitors that docked during the day. But, simultaneously, the fact that Dubrovnik exists is SO COOL. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval walled cities in the world, despite being under siege during the Yugoslav Wars. Tiny pathways wind between stone buildings, and, once the masses of people re-board their cruise ships, you get this incredible feeling of being transported back in time. The architecture is stunning. The coastline is stunning. So, I can't really blame everyone for wanting to come here, dock here, and flood the city with tourists. What I learned from two days in Dubrovnik was that I had planned this part of the trip all wrong. And, I would like a do-over with Dubrovnik. I would do basically everything differently in order to better enjoy this lovely area. What we did in dubrovnikCroatia was the last stop on our European adventure, and our wallets were feeling thin. We tried to be as cheap as possible and do free or cheap activities. Also, the weather was rainy during our time in Dubrovnik, so a few of our planned activities, like going to the beach or hiking up the mountain weren't possible. Walking the city streets - Always free. The tiny labyrinth of alleyways was fun to explore, and we came across charming houses with flowers spilling out of the windows and worn stone staircases. On the side streets, the crowds thinned out slightly, compared with the packed Stradun, the main path through Old Town. Cafe Buza - I expected this cliffside bar to be more crowded than it was, even though we stopped by mid-afternoon. This bar is situated on the other side of the medieval walls, on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. When I stepped through the hole in the wall to enter Cafe Buza, I was rewarded with views of the ocean, the rocky coastline, the small island of Lokrum, and the outside of the walls. Various staircases lead down to additional seating areas. It was windy but a lovely spot to sit, and it only cost the price of a drink! Dubrovnik Museum Pass - We discovered that Dubrovnik offers a museum pass with admission to a variety of museums and historical houses. Brett and I aren't big on spending a lot of time in museums when we travel. However, I ended up being glad that we got this pass for a few reasons. First, it was rainy during our time in Dubrovnik, so outdoor activities were limited. Second, we were able to buy student tickets for 25 HRK (less than $4). Regular adult museum passes are 100 HRK (around $15). Third, it allowed us to explore some of the beautiful architecture of the Rector's Palace, and we unexpectedly got a view over the city at the Ethnographic Museum.
War Photo Limited - A photojournalism museum with a permanent exhibit called "The End of Yugoslavia", with images from the break-up of Yugoslavia and the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. It also contains rotating photojournalist exhibits. When we visited, there were two rotating exhibits: Under Siege: Dubrovnik, 1991 with images from the bombing of Dubrovnik during the Yugoslav Wars, and The Balkan Route, with images from refugees traveling across Eastern Europe. The admission price is 50 HRK ($7.73) for adults, and I highly recommend this museum for more insight into the recent history of the region. Watching Croatia in Euro Cup - Lucky for us, Croatia's soccer team was playing in the European Cup 2016 while we were there, which gave us an opportunity to sit at a cafe with a bunch of jersey-clad supporters to watch the match. This was exciting because a lot of the cafes with outdoor seating had large screens set up and large groups of people gathered to watch. We were able to take part in the excitement surrounding a big soccer game. Malvasija Wine Bar - Croatia has amazing wine. The country is filled with vineyards to visit and bottles of wine to sample. Without time to spend exploring Croatia's wine country, we found Malvasija Wine Bar in Dubrovnik, a little family-run gem tucked into a side street in Old Town. We spent our last night in Dubrovnik sipping wine and chatting with the friendly family who runs the shop. We let them pick the wines that we tried, since they knew the best varieties. It was a lovely evening and a highlight of our time in Dubrovnik. WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLYIf I were to return to Croatia tomorrow, I would change a lot of things about my time in Dubrovnik. First, I would not book accommodation in Old Town Dubrovnik. Prior to visiting, I felt like I had to stay in Old Town, in order to be close to the "cool" things. This backfired when we were stuck with overpriced, touristy restaurant options for every meal and had tourists looking into our window from the medieval city walls. The Airbnb was very nice and clean, but I would prefer to book accommodation outside the city walls or even in a nearby, smaller town. This would allow us to take advantage of cheaper lodging prices, relax and enjoy the beautiful seaside location away from crowds, spend less money on subpar food, and still head into Dubrovnik if we wanted to. Second, I would try to limit my time within the Old Town walls to early morning or the evening, when the cruise ships have not yet arrived or have already departed. By doing this, I would minimize my time spent fighting crowds and explore at a more leisurely pace, as well as take pictures without a hundred people in them. Third, I would perhaps spend half a day in the Old Town, but I would want to explore more of the region on a return trip. There is SO much more to do in this region than Dubrovnik's Old Town. We narrowly focused our sights on things inside the city walls, but felt like we had seen a lot of it within a single day. For example, Cavtat, a small, less touristy town only 30 minutes from Dubrovnik, with its own Rector's Palace, beautiful architecture, and beaches. Plus, it's connected to Dubrovnik by public bus. Or what about Montenegro, less than 2 hours from Dubrovnik? It has rugged mountains, sandy beaches, red roofed towns, and its own UNESCO World Heritage Site - the walled city of Kotor. Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a daytrip from Dubrovnik. It's a charming little town, with scars from the Yugoslav wars still visible, a well-photographed bridge, and an old bazaar for shopping. I could spend a day exploring vineyards of the region, either independently or with an organized wine tour. The options seem endless, varied, and exciting. I expected to fall in love with Dubrovnik. There's a lot to love, but its growing popularity as a tourist destination rubbed me the wrong way. It's a shame that we ended up eager to leave Dubrovnik pretty quickly. We were not prepared for how expensive it would be or how crowded. But, it was also such a lovely piece of the past, with the medieval passageways and stone buildings. In hindsight, I realized that I didn't dislike Dubrovnik. I just didn't do Dubrovnik correctly. I hope that I get the opportunity to give it, and the surrounding area, another chance.
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AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
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