Europe > Croatia > Dalmatia and the Adriatic Islands > Dubrovnik > Romance > Articles > The Jewel of the Adriatic

There are cities that live in our sub-conscious, forever calling out to us to make a visit. In Europe, it’s Paris, Venice, London, Florence, and Vienna, destinations that are automatic on any grand tour. Dubrovnik in southern Croatia, has been rightfully restored as one of these places.

They come from everywhere, and by every form of transportation to sample the romance and charm of this stunning city, packing the city in the summer. Venice has the bridges and exquisite waterways and Paris the reputation, but neither bring out the romantic in you as much as Croatia’s top tourist destination. It’s enough to make you throw flowers at the nearest person and start reciting poetry about green seas, winding streets and historic towers. Even the name is romantic and full of mystery.

But with all that, Dubrovnik is still a very difficult city to understand. Is it a beach resort? Because the beaches are gorgeous, and the turquoise water and stunning cliffs make it great for a sunny and salty vacation. Or is it a postcard town? The hillside location and beautiful houses would pack any photo album. Or is a historical town? With the delightful old town, a fully restored labyrinth worth getting lost in, and the completely intact city walls, Dubrovnik is a destination of great historical worth.

The reality is that Dubrovnik is a little bit of everything, and each visitor comes away with a different impression and experience. The old town is wonderful for relaxed exploration, with a walk along the city walls not to be missed. If you have the time, venture away from the old town and explore the rugged peninsulas of Lapad and Babin Kuk. Here there are many luxury houses and extravagant gardens, with many of Europe’s elite keeping summer homes behind high walls.

But even away from the peninsula, Dubrovnik is most certainly a five-star destination. Luxury yachts are docked in the harbour, and giant cruise ships are anchored swimming distance from the beach. In the old town, boutiques sell exquisite jewellery of local and international design, and fine restaurants are tucked away down narrow alleyways, or up countless stairs.

For hotels, the Excelsior and Grand Argentina offer accommodation worthy of a major western European city, and take you a long way from the shanty seaside resorts of Spain and Portugal and their high-rise package-holiday eyesores. The Pucic Palace, a grand old hotel in the centre of the old town, is the best place to stay, if not for its location then for its historical, high quality rooms.

Autumn is a splendid time to visit Dubrovnik: the tourist season is over, so you are seldom heckled or bothered by money grubbing locals offering expensive boat tours and the like, the masses are gone, and the weather is still warm enough for swimming and for spectacular sunsets over the Adriatic. It is the time when you can make Dubrovnik your own, to discover secrets hidden within the winding streets of the old town, and to chance upon abandoned beaches at the bottom of long flights of concrete steps.

And within this silence and peace, the romance of the city will take you over. There will be time for slow strolls along the city walls, admiring the stunning views and tasting salt on the wind, and for long coffees in the restaurants along the Placa. For only at this time of year can the city be truly your own.

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