We have always been used to traveling to the Croatian coast by car. In the case of Dubrovnik, however, it should be emphasized that this Renaissance pearl is quite far away and that the recently opened highway only leads to Split, and there is still a long way to go to our destination. Of course, it is also possible to travel to Dubrovnik by plane.
There is a regular airline from Zagreb, but only charter flights are organized from Brnik. The next option is to travel by boat, which is very comfortable. In the evening, you embark on the river, spend the night peacefully, the next day you enjoy a peaceful sailing between the islands, and in the early afternoon you arrive in Dubrovnik to rest. For the most undemanding deck passengers, such a voyage costs just under six thousand tolars, and for a slightly more comfortable sleep in the cabin, it is necessary to pay close to 20 thousand tolars. What is interesting about this is that "sailing beauties" are not excessively expensive. Lunch on Marco Polo or Liburnia is unusually cheap, but if you sleep in a cabin, breakfast is included in the overnight stay. If it's crowded, sit by the window, have breakfast and watch the Adriatic Sea pass you by. This is what Hercules Poirot and Sherlock Holmes did and had a good time - divine. Another small tip: If you can miss your holiday luggage, leave it at home together with the car. It will only get in your way in Dubrovnik. Those of you who have small children, do not worry, because they will all be extremely sympathetic to you - the southern nations, it seems, hide more motherly tenderness than we think and expect.
STAY FOR 60 TO 100 EUROS
If you're heading to southern Dalmatia, and especially to Dubrovnik, know that it won't be a cheap vacation. If you want to take a break in the Old Castle, that is, inside the walls, you will have to dig deep into your pocket. Already in the pre-season, it is necessary to pay 60 euros per day for a very average apartment on Stradun. Therefore, it is recommended that you learn to bargain as soon as possible, of course not in a hotel, but with private companies, try to haggle the price! The offer is rich, reservations are also possible online, but unfortunately there is no guarantee that you will actually get what you were promised. If you plan to travel with your family and rent an apartment in the old city, which is the most elegant by the way, ask twice what floor it is on, whether it has air conditioning and a kitchen in the full sense of the word. Unfortunately, even in Dubrovnik, the city with the most beautiful street in the world, categories and standards are for the time being more concepts than established practice. There are at least 10, maybe even 20 ATMs in Old Dubrovnik that operate regularly. But beware, if the ATM eats your card, go to the bank and demand that they give you the card back immediately, not tomorrow or the day after. The cheapest and also the most pleasant morning coffee in Dubrovnik is certainly at the market by the statue of the poet Djiva Gundulič, where you can still hear the old Dubrovnik branjevka talking loudly, almost singing.
TO THE MOUSE AND ANA ON JAKOB'S SHELL
All restaurants in Dubrovnik have almost the same offer and practically the same prices. The universal menu of Dubrovnik restaurants is roughly like this: spaghetti in seven ways, seafood risotto and frozen imported fish on the grill, which, of course, are not inferior to local fresh fish in price. Admittedly, since the Renaissance Republic of Dubrovnik, the rule has been that restaurants and workshops are located on Stradun or richer and more expensive in the flat part of Dubrovnik, but Stradun is not big, and prices are high everywhere because of it. They cook really well in the Konavoka restaurant, which is run by a married couple, Slovenians Ana and Mišo Zvrko. The restaurant is outside the city walls, take bus number 6 from the city, get off at the Lapad post office, cross the road and turn onto Šetalište kralja Zvonimir. The restaurant is in the middle of the path towards the sea, on the right, and offers a rich selection of seafood dishes. Although Mr. Mišo admits that they have given in to the demand of German guests, that's why you can also fill up on burgers and Viennese steak. It's also worth trying the house dessert - scallops au gratin. According to Miš, it was brought to the restaurant's kitchen years ago by a French chef. Apparently it was impossible, he only worked for a week, but at least he left the kitchen with a miraculous dessert. From the scallop, use a small spoon to scoop up the real gratin meat of the shell. The smell may be reminiscent of pudding, the flesh is soft like a banana and sweet. Gourmets also order halibut, richly layered with fish, mussels and shrimp.
HUNGRY FOR CULTURE?
Since 1950, the world-famous Dubrovnik Summer Games have filled the Old Castle with theatrical performances, dance and music in July and August. The Games host world-renowned artists, so classical fans will be able to enjoy the music of the Vienna String Quartet and the Zagreb Soloists chamber orchestra in August. Those oriented more towards eastern cultures will certainly not miss the classical Indian dance Bharatka Natyam, which will be performed by Snehalatha Kandan. In Dubrovnik this summer, you should definitely see the theater performance at the Marina Držič Theater and the Konavok dance in the village of Čilipi in Konavle, some 20 kilometers to the south. They say that the most beautiful girls in the world live in Čilipi. The dance in front of the church starts after the mass at 11 o'clock. The bus from Dubrovnik leaves for Čilipa at 10 a.m. and back only at 6 p.m.! After the performance, it is therefore recommended to make arrangements with the tour bus guide if they take you with them. Or you can call a taxi and drive to Cavtat, a beautiful seaside town with pleasant beaches and Slovenian beer in every restaurant. From there by boat to Dubrovnik. The third option is a relatively cheap rent-a-car.
FOR THE YOUNG AND WANTING TO PARTY
In the evenings, a walk along the main street of Stradun is a must, where you can cool off with an ice cream, juice or beer at every turn, while the prices can warm you up. For beer, for example, you must pay at least HRK 20. A special atmosphere in Dubravnik in the evening is also created by the "random Dalmatian klapa", which seemingly spontaneously sings a few songs or the entire concert. When the hustle and bustle of the streets dies down, entertainment should be found in nightclubs. A more demanding audience usually goes to the hard jazz cafe Troubadour, while young people who want to dance go to the Exodus disco or the Labirint, Fuego and Revelin clubs. And that's all that nighttime Dubrovnik has to offer. Young Dubrovnik residents and tourism workers warn that there is not enough nightlife for a city that wants to develop high tourism.
WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN EVERYTHING IN THE CITY...
No vacation in Dubrovnik is complete without one-day trips to the nearby islands: Korčula, Lastovo, Mljet, the Elafite Islands and, of course, Lokrum, which is a 15-minute boat ride from the city. Take a walk to the old city harbor and you will find out everything, or inquire beforehand on the website www.nova-dubrovnik. com, a two-year-old marine company that supplies the islands from Cavtat to Elafites with new boats. A one-hour speedboat ride to remote Lopud costs HRK 50 one way. They also offer full-day tours with intermediate stops and lunch for about 200 kuna. The Zrinski boat goes to Lokrum and back for HRK 30. The islands are worth a visit, if you want to rest for a day and enjoy the sun and sea, you must go to the heavenly sandy beach of Šunj on Lopud, where they offer you an umbrella and a deckchair for 20 kuna, and in the restaurant with a thatched roof you can have a patty or sardines. The beer is cold. You can also order a frozen pizza that is heated in the microwave. Dubrovnik is not exactly rich in beaches, as we see in the catalogs. With the exception of Šunj, the coasts of the islands are beautifully rocky, so concrete hotel beaches are more suitable for children.
