Dubrovnik In A Day
Over the recent years Croatia, and Dubrovnik in particular, has become an increasingly popular holiday destination. Not only does it boast stunning sccenery and gorgeous coastlines but the explosion of Game of Thrones has made Dubrovnik an even more popular holiday destination. Whilst many people will head here for several days, and you could spend a few here for certain, we decided to tackle this city in 1 day during our week-long roadtrip across Montenegro. If you want to see all this city has to offer but you're short on time then make sure you don't miss out.
Getting to Dubrovnik is relativly easy, you can fly from the UK or, if like us you're visiting a neighbouring country, you can drive within a couple of hours from Montenegro. Parking in the city is difficult though. Their parking system is confusing and we didn't find the maps overly clear. To avoid driving around in circles for hours make sure you set off early, decide where you want to park in advance and take local currency with you. We ended up parking in a shopping centre just outside of the city and getting the bus in in as this was the easiest and cheapest option we found.
Once in the city we found the best thing to do was to head up to the viewing point. Dubrovnik is a small city but with it's winding streets it can be easy to feel disorientated. Whilst this is part of it's charm the viewing point allowed us to get our bearings a little before exploring any further. If you're there for a few days then you can walk to the top in an hour or so but if you're a little shorter on time, or you simply don't fancy the walk, there is a cable car that you can take to the top from just outside the city walls. Be sure to stand near the back of front of the cable car (away from the direction of travel) to get the best views as you ascend. At the top there is a bar and a little area to explore the fort but the best thing is easily the view. You can see blue seas for miles and up into the mountains that surround the Adriatic coastline. Not only is it a great place to see the layout of the city but the views are incredible.
Walking the city walls is a must if you head to Dubrovnik. Again, it's a good way to get your bearings and see a lot of the city. If you're half as obsessed with terracotta roofs as we are then it's likely to will take you a little longer to walk around as you stop for photos. Peering down the side streets and over the city walls showcases how charming Dubrovnik is. Getting onto the walls took a little longer than expected as there are only 2 entry/exit points. And you can only enter the walls once per ticket, so if you decide to get off and explore the rest of the city make sure that you don't want to get back on.
If you want to relax on the beach all day you may struggle to find the perfect one in Dubrovnik. Not only are they a little tricky to access but like much of the Adriatic coast the beaches are all pebbles and stones. They may not make the most comfortable sunbathing spots but they can still be just as beautiful with little coves and clear waters. If you would rather look out to sea than swim in it or sit on it's edge then be sure to visit one of the cliff-side bars that are dotted around the city. They aren't anything fancy but they are the perfect spot for a refreshing beer in the sun as you look out to the crystal blue sea. They have a brilliant atmosphere and are one of the most peaceful spots in a city that is otherwise very busy.
Dubrovnik is a charming little city and if you get the chance to visit then make sure that you do. We crammed a lot into a few hours and only chose to pick the highlights so we could enjoy everything that we did but no doubt there is plenty more to explore if you have the time. One this we didn't have time to do was to take a boat trip which would have been gorgeous given the weather that we encountered in late September.