Last Stop: Dubrovnik

Well, after an amazing (almost) three weeks on the road, we're back safe and sound in Rome.  We had an amazing time and, fortunately, ran into very little trouble.  We had no run-ins with pickpockets, didn't suffer any injuries or illnesses, and didn't even miss a train.  It's hard to believe that in the next two days we have to pack up, say goodbye to our remaining friends at the Academy (sadly, many people have already left), say goodbye to the city of Rome, and catch a plane to the East Coast.  Much like when I left San Francisco to come here, I'm feeling a bit sad and anxious, but also excited at the same time.  However, despite how much as I love packing, I thought I'd take a brief break (okay, okay, you got me- I haven't even started), to tell you a bit about beautiful Dubrovnik, the last stop on our trip.

Dubrovnik and Lokrum Island (as seen from Srd Hill)

Dubrovnik is located on the southern coast of Croatia, not too far from the Montenegro border.  Like Split, it's set in gorgeous surroundings with lots of rocky shoreline and mountains, and offers an abundance of shopping, dining, and sightseeing. However, what really sets Dubrovnik apart is its fully-intact massive city wall, which defines the border of the "old city."  Of course, many cities (like Rome, for example) had city walls at one point or another, but very few of them are still intact today.  It's a really unique thing to see, and- with just a bit of imagination- when looking at the city from a distance, you can almost believe that you've traveled a few centuries back in time.

Old Town Dubrovnik

Many refer to Dubrovnik as the "Jewel of the Adriatic," and although I can't deny its inherent charm, Tom and I decided that a more apt nickname would be "City of Stairs."  Our rental apartment was just north of the old city walls, and to reach it from the main city gate, we had to walk up over 450 (really big) steps!  (The worst trip was obviously the one with our suitcases!)  Still, the hills weren't all bad since they provided for some pretty amazing views of the city and allowed us to justify our trips to the delicious ice cream shop we discovered.  (The ice cream we had in Dubrovnik was actually just that, rather than gelato, which I found to be a welcome change at this point!)  

Catching Our Breath in the City of Stairs

The Old Town's Main Drag (in a brief moment of diminished crowds)

Beautiful Pantheon-Like Fountain

Self-timed Photo on the Wall

Like most tourists, during our time in Dubrovnik we mostly stuck to the "old town" (there are also more modern parts of the city) and the beaches.  The old town contained many beautiful buildings, and although it was often overly crowded and hot, we still enjoyed exploring.  However, without a doubt, the highlight of our visit was getting to actually walk the length city wall.  Before arriving I had no idea that you could actually go on top of the wall - let alone walk the entire length of it (I guess I hadn't read our guide book closely enough), but it was an incredible experience.  We showed up at opening (8 AM) to avoid the worst of the crowds (and the heat), and leisurely made our way around the 1.2 mile city perimeter (taking way too many pictures along the way).  As you make your way around, the scenery changes from primarily views of the town to ocean views, and it was really fun to be able to explore all of the forts along the way.

Walking the Wall 

Bell Tower (with statue "ringing" the bell).  

Enjoying the Wall

Mostly Orange Roofs

The wall was built starting in the 12th Century for the city's defense, but it was not actually used for this purpose until the 1991 civil war in Yugoslavia when many civilians used the wall for protection. Sadly, like Mostar, Dubrovnik suffered much damage in the war, which is apparent from all of the new bright orange roofs in the old city.  Houses with the orange roofs were bombed (and thus needed their roofs replaced), while the few buildings with the old faded brown roofs made it out relatively unscathed.  It really tells you something about the war, though, that from the top of the wall it's often difficult to even spot a brown roof amongst the orange.

"Cable Car" Above Dubrovnik

Another great way to view the city is to take the cable car (which, in my opinion is really a "gondola") up to the top of Mount Srd (pronounced like "Surge").  Technically, you can also hike up this very steep hill (which we seriously debated), but because it was unbearably hot and because some locals warn that stray land mines may still be on the hill, it seemed like the better decision to just pay the hefty fee and take the easy route.  (Of course, my hiker's pride compels me to say that Tom and I totally could have hiked it had we wanted to!)  Still, we walked a bit on the designated trails on top and I (feeling suddenly full of energy) even ran a couple of sprints.  The breeze from the top of the hill was glorious, and although we spent a good hour or two taking in the views, we found ourselves wishing we had brought sandwiches so we could have camped out and spent the day.

Srd Hill from Below

Landscape at the Top of Srd Hill

Cooling Off at a "Beach" in Town

Of course, the other main attraction in Dubrovnik is its beaches, and Tom and I definitely made sure to take full advantage of them.  The beaches in Croatia are a bit different from what many Americans may picture as "ocean beach."  They are rocky (not sandy), have very few waves (due to the many islands in the area), and you have to watch out for the sea urchins that hide amongst the rocks.  Many of the "beaches" are even just places off of random rocks or concrete structures where a ladder leads down to the water.  But, those aren't exactly things to complain about when you're surrounded by gorgeous deep blue water and amazing scenery.  There are a couple decent beaches in Dubrovnik itself, and we also really enjoyed visiting the beaches out on the island of Lokrum.

Lokrum is only about 10 minutes away from Dubrovnik by ferry, but it feels worlds away.  The island is full of loud screeching locusts and beautiful peacocks (who seem sweet enough until they try to steal your lunch), but since most visitors head straight to the beach, it's easy to find some solitude on a hike.  Since the old town was constantly packed with people, Tom and I were happily shocked to find ourselves all alone at Fort Royal after a pretty serious climb to the top of the island.  Best of all, though, was the fact that visitors are allowed to climb all the way to the very top of the fort, and when we reached that point we found a single lounge chair set up on a perch overlooking the island (along with what appeared to be a well-used ash tray- in a lot of ways Croatia is just like Italy).

Peacock in a Playground (before it tried stealing our lunch!)

Relaxing on Top of Fort Royal

On Lokrum Island

Port in Dubrovnik

Visiting Dubrovnik was a fantastic way to cap off such a great adventure.  It was perhaps a bit too touristy for my taste (perhaps spring and fall are better), but it was worth battling the crowds to see such a unique place.  In case you're curious, although we had a great time everywhere we went, Tom and I both liked Prague the best (although it's hard to know if Prague being the first stop influenced our perception).

It's funny, normally when you spend so long planning and looking forward to something (we started planning this trip over a year ago), the actual event never lives up to your elevated expectations.  (I mean how exciting was anyone's New Years Eve 1999, really?)  But, surprisingly, this trip did, and possibly even exceeded them.  We feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity and the chance to spend so much quality time together (especially since we'll be living apart for much of next year), and are really glad we got to share so many of our adventures with all of you, too!

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Tues. July 30:  Unsurprisingly, Dubrovnik was also HOT.  And the sun was even hotter.  Highs were in the 90s and we often avoided being outside between the hours of 12 and 4 or so.  Of course, if anything, Rome is ever hotter this time of year (especially since there is no air conditioning at the Academy)!