Crossroads of Adriatic

May 07, 2007 - Monday - Dubrovnik City Tour-Free afternoon

We had had a wonderful evening and a great night's sleep and woke up at 7 AM to have breakfast in the dining room. Once again, we had a wide variety and selection from the buffet as well as made to order eggs, waffles, other delights!

We met at 9:00 with our group and our city guide Luka, who took us on a walking tour of Dubrovnik, Croatia's crowning jewel. Situated on a rocky spur at the country's southernmost tip, medieval Dubrovnik is renowned for the beauty of its monuments and the stunning views out to the Adriatic.

Today still an exquisite walled city, Dubrovnik's character reflects its storied past as an independent city-state that rivaled Venice. Also known by its Latin name, Ragusa, this was a fortress city that served as the base for a fleet of ships that carried trade between much of Europe and the Middle East. The city-state's period of autonomy extended from 1358 to 1808 and endowed it with a wealth of historic architecture.

In spite of heavy damage sustained during the conflict of the 1990s, the city has regained its former splendor with the help of UNESCO (OAT contributed to the restoration of Dubrovnik's main promenade, the Placa, through a donation from the Grand Circle Foundation).

Luka explained the local economy and dependence on the tourism industry. Up to 10 cruise ships berth here per day during the high season. There was 'only' one here today and the small walled city was crowded! Imagine the summer months!!!

On our walk we made frequent stops and Luka pointed out significant locations as they related to the history of the city. He also explained about the 11 month siege of 1991-'92. Although Dubrovnik has been a UNESCO Heritage Site for 28 years, the town was bombed unmercifully by the Serbs and Montenegrins. Almost the entire city was destroyed but most has been restored with the help of entrance fees and taxes on merchants.

Even in 1452, Dubrovnik was a progressive and open city. Clean and pure water, hospitals, cultural events, and orphanages all were priorities. Luka told us that if a woman was pregnant and could not care for the baby, there was an orphanage that would anonymously take the baby and the city would care for it. A coin was cut in half, half was hung on the baby's neck and half was given to the mother. Should the mother's circumstances improve, she could claim the baby again.

Our first stop was the 14th-century Franciscan Monastery that is home to one of Europe's oldest pharmacies. The ancient pharmacy is still used today and plants and herb are grown in the cloister garden as they were hundred of years ago. Old recipes and formulas have been found and are now used again being just as effective as modern day medicines.

Our tour included a visit to the fortified town center, where we saw the 15th-century Rector's Palace, whose rooms now house the Museum of Dubrovnik. There were relics of St. Blaise, the patron saint of the town, housed in the museum and more in the monastery.

Luka told us great stories about the customs of the medieval community as we walked and he also gave us suggestions for good places to eat. We stopped at a typical garment shop where he described the significance of the costumes worn in the ancient days.

After our tour of Governor's Palace we said goodbye to Luka and thanked him for our excellent visit to his unique city. We left our group about 11 AM and headed for the gate of the City Walls. For 50 Kuna each ($10) that goes to support the restoration of the city, we spent the next two hours of our free time exploring with a bird's eye view of Dubrovnik.

We walked along the walls, climbed the highest watch towers, and circled the old city, taking photos and talking to the other tourists who had braved the hot sun and 88° temperatures. It was a wonderful view and one could see the distinction between the original roof tiles and the new orange ones that replaced those destroyed during the siege.

We finished the full circle of the city walls and then found a shady sidewalk café on the Placa (also called Stradun), the wide street stretching between two city gates that is a popular gathering spot for locals. It was fun just to watch the thousands of other tourists, many who were here on a Royal Caribbean Cruise originating in Barcelona, Spain.

After our lunch we visited the old city museum and the Memorial Room dedicated to the Dubrovnik Defenders, the 500 who died during the siege and defense of the city. There was a slideshow presentation of color and B/W photos that was incredibly sobering. Many men and women were crying as they watched the production on the destruction. We even saw our beautiful Imperial Hotel being bombed and in flames.

We met our group at 6:30 in the lobby of the hotel and walked just a few blocks to a seafood restaurant famous for its sea bass. We had an excellent dinner and then walked back to our hotel. We visited the top floor of the hotel and I took a few shots of the city at night. Even at 9:00, and the cruise ship has sailed on, the city is still busy! After Gennie took off her pedometer, we had walked a total of 8.83 miles.

Hilton Imperial Hotel - - - Meals: B, D

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Dubrovnik and City Wall

Dubrovnik and City Wall

Luka and Friends

Luka and Friends

Gennie and Vic on City Wall

Gennie and Vic on City Wall

Memorial Room - Dubrovnik Defenders

Memorial Room - Dubrovnik Defenders

Old City Gate at Night

Old City Gate at Night

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