Dubrovnik Explored

Today it is raining, again (we have these massive rainstorms followed by the most amazing sunny days). So today is a good time to work on the blog, and, finally talk about the city of Dubrovnik.

It seems, from my perspective, that there are three parts to this area called Dubrovnik. The Big Dog is, of course, the Old City (Grad Dubrovnik), a UNISCO World Heritage Site and rightly so. But more of that in a minute.

The Little Dog (or so I like to think of it) is Lapad, the “tourist peninsula.” We’ve talked about this area in a previous blog post (Dubrovnik in the Rain – and Sun), so I won’t say any more here.

Then there is Gruz, the newer port area, what I consider to be the tail of the dog. This area is useful, work-a-day; not particularly picturesque. There is the port, and the boats: a few small private boats tied to the dock, and the tour boats and ferries. And then there’s the cruise ships. The port can handle up to three of these behemoths, which look like – and are – floating cities. Conveniently located near the cruise ship docks is the main bus station, with buses going around the city, and to other parts of Croatia.

The "new" port, Gruz -- ultra-modern bridge at one end of town to balance the ancient city at the other!

Were we live is on the hill that delineates these three areas. Centrally located, you might say. It’s a 20-minute walk to the Pile gate, the main entry to Old Town, south-east of here; 25 or so minutes to the east is the Lapad beach; and 20 minutes north to the port. Since the port area also contains some major grocery stores and other shopping centers, we’re there pretty often.

Cruise ships really are floating cities

Not pretty overall but still some intriguing spots

Like I said, the port is a useful but not particularly attractive area. The buildings are hardly the “Soviet-era gray concrete blocks” I’ve heard of elsewhere (I haven’t seen those anywhere in Croatia, for that matter), but there certainly is no architectural unity, or even much that’s very pretty. So when we go out for a stroll to take in the sites, we head for the Big Dog, Dubrovnik Old Town.

Grad Dubrovnik is the reason people come to this area, and it’s a very compelling reason. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the walls were begun in the 7^th Century, and reached their current form in the 15^th. They are considered to be the most extensive fortifications of the Middle Ages, protecting the inhabitants of the city for over 500 years. This area was originally known as the Republic Ragusa, famed for its brilliant diplomacy. It was able, over the course of the centuries, to avoid tangling with other powers in the area, a powerful factor in the preservation of the city walls. Of course, credit is also due to the master builders who laid them out and constructed them, and the residents of the city who cared for and maintained them over the centuries.

Comparisons between the old town of Montpellier, the city in Southern France were we spent our first three months, and Grad Dubrovnik are inevitable! While old Montpellier was a maze of short, winding streets, Dubrovnik is laid out on a grid pattern, many narrow streets but all parallel and right angles. Much harder to get lost!

Enough of the history lesson; let’s go to the city!

Best part of the 20-minute walk to the Old Town! Padlocks are from loving couples, locking in their love

Beyond the fence is this lovely coastal view

And along the way no end of interesting sights...

Although some parts are not so lovely, when the massive buses barrel past seemingly inches away

We arrive at the Pile Gate, main entrance to the city, after running the gauntlet of tourist shops, main bus stop, tourist pick-up point, and cruise and tour hawkers. (Whew!) Note St Blaise, the city's patron saint, over the door: he shows up everywhere in the city. (And, see all those people? It's like that all day long...)

But before we go in, let's look around...

The Mincenta Tower, at the north corner of the city, one of three forts within the walls (and a filming site for Game of Thrones, but we'll save that for another blog)

Here we see St. Blaise again

Fort Bokar, at the south-western corner

Once through the gate in the outer wall (right background), visitors zig-zag down to the inner gate, on the left. First thing visitors see: St. Blaise (inset above the inner gate)

And finally, we get inside! The ever-crowded main street, Stradun, with the Bell Tower in the background. 

Main square and Orlando's Column

Sponza Palace

The Dubrovnik Cathedral (Dubrovacka katedrala) and the Rector's Palace (left)

Interior of the Rector's Palace

St. Blaise again!

Ah, the Church of Saint Blaise! (Crkva sv. Valaha)

'Nother Church (possibly Crkva Svetog Stjepana, Church of St. Steven)

Lots of cats in the city

A memorial to the Croatian War of Independence (known locally as the Homeland War, or the Greater-Serbian Aggression), 1991, as a result of the break-up of Yugoslavia. The city of Dubrovnik suffered extensive bombardment and numerous houses burned (including this art studio). 

And just a nod to King's Landing: Dubrovnik has been used for filming many scenes for "Game of Thrones," and other movies (big, big tourist draw, in all the finest tourist shops!).

There's many tiny, narrow streets branching off the Stradun, the main street through the city. The city is in a sort of a valley, so the side streets climb steeply up to the city walls.

Entering the city from the port area.

Say, now that we're at this end of the city, let's look in on the harbor...

And  another view, from a distance

Well, we've been here so long the sun has set, but the city at night is, if possible, even more fabulous. This is the port, at the far end of the main street from the Pile Gate.      

The harbor at night, with the famous pirate ship (famous, at least, to the tour operator who runs it!)

  The main square, and the bell tower.

More views of the well-illuminated exterior walls as we leave the city proper

And here's the Lovrijenac Fortress, guarding the city from across Blackwater Bay

And so it seems our time here in Croatia is almost up; in another week or 10 days (early November, in any event) we will be in Seville, Spain.  Still, we have lots more to say about  Croatia, and Dubrovnik. Like, those Game of Throne sites we keep mentioning....

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Split from Dubrovnik

We've taken a vacation from the "hardships" of Dubrovnik to visit the Croatian city of Split, a four-hour bus ride up the coast.

 

Scene from the bus: the coast near Dubrovnik

Also seen from the bus, a little further up the coast

First, let's talk about that name, 'cause it's bugged me for a long time! It seems that when the Greeks arrived here a few millennia ago the hills on the surrounding islands were covered in the distinctive yellow of Scotch Broom. (Actually it was Calicotome spinosa, but what do I know about plants??) The Greeks named their colony Spálathos after the plant, which eventually ended up as Split.

I learned all this from a very charming and infuriatingly irritating man on the bus. He got on at a stop an hour from Split, and talked nearly non-stop the whole way. Seems he was born and raised in Split and ended up in Sweden, where he lived for eight years. He got on very well there and considers himself at least part Swedish now. I know this because he explained it to us all. In English.

But before that explanation, shortly after he got on, two (three?) Swedes got on the bus. The only available seats on the bus were in back, right in front of us, and right next to him. He quickly learned they were Swedish and his non-stop travelogue began as he expounded on the wonders of Croatia in general and Split in particular. At least, I assume that’s what he was saying; it was all in Swedish, a language I don't speak. He did interrupt himself a few times to explain something in English. So what are the chances that one of the few Croatians who grew up in Sweden would end up on a bus next to one of the few Swedes in Croatia? If I saw that in a movie I don't think I'd believe it! True story though....

According to our self-appointed "tour guide," an underwater fresh-water spring can make the sea appear to boil here  

Then there was Claire, the English woman sitting in the back of the bus with us who lives on an island off Dubrovnik. She was on her way to retrieve her winter-time duvet she'd left in Split. We later ran into her on the waterfront, and she explained there was a large ex-pat community (mostly Brits) in Split.

Seems like we should definitely take more buses in Croatia!

Ok, but what about Split, the city on the Adriatic?

 

City front of Split, with the old Diocletian Palace hidden behind cafes and restaurants -- and palm trees!

Two thumbs up! A real charmer, with old stone buildings separated by narrow walkways. The center piece of the city is the Diocletian Palace, built by the Emperor in the 3^rd Century as a retirement villa. It’s huge, probably two or three city blocks on a side, and is the center of the city. Well, it’s right on the waterfront, so hardly the geographic center. But certainly the social center. It’s full of cafes and pricy restaurants, open squares for gatherings and picturesque, ruined walls. And, there are many private residences, so people live there, too! Every morning there’s a market, and, of course, plenty of archaeological marvels to explore.

Main square in the Palace; always lots going on, looked over by the Praetorian Guard

Same place, at night in the rain (how to avoid tourist crowds...)

The bell tower of St. Domnius and Diocletian's Mausoleum

Nighttime in the Palace

Market day, every morning

Finally! Real olive oil!

The old clock and bell

An original palace wall, and some more recent additions

Street scene in the old Palace, Split

The more, ah, recent old town is off to the left, with older stone buildings and very narrow lanes.

Looking east from the new(er) old town towards the Palace and the bell tower

Yup, streets are really narrow!

Things can get a little chaotic in these older towns...

Seems like there's a dress code in the Pjesacka zone

Paula moves through a dark alley towards the light

Nothing funky about the sea front, though: fine dining and pricey hotels!

We hiked to the top of this hill, with some magnificent views of the city.

Park Suma Marjan, with the city front on the right

Panoramic view of the city and harbor

Overall, we were only in Split for two nights, hardly long enough to get bored. It's clear, though, that this is a real town, were people live and work and spend their lives.  I expect that even after two months we would still be finding things to amaze and amuse us.

The bell tower at sunset, behind the original walls of the Palace

The city front at night (and in the rain, as I recall)...

We weren’t quite ready to go back “home” to Dubrovnik yet, though. Croatia has some 1000 islands (or so I am told, I didn’t count them), and we had to get to at least one. So our departure from Split (you’ll notice I refrained from saying we split from Split, and you’re welcome!) was by boat. We took the morning ferry to Hvar, the main city on Hvar, a large island an hour south of Split. The plan is, from there we’ll take the high-speed three-hour ferry back to Dubrovnik.

Our ride out of town

But that’s another story…