Dubrovnik

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Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th century and although the city was heavily shelved in 1991 during the war with Serbia, most of the ancient center was spared or has been restored. There are numerous interesting squares and cobbled streets, lined with medieval houses, churches and palaces. Everything is made out of light colored stone, giving the town a spacious touch.

The city walls are intact, which means there is no traffic in Dubrovnik's center. They were built between the 13th and 16th centuries, every now and then parts were added as the city grew. They now total some 2 km (1.2 miles) and are probably the best-preserved city walls in the world. There are 16 towers along the walls that provide excellent views over Dubronik. The Stradum is Dubrovnik's main street. It runs from the Pile Gate to the clock tower at the other end of the center. The Placa is for pedestrians only. Immediately next to the Pile Gate is the Franciscan Monastery. Its pharmacy has been in service since 1391. There are numerous shops and bars further on along the Placa and at its other end, near the clock tower is the St Blaise's Church. It was built in baroque style. The Gothic Rector's Palace is nearby. It was built in 1441 and has been converted into a museum, where you can see old furniture, paintings and other historic artifacts. A busy market is held opposite the museum every morning.

Dubrovnik has several nice beaches, although the ones at nearby Lokrum Island are even better, although they are rocky. A ferry connects Dubrovnik with the island. On Lokrum Island are the remains of a medieval Benedictine monastery.

There is a whole scale of accommodation in Dubrovnik, and everything from private rooms to chic hotels is available. There are also numerous bars and restaurants. Because of its southern location on the Adriatic coast, the climate in the area is very pleasant and the surrounding countryside is covered with lush vegetation. Dubrovnik is 400 km southeast of Zagreb. The city has bus connections to most other places in Croatia, air connections with Zagreb and ferries run between Dubrovnik and Hvar, Split, Zadar and Rijeka. If you come to Dubrovnik by road you will have to pass through a strip of land belonging to Bosnia-Herzegovina. The border post is at the Bosnian town of Neum.