By Lou from reallifewithlou.com
BEAUTIFUL DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
We got there on a Wednesday morning, dropped our bags at the hotel and headed straight out to see the city. A quick Uber ride later and we found ourselves at the gates of the Old Town. It was a magnificent sight! High walls surround it, and you can climb up to the top of the walls to get a view of the whole city.
THE OLD TOWN
We wandered through the Old Town marvelling at the beauty of the tiled streets. Dozens of charming little restaurants lined the steps and we had to grin and politely decline their eager hosts as we ducked through the crowds in the heat.
Ah, that is one thing to mention – it was H. O. T! I think because of the limestone, the heat from the sun is reflected througsh the town. I was literally melting so was very glad when we got to the dock as the breeze from the water made things a lot cooler.
LOKRUM ISLAND
As we strolled along the port, we were approached by numerous vendors offering us day tours, boat rides to different islands and other excursions. Lokrum island seemed like the easiest and most flexible option so we bought our 15 EUR tickets and hopped on the little ferry to take us across. It was a 15-minute ride over the glittering water and in no time we could hear the sounds of wildlife – yes, I said wildlife! Probably a little dramatic as it was probably only birds or insects, but there was a distinct chirping/humming sound as we approached the lush island.
We followed the path through to the botanical gardens, thankful for the shade of the trees. Peacocks were roaming around freely, especially near al fresco diners, hoping to be fed leftovers. Nono and I explored the south-eastern part of the island and headed to the Dead Sea Lake. Clearly a popular spot with other tourists, it was pretty crowded so we bowed out and opted to splash about in the cool water of the cliff beach instead.
We ate a delicious mini lunch of prosciutto-topped bruschetta in the former monastery on the island. You could very easily spend an entire day on Lokrum Island but we had limited time so we took the boat back to the old town by the early evening.
GAME OF THRONES TOUR
Before we left London, the one thing we had absolutely promised to do was the Game of Thrones tour. If like me you’re obsessed with GoT, then I would absolutely recommend the combined history and Game of Thrones walking tour. Our guide, Iva was AMAZING! She has worked on the GoT set for years so gave us all sorts of insight into the show and cast. I have to say the tour was probably the highlight of my trip!
OTHER FUN THINGS TO DO
Walking around the Old Town made me feel like I would bump into Cersei Lannister any second. We made sure to see the Rector’s Palace, Fountain of Onofrio and The Square of the Loggia. And of course, one of the best decisions we made was to take the Day Trip to Montenegro. Two trips in one!
All in all, Dubrovnik was a fantastic city, and I would absolutely recommend a trip there. Have you been to Dubrovnik, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments below!
THE ESSENTIALS
- What to do: Lokrum Island, Game of Thrones tour, City Walls, Day Trip to Montenegro
- Where to eat:
- Gradska Kavana Arsenal for dinner in the Old Town (expect to spend around £30-40 for starter, main and glass of wine)
- Pizzeria Castro has delicious pizza if you’re looking for something more casual. And if you sit outside you directly ovelook the steps of shame
- Old Monastery on Lokrum Island
- Where to stay: We stayed at Hotel Adria – it was a lovely hotel with a spa and both indoor and outdoor pools. It isn’t walking distance from the Old Town but takes about 10-15 minutes in a car. (20-25 mins if there’s traffic – which seems to be the norm around the weekend)
- Getting around: We took Ubers back and forth but our hotel concierge also recommended the nearby bus service . Within the Old Town, you will have to walk
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