Finding the jewel in the Adriatic

Limestone streets, Baroque buildings, music, dance and the good life... Dubrovnik is a city in the sun

August 30, 2017 04:17 pm | Updated 04:19 pm IST

Arrive

Even before the aircraft lands in Dubrovnik, excited passengers crane their necks, clicking pictures as glimpses of the gorgeous medieval city come into view. White yachts glide by, the water is a stunning mix of sea green and turquoise blue, interspersed by velvet green slopes and foliage.

Day 1

10 am

The city walls, main cathedral, Rector’s Palace, Onofrio’s fountain, bars, cafés, the beach and shopping... the Old Town of Dubrovnik is where all the action is. Add to that a horde of trendy tourists, and that’s what makes this one of the hottest holiday destinations. You can spend days meandering through the Stradun (main street) and its many bylanes flanked by a number of eateries. The Stradun is made of limestone and gleams under the scorching sun, creating the illusion of being a water body. Take a tour of the city walls, and Game of Thrones and Star Wars fans can take one that shows them around the shooting locations. Our first stop is the post office, where we buy much-essential SIM cards (the ones with unlimited 4G for a week). Interestingly, the post office is full of people, some getting phone connections and the rest sending out postcards to friends and loved ones.

Noon

Walking out of the eastern Ploce Gate and up a steep road, we reach the cable car, panting like a German Shepherd after a tedious game of fetch. It takes us up to Srd mountain, that offers a stunning panorama of the shimmery blue waters of the Adriatic and terracotta-roofed houses below. Our mandatory profile picture-worthy shots clicked, we head to Panorama, a café with a view. After waiting for 30 minutes, we snag a seat by the edge of the cliff, and under a white canopy, sipping on dessert wine and mouthfuls of steak. It’s hard to keep track of time at this dreamy location, and only when we see the queue getting longer, we leave, apologetic.

5 pm

After freshening up, we head to the famed Buza Bar that’s perched atop a craggy cliff. It entails climbing up numerous steps; this is something you will have to get used to in the Old City. It’s almost hidden; there’s a little doorway in the wall, and on the other side lies this haven of bliss. Find a table or simply relax on the rocks, watch the Lokrum Island in the distance and the bright orange sun go down. This is also where you can cliff-dive into the sea from a height of around 70 feet.

8 pm

After sunset, the city is bathed in a golden glow as the street lights come on. Dining at one of the candle-lit restaurants in one of the many alleys of the town, we sample a host of local dishes. I order a portion of scallops and am most disappointed with the serving — only three tiny ones, but at least they are fresh and delicious.

10 pm

A street corner turns into a venue for an impromptu party. The DJ plays from the balcony of the Sponza Palace, and it’s quite fascinating as we get together with random people, swaying, dancing and even sharing a midnight ice cream together.

Day 2

9 am

A bus from the Pile Gate of the Old Town takes you to the residential areas of Lapad and Gruz. The Gruz harbour is where cruise ships dock, unloading loads of wide-eyed tourists. Here, you will find a mall and fresh fish and vegetable markets. It’s a great place to walk around, dine at the many interesting hangouts, or take boat trips to the neighbouring Elaphiti Islands.

3 pm

Go kayaking. Intrepid kayakers can go up to the islands. The lazy ones like us can just go a few metres into the sea, enjoy the cool breeze and the gentle waves, and come back with a solid tan.

7 pm

Sweaty and exhausted after a couple of hours of kayaking, we come back to the Old Town and then to the glamorous Banje pebble beach. Even at this hour, it’s teeming with people. The water is cold, but that hardly deters anyone from taking a dip. We swim, with people and fish, some that graze past our legs making us squeal. The beach club, meanwhile, starts filling for yet another night of partying.

10 pm

Post all the revelry, we grab a bite by the harbour. Bright lights flicker in the mountain across the harbour. Armed with a bottle of wine and olives, we lie under the starry sky, chatting and listening to soothing music from the buskers nearby.

HOW TO GET THERE

You could fly Lufthansa, Emirates or Swiss International Air Lines up to Frankfurt, Dubai or Zurich and from there fly Croatia Airlines up to Dubrovnik.

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