Walking the Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia

I can't tell you how many times I said "Oooo" and "Wow!" and "Can you believe we're here?" while on our Adriatic cruise. Port after port captivated us…but none more blog-worthy, frame-worthy, and brag-worthy than Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik was THE sole reason we booked this particular cruise itinerary. It was a city on our bucket list throughout our entire stent abroad, so finally visiting on our last grand "hoorah" around Europe seemed like a victorious accomplishment. Granted, we would have loved to spend longer than 9 hours there, but beggars can't be choosers, now can they? 

The second we stepped foot inside Dubrovnik's historic city walls, I was hooked. So was D ("How'd ya like to get stationed here?!", he said...um yes, please!). Dubrovnik is a combination of everything we adore about Europe...sweeping views & vistas, charming details, a location by the sea, and some seriously amazing architecture. Oh, and gobs of history. Can't forget its long, rich history! You know that feeling of wonder you get when you visit a place that totally catapults you back into time? Every square inch of Old Town Dubrovnik had us vibing with what life must have been like in the 9th century. The city is totally enclosed by thick stone walls...dotted with turrets, towers, and more vibrant red "kupe" tile roofs than my eyes knew what to do with. I was basically chomping at the bit to get atop the 2 kilometers of city walls and start snapping my camera shutter, so that's the very first thing we did. 

(And for all you future Adriatic cruisers out there, some logistics for you: we took a taxi from where our ship docked to the entrance of Pile gate. Short ride, maybe 10 minutes max and it was fairly cheap…although we did split the ride with another couple. No need to purchase a transfer from the ship, taxi will do just fine.) 

If I remember correctly, just as you enter through Pile Gate (one of the main gates into Old Town), there is a shop where you purchase tickets to walk the walls. That's where we started our 2 kilometer trek and eventually ended it as well. Tickets were roughly 100 Croatian Kuna (13 euro) for adults, a bit cheaper for kiddos…but were worth every single penny. The views, guys. I still die over those views! Some of the most incredible we experienced during our travels around Europe, no joke. I could not get over how the stone just bled from the streets straight onto the buildings, everything covered in white limestone/marble (no one could tell us which!) and topped with vibrant red tile. Slap a shimmering blue sea and a forest of lush palm trees all around and BOOM…paradise along the Dalmatian coastline. "Pearl of the Adriatic", indeed!

We took our time walking every square inch of wall around Dubrovnik. It was a nice walk, too. Some stairs and tourists to battle, yes, but because we got there first thing in the morning when the walls opened, we got to enjoy them (and the views) without much annoyance. Thankfully, the sun wasn't blaring on us either, because our walk took roughly 2 hours. We did stop for photos quite often, but we also wanted to make sure we didn't miss a thing. I looked down every alleyway, tried to capture every vantage point I could in those 2 hours. I knew it could possibly be the only time we'd ever spend there, so I savored every moment as if it were my last (dear Lord, don't let it be our last!).

The photos in this post are just a small fraction of what I took on our walk (we were almost at the halfway point of our walk at the end of these snapshots), so expect another post full of gorgeous views to come. So much to see, so little blog space (or attention span, I should say)! ;)

Here's a quick map for you to reference, so you can get a sort of aerial visual of the walls and just how far we walked. The walls are outlined in gray and the entrance we used to get into the city was on left, at the PILE gate. You can view the larger map here:

More from Dubrovnik to come...

Diocletian's Domain: Split, Croatia

After our leisurely morning exploring Krka National Park, we made the hour drive back down to the coast to spend the rest of the day enjoying the ancient city of Split. Just from the short boat ride into the port, we knew we were in for a treat wandering Diocletian's old stomping grounds (a popular UNESCO World Heritage site today). The town is riddled with fluffy palm trees and winding alleyways that open up to marbled squares with quaint outdoor dining. Every ounce of this town holds some piece of history within its walls. The grand columns, missing bricks, and worn walkways tell a story of war, power, and royalty. 

The ruins of Diocletian's Palace can be found in great number throughout the city. The Roman Emperor spent the last years of his life living here after giving up his throne in May of 305. His intent in building this palace? To retire by the sea in peace. To me, the palace is better described as a fortress of sorts, with half the "palace" intended to house Diocletian and the other section used as a protective military garrison (and a place for his military to live). Once Diocletian had passed and the Romans had left, the palace remained empty for many years until it was taken over by local residents seeking the refuge of its walls from invading Slavs. As the world's most complete and well-preseved palace, I'd say Diocletian's placement of his retirement "home" couldn't be more divine. Today, locals (around 3000 of them live here) and tourists alike find wonder and peace within its walls. Hard to beat living among incredible Roman architecture, that's for sure!

We spent our time in Split how I imagine most everyone does. We shopped in the palace markets, we wandered the limestone & marble paved streets, and we snapped dozens of photos of palace ruins (and the adorable weathered shutters!). But my most favorite memory was when we sat at a cafe right alongside the cathedral belfry and enjoyed a glass of local wine. It was so surreal to be sitting beside such history…people watching and trying to imagine what life there would have been like so many years ago. It's in moments like that that I feel so full of love for travel and the places we've been able to see during our time abroad. History books only teach you so much. Experiencing the history firsthand is worth its weight in gold, my friends. Split totally captured my heart and has me itching to see more of Croatia someday!

While there is more from beautiful Croatia to come (hello, Dubrovnik!)…our next port of call was in a country I never thought I'd ever visit. Stay tuned for tales from MONTENEGRO!