Croatia Travel Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Dubrovnik’

Walking Dubrovnik’s walls is easily one of the world’s most memorable experiences. In addition to admiring the Adriatic sea and the ripple of stone that encircles Dubrovnik, you will soon be able to visit a new museumin a recently excavated tower.

While working on a nearby playground in 2003, workers discovered “something strange” in Gornji ugao (Upper Tower). Excavations revealed remains of a 16th-century cannon foundry buried beneath the rubble. In the 16th century, Dubrovnik was at the height of her power but there were enemies! As a wealthy Adriatic city-state, it was essential to protect the riches secreted behind the walls with cannon fire if necessary.

After 8 years of excavation and renovation, visitors can follow the process of forging the cannons deep within the walls of this tower, built to protect the city from the potentially explosive process.

Currently the tower museum is open from 10am to 1pm for Dubrovnik residents to visit. In four weeks it will be closed for further renovations and reopened 1 May 2012 for all visitors. See more Dubrovnik Sights.

According to an article in today’s Croatian Times, Dubrovnik tourism authorities are working hard to convince the world that Dubrovnik is not just a summer destination, but also a great place to visit all year. Unlike many destinations along the Croatian coast, Dubrovnik does have regular (although less frequent) flights in the winter. British Airways flies from Gatwick and there are flights from Rome, Frankfurt and Paris as well. Next year, Croatia Airlines will also have regular winter flights to Dubrovnik. Blessed with a mild climate, Dubrovnik can be chilly but not bitter cold in the winter. OK, winter is not the season to explore Dubrovnik beaches, but it’s perfect weather for appreciating the outdoors without worrying about sunstroke!

I’ll go even further and say that it’s even better to visit Dubrovnik in winter than in summer. Here’s why:

1. Fewer tourists. This is a big one. As great as Dubrovnik is, the Old Town is small. Very small. You have a main street (Stradun), a few parallel streets and a few dozen side streets. That’s it. Now imagine a morning when cruise ships disgorge 5000 passengers, augmented by a thousand or so regular tourists. The streets are elbow-to-elbow, walking Dubrovnik’s  walls is a jostling match and there are lines for everything. This is no way to visit a World Heritage Site.

2. Cheaper. Except for the Christmas-New Year’s period when Croatians head to their Adriatic pearl, Dubrovnik hotel rates are up to 50% cheaper  in winter. Private accommodation is also cheaper plus you won’t get hit with minimum-stay requirements.

3. More authentic. Without the crush of tourists, you can appreciate Dubrovnik as a living, breathing town, not a museum. Many locals find it profitable to rent out their apartments and move out of town for the summer. In winter, they return to re-kindle old friendships. The cafes, bars restaurants are suddenly filled with locals.

4. Local Festivals. Participating in Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Dubrovnik can be a wonderfully festive way to experience local culture but even better are the local festivals that liven up the winter months. Festa 2012 is a big theatrical event at the end of January; St Blaise day in February is when all Dubrovnik turns out to honor their patron saint; Dubrovnik Carnival is a blowout that culminates in a Masked Ball; and the Oyster Festival in March ushers in the milder weather and the beginning of the new tourist season.

5. Cultural Life. Dubrovnik prides itself on a lively artistic and musical tradition. There are enough classical music lovers to support an orchestra, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra which has a full season of concerts and recitals during the winter months. Art lovers will find plenty of openings and special exhibits to titillate their eyeballs while the mercury drops.

See more on visiting Dubrovnik.

 

With a web of international flights, Croatia should not lack for visitors next year. Here’s an early roundup of 2012 flights to Croatia:

Monarch Airlines will fly from Manchester, Birmingham and London Gatwick to Dubrovnik.

Croatia Airlines will start two weekly flights from Munich to Dubrovnik on April 16. Alas, this year’s service from Vienna and Istanbul to Dubrovnik will be retired. Zadar will get a direct weekly flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle starting on May 1. And this year’s popular Zagreb to Athens route will resume next summer, making it easy to extend your Mediterranean holiday to Greece. In more good news, fun-loving French  can spend New Year’s in Dubrovnik with a direct route from Paris Charles de Gaulle that will run twice weekly  all year.

Why do Russians visit Zagreb in winter? Who knows. Maybe Zagreb is warmer than Moscow. Maybe they’ll make a beeline to the balmier Dalmatian coast. This year Aeroflot will maintain daily flights between Zagreb and Moscow throughout the year.

Connections to Scandinavia and Central Europe are already scheduled for next year. Check out the following (with a thanks to Ex-Yu Aviation news):

Stockholm – Dubrovnik (March 25) SAS

Karlsruhe – Zadar (March 28) Ryanair

Copenhagen – Split (March 31) SAS

Helsinki – Dubrovnik (April 02) Finnair

Dubrovnik – Munich (April 16) Croatia Airlines

Zadar – Paris (May 01) Croatia Airlines

Bern – Split (May 05) SkyWork Airlines

Frankfurt – Rijeka (May 05) Condor

Frankfurt – Dubrovnik (May 13) Condor

Manchester – Pula (May 19) Jet2.com

Zurich – Dubrovnik (May 27) Edelweiss Air

Bergen – Split (June 25) SAS

Stavanger – Split (June 25) SAS

Copenhagen – Dubrovnik (July 04) SAS

Rotterdam – Split (July 07) Transavia.com

See more on cheap flights to Croatia!

The World Travel Awards are like the Oscars of the travel industry. Voted on by travel agents worldwide, the Dubrovnik Palace Hotel, Conference Center and Spa in Dubrovnik has been anointed Europe’s Leading Resort. Can you imagine the competition? There are a lot of resorts in Europe!

So why the Dubrovnik Palace? Well, the location right on the sea with a private beach helps. Also, there’s a scuba diving center based in the hotel, perfect for learning to dive or perfecting your technique. Or perhaps you prefer jogging? There are jogging paths just outside. Naturally, there’s spa splendor in the form of an indoor pool, fitness  jacuzzi, steam and sauna facilities.  That and all the other five-star amenities–free wifi, luxury toiletries, five restaurants, a shuttle bus from Lapad to Dubrovnik’s old town–insure that the Dubrovnik Palace has well-earned their award.

Read more and book the Dubrovnik Palace.

It’s a race to the top in Dubrovnik as hoteliers outdo themselves to capture high-end tourists. The latest entry on the scene is the incredible Villa Dubrovnik. Clinging to a cliff that juts into the Adriatic, the unparalleled views make the Villa Dubrovnik the most romantic hotel in Dubrovnik. It’s in the Ploce neighbourhood which already boasts two other five-star hotels: Hotel Excelsior and Grand Villa Argentina. The Villa Dubrovnik is a few minutes further along the scenic road but still an easy walk to town. And there are free boat transfers!

The Villa Dubrovnik closed for three years to renovate and the result is spectacular. The architecture seems to capture the sea and sky and bring it into the splendidly appointed rooms. Some rooms have private jacuzzis but, if not, the wellness center is there for the ultimate in pampering. The indoor pool makes the hotel the ultimate Adriatic experience even in winter and the two restaurants are first- rate. Find out more.