Sunday, June 25, 2017

Dubrovnik, Croatia

This walled, stunning gem of a city is unlike anything I have ever seen in Europe or anywhere else, for that matter.  It is so unique and just lovely. Croatia is all that we hoped it would be and more!  Our annual European stopover trip is something we look forward to all year.

Spotting the amazing city from the car from the airport

We arrived early in the morning after an overnight flight and our apartment wasn't quite ready.  Our hosts suggested taking the ferry out to Lokrum Island for lunch.  It was a quick 15 minute boat ride out to a beautiful island with cool gardens and tons of peacocks.  

Ancient stone walls

Delicious lunch.  Yummy wine, our first taste of the fabulous Croatian wine.  We also had maybe one of the best pizzas we have ever had, ever.


Eliza's first of many many ice-cream cones 

Several scenes of Game of Thrones were shot in Croatia.  Dubrovnik is actually the setting for King's Landing.  This was a little exhibit with an Iron Throne



Walking out to see the beautiful Adriatic

Tide pools


Back in Dubrovnik.  Our amazing apartment, just steps from the City Wall

This was a 200 year old house that our hosts recently renovated and turned into three different apartments for rent.  They did a fabulous job with the remodel, preserving the charm.


The view of the Adriatic and the wall from our window


Fort Lovrijenac, built on top of a huge rock, right on the water


Enjoying bubbly at dinner

We ate at the yummiest restaurant, 360.  It was highly recommended in our guide book and thankfully, we were able to get a reservation the night we arrived

Stunning views from the restaurant 




We really enjoyed our sitting area in our apartment, previously a water cistern.

Serious game changer for multi-city travel--packing cubes.  Everyone has a different color; we pull them out when we arrive and then zip and pack them when it is time to go.  

We took a guided walking tour through old town.  One of the first stops, centuries old Onophrian Fountain

Olivia is always "front row joe" for tours.  She just soaks it all in


The Rector's Palace


After our tour, we hiked up to Buza Bar for a glass of expensive wine with amazing views of Lokrum Island and the Adriatic

Lunch at "Oliva Pizza"


After lunch, we climbed up the ancient city walls and walked around the perimeter of the ancient city

High above view of Brsalje Street


Fort Lovrijenac from above


The harbor

Yummy seafood dinner


After dinner ice cream. Silly girls!

The next day, we had a driver take us to Ston, an interesting little town with a defensive wall completed in the 15th century, known as the "European Wall of China"

Salt pans.  They let in salt water from the sea, the water evaporates, leaving behind the salt


You can still see bullet holes in the buildings from the war

Heading out in a boat with an oyster farmer to try fresh from the sea oysters

Driving the boat with Marco, the oyster farmer and captain

Mali Ston

Showing us how they encourage the oysters to grow


Ok, here we go.  A little lemon on the oysters

Down the hatch! Yummy, but very salty 

Brave Olivia didn't care for the saltiness

Mike ate over a dozen, no surprise

Eliza didn't try one oyster!

Olivia decided to give it another try

Oysters!

Another delicious lunch with a view


Croatian wine

Sweet sisters

Our first winery. Trying their cherry liquor.  Eliza thought it smelled so good!

OJ for the girls


Second winery, Milos Winery

Or third winery grew their grapes here, in the Dingac growing region


Getting ready to go up in the cable car






Beautiful sunset

One of the most unique cities in Europe!

Our last morning in Dubrovnik, we visited the War in Photos museum.  It showed the destruction of the city following the Serbian war, along with heartbreaking photos from wars all over the world and the human impact.

Eliza and her giant pizza

And the ice-cream that followed

One last view of the amazing apartment 

Off to Hvar on the ferry!

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