Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic
Dubrovnik was our first stop in the Balkans on our last trip to Europe.
From Malta, we had to take a connecting flight in Rome since there’s no direct flight to Dubrovnik. We had to pass through immigration because we were leaving the Schengen zone. Although not part of the Schengen area, Filipinos can enter The Balkans with a multiple entry Schengen visa.
Immigration was uneventful although it was a bit of a hassle buying the bus tickets. We only had Euros and they only accept Croatian kuna (HRK). There was already quite a line at the foreign exchange, so it’s nice that there were several ATMs nearby. Unfortunately, my friend had problems with her Malaysian-issued card. Thankfully, mine worked so we got to buy tickets.
The bus was full to the brim, but the views on the way to the Old Town more than made up for the not so comfortable ride. We booked an apartment in the center of the walled city since this is where the activities we want to do will be based anyway. As expected, it was quite pricey for a basic apartment, but this allowed us to leisurely stroll the Old Town, avoiding the hordes of cruise ship day-trippers.
Old Town
Once known as the the Venetian-controlled Republic of Ragusa in the mid-14th century, this is where quarantine originated.
They established ‘trentino’, a 30-day isolation of ships arriving from plague-affected areas of Europe. People of Ragusa were not allowed to visit the ships, and if caught, they would be isolated for the mandatory 30 days too.
Over the years, the isolation period extended from 30 to 40 days, ‘quarantino’ or ‘quaranta giorni’.
It is lined with shops and restaurants and is usually very crowded when the cruise ships dock.
The City Walls
Climbing the city walls is another activity I would recommend. TripAdvisor even lists it as the top attraction in Dubrovnik! Entrance fee of HRK200 is quite steep, but the view from up there is just magnificent. Depending on how fast you walk (or how many stops you make to take pictures), it takes around 2 hours to finish the walk.
Game of Thrones Tour
Not gonna lie. The main reason I wanted to go to Dubrovnik is because of Game of Thrones. Of course, a Game of Thrones tour (HRK150) is mandatory!
Aside from getting to visit the actual filming locations, what I enjoyed most is the “inside scoop” shared by the guide about the actors on the show. You get to find out who’s the diva (part of the reason why she was killed on the show :p) and which actors are most similar to their characters in real life. One was said to be as nasty as his character and one got really drunk and woke up in a hostel (they have a picture of him face down on the couch lol).
Our Game of Thrones tour guide is amused that there are people who actually thought Dubrovnik was built for the TV show. LOL!
During the tour, I understood why it was so expensive to film the series. Imagine flying the cast in and out of Dubrovnik, hiring hundreds (if not thousands) of locals as extras, and paying residents and businesses to leave their homes and close their businesses, respectively, during filming season. Homeowners were reportedly paid hundreds of Euros PER WINDOW to keep them shut. This is also to ensure that no one would be illegally filming the scenes.
The tour ends at one of the many Game of Thrones souvenir shops where you can also take a picture at “The Iron Throne”.
Buza Bar
While there are plenty of restaurants and bars in Dubrovnik, there’s a unique one that’s quite popular but can be hard to find because it’s literally a hole in the wall.
Day Tours
There are many tour operators within the old town, so if you have more time, shop around to find the best price. I think we paid HRK 300 per person per tour for the Mostar and Kotor day trips. Take note that only transportation cost is included. Meals, boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks in Perast, and entrance fees to Kravice Waterfalls, Kotor City Walls, and Kotor Fortress are not included.
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