Delightful Dubrovnik...
Straight away, we took the obligatory selfie with the cruise ship! Majestic Princess is a beauty… Princess arranged shuttle busses into the heart of Old Town. Rather than deal with Uber or taxis, this seemed our best option. The ride was about 15 minutes.
Just a guess, but there must have been about 20 busses waiting to transport ship passengers to town. Some were probably for the many tours offered. Considering they ranged from $250-$800, we decided that exploring on our own would be best. Besides, I will be back at Old Town Dubruvnik at the end of May with Barry. We will have days to explore!
Our drop off location was extremely crowded. For the most part, people weren’t exactly sure where to go from the Old Town port view spot. Around the plaza were restaurants, craft booths and shops. A few scattered historical buildings were also there so people kind of loitered there for a while. After checking out the kayaks below, we decided to break out of the heavy traffic and explore a bit.
Considered one of the world’s best preserved medieval cities, with the Adriatic Sea as a backdrop, it is a stunning place to visit. Built between 11 and 17th century, the protective walls made it a successful trading port. Like the Italian cities we visited in the past two weeks, Dubrovnik has alleyways and arches out of stone.
Heading toward the Jesuit Stairs, we passed this kitty. It seemed like he posed with the flowers, just for me! Everywhere we visit has lots of cats and dogs roaming around. Apparently, they are kind of town pets. They seem well fed and relaxed, sleeping in the sun… hanging around the shops.
The Baroque-style stairs can be found just off Gunduliceva Poljana; walking up the steps leads you directly to the Jesuit Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyala and 17th century Jesuit College. Simple but unique, the steps have a few rounded concave and the next level are convex… that’s the only way I can describe them. Arched in one direction for a set and arched the other direction in the next set. Fun Fact: These are the stairs that were featured in Game of Thrones in the “Walk of Shame” scene. (for Game of Thrones fans)
It took us a minute, but we made it up the stairs. We entered the Church of St Ignatius. Surprising less crowded than the rest of the town, we had a peaceful visit. A relatively unassuming building from the outside, it is ornate on the inside. When I return at the end of the month, I will explore more closely.
With 80 churches in Dubrovnik, we saw glimpses of them around every corner, down every alley. In preparing for my next visit, Barry will be happy to know I’ve figured out a “church tour” to see a few special ones. Actually, I think he will really enjoy the architecture.
Despite our sunny, warm day… the fog or a cloud floated in to cover the mountaintop. It broke up pretty quickly. I love domes and there are plenty in this town! We really didn’t shop for a change, but we just walked around to see the area. I made sure to buy my ornament and bowl to send home in my suitcase. Now my souvenirs consist of a bowl for charcuterie, an ornament for my travel tree and if I have trouble finding either of those, I now get a dish towel with the city name.
As usual, it was time to eat. Ordinarily, we wander around until we get a sense that an establishment “feels” right. This time, we followed the alleys and ended up by the water. We were drawn to a restaurant called “Lokanda Peskarija”.
Blue and white checkered tablecloths caught my eye. They were very strict on seating. We watched a guy dining alone, grab a table for four. A waiter was quick to make him move to a table for two. We were seated at a cute table and had a very friendly, happy waiter!
After reading the menu, we decided on a fish platter for two. Wowzer! It was huge! The pan offered two (or more) pieces of each item… the photo on the right shows each piece of fish offered. Flavored to perfection, we gobbled up every bite! Sitting at the waterfront in Old Town Dubrovnik, sipping on Aperol Spritz and eating the freshest of sea food… a dream come true!!!
Walking through the middle of town, we had alleys to the right and left. All on the right ran up the hill. Usually lined with shops and restaurants, green trees and the mountainside were at the top of each alley. On the opposite side, arches and alleys that were more level. The funny part is that I should have reversed the photos! Right for the right side and left for the left side.
Walking back to the meeting point, we were full and ready to return to the ship. I saved walking the walls for when I return with Barry. Right near the bus pick up location, we noticed this lady. She was a very hard sell. It was cute…
Back at the port, we stopped to have our photo taken by the ship photographer. We thought it would include this bridge in the background, but we haven’t found it yet. Franjo Tudman Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge. Nearly 1800 feet long, the bridge is named after the first President of Croatia.
Back on the ship, we took another look at the “first siting”. We were on the wrong side of the ship to see any pier runners. Oh well, next port maybe. Time for me to head to the “closet”, shower and change clothes. Dinner at Crown Grille and a comedy show to attend.
Finishing dinner in time for the comedian, we got to see the “late night” edition. He was pretty crude. Very funny and a bit on the nasty side. He focused on a couple of people in the audience. He made fun of them…Most people seemed to enjoy the show but the people in front of me definitely did not!!!
