Croatia is a premier travel destination combining a breathtaking Adriatic coastline with over 1,000 islands, ancient UNESCO World Heritage sites, and spectacular national parks. It offers an incredible blend of beaches, fresh seafood, and rich cultural history at a more relaxed pace than many other European hotspots.  

Rich and I did a land-based tour of Croatia, although we did travel by ferry boat to some of its Dalmatian Isles, which are the most famous and touristed areas along its southernmost region. Paralleling it are the rugged Dinaric Alps, whose geology helps make for remarkably clear seawater and hundreds of craggy islands, the most appealing of which are Hvar and Korčula. Here we found Croatia's top tourist town, Dubrovnik. 

Dubrovnik is famously known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic" and is celebrated for its remarkably preserved medieval Old Town, massive ancient stone fortifications, and stunning coastal views over the shimmering Adriatic Sea. 

 

The city is primarily known for several iconic features, including the City Walls, which stretch nearly 1.2 miles.  These fortifications are among the best-preserved in Europe and offer jaw-dropping views of terracotta rooftops and the sea. Rich and I climbed to the top of the walls --thanks to my new hip! -- and trekked the entire length around, stopping along the way to enjoy the views.

Dubrovnik is also known for its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, which features polished limestone streets, Gothic-Renaissance palaces and baroque churches.

As a Game of Thrones fan, I was thrilled also to see some of the iconic landmarks and primary filming locations for King’s Landing in the hit HBO series.  We saw St. Lawrence Fortress, the real-life counterpart of the Red Keep, the castle where the monarch of the Seven Kingdoms holds court and receives petitioners in the castle’s Great Hall on the Iron Throne.

We also walked the Jesuit Staircase, the steps of which were used for Cersei Lannister’s infamous "Walk of Shame” in the climactic finale of Game of Thrones in Season 5. Imprisoned by the Faith Militant, Cersei is stripped naked and has her hair shorn. She is forced to walk barefoot from the Great Sept of Baelor to the Red Keep while the Septa relentlessly rings a bell and chants "Shame". The crowd pelts her with food, spit, and filth.  

On our tour of Dubrovnik, we were especially fortunate to have a tour guide who grew up in the Old Town and was a child there during the bombing, which occurred during the Siege of Dubrovnik starting in 1991 and lasting through 1992 when the Yugoslav People's Army and Montenegrin reservists besieged the demilitarized Croatian city. The most devastating assault happened on December 6, 1991, an event that heavily damaged the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Our tour guide showed us the street she lived on and the still visible bombing damage that occurred.

Check back for my Travel Tales column next month, where I will cover some additional highlights of Croatia, including Diocletian’s Palace in Split, Plitvice National Park, and silk worm farming in the Konavle region.