Dubrovnik Day 1

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I was really excited about walking the old town today and happy that the rain held off for the entire day.  It’s been threatening to do that in the forecast for the whole trip but so far so good. 

The first stop of the day: the City Walls (cue the Game of Thrones music).  Side note: I realized after booking this trip that primary filming of the King’s Landing scenes in Game of Thrones is done here in Dubrovnik on the walls.   How cool is that?!?

Just before walking the walls, though, a quick pickup was required – there is an option to acquire what is called the “Dubrovnik Card” for all major attractions at one reasonable price.  By ordering online in the US you can then pick up near the Pile Gate when you arrive.  This was extremely easy to do and having the access to many major museums and the walls is a bargain. 

And as you can see from these pictures, the walls do not disappoint:

All told, it took almost three hours to walk but was worth every minute (and included a stop at the Maritime Museum housed in one section of the walls).  The views of the Adriatic combined with the city are just beautiful. 

After finishing the wall walk, it was time to eat.  Where to go for lunch?  How about a place called Presa.  Down a side street and off the beaten path, this place is highly recommended and I now know why.  All the food is prepared fresh and while it can take a bit to deliver, is well worth the wait.  I don’t think I’ve ever had such a good tasting burger!

The rest of the afternoon comprised of visits to several of the primary museums in the city, including the Rector’s Palace and the Art History Museum.  Needing a quick break, I also thought it was fun to walk and find a hidden gem in the city called Café Buza.  This place hangs off the cliff and is a great place to sit and enjoy a libation while taking in the Adriatic. 

Following that I thought dinner might be a good option – I just didn’t realize how hard it was going to be.  I had scouted out several places, including Restaurant Dubrovnik and Barba as top places I wanted to visit.  Unfortunately many of the top places close in the offseason (note to these establishments, please update your websites so that visitors know about these things ahead of time!).  After some searching, the current top-ranked place on Tripadvisor was still open – the Dionysus Wine Bar.  I’m happy to confirm that it is a special place – the food was excellent and wine-tasting included in the experience!  All told a great decision and I’m happy to recommend them as a top place to visit for Croatian wine and specialized food. 

Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!