Things to visit in Dubrovnik! AQUARIUM AND MARITIME MUSEUM
St. John's Fortress, at the southeast corner of the city walls, has
stood guard over Dubrovnik's harbor since the 16th century. Today,
it's home to two family-friendly museums that illustrate Croatia's
love affair with the sea. The Maritime Museum houses nautical
artifacts such as a 16th-century compass, a 17th-century atlas, and
an 18th-century sailor's chest ( 385-20-323-904;
www.mdc.hr/dubrovnik
). The Aquarium pumps over more than 4,000 cubic feet of seawater
through 31 tanks. Occupants include spiny lobsters, eels, sea horses,
octopi, and the most popular resident: a 53-year-old loggerhead
turtle (Kneza Damjana Jude 2; 385-20-323-978).
Things to do in Dubrovnik!BEACHES
Dubrovnik isn't as great a beach destination as the Dalmatian
Islands that surround it. Stone ledges pass for beaches with the
locals, but Banje Beach, a five-minute walk from the Old Town, is a
nice swimming spot with a large stretch of the tiny pebbles that are
common on Croatian shores. Or, you could hop a ferry and tour the
surrounding Elafiti Islands: Koloccep, Lopud, Šipan, and Mljet.
Things to do in Dubrovnik!Dubrovnik Summer Festival
Od Sigurate 1
Tel: 385 20 326 100
www.dubrovnik-festival.hr
For seven weeks each summer, you can soak up some culture along with
the Adriatic sunshine, when world-class musical, dance, and dramatic
acts (James Galway, the Leipzig String Quartet, the Croatian
National Ballet) flock to outdoor stages all over Dubrovnik. Be
warned: The crowds can be maddening; purchase tickets in advance.
Things to do in Dubrovnik!FRANCISCAN MONASTERY AND MUSEUM
Placa 2
Tel: 385 20 321 410
Much of this Romanesque/Gothic structure (occupied by monks for more
than 600 years) was rebuilt after the ruinous earthquake of 1667,
but the 14th-century cloister survived. You can tour its columned
courtyard with delicately carved capitals and a still-operational
pharmacy from 1317. The gilded interior of the church next door has
an impressive vaulted ceiling, and the accompanying museum displays
old medical equipment, an early Christian sarcophagus, and cases of
jewelry and crucifixes.
Things to do in Dubrovnik!LOKRUM
www.lokrum.hr
An island just ten minutes' ferry ride away, Lokrum was declared a
nature reserve in 1964. Legend has it that Richard the Lion-Hearted
was shipwrecked here in 1192 after the Crusades. In the 19th century,
Ferdinand Maximilian of Hapsburg erected a mansion here. Now,
there's a botanical garden (open to the public since 1959) and a
hilltop fortress built by the French in 1806, with great views of
the city and the islands. A little interior lake, the Mrtvo More
(Dead Sea), is perfect for children—and tends to remain peaceful
even when the many beaches on the perimeter are packed.
Things to visit in Dubrovnik!RECTOR'S PALACE
Pred dvorom Dvorom 1
Tel: 385 20 321 497
www.mdc.hr/dubrovnik/eng/kulturnopovijesni/index.html
This 15th-century palace (now a museum) was once the governmental
seat of the Ragusan Republic, which ruled from the 13th to the early
19th centuries. Its Gothic columns, Renaissance arcade, offices, and
parlors (still loaded with a centuries-old art collection) are
befitting of a wealthy medieval city-state; its arsenal and prison
cells, appropriate for its enemies.
Things to do in Dubrovnik!WALLS
Dubrovnik's 82-foot walls were built between the 8th and 13th
centuries to keep invaders out, but these days the picturesque
limestone fortifications do a better job of attracting foreigners
than repelling them. The walls extend for more than a mile, so set
aside an hour to walk their length and take in the view of
terra-cotta roofs and the sea. Plan more time if you want to stop
for a cocktail (vendors set up cabanas along the way) or visit the
Aquarium and Maritime Museum at the wall's southeastern edge. A
staircase by the Pile Gate, at the beginning of the Stradun, leads
to the entrance. But you can also access the walls from the
Franciscan Monastery, St. Luke's Tower, and St. John's Fortress.
Dubrovnik city walls gallrey!
Luxury Gullet cruise -
Starting at Dubrovnik, finishing at Split
Explore the islands and towns of the
Croatian Adriatic in the 29 meter 'Nostra Vita', a luxury
sailing gullet with 5
double cabins sleeping 10 guests. With 4 crew, including skipper,
cook, deck-hand and hostess.
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