Hidden bar dubrovnik1/20/2024 ![]() ![]() We'd bought a 3 day Dubrovnik Pass to give us reduced entrance onto the city walls walk and The Rector's House. We've never seen Game of Thrones so the large number of tourists shops and other tours linked to it does give a negative 'Disney' feel. The only shops we saw were tourist / souvenir shops in centre. Even in late September it was very, very busy. Easy to walk around find the main tourist sites and the old harbour. Lots of cafes, bars, restaurants in these side streets avoiding the higher priced ones on main route. Inside the main central street leads into a series of narrow side streets. ![]() Outside it's busy and noisy with tourists and heavy traffic. Walking through the gated entrances into the old inner walled city you really feel like you've walked back hundreds of years. The setting is stunning and the excursion makes for a unique adventure. The limestone and rounded rocks make for a slippery surface made worse by heat, and I can imagine rain/early dew or evening mist makes it even more so. We were told the money goes to fortress/city upkeep, so that does provide some consolation, but be prepared to spend quite a bit of money, particularly if this is a family affair. There are stores hawking all kinds of souvenir options too, both inside and outside the walls and small things like water or ice cream are costly. The As mentioned, the food prices were crazy steep. Once we got used to the idea of being inside such a fairytale setting, the awe kind of wears thin when you start taking into account how commercialized and expensive it all is. How strange and awesome to live in a literal castle/fortress. I kept thinking how strange it was to see so many modern amenities, dispositions and attitudes juxtoposed against such a setting. Laundry was hanging out to dry, dogs were running around, locals were hanging out on balconies chatting on cell phones, tv's were blaring, kids were crying, the smell of various types of food permeated the air, etc. There are also numerous apartments where people actually live. It's interesting to see this palatial space as a self contained city with markets, dry cleaners, restaurants, and other places of business taking up the various nooks and crannies. Nevertheless, it was a unique and memorable adventure. It was over 100 degrees the day we were there and it is hard to find shade unless you are seated at one of the restaurants. Making our way through beautiful Old Town within the fortress walls was a fun experience despite the crowds, extremely high prices for food/drink, and crazy heat. ![]() If you can, check the internet to avoid days that have cruise ships in port as these lead to added congestion - if you are on one of the cruises hopefully you are one of the few docking that day. I'd recommend a walk around the old city walls which allow you to get a bird's eye view of the place and for an even grander overall picture of the area go up Mount Srd - either on foot if you feel up to the climb, or like us, by gondola. The Game of Thrones connection has possibly added to the issue as visitors search for set locations. Prices are higher than elsewhere in Croatia but that can be expected in a popular tourist destination so it's no surprise. You can't really get lost as it is quite a compact place so just go for a stroll, take a break in one of the many restaurants, bars or cafes and enjoy. However don't let that spoil your visit as it doesn't take much effort to wander off Stradun (the main street) and find yourself in less crowded little alleys which have remained unchanged for years. Similar in a sense to Venice, Old Town Dubrovnik is very picturesque, historic and full of tourists. ![]()
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