Dubrovnik and Dalmacija travel guide

A Day in Dubrovnik
Sponza Palace
Sponza Palace
Architect Pasjij Milievi’s
masterpiece (1506–22) was one
of the few buildings to survive
the 1667 earthquake. Its exterior
presents the onlooker with a
striking combination of Gothic
and Renaissance architecture.
Among the highlights are the
flamboyant Gothic windows on
the first floor, the Gothic cloisters,
and the expert stone carving
of brothers Nikola and Josip
Andriji, including a lofty St Blaise
who looks down on the Stradun
from the second floor (see p11).
Lovrijenac Fortress
This sweeping fortress rises
steeply out of the Adriatic to the
west of the city walls. Historically
it served both as a place to store
the city’s gold and as a military
hub and battery where the city
could be brought to heel in the
event of a rebellion. The city’s oftquoted
slogan guards the
entrance: “Freedom must not be
sold for all the gold in the world”.
The fortress serves as one of the
most atmospheric venues during
the Dubrovnik Festival (see p54),
with Shakespeare soliloquies
echoing across the old ramparts.
It’s a gruelling climb on a hot day,
but well worth the effort. Map
M5 020 324 641 9am–6pm daily Adm
charge (no disabled access)
Morning
If you’re an early riser,
climb the city walls when
they open (9am) and you
may have them largely to
yourself. Make a leisurely
circuit taking in their sights
(see pp8–9) and watching
the city as it gradually
comes to life below. Stop
at St John’s Fort to visit
the Maritime Museum
(see p62) and Aquarium
(see p62). Descend to the
Stradun, and if you didn’t
take breakfast at your
hotel, enjoy a coffee and
a pastry at the Festival
Café (see p65) – it’s a
great vantage-point from
which to observe the
frenetic street-life of the
city’s main artery.
Continue strolling gently
down the Stradun, just
absorbing the atmosphere
rather than delving into its
various attractions. Enjoy
an early seafood lunch at
noon in Kamenice (see
p68) in Gundulieva
Poljana (see p62), and
absorb the colourful sights
and sounds of the market
in the same square.
Afternoon
After lunch, head across
to the Rector’s Palace
(see pp14–15) and take
a self-guided audio tour.
Continue around to the
start of the Stradun at
Luža Square. From here
you can choose which of
this pedestrianized
thoroughfare’s attractions
to explore (see pp10–11)
as you travel its length
towards the Pile Gate and
the welcoming arms of the
Kavana Dubravka café (see
p65), or perhaps an early
dinner at Atlas Club
Nautika (see p69), with
views over one of Europe’s
most stunning cities.
Around Dubrovnik
Take in a concert at the Sponza Palace to see it at its most
atmospheric.
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