Finally, the jewel of the Mediterranean and most famous Croatian tourist destination - the city of Dubrovnik. The center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County with its 42.615 inhabitants (listings from 2011) has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979. Throughout the history, in the 14th and 15th century, it was a very important traffic and business junction alongside Venice and Ancona, on the Italian side of the Adriatic, and so became a republic in the 15th century.
There are not many unknown facts about Dubrovnik so that it seems difficult to discover something new. Walls of Dubrovnik spread over 2 kilometers and are featured in the famous HBO TV series The Game of Thrones together with Stradun, Rector’s Palace, Church of St Blaise and the fortresses Lovrijenac, Revelin, Minčeta, St John and Bokar. Sponza Palace from the 16th century, Orlando’s Column from 1418, Church of Male Braće with the Franciscan Monastery from the 14th century, the Assumption Cathedral….it is impossible to list all landmarks in such a small space. A procession celebrating the patron saint St Blaise takes place on 3 February every year and includes Dubrovnik locals and their foreign guests. The most famous summer event is Dubrovnik Summer Festiival, which lasts for 45 days and hosts concerts, plays, exhibitions and games on different localities throughout the city. All the details can be easily looked up on the website.
Let us now say a few words about the Dubrovnik gastronomy. There are not many people who haven’t heard about Orsan Gverović from Zaton Mali. Only 7 kilometers away from the city, this traditional Dalmatian restaurant and its owner, the Gverović family, have been welcoming guests since 1966. Even the locals claim such fresh fish is nowhere else to be found so you’d better listen to them! However, Steakhouse Domino offers something completely different. The name itself is a good pointer to what you should order. Best quality steaks prepared and served with a dash of secret ingredients will mean heaven to all you steak lovers. Once you’ve satisfied your needs for good food, be sure to satisfy those for a cultural experience by visiting one of the Dubrovnik museums. At your disposal there is Cultural History Museum, Maritime Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Archeological Museum and the Museum of Contemporary History. And once you’ve done indulging yourself gastronomically and culturally, take the cablecar up Srđ and enjoy one of the loveliest Adriatic views – the one of the city and the Elaphite islands. As a souvenir of your stay in Croatia buy the souvenir that made Croatia famous throughout the world – the original Croatian necktie from the exclusive Croata shop located within the walls of Dubrovnik.
Speaking of original souvenirs one should take home, there is the Perković schnaps made from all kinds of fruit. The Perković family has been producing this fine liquor since 2002. In addition, there is another product that sticks out amongst the many gastronomic souvenirs. It’s the Gligora cheese, that has been produced by the Gligora family in Kolan on the island of Pag ever since 1950. They are the proud winners of many international awards for excellence.
