For our last full day in Croatia, and first/only full day in Dubrovnik, we stayed at Villa Glavić Dubrovnik. It was our splurge lodging for the trip and did not disappoint. Following a good night's rest after the intense drive from Bosnia the night before, we felt refreshed and ready to explore. We started with breakfast at the hotel overlooking the Adriatic Sea. After eating, we walked around the large property, taking in the sights.
The pool area of Villa Glavić
One of the Villa's (closed) dining areas
Closer to mid-day, we walked along the coast and headed into the Old City (about a 10 minute walk). This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the world's most well preserved medieval cities, and you don't have to be a history buff to appreciate the amazing architecture. We quickly found an entry point onto the walls of the old city, which separate the old city from newer parts of it. From there, we walked atop the city walls and looked down into the Old City.
Cutting through the beach to get to the Old City
Most of the characteristic bright orange terra cotta roofing in the Old City was actually replaced after the Croatian Independence War in 1990 following destruction of a large part of the area and almost 70% of the roofing. There were a few buildings with older brownish terra cotta that had actually been preserved from before the War and seige by the Yugoslav People's Army. The replacement tiles were constructed in and shipped from Toulouse, France to Dubrovnik during reconstruction in the 90's.
Fort Lovrijenac or "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar" from inside the walls
For Lovijenac and part of the coast
Housing in the Old City
After walking around the Old City, we briefly stopped to get some lemonade to cool down. As hot as the afternoon had gotten, the sea was still just too cold to swim in. We grabbed an early dinner and called it a day so we could get a good night's rest before driving up the Adriatic coast and back to Zagreb, where we would be flying out of. Just prior to leaving the next morning, we decided we couldn't leave without taking a swim in the sea, albeit an incredibly icy one. After hardly an hour at the beach, we called it quits and hopped into the car, sopping wet (no towels), and tired but happy!
The gorgeous Adriatic Sea
