Dubrovnik - Croatia

Guest post.

Croatia is full of a thousand charms, so in order not to leave any piece of paradise out, I made a trip that allowed me to explore this incredible country from north to south, east to west, a dazzle!
Thank you for inviting our beautiful blogger Cris to share with you a little bit of Dubrovnik, one of the most popular medieval cities at the moment, on her channel Cris pelo mundo. I'm from Rio de Janeiro, a blonde Jap and I love traveling. If anyone is interested in more tips on Croatia, they can also visit my blog, where I'll be answering questions and sharing information with readers: In Ninja's backpack.

In the past, Dubrovnik was a republican city; together with Venice, it was one of the best-known cultural and economic centers in the Mediterranean. Today, according to many, it is one of the best-known tourist destinations in all of Europe.

While planning my trip, I realized that there are many flights to Dubrovnik from Germany, mainly Munich, and England. When I arrived at the airport, I realized why so many Brits visit Croatia. British Airlines has a captive place at the airline counters, responding to tourist demands along with Croatia Airlines. Well, if you're a traveler who likes multiple destinations, it's worth checking out the airline routes and taking advantage of connections to visit other destinations.

In my case, I took a short trip to Germany and Austria with the aim of retracing some of the routes I'd taken on previous trips, so I was able to enjoy 10 days in Munich, Salzburg, Hallstat and the Austrian Alps.

I arrived in Dubrovnik via Croatia Airlines from Munich. This airline's planes aren't as big as others that Brazilians are used to taking, but the journey was smooth and safe.

Croatia's currency is the kuna, but in shops they also accept euros. If you choose to take public transport, you will need kunas. Tickets can be paid on the bus or at points of sale such as tourist offices (one is opposite the Hilton Hotel) or newsagents.

When I arrived at Dubrovnik airport, I picked up my suitcases, withdrew some kuna from the ATM located in the arrivals hall, and went to the city via the Atlas shuttle, the cheapest option.
Tip: if you have to return to the airport for any reason (connection or car rental) it's worth buying the return ticket, because it's cheaper.

There are many interesting places to visit in and around Dubrovnik and in order to optimize your time, I suggest that you research all the possibilities and order them by priority, because there are many incredible places and you may not have much time to visit them.

Of everything I did there, I can say that I really enjoyed walking along the medieval wall, taking the cable car to admire the cityscape from the top of the mountain, visiting the War Museum which contains details of the Croatian wars, especially the last one with Serbia and Montenegro in 1991, visiting various beaches both in the city and outside, walking through the streets in search of new insights, discovering new paths not used by tourists, interacting with local people and making friends.

Of course, everyone knows what they like, and I like a bit of everything, so I planned a 5-night visit to Dubrovnik so that I could leave satisfied. I took 2 full days to visit the cities of Kotor and Budja in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In my opinion, these visits are unmissable, I loved them!

As far as the beaches are concerned, don't forget to bring a pair of non-slip flip-flops or rubber shoes in case you don't feel safe walking on Croatia's white pebbles. Almost all the beaches are like this, but it doesn't stop you from enjoying the view. As for the water temperature, yes, it's cold, but nothing abnormal that would stop you from diving. Well, I'm a sea athlete, so I may not be much of a reference on this subject because I get tired of catching cold sea currents... kkk... but for those who are more sensitive to low temperatures, there is the option of wearing neoprene or sitting on the sun loungers sunbathing and drinking a few drinks.

If you're traveling to the three islands: Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan, it's worth spending a little more time on Lopud to visit Sunj beach. It's very popular because it's made up of sand and not rocks. You can buy the cheapest one-day ticket at the Jadrolinija store in the marina in the new town and set off on your trip from there. The boat is big, so if you wake up early, you can have a leisurely breakfast and go straight to the tour, buying your ticket on the spot. However, if you're visiting during the high season, it's best to be careful and buy your ticket the day before. From what I've heard there, everything sells out quickly, so it's best not to miss out on an enchanting tour.

Other maritime activities include a group kayak trip, a visit to Lokrum Island, located just a few meters from the medieval city, and a visit to Cavtat, an undiscovered corner of the world.

But Dubrovnik isn't just about the beach, there are many buildings to visit such as forts, fortresses, museums, a pharmacy-museum, churches, palaces... and the good thing is that everything is close by, so you can optimize your time. Don't forget to look up at the night sky, I could see some shooting stars too.

Here are some places to visit in or near the medieval city:
Walls
Ploce Gate
Pile gate
Great Fountain of Onofrio
Little Fountain of Onofrio
Sao Joao Fortress
Minceta Fortress
Lovrjenac Fortress
Orthodox Church
Church of Sao Bras
Salvation Church
Jesuit Church
Dominican Monastery
Franciscan Monastery
Convent of Santa Clara
Synagogue and Church of St. Nicholas
Pharmacy from 1317, library and museum
Sponza Palace
Prince's Palace
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Porto

As I said, there are many fantastic and historic places to explore. Thanks for your attention and I hope you have a great trip! See you soon for another friendly post shared on the Crispelomundo blog. Bjus