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Drive to Dubrovnik
We drove to Dubrovnik which was approximately five hours from Krka. In the interest of time, we took the toll road which saved time, however the final part of the drive took us along the Dalmation coast with some breathtaking views. One of the benefits of driving is that you get to see all sorts of small towns. We found a lot of small markets where we were able to buy fresh bread, cheese, and meat to make our own sandwiches. Another one of our favorite treats we discovered widely available throughout most stores in Croatia are freshly baked beef bureks, which is meat filled puff pastry. These were absolutely incredbile, inexpensive, filling, and very convenient to eat on the go.
Border crossing
If you look at a map of Croatia, you’ll see that the part of the country where the historic city of Dubrovnik is loated is actually separated from the main part of the country, divided by a small part of Bosnia and Herzegovnia. There’s a 12.5 mile section of Bosnian coastline called the Neum corridor.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet a part of the European Union (agreement is pending) and not yet part of the Schengen Agreement. The Schengen Agreement allows people to travel freely between European countries without having to go through passport control, so since Bosnia and Herzegovina isn’t yet a part of this agreement, you’re required to go through two passport control booths.
We had no issue going through the passport control but I had a collegue tell me she and her companion were stopped, searched, and questioned for an extra few minutes before eventually being allowed to pass. Just be aware and prepare for extra time to get through the border crossing, especially during busy travel seasons.
We passed several resorts in Neum which looked very nice. If we drive to Dubrovnik again we would likely spend a night or two here, especially in the summer since it’s right along the scenic coast of the Adriatic sea. The day we drove through we also saw a beautiful giant rainbow. After a bit more driving we made it to our destination in Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik
Since we were visiting during the off season, early in the Springtime before the busy summer travel season, we found an incredible deal on a private two bedroom apartment for rent within the old town, high up on the hill with a gorgeous view of the entire town. We originally booked for 2 nights but ended up requesting for another extra night, after we realize how special this city is and wanted more time to really explore it. The owner of the apartment was very accommodating, letting us extend our stay by an extra night with a last minute notice. Just another bonus of traveling during off peak season. From our apartment we could hear the church bell ring and watch people walking on and around the top of the old city walls from our window.
I never watched the show “Games of Thrones” up until a few weeks before we were going on our vacation in Croatia. So… I binge watched the series and found myself being a big fan (but not so for my husband.) Walking around the city, I recognized most of the locations from the sets on the show. It was actually fun for me trying to find as much as I could without a tour guide. There are plenty of those special tours that will take you to all the scenes on “Games of Thrones” in the city.
The old town of Dubrovnik is a car-free zone so there’s no way to get a vehicle inside. This means you’ll have to park outside the old city walls and walk to your accommodation, carrying your bags down and then back up some very steep steps, so plan accordingly. This arrangement also makes parking a bit challenging. We researched our options ahead of time, and learned that just outside the Buže gate (which also happened to be very close to the apartment we were staying in) is a pay parking lot. We figured we’d try to get a spot there, and if nothing was available we read that the next best alternative would be to park in the large lot at the Gruž Port where the ferries and cruise ships arrive. There’s also a Dubrovnik Public Parking Garage not far from the main gate to the old town; a search for “Dubrovnik Public Parking Garage” on Google Maps should easily show it and let you navigate. We were fortunate to find a single available parking space at the Buže gate parking lot. I don’t recall the exact amount, but it was around $16 USD per day, paid at the meter with a credit card. Be sure to check the exact rates, since they vary by season, and I do recall seeing that during the summer months it was well over $100 USD per day to park here.
Dubrovnik is defenitely well adapted to large numbers of tourists from around the world, so nearly every restaurant has multiple menus in just about every language. We found a cozy spot on a quiet street where we sat in an outdoor table and ordered some local seafood. After our dinner, we took a walk around the town at night which was a lot of fun. Seeing the old buildings and cobble stoned streets in the dim lights gives it such a romantic feel.
The next day we booked a private boat tour. After a quick walk to the marina, we got onto a 8 passenger boat and our ‘captain’ took us on an intimate tour around Dubrovnik, showing us all the sights from out at sea. This wasn’t as cheap as a large guided tour boat would have been, however for the five of us it wasn’t really that much more expensive. The real benefit of doing it this way is that we had a lof of flexibility. Our boat captain gave us several options which we got to choose from. The first stop was a small inhabited island called Lopud, where we got off and walked around. Being the off season nearly every shop was closed, with most of the places undergoing construction in preparation for the summer travel season, however my husband stopped at the one cafe/bar that was open where he got some coffee with some of the local construction workers. We also discovered a quaint botanical garden called Djordjic Mayneri Park next to a church, which was a very quiet and peaceful garden with a lot of different plants to look at. After that, it was time to get back on the boat and continue our tour.
Upon returning, we walked around the old town some more. For a modest admission fee we did the walk around the city walls, which I highly recommend. You get to walk up narrow steps and across narrow bridges, going along the top of the city walls that surround the old town. It is obvious why this place was considered to have one of the greatest fortification systems of the Middle Ages.
This is truly one of the most beautiful and popular destinations in the Mediterrenean.
The next day we decided to drive up to the lookout on Mount Srd. There is a cable car that you can take however the day we were there it wasn’t running, so we decided to drive there despite reports of the road being very narrow and dangerous. Sure it’s narrow, but we had no issue getting up or down. It was decently paved and there were even a few dirt turnouts to let the tour buses pass. The cable car would have been fun had it been running. If you’re interested in taking the cable car, the lower station is just a short walk from the Buže gate. Once up top, there’s a cafe where we got a quick drink and snack, and of course we took a bunch of pictures of the breathtaking view it provided. After that it was time to leave Dubrovnik and head to our next destination, the town of Split.