Dubrovnik

I've decided to split the Dubrovnik post into 2. This post will be the sightseeing and general post and then second will be for a few activities. These activities were:

Swimming at Beach Šulić
Cliff Jumping at Buza Bar - say what now? You'll have to read to find out.
Kayak Sunset Tour
Hike up Mt Srd to watch sunset

After a great time in Mostar I was heading back into Croatia and to the final city on my holiday. My Mostar accommodation called a taxi for me, they know the good ones that won't rip you off. It only cost me €2.50 to get to the bus station which was well worth it. Looking back I wouldn't want to walk that distance with my suitcase. I likely didn't notice or think about that when doing the planning.

The final bus trip was 3h15min, there wasn't wifi onboard until we got into Croatia, maybe they only have a Croatia data plan. We obviously had to do passport control at the border but this time there was only 1 stop, not sure why, maybe because we were entering the EU not exiting, is the only reason I can think of. I met a few Aussies and Canadians on the bus and chatted to them at the station before we left and then on and off during the trip

Coastline and Pelješki Most (Bridge)

Approaching border crossing (to enter Croatia)

Coastline

Dr. Franjo Tuđman Bridge, Dubrovnik

Once I got into Dubrovnik was dead easy to find the bus and head towards Old Town. I took the bus to Pile Gate. There are 3 gates to the old town namely Pile Gate, Buza Gate and Ploče Gate. Pile Gate is the most "popular" one where you enter.

Pile Gate (taken early one morning, managed to get a gap between people)

Ploče Gate

Once you enter the Old Town you are presented with Onofrio's Large Fountain which is really cool to be able to fill up with fresh water while sightseeing.

Onofrio's Large Fountain (Pile Gate is to the right)

Filling my water at Onofrio's Large Fountain

Onofrio's Large Fountain is at the one end of Stradun which is the main street down the middle of the old Town. There are loads of shops and restaurants on the sides as well as historical sights.

Stradun

Stradun at sunrise

Stradun at sunset

Stradun. Franciscan Church and Monastery on left and Clock Tower of Dubrovnik in the distance
(photo taken from on top of the City walls)

Clock Tower of Dubrovnik & Onofrio's Small Fountain

Clock Tower of Dubrovnik (I wouldn't want to climb that lader for whatever reason)

Onofrio's Small Fountain

Rector's Palace & The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Inside Rector's Palace

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (check the ladders - gulp)

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Church of St. Ignatius Bishop's Seminary

There was a wedding that had just finished in Saint Blaise’s Church when I got there.

Inside Saint Blaise’s Church

Stained glass window inside Saint Blaise’s Church

Dubrovnik Street

Dubrovnik Street and a cat

Dubrovnik Street

Near Pile gate was the Owl Head Maskeron. From reading online "Legend has it that if you manage to hop onto the head, keep your balance, and take off your shirt while still standing facing the wall, luck in love will follow you". No chance you can do that, it is so smooth and shiny now from everyone doing what I was doing that you can hardly get up and stay up for even half a second. It would take a lot of balance and core strength to just stay up forget the shirt aspect.

Owl Head Maskeron

Marin Držić, me messing with him picking his nose

Steampunk style seahorse at Aquarium (didn't go in, not included with Dubrovnik Pass)

Harbour

Fort Lovrijenac

The first evening I met up with someone from the bus ride from Dubrovnik to Mostar and we wandered around and looked at this one Food Show, which wasn't up to much, we gathered it only started a bit later that evening so we laughed it off. We went past the local shop and got some drinks and found a place to on the harbour edge and just talked about travels and stuff over drinks.

Next to the harbour

Pointing out Cape Town on a globe. I'll be home in a few days, I thought to myself

Drinkies

Lokrum Island

A bit later on we found this cheap drinks pub that had been recommended from the one hostel owner. Guess you could call it a dodgy dive bar. Was all locals in there, thus likely why it was cheap.

Bar

Drinks menu, I had the Medica one there, was a honey spirit, very strong.

One thing you kinda need to do when in Dubrovnik is to walk on the city walls. You get to walk around the whole Old City. It is pretty pricey at €35, this includes the Fort Lovrijenac as well. I had read that a better thing to do is to buy the Dubrovnik Pass which is the same price, but includes some more things you can go into. From my research it was either do it first thing in the morning (before crowds and before it gets too hot) or do it right at the end of the day. Seeing as I had activities planned for 2 of the evenings (see next post for that) I decided to do it in the morning. I was there just before 8am and was one of the first to go in. It was really cool to walk around and see everything from a different vantage point, it is about 2km to walk around the walls and takes you as long as you need to do that.

Queue to get into the walls in the morning (not the day I did it)
Pile Gate is to the left and you can just see Onofrio's Large Fountain on the right
Owl Head Maskeron is just to the left of the door on the right

People going up and down later in the day

Wall walkers shadows

Me waving from on the walls

On top of walls

Fort Lovrijenac

Walls and Fort Lovrijenac

Fort Lovrijenac and canon

On top of walls

Lokrum Island

Lokrum Island and cruise ship

Cruise ship

On top of walls

Old Town & Lokrum Island

Cable car going up Mt Srd

School, could see the kids working away at their desks through the windows

Old Town Walls Basketball Courts
Not sure how you'd play a game on those

i went into the Maritime Museum while going around the walls to see what was in there, oh and also to use the toilet. There was lots to look at but I didn't take too many photos in there.

Canon barrels

Land ahoy !!

Check over there, what's that?

After the walls I went over to Fort Lovrijenac and had a look around there.

Window with a view

Looking back at Old City from Fort Lovrijenac

Inside Fort Lovrijenac

Cat ready to run if I move any closer

As expected, there is loads relating to Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik. A lot of the filming was done there. There were walking tours, shops and all sorts relating to the show that fans could take part in. I took a few photos at some locations but I am not such a die hard fan that I could remember those really. There were replica Iron Thrones in some curio shops that I got photos with, the real one used in the filming is on Lokrum Island. The lady said I wasn't supposed to look smiley and happy so I did some different looks.

Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones (Peter Dinklage) statue

Me on Iron Throne about to slit my own throat

Me on Iron Throne

Me on Iron Throne (cool reflection in the sword)

Me on Iron Throne

Me at the Jesuit Staircase from the famous "Walk of shame" scene.
Quote: Every fan remembers the scene from season five where Cersei Lannister walks naked through King’s Landing

Ready to get the chop

At one stage while walking around on the walls I started taking photos of random roof tops.

Roof tops

There were loads of shops all over the town the next 2 were interesting to see. At Duck Boutique you could buy a duck for almost any person's interest. They weren't cheap about €15 if I recall.

Duck Boutique

Duck Boutique (a second smaller branch)

Captain Candy Candy Shop

Awww cute ... kitty sleeping in T-Shirt shop

Webcam time .... yes you knew it was coming. The Stradun webcam pans around so it was harder to get the picture, was a bit of a delay as well.

Mike in Dubrovnik