Oosterdam European Adventure, Dubrovnik, Croatia....

 This morning, I was up in the wee hours of the morning for the sail into Dubrovnik…   Much to my regret the route taken to the port was too far from the Old Town Dubrovnik, so no photos of Dubrovnik as we sailed into port. Our guide Paolo met us at the port gate, and we were off to the mountain to see Dubrovnik Old Town from above. Driving to the top of Mount Srd was a thrill for us. We were greeted with the stunning view of the walled city, one that will make your jaw drop. Not only do you see the turquoise waters of the Adriatic the views take in all of Dubrovnik and Lokrum Island. It's this extraordinary vantage point that made Mount Srd a key battleground during the 1990s war. The beautiful sea and the red rooftops of Dubrovnik Old Town, provides a truly spectacular view. Descending back to sea level we entered the walled city at the Inner Pile Gate. Enclosed by the city walls, the whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage site charmed by paved limestone streets and hidden alleyways. Completed in the 13th century, it has remained virtually unchanged to the present day…walking around feels like stepping back in time! We stopped at the Onofrio’s Fountain built at the end of the medieval aqueduct and the Franciscan Monastery, also the home of the oldest still operating apothecary in Europe. Our first mission was to walk the city walls… From the Pile Gate we started the climb to the view of St Lawrence Fortress. The walls run uninterrupted for 2 kilometers, stand up to 25m high, and are fortified by four strong fortresses and 2 round towers. Seen by many as the best-maintained city walls in the world, history oozes out of every turn. Yet even more captivating are the views. As we walked along the walls, the sweeping vistas of Dubrovnik’s terracotta rooftops were unparalleled against the azure waters of the Adriatic. Another charming aspect of the walk is the glimpses it gives to the gardens and courtyards in the residential areas. Dubrovnik's walls and forts were featured prominently in the Game of Thrones series…being avid GOT fans, we recognized many sites of Kings Landing. The ladies ended their wall hike at the Old Port and Paola and I finished the circuit. We met up at the Rectors Palace. We visited the Saint Blaise Church. In the old town, it’s easy to navigate as everything leads off the Stradun or Main Street lined with historic buildings on both sides, we found the Sponza Palace, Bell Tower, Dubrovnik Cathedral, Rector’s Palace, St. Saviour Church and the Big and Small Onforio’s Fountain all nearby. We stopped for refreshments at an outdoor cafe…seems like a sport in Dubrovnik is to have a coffee and people watch. Making our way back to the Pile Gate entrance we passed an amazing array of narrow side streets and alley ways where you can find residential homes, restaurants, shops, bars and loads and loads of stairs to climb. By the time we were ready to leave, it was getting very busy in the Old Town, we were also fortunate there was only one ship in port today. I had been anticipating our stop in Dubrovnik for some time and it did not disappoint. The last time I was here was on the 2007 World Voyage.  We absolutely loved our time in Dubrovnik, it was a great day, tour and guide… One of the best days yet with a fabulous guide!!!