Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic

by Gadling Staff on


“Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and see Dubrovnik.”
– George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize winning writer and playwright

A bright star perched along the Croatian coast of the sparkling Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik looks more like the inspiration for the Disney set for Pirates of the Caribbean than any other real place on earth. Constructed as a series of fortresses to protect against centuries of invasions from pirates and other nations, Dubrovnik is guarded by massive stone walls and hefty cannons butting up against the sea-a sight like no other and a city worth visiting.

The Old Town
Looking out over Dubrovnik’s Old Town, the traveler sees a charming jumble of red-tiled roofs and stunning towers rimmed by two kilometers of thick white walls. The walls have been necessary-though the city of Dubrovnik began in the 7th century as a major cultural and commercial influence, countless enemies have attacked Dubrovnik for its white flag bearing its simple ideal: Libertas (Liberty). For centuries, Dubrovnik’s city and republic fought and thrived despite opposition. Because of Dubrovnik’s significant contribution to world history, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

Even since then, Dubrovnik’s legacy was severely threatened when more than two thousand shells hit the city in the 1990’s Yugoslav war. Mortar marks can still be seen today, walking through the city. Despite the scars of war, Dubrovnik’s architecture reflects its rich history of varied influences-Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, German, and Slavic.

The Sea
Formed of a coastline jagged with dark rocks and dotted with sand and pebble beaches, the area around Dubrovnik makes a memorable place for a dip in the green Adriatic Sea. On a rough day, waves crash along the walls of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, but on a calm day, the shimmering Adriatic beckons travelers out into its natural beauty.Venture out on a day cruise boat for a trip around the nearby islands, or swim out from one of the local beaches. Dine or walk along the shore for an unforgettable sight of the sun setting above the rough-hewn islands and sleepless lighthouses.

Where to Eat
As with every tourist center, Dubrovnik offers its fair hand of tourist-type restaurants. Club Nautika features top views of the city accompanied by an elegant menu at higher prices. But if you venture a bit off the worn cobblestone path, more authentic fare can be found.

My personal favorite, for the intimate setting and long wooden bar: Pizzeria Mea Culpa, only a few alleys from the main Stradun.

What to do
Beginning at Lapad Beach, walk a kilometer along the coast of the Lapad Peninsula to enjoy spectacular views of the Bay and the Adriatic, and three working lighthouses. Venture through the Old Town, and down the wide stone alley called Stradun. Duck into galleries and museums, shops and churches, and envision the 1400 years of existence of the fortress town bordered by mountain and Sea.

Nicknamed “the pearl of the Adriatic,” travelers cannot resist Dubrovnik’s enchantment. Again and again, I return to lasting impressions and vivid memories of the Pearl-like Fortress mounted against the Emerald Sea: Dubrovnik.

Jennifer Lyn King, a native Texan, lives in the Czech Republic, where she writes from her home near Prague. She is the author of The One Year Mini for Busy Women. Read her blog on Red Room. All the photos above are copyright Jennifer Lyn King.

Photo of the day (8.12.2010)

by Meg Nesterov on


We’re in the dog days of summer, with hot temperatures and high levels of humidity making it hard to do more than eat ice cream, seek air conditioning, and think of fall weather. While there’s less than a month left in summer, and pretty soon we’ll be complaining about winter, the sticky August heat can feel downright oppressive.

That’s why this photo by Flickr user t3mujin taken in Lisbon, Portugal looks so inviting. The cool colors, hazy sky and water below provides some virtual heat relief. It’s tempting to jump right off the dock or at least enjoy the breeze alongside the fishermen.

Do you have a refreshing travel photo? Upload it to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use it for a future Photo of the Day.

Ramadan begins in the Muslim world: a report from Turkey

by Meg Nesterov on


Yesterday was the first day of Ramadan (or Ramazan, as it is called in Turkey), a month-long holiday in the Islamic faith of fasting, prayer, and reflection. For observant Muslims, eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual activity is prohibited from dawn to dusk for 30 days. The elderly, ill, pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as (interestingly) menstruating women are excused. Before dawn, drummers traditionally walk the streets to wake people up to eat a last meal before the fast begins. At the end of the day, the fast is broken with an iftar meal which usually involves special pide flat bread in Turkey.

While many Westerners choose to avoid travel to Muslim countries during Ramadan due to the awkwardness of eating during the day, the nights can be a fun and fascinating time to observe the celebrations and feasts. As Turkey is a fairly liberal country and Istanbul particularly secular, I was curious to see how behavior would change in the city, particularly during the current heatwave. The night before Ramazan began, I headed to the supermarket to stock up on provisions, not wanting to flaunt my food and drink purchases (including very un-Muslim wine and bacon) while others were fasting. While it wasn’t like the pre-blizzard rush I expected, I did spot quite a few Muslims carb-loading on pasta, cookies, and baked goods in preparation for the fast.The first morning of Ramazan, I followed tweets from my fellow Istanbulites reporting on the drummers who woke them pre-dawn but they weren’t heard in my neighborhood. Outside on my street of fabric wholesale stores, it was tea-drinking, chain-smoking, kebab-eating business as usual. Heading down to posh Nişantaşı, the Soho of Istanbul, shop girls still smoked outside designer boutiques and sidewalk cafes were busy as ever. I spotted a few Turkish workmen lying languidly on the grass in Maçka Park, though whether their fatigue was due to fasting or the unbearable humidity is debatable. Hopping on the (blissfully air-conditioned) tram to tourist mecca Sultanahmet, visitors brandished water bottles and crowded outside restaurants as ever, but the usual touts outside the Blue Mosque were hard to find, as were any signs of Ramazan being observed. Slightly different was the waterfront Eminönü area where the Galata Bridge crosses the Golden Horn; the usual dozens of fishermen where cut down to a handful on either side and the plethora of street food vendors serving the thousands of ferry commuters were fewer.

That evening near Taksim Square, hardly any restaurants had closed and even the fasting waiters seemed good-natured about serving customers. Just before sunset, lines started to form outside bakeries selling pide, and at the dot of 8:20pm, restaurant tables quickly filled up and several waiters sat inside and ate ravenously. The mood was convivial and festival-like on the streets, and special concerts and events are put on nightly throughout the month. This month’s English-language Time Out Istanbul provides a guide to Ramadan as well as a round-up of restaurants serving iftar feasts, but curiously, almost all of them are at Western chain hotels.

While it’s hard to tell if people are fasting or just not indulging at the moment, here in Istanbul, life goes on during Ramazan. As the days go on, I expect to notice more bad moods and short tempers, particularly with the already slightly deranged taxi drivers craving their nicotine and caffeine fixes. Little will change for a non-Muslim traveler during Ramazan, particularly in tourist areas, but it’s still polite to be discreet about eating and drinking in public as a courtesy to those fasting. I look forward to Şeker Bayramı (Sweets Festival) next month, the three-day holiday marking the end of Ramazan, and the equivalent of Christmas or Hanukkah, with a little bit of Halloween thrown in. During the holiday, children go door to door and get offered candies and presents, Turkish people visit with family, and everyone drinks a lot of tea.

Any other travelers experiencing Ramadan this month? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

[Photo credit: Flickr user laszlo-photo]

Germans give Iceland a reason to brag, Italians not so much

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The past few years haven’t been all that kind to Iceland. After practicing a uniquely aggressive form of finance – maybe it should have been called “Viking derivatives” – the country felt massively the effects of the global financial crisis, screwing things up for British depositors who were parking their cash in these arctic savings accounts to score double-digit interest rates for (supposedly) no risk. Then, the country had to deal with the implications of a volcanic eruption this past spring. It’s hard to find a silver lining in that volcanic cloud.

Nonetheless, the tourist season is being declared a success. Spinning adversity into triumph, Icelandair CEO Birkir Hólm Gudnason believes the volcano‘s blast could have a long-term upside for the country’s tourism business.

Meanwhile, the hoteliers are finding ways to be bullish in the near term. Laufey Helgadóttir claims to be happy with the summer, saying it could be better than last year, thanks in large parts to German tourists who are sticking to their travel plans. Italians, unfortunately, seem to be canceling. Notes Helgadóttir: “[W]e won’t complain after this tourist summer.”

[photo by Deivis via Flickr]

The cheapest way from London to Paris: Bus service for £15

by Grant Martin on

Backpackers rejoice. Eurolines, a part of UK bus carrier National Express has reduced the fare of their bus service from London to Paris, a hotly competitive route currently served by dozens of air and rail carriers. To date, Eurostar and budget air carriers have fought hard over the route, with fares on either sinking as low as $100 round trip.

Currently, one of the most common inexpensive routes taken is via low cost carrier such as Easyjet, where non-peak flights can often be found for a bargain. Eurostar, conversely, delivers passengers from city-center to city-center without security hassles and sometimes in just as much travel time.

With Eurolines, passengers can pay as little as £15 ($24 as of August 2010) for one way fare between the two cities. Travel time? Seven hours, and there’s even an over night bus that leaves at 11PM. For those without a tight schedule though, that’s a lot of money saved.

Make sure you book your tickets far in advance though, like with most carriers the £15 fares are probably in short supply.

[Via AERBT]