Something has being bugging me lately and it’s all do with Dubrovnik in Croatia. I just want to put it all out there folks and say there is more to Croatia than just Dubrovnik! Whenever I visit Croatia, everyone assumes I’m going to Dubrovnik and every blog that I seem to read at the moment talks about Dubrovnik and only Dubrovnik.
Don’t get me wrong, Dubrovnik is beautiful and WAS truly amazing way back in 2001 when my sister and I first visited Croatia to meet our family however roll forward a number of years and the city just feels like one giant Disneyland with no soul now, full of day trippers from the very large cruise ships that visit each day.
I remember our first two visits to Dubrovnik when locals were still living in the old town and there were little shops selling every day items like fresh fruit and vegetables to the locals; that’s now all changed as the shops just sell tourist tat and very expensive tat at that!
I wrote a post a very long time ago comparing Split vs Dubrovnik and if I had to choose between the two, Split would be the winner by a country mile. For some reason tourists just don’t like Split and use the city for a meeting point only for their tours – Split is amazing and I love it; please please please spend some time discovering this great city! Tourists and locals mingle together and the Riva is like a catwalk (you will understand if you ever stop for a drink in one of the cafes on the Riva).
^^The Riva in Split!
The tiny villages along the Makarska Riviera are spectucular and unspoilt – something that most tourists never discover as they are too busy spending all their time discovering Disneyland…sorry I meant Dubrovnik!
^^ The cute little port in the tiny village of Zivogosce on the Dalmatian coastline.
I visted Dubrovnik a few years ago with a friend and we made the error of staying in Dubrovnik for two nights rather than just taking a day trip from my family village….we realised our mistake when we were greeted by all the crowds and how expensive the city was. You will want to pack every credit card you own when you visit Dubrovnik as you will pay over the odds for everything….a Pivo (Beer) on the Makarska Riviera will set you back just over a £1 a bottle…but think London prices in Dubrovnik.
I’m not saying don’t visit Dubrovnik however what I want everyone to understand is that there is more to Croatia than just Dubrovnik. In my personal opinion you won’t get the authentic Croatian experience unless you visit smaller villages and towns in the country.
Have you visited Dubrovnik before? What are your thoughts on the city?
xx
P.S. Apologies for the slightly blurry photos of Dubrovnik; they’re oldies!
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