"Dubrovnik-a place apart" a Dubrovnik Travel Page by Ruai

What can be said about Dubrovnik that has not already been said! Its one of the most perfect examples of a late Maedievel/renaisssance city that you are ever likely to be lucky enough to come across. Its city walls are a marvel of engineering with an almost hypnotic form. The 2km circuit walk is something that should not be missed, though bring lots of water as its hot up there :) The whole city is in fact a museum (a problem in some respects!) and just wandering around it you'll find interesting nooks and crannies galore.

The Dubrovnik (or Ragusan as it was known for much of its history) Republic had a proud tradition of independence from outside control that ended with its conquest by the forces of Napoleon in 1806 and its annexation in 1808.

The city had its origins in Roman times when, as times grew harsh in the 7th century, the population of vulnerable cities fled to a more easily defensible site. While it was involved in many battles, the Republic was primarily a mercantile power and used its wealth and excellent diplomatic service to skilfully play off its rivals and retain its independence. The key element of this was the ability to run its own affairs and the Republic quite happily acknowledged, as necessary, the suzerainty of Byzantium, Venice, Hungary, Serbia, the Ottomans and others at various times.

Only the Venetians actually interfered in the running of the city itself with the others being quite happy to accept annual tribute. This was at least partially because the city also pumped huge sums into its own defences, making it a very tough nut to crack. In time, it became a serious rival to Venice, having at its height in the 16th century more than 200 ocean going vessels. It also maintained a role as a port for large parts of the Balkans.

The beginning of the end for Dubrovnik (as for Venice) was the opening of new sea routes through the Atlantic and Pacific in the 16th and 17th centuries. However, it adjusted quite well to this challenge. Much more serious was an earthquake in 1667 which devastated the city. While it was rebuilt, its mercantile role was seriously damaged. The conquest by the French was followed by incorporation into the Austrian Empire and then into Yugoslavia. In 1991, the city was besieged for 6 months by Serbo-Montenegran forces and great damage was done to its structure. While almost all of this has now been repaired, I suspect this necessary repair has sucked some of the life out of the old city. There are now said to be only about 3,500 full time residents of the old city with about 33,000 in the surrounding area.

Dubrovnik makes a great centre for a sun and culture holiday. There are many beaches nearby and its possible to visit some interesting places on day-trips from the city. The old town is a delight and eminently walkable in a couple of days. Lots of hearty food though didn't come across any gourmet experiences. The people range from rather bored of the whole tourist thing to really friendly. On the nightlife front, think this is a holiday which would suit a slightly older crowd. While I passed a night-club (fuego - plenty of reviews already) and there must be a few more around, the old town is definitely not a night hot-spot.