Dubrovnik`s secrets
The Old Town of Dubrovnik is the easiest place to find in this city, it represents Dubrovnik itself. It doesn`t matter where you are located, in whatever part of the town, any five star or one star hotel
you are in, any apartment or little room, everything is connected to the Old Town. Every road and every bus or your feet will lead you there. You’ll always end up in Pile, a place outside the City Walls that gives an introduction to the ancient open stage of the old city. Crossing the beautiful stone bridge above a hidden park full of trees and passing the great “Pile gate” will take you inside.
STRADUN :
Stradun is the core of the Old Town. The word comes from theVenetian word “stradone” which means “big street”. It is the center of the town and it is the meeting place of locals and visitors. When you walk down this big street, you will see a lot of people who work in restaurants and offer you the menu
every 20-30 meters, but don’t get discouraged, you will eventually find an adequate meal in one of numerous choices. The summer season is the hot spot for everyone, even the renaissance ladies and gentlemen who walk across Stradun are smiling to everyone. Their renaissance costumes are perfect for taking photos. Sitting in one of the numerous cafés just at Stradun gives a privileged view to the very center of happenings.
THE ONOFRIO FOUNTAIN :
Two Fountains of Onofrio are placed at the beginning and the end of Stradun.
The first one, at the beginning, is the big one with stone masks throwing water out of their mouth. Dubrovnik was one of few european cities that had spring water. This was a very rare diamond in those days. It is safe to drink the water from the fountain, it is not known that anybody ever got poisoned.
It is a real refreshment during hot summer days and after eventfully hours and it’s free, what more can someone want!
VIEW AT THE CITY WALLS :
The City Walls have protected Dubrovnik throughout its whole history and they never collapsed because of diplomatic appointment of Dubrovnik’s citizens, treating every country equally and finding solutions to avoid aggressive conflicts by turning them into reasonable outcomes. The variety of cultures in Dubrovnik is obvious in synagogue and orthodox church, along with Christian churches, monasteries, cloisters and an amazing cathedral.
To walk across the walls is an exceedingly great experience and an exercise as well because you have about 45 minutes of walking and sightseeing. The view from the walls is very beautiful and streches to horizon. You can see little islet of Lokrum, the entire scenery of the Old Town and the surrounding hill. A tour across the walls is a perfect opportunity to discover some secrets of this town, maybe those secrets nobody has discovered unti now… Every single rock is full of history.
Walls are open every day, from early morning till early evening in the summer and spring time. Of course, you can pay a visit during any season.
THE MARKET :
After 45 minutes of sightseeing you will be very thirsty and a perfect place to satisfy the thirst is to go to the famous market. At the end of Stradun, a small street at the right side leads to Gunduliæ Square where the market is.
When you reach it, you will notice the scene made of high statue of a famous croatian poet Ivan Gunduliæ, and under him the benches full of fruits, vegetables, special dry figs, aromatic oils, home made cheese and liquers and various products with old tradition. Behind the benches there are lovely
characters, very kind to everybody who visits their market. A homelike atmosphere indeed…
When you get to know the Old Town for the first time you will feel how vivid it still is, knowing that everything there is hundreds of years old but it still lives even today in its full glory.
When your tour through the Old Town comes to an end, we suggest the next step:visiting other places. What about island hopping and places out of Dubrovnik. Old Port is the starting point in visiting islands of Dubrovnik as well as places near Dubrovnik with numerous stories to be heard.
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