It takes a cool 17 hours on the road, by bus from Pula to Dubrovnik; but somehow I don’t feel as exhausted as I would expect to. It certainly isn’t the worst bus-ride I have ever taken; the seats are comfortable, we have numerous stops, the bus is half-full with a good possibility of sleeping on two seats, and the bus drivers are friendly, waiting extra time during breaks to get food or go to the toilet…so we survive the duration of this trip that begins at 8pm and ends at 11am the following day.

It’s morning and we are almost in Dubrovnik

Port of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is interesting, it is beautiful and it is incredibly costly. The stares we recieved at Pula seem mild in comparison to the glares received at Dubrovnik…an outright hostility, the absence of good customer service in a number of stores, shops or bakeries; responses to questions barked out or haughty shrugs and faces made signaling ‘a lack of knowledge in what is being asked.’ This is something that gives me chills,…albeit briefly.

All is forgotten when I get to meet our Airbnb host, at the island of Suđurađ in Sipan. Teofil is very warm, friendly, welcoming and the places he offers are like a small hotel/hostel, with clean self-contained rooms, a shared kitchen and the Adriatic sea on your doorstep.  There is a restaurant on the ground floor adjoining a mini-supermarket. It is accessible by ferry and quite affordable as compared to the mainland.

Our ferry to Sipan

Ferry ticket from Dubrovnik to Sudurad island

Tour boat at the Port of Dubrovnik

Boats right outside our room at  Sudurad, Sipan

Dubrovnik is Croatia’s star attraction, drawing in shiploads of tourists each summer.  The main tourist resorts south of Dubrovnik; Župa Dubrovačka and Cavtat, are within easy reach of the city by public transportation.

It would be inconceivable to be in Dubrovnik and not visit the backdrop of the movie Game of Thrones so I flag down a taxi. Dubrovnik, founded in the 7th century, was at the time one of the richest maritime republics.  To protect its’ wealth, the city was surrounded by thick walls, fortresses, towers and bastions.  Dubrovnik represents King’s landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms situated in the mythical land of Westeros. It would be likely that the producers noticed King’s landing with all it’s moats, fortresses and drawbridges, and saw it as a perfect for the fictional story.

The taxis are pegged at 10 euro (70 kuna) to the Old Town Stari Grad, I readily pay out for a ride, then discover later that I would have paid just 24 Kuna for me and my child for a bus ride to the location. Bus numbers 1, 1A, 1B and 3 go from the Port of Dubrovnik to the Old Town.

Taxi services at Dubrovnik

Bus rides post to Old City

Tickets to a tour of Dubrovnik

Old Town, Dubrovnik

Entrance to the fortified city

Dubrovnik city map

Gate leading to Dubrovnik´s city walls

Many stairs, it is a long climb

Old City, Dubrovnik

Breathtaking views of Dubrovnik´s city walls and fortresses

Picturesque backdrop

Canon ready to fire to protect the walls

Getting a feel of the jail

Sweet freedom

Courtyard within the city walls

Shopping arcade courtyard within the city walls

Breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea

Have you ever been to Dubrovnik and did you visit because of the episodes of the Game of Thrones?