Dubrovnik Day 3: the Walls

May 28, 2025 

The #1 top attraction in Dubrovnik is to walk the walls of the historic city, and that's what we did today, now that Bettyanne is here. We snacked in our rooms before heading out, wanting to beat the rush (and the heat!) Walls open at 8 am, we were up there shortly after, and while we were not alone up there, it was pretty quiet and we were able to amble at our own speed without feeling like we were in a cattle drive. Carol suggested that perhaps many cruisers (there would be 4,000 of them in town today, according to the cruise ship schedule) would not be up to the physical challenge of walking those walls. Have I mentioned stairs, ever? Pictures are worth a thousand and all that….

Up we go from the street below

 

 

Looking down on Onofrio's Fountain (the water from this is potable!)

 

 

Looking the length of the Stradun from above

 

We're all taking pictures!

 

 

 

That pale-looking building between the wall and the greenery on the right -- that's the Franciscan Rooms, where Bettyanne and I are staying! In fact, if you can see the two dormers in the roof, the far one is our window!

 

Fo

Fort Lovrijenac, of canon fame from yesterday, and below, "our" breakfaast place under the umbrellas

Wall walkers

People's gardens inside the walls

Cliffs outside the wall. Zoom in for a look at Buza Bar where we had our Aperol yesterday

Stonemason fitting stone. Parts of the wall are still under reconstruction

The red roofs of the old town, and the modern suburbs outside the wall

A bit of the old harbour (as opposed to the new harbour, located a few kms away) and the tower of the Jesuit church

 

Panorama with wall walkers

Higgledy-piggledy

View framed in a tower window

Gazing at the view

The Franciscan Rooms, where Bettyanne and I are staying. That dormer in front is our window, and that's our patio. Great find, if you don't mind 82 stairs to get to it, AFTER the 30 stairs up the street

The monks' garden, and the one flat part of our walk to our room

 

Post-walk, lemon tree. I look up to Bettyanne

I also look up to Carol

Once done -- it took about two hours -- we went back to our breezy breakfast place (Dubravka 1836), had more omelets, fresh-squeezed orange juice, café latte. Then we wandered about the old town, again, playing guide to Bettyanne. 

 

Finally! Breakfast!

 

I don't know why duckies are a thing. There are two of these duckie-only shops in town

 

Be-costumed gemtleman playing his lyra. Few notes, but lots of rhythm

Again took a couple of hours out in the afternoon for a rest. 

We made reservations a month ago for Gradska restaurant. It’s a huge place, with one side an open terrace onto a busy city square, and the other open to the old harbour. We were led through to the harbour side, which, they said, was only for people with reservations. That made us feel important! 

Beautiful food, beautiful setting. 

My seafood stew with polenta, and Bettyanne with her sea bass.

 

Carol with her seafood stew. We always order the same exact thing. We don't plan to, it just happens!

 

In case you didn't think it was pretty!

"Half-Women in Shadows" -- well, obviously the important thing is the setting!

We feel like we’ve done Dubrovnik. Two-and-a-half days may have been a little bit too long; 48 hours would have been perfect. I like to travel slow, but there’s only so much to hold interest in a tiny town whose only enterprise seems to be tourism. For those who have more time, and are interested, there are day trips to Mostar, or boat trips out to Lokrum Island, or kayak rentals, or swimming off the rocks. We are headed to a series of island visits, we all own kayaks of our own, and we will be swimming off our ship. We’re happy (still!) to have stuck to Dubrovnik proper, and are well ready to be moving on.

 Tomorrow morning, the ferry out of here!