We are about half way through our tour of Eastern Europe and Dubrovnik was definitely one of the highlights I had been looking forward to.  It’s absolutely stunning. It’s hard to imagine anyone becoming jaded by the city’s marble streets, baroque buildings and the endless shimmer of the Adriatic sea, or failing to be inspired by a walk along the ancient city walls that have protected a civilised, sophisticated republic for centuries.

Although the shelling of Dubrovnik in 1991 horrified the world, the city has bounced back with characteristic vigour to enchant visitors again.

We took the ambitious walk around The Walls, a mile and a half fortress wall encircling the Old Town.  It was insanely hot but was so worth it – On one side was the old town boasting cobblestone streets and orange-tiled roofs and on the other, the sea stretched as far our eyes could see.  It was magical, and every ten feet brought with it an entirely new vantage point and spectacular views.

We did not much else except exploring the old town.  While walking through the romantic city lanes we got to feel a sense of what Croatia is all about. The smell of aromatic herbs, the whiteness of the sheets drying in the sun between the houses, the constant chatter of the locals on the narrow, busy streets… the best way to learn, to feel a city is to merge with the crowd it has been an unforgettable journey through the maze of Dubrovnik city streets.

One of Dubrovnik’s most famous landmarks, Onofrio Fountain (no photo, unfortunately) was built in 1438 as part of a water-supply system that involved bringing water from a well 12km away. Originally the fountain was adorned with sculpture, but it was heavily damaged in the 1667 earthquake and only 16 carved masks remain with water gushing from their mouths into a drainage pool.