When you talk about Croatia, you first think of Dubrovnik. And there are enough reasons for that. But for us our happiness, more than the stories, was about traveling back to the sea. We love water and the excitement was quite at it’s peak, after seeing the pics of this beautiful destination. And we loved the idea of traveling on to Dubrovnik.
The reception at ‘The Loop Hotel’ had arranged our car drop to Zagreb airport at a very reasonable price. A little less than what we had paid to reach here couple of days back. We entered, I talked around a bit and then immediately classified it as a category A+++ airport. The criteria? Just one. It had a smoking room in the departure lounge 💕. And when the lady at the Croatian Airline check-in counter waived off a kilo or two from our checked in luggage, I fell in love a second time. No no, not with her. With Croatia.
The flight landed almost half an hour later than the scheduled arrival, probably because the weather was not too good. But when we landed the sky was clear and blue. Dubrovnik Airport named Cilipi Airport is located at Cilipi, approximately fifteen and a half kilometers from Dubrovnik city center. The best and most economical way to reach town is to avail of the Airport shuttle bus which leaves for the main bus station at Gruz Port normally every half an hour and takes around thirty to forty minutes. The first stop is at Pile Gate in front of Old Town where you could get down depending on the location of your place of stay.
But for us the journey took more than an hour because of the sudden change in weather and heavy traffic just before reaching town. The sky had become dark again, the rains came down heavily and soon it cleared a bit too as we alighted and walked to our guest house amidst a slight drizzle, five minutes away from the nearest bus stand. It was past five in the evening when we reached.
Situated in Old Town district, Guest House Raguz apartment offers accommodation with a sunbathing terrace. It is about fifteen minutes relaxed walk from Old Town and just a ten minutes walk to the center of Dubrovnik. There are no food options within the guest house but few good eating options like Caffe-Pizzeria El Toro and Nevera Beach Restaurant are within five minutes walk. Also there are other restaurants, bars, cafes, bakery, 24 hour shops all within a few minutes walk and also next door a departmental stores, where you would find enough options for your breakfast. The owners Inka & Evan are a very nice and simple elderly couple, who are not too good when it comes to speaking English but we managed and they made it up with their hospitality.
We love nature and if you too, you would fall in love with the place. Let’s take you around.
As we sat on this terrace with it’s beautiful view sipping our cup of coffee, the calmness and peace of the place was mesmerizing. Our long awaited trip to Dubrovnik was now real.
Dubrovnik has a long history but in the last century with the fall of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the city was incorporated into the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes which later became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. When in 1929 Yugoslavia was divided among nine Banovina, the city became part of the Zeta Banovina. In 1939 Dubrovnik became part of the newly created Banovina of Croatia.
During World War II, Dubrovnik became part of the Nazi-puppet Independent State of Croatia, occupied by the Italian army first and by the German army after September 1943. In October 1944 Yugoslav Partisans occupied Dubrovnik, arresting more than 300 citizens and executing 53 without trial. This event came to be known, after the small island on which it occurred, as the Daksa Massacre. Communist leadership during the next several years continued political prosecutions, which culminated in April 1947 with the capture and imprisonment of more than 90 citizens of Dubrovnik. Under communism Dubrovnik became part of the Socialist Republic of Croatia and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia till the fall of Yugoslav rule. In 1979, the city joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
In 1991 Croatia and Slovenia, which at that time were republics within Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, declared their independence. At that event, Socialist Republic of Croatia was renamed Republic of Croatia.
The rain had stopped. The blue sky was visible in bits and pieces. So it was time for us to do what we always love to. A relaxing walk to explore. Walking around through the neighborhood on to nearby Pera Cingrije street, we decided to venture to the closest beach just two hundred meters away, Bellevue Beach. Come take the walk with us and get lost in the beauty of Dubrovnik.
As we reached back to our hideout, it was time to sit back, relax and marvel at these beautiful cool views from our terrace sit out before moving out for dinner.
Book your Croatia hotels & activities on Travelwisesr Holidays
Dubrovnik. The Old Town, the mountains, the sea, the beaches, the islands and much more fun to come your way as you travel with us. And then visit a few of the top Balkans destinations.
Come experience God’s magical creations.
Hope you enjoyed the journey.PIN it for later
I love all the pics! Everything looks so beautiful! Thanks for including a bit of the history too!
Thanks Ashley.
Dubrovnik looks beeautiful – spectacular flowers! and such an interesting, complicated history too
Plan out and visit sometime Trish. You would love being there.
I went to Dubrovnik many years ago. Reading this now I realise I was too young to appreciate the beautiful scenery and rich history. Revisiting is something I intend to do and for longer. I think we went for a day while traveling and it really wasn’t enough!!
Time to plan again Amanda 😊
I loved Dubrovnik, it also looks beautiful at night from your photos! I wish I could visit again now, to check the GoT filming locations there!
Till you are there & visit the GOT locations personally I would shortly take you there. Keep following me 😁
That sounds like a great place to visit someday. The view is beautiful and the flowers look amazing.
Yes Angela. Do plan it out sometime and come back refreshed.
Dubrovnik would be the perfect destination in Croatia for me! Not only is it rich in history, but it looks so relaxing. The water certainly calls to me in this post. I could easily get lost here exploring such a beautiful place.
Yes Erica. It’s a place and country to fall in love with. Plan out sometime.
Your photos made me want to pack my bags and go there. Those pretty flowers! I wish I can visit Croatia someday. Dubrovnik is now on my travel bucket list.
You must visit Kristine. It’s a wonderful country and you are bound to fall in love.
I have never been in this place but by seeing those photos and reading these experiences of you I can really that it was a great and an absolutely a nice place for me to visit on my next travel. Such a wonderful place for me to see.
You must Gervin. You’ll fall in love for sure.
This is somewhere we would love to visit, such a pretty country to visit and the views are amazing x
You must. You’ll fall in love too.
Dubrovnik must be super exciting! I can’t really think I visited Croatia if I haven’t put a step onto it.
P.S. those flowers in the hotel are so so beautiful!
Lyosha you must visit. And it is so close to Russia.