A Trip to Dubrovnik

One of Europe's most well known walled cities, Dubrovnik, overlooks the blue waters of the Adriatic. Set on the magnificent Dalmatian coast (also home to some delicious ham), the city is a sight to behold, with an adequate mixture of both rustic charm and trendy nightspots.

Suitable for young party-goers, and the more *experienced* traveller, the region has plenty to do, see, and eat for all walks of life.  Hidden inside the passages of the old town, you'll find eateries-a-plenty and some fantastic photo opportunities along the way. For some casual dining, try Taverna Otto in the old town. If you're feeling adventurous and want to spend some time away from the city, head to Zaton and have dinner at Konoba Veranda, a family run restaurant on the bay side. This was the first place we ate at on our trip (it's actually #1 on TripAdvisor too - didn't know this at the time!) and it's certainly a hidden gem. We rented an apartment in Zaton and I'd highly recommend it. It's a quiet town on the water's edge, but has all of the local amenities and is within an arms' reach of Dubrovnik, either by bus, taxi or hire car.

A must-do activity in the historic city is the cable car (www.dubrovnikcablecar.com), which takes you up a steep hill, overlooking the Adriatic and the coral coloured roofs of the old town. The cable car journey itself only lasts a matter of minutes, but once you reach the summit, you'll find a viewing platform and a war museum, alongside a gift shop and the "Panorama" restaurant and bar. This was my favourite activity on the trip, purely for the Dalmatian ham served in the restaurant and the stunning views.

If you're a Game of Thrones fan, there are several locations in the area which you're bound to recognise. Scenes from King's Landing were filmed in Dubrovnik from series 2 to 6, alongside parts of Qarth - on the island of Lokrum and inside the Rector's Palace. Most recognisably though, Cersei's famous "walk of shame" was filmed in the streets of the Old Town, notably on the beautifully baroque Jesuit Staircase.

A trip to the island of Lokrum, a nature reserve just a 10 minute boat ride from the Old Town's Harbour, is a great way to spend an afternoon. The island is host to plenty of wildlife, flora and fauna and boasts several walking trails, as well as a museum and restaurant. Legend has it that Richard the Lion Heart was cast ashore on Lokrum after being shipwrecked after the Crusades. He apparently made a vow to construct a church on the very spot where he came ashore, should he live. Although he landed in Lokrum, the church was built in Dubrovnik, at the request of the locals.

Lastly, just up the coast from Dubrovnik, on the Peljesac peninsula adjacent to the Bosnian border, lies the village of Ston.  The village is protected by 5km of defensive walls, built during the 14th and 15th centuries, to protect the Ottoman Turks from invading. Ston is well noted for it's fresh oysters and mussels, available very cheap and actually given to our group for free before a meal. The village is a lot cheaper than Dubrovnik itself and has significantly less tourism. It's recommended to drive to Ston, but local tours run daily from Dubrovnik if you don't opt for a hire car.

See below for some pictures I took whilst visiting the area.