Visitors to the Adriatic Sea area of Europe almost always have one particular place on their wish list for vacation destinations. There's a good reason for that. Dubrovnik is downright magical.
The Old Town is the major attraction here, looking like something was teleported out of the Middle Ages for our dining and dancing pleasure. The city dates back to the 7th century, but really thrived in the period between the 14th and 19th century. That was a time when city-states were popular in Europe, and Dubrovnik was particularly well known for its skills and navigational talents. At one point it had outposts all over the Mediterranean.
The city took a good-sized pounding because of an earthquake in 1667. When the 1800s arrived, Dubrovnik did some serious bouncing. France claimed it for a while, and then it became part of the Austrian Empire. The city was part of Yugoslavia for much of the 20th century, although World War II had some interruptions. In 1991, the damage was man-made from enemy forces that shelled the city for the first time in history. But repairs took place (and still take place), and it offers a beautiful face to visitors today.
What you might not know is that Dubrovnik is a relatively small town. I didn't see a great deal of the rest of the city during a two-day visit. The population has been stuck around 40,000 for the last couple of decades. But all of the tourists that come here in the warmer months make it feel like a bigger city. There's even an international airport serving the town.
It's a must-visit. See for yourself.
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