Croatia - Eastern Europe - page 138

3 Dubrovnik
618km (384 miles) S of Zagreb; 213km (132 miles) SE of Split
It would take an army of Hollywood designers to create a set as photogenic as
Dubrovnik, and it would take a team of creative stagehands to build it. Yet even after
being devastated by Serb shells during the 1991-92 war, this “city made of stone and
light” is as strong and magnificent as the shimmering sunsets that ricochet off its 14th-
century ramparts. The only telltale reminder of the attack is the brighter color of the
terra-cotta roof tiles used to replace those damaged in the war. You might find a few
bullet scars, but the “Pearl of the Adriatic” is as lustrous as it was 5 centuries ago when
it was a major sea power bustling with prosperous merchants and aristocrats.
Dubrovnik (nee Ragusa) began as a Roman settlement, but from the Middle Ages
on it was a prize sought by Venice, Hungary, Turkey, and others who recognized the
city's logistical value as a maritime port. Libertas (Liberty) has always been uppermost
in the minds of Dubrovnik's citizens, and through the ages their thirst for independ-
ence kept would-be conquerors at bay.
In 1667, a catastrophic earthquake did to Dubrovnik what the foreign invaders
could not: It brought the city to its knees. The quake killed more than 5,000 people
and destroyed most of the city's structures. But Dubrovnik recovered and was quickly
rebuilt in the new baroque style of the times, only to be shattered again 3 centuries
later—this time from the skies in a 1991-92 siege during Croatia's war with Serbia.
The hostilities decimated tourism throughout Croatia, but nowhere was the impact
more devastating than in Dubrovnik, where visitors vanished. Crowds have once again
returned to this charming city nestled between the Adriatic and Dinaric Alps, and it
has regained its former status as a vacation destination par excellence.
GETTING THERE
Despite its popularity and position as a tourism mecca, getting to Dubrovnik can be
time-consuming and expensive. Even driving there from elsewhere in Croatia is chal-
lenging because of the city's position between the mountains and sea and the lack of
modern roads leading to it. Ferry routes to Dubrovnik often include multiple stops at
various islands, and train service is nonexistent.
BY PLANE Croatia Airlines (www.croatiaairlines.hr) operates daily flights to
Dubrovnik from select European cities. Dubrovnik International Airport (Zra c na
Luka; www.airport-dubrovnik.hr), is at C ilipi, 18km (11 miles) from the city center.
Croatia Airlines operates shuttle service that is coordinated with incoming Croatia
Air flights, though anyone from any flight can ride. Cost is 35kn ($6/£3.25) one-way
and it takes about 25 minutes from the airport to the Pile Gate. Buses to the airport
leave the main terminal in Dubrovnik at Gru z Port every 90 minutes. Taxis also serve
the airport and rides are metered at 25kn ($4.50/£2.30) and 8kn ($1.50/75p) per
kilometer. A one-way trip between the airport and Dubrovnik costs about 250kn
($44/£25) one-way but it could be more if you don't settle on the price and terms
before you get in the cab. The taxi company's website (www.taxiservicedubrovnik.
com) tells you not to pay if the driver doesn't turn on the meter, but arguing about
that could get ugly.
BY FERRY The government-run ferry line Jadrolinija connects Dubrovnik with the
islands and cities up and down the coast, including the island of Hvar and the cities of
Split and Zadar. Local ferries also run to the Elafiti Islands and Mljet, and excursion