Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
morning, and you'll see hardworking young men delivering goods on hand carts throughout
theday.LookingupatthefortressatopMountSr
đ
—seeminglycustom-madeforkeepingan
eyeonalargeswatheofcoastline—thestrategicpositionofDubrovnikisclear.Independent
Dubrovnik was not just this walled city, but an entire region.
Now continue downhill (you've earned it), noticing views on your right of the bustling
Pile Gate area and the Fort of St. Lawrence (we'll reach better views of both of these soon).
As the wall walk levels off, you'll pass an exit (on the left); if you're bushed and ready to
head back to town, you can bail out here—but be aware that once you leave, you can't re-
enter on the same ticket. Better yet, carry on straight for part 2.
Part 2—Pile Gate to Old Port:
Pausetoenjoythefullfrontalviewofthe
Stradun,
bar-
reling right at you. In the Middle Ages, lining this drag were the merchants, and before that,
this was a canal. At your feet is Onofrio's Big Fountain, which supplied water to a thirsty
town.Fromhere,youcanseeawiderangeofchurchsteeplesrepresentingthecosmopolitan
makeup of a thriving medieval trade town (from left to right): Dominican, Franciscan (near
you), the town Bell Tower, St. Blaise's (the round dome—hard to see from here), Serbian
Orthodox(twindomedsteeples),Cathedral,and(highonthehill)JesuitSt.Ignatius.Sitand
watch the river of humanity, flowing constantly up and down one of Europe's finest main
streets. Now do a 180 for a good view of the Pile Gate chaos, with a steady stream of buses
