Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
these excursions can be a convenient way to see otherwise difficult-to-reach destinations,
the quality can be hit-or-miss. The two dominant agencies—Atlas and Elite—are efficient
mass-tourism machines, which means things work well, but you'll be jammed into buses
and boats until every seat is filled. The guides typically do their spiel (mostly a memor-
ized script) in several languages. Smaller outfits offer a more casual experience with more
personal attention, but lack the polish of the big players. Unfortunately, since this scene is
constantly evolving, it'sdifficult to recommend one company in particular.Look around for
flyersandasklocalsfortheirbesttips—butbeawarethatmanysmalleragenciessimplysell
seats on the big Atlas and Elite trips.
At Dubrovnik's salty Old Port, captains set up tiny booths to hawk touristy boat trips. It's
fun to chat with them, page through their sun-faded photo albums, and see if they can sell
you on a short cruise. In addition to the islands noted below, you can also take a boat from
the Old Port to
Cavtat
(described later).
Panorama Cruise
Thebasicoptionisa45-minute“panoramacruise”outintothewaterandbackagain(75kn,
departures about every hour). You'll loop around the city walls—which offer a unique view
onDubrovnik'sstoutdefenses—anddoacircuitaroundLokrumIslandaswell.Understand-
ably, these cruises are most popular at or shortly before sunset.
Several companies offer these cruises, using a variety of vessels—modern, old-fash-
ioned, glass-bottomed, you name it. You could just hop on whichever one is departing next,
butIenjoythe
Sv. Ivan,
acargoboatdatingfrom1878.Prowlingitsdecksandleaningback
against rope railings just feels right in this seafaring town. They also offer a 20 percent dis-
count to readers of this topic (that is, you'd pay 60 kn for a 45-minute panorama cruise;
look for their desk among the many sales kiosks at the Old Port, mobile 099-441-2054,
Lokrum Island
This island, just offshore from the Old Town, provides a handy escape from the city. When
the Old Town just gets too jam-packed with tourists, locals hop a boat out here for some
peace and quiet. They call it the “Island of Love,” because it offers many secluded spots
where courting couples can get away. The main attractions here are hiking (on shaded paths
