<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Croatia\u2019s<\/a> sweetheart seaport city, Dubrovnik, is known by many names: \u201cPearl of the Adriatic,\u201d \u201cVillage of Oak,\u201d \u201cThesaurum Mundi <\/em>\u2013 Treasure of the World.\u201d<\/strong> It might also be dubbed \u201cSurvivor,\u201d as Dubrovnik has been stunningly rebuilt since it was besieged and bombarded during the 1990s Yugoslav Wars. The town\u2019s also quite a star, renamed \u201cKing\u2019s Landing\u201d in the popular TV fantasy series, \u201cGame of Thrones.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more than 1,000 years, Dubrovnik’s prosperity has been anchored in maritime trade. Photo credit: Laneya McCullough<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPerched on a peninsula jutting into the shimmering Adriatic Sea along the Dalmatian Coast in the Balkans<\/a>, Dubrovnik is a walled medieval city of white houses, red-tiled roofs, and a pedestrian-only cobblestone Old Town. Year after year, UNESCO-listed Dubrovnik makes the must-see lists of places to visit and explore.<\/strong> The views from its hills, walls and streets illustrate why Dubrovnik is such a dazzling destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Hills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst known as Ragusa, a 7th-century coastal settlement with walls built around it to protect from invaders, it grew into a prosperous city-state rivaling Venice. Later, the settlement was renamed Dubrovnik \u2013 from dubrava<\/em>, or “oak tree.\u201d Destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik was rebuilt in a baroque style, replete with narrow stone streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik’s Old Town from 1,350-foot Sr\u0111 Hill, site of the city’s deadliest battle in the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik. Photo credit: Chris Lira<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDozens of well-worn stone stairways lead to scenic overlooks on the Old Town and Adriatic Sea. Faster and less strenuous is a three-minute cable car ride to Srd Hill for the best bird’s-eye views, where it’s said on a clear day you can see 37 miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town; beyond are the Elafiti Islands, part of the Dalmatian Islands archipelago<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A 15-minute boat ride from Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island is home to a Benedictine monastery, botanical gardens, and beaches.<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes\n<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s harbors and bays shelter all types of boats, from kayaks and sailboats to cruise ships and yachts<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Walls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlong with Dubrovnik\u2019s hilltop views, its rugged stone seawalls and landwalls \u2013 and the views from those walls \u2013 draw visitors into the history of this rock fortress town. Today\u2019s existing walls are up to 20 feet thick and 80 feet high, for centuries protecting Dubrovnik from enemy attack. The mile-long wall walkway encircles the Old Town, with turrets, towers, red-tiled roofs, and Adriatic Sea views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n \n\n \n\t\t\t \n\n \n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Sections of Dubrovnik’s ancient walls are a dizzying 80 feet tall.\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Although Dubrovnik’s wall walk is 1.2 miles, it’s possible to hike it in shorter sections.<\/span>\n Paul Schwartz<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Some of Dubrovnik’s 40,000 residents live in ancient stone homes bordering the walls, with Adriatic Sea views.<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Hikers along the wall walkway are surrounded by Dubrovnik’s famous terracotta red-tiled roofs<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubbed “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the three-sided Fort Lovrijenac is a popular setting in the TV fantasy series, Game of Thrones<\/i>\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Perched on a peninsula jutting into the shimmering Adriatic Sea along the Dalmatian Coast in the Balkans<\/a>, Dubrovnik is a walled medieval city of white houses, red-tiled roofs, and a pedestrian-only cobblestone Old Town. Year after year, UNESCO-listed Dubrovnik makes the must-see lists of places to visit and explore.<\/strong> The views from its hills, walls and streets illustrate why Dubrovnik is such a dazzling destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Hills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst known as Ragusa, a 7th-century coastal settlement with walls built around it to protect from invaders, it grew into a prosperous city-state rivaling Venice. Later, the settlement was renamed Dubrovnik \u2013 from dubrava<\/em>, or “oak tree.\u201d Destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik was rebuilt in a baroque style, replete with narrow stone streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik’s Old Town from 1,350-foot Sr\u0111 Hill, site of the city’s deadliest battle in the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik. Photo credit: Chris Lira<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDozens of well-worn stone stairways lead to scenic overlooks on the Old Town and Adriatic Sea. Faster and less strenuous is a three-minute cable car ride to Srd Hill for the best bird’s-eye views, where it’s said on a clear day you can see 37 miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town; beyond are the Elafiti Islands, part of the Dalmatian Islands archipelago<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A 15-minute boat ride from Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island is home to a Benedictine monastery, botanical gardens, and beaches.<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes\n<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s harbors and bays shelter all types of boats, from kayaks and sailboats to cruise ships and yachts<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Walls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlong with Dubrovnik\u2019s hilltop views, its rugged stone seawalls and landwalls \u2013 and the views from those walls \u2013 draw visitors into the history of this rock fortress town. Today\u2019s existing walls are up to 20 feet thick and 80 feet high, for centuries protecting Dubrovnik from enemy attack. The mile-long wall walkway encircles the Old Town, with turrets, towers, red-tiled roofs, and Adriatic Sea views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n \n\n \n\t\t\t \n\n \n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Sections of Dubrovnik’s ancient walls are a dizzying 80 feet tall.\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Although Dubrovnik’s wall walk is 1.2 miles, it’s possible to hike it in shorter sections.<\/span>\n Paul Schwartz<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Some of Dubrovnik’s 40,000 residents live in ancient stone homes bordering the walls, with Adriatic Sea views.<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Hikers along the wall walkway are surrounded by Dubrovnik’s famous terracotta red-tiled roofs<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubbed “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the three-sided Fort Lovrijenac is a popular setting in the TV fantasy series, Game of Thrones<\/i>\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First known as Ragusa, a 7th-century coastal settlement with walls built around it to protect from invaders, it grew into a prosperous city-state rivaling Venice. Later, the settlement was renamed Dubrovnik \u2013 from dubrava<\/em>, or “oak tree.\u201d Destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik was rebuilt in a baroque style, replete with narrow stone streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik’s Old Town from 1,350-foot Sr\u0111 Hill, site of the city’s deadliest battle in the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik. Photo credit: Chris Lira<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDozens of well-worn stone stairways lead to scenic overlooks on the Old Town and Adriatic Sea. Faster and less strenuous is a three-minute cable car ride to Srd Hill for the best bird’s-eye views, where it’s said on a clear day you can see 37 miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town; beyond are the Elafiti Islands, part of the Dalmatian Islands archipelago<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A 15-minute boat ride from Dubrovnik, Lokrum Island is home to a Benedictine monastery, botanical gardens, and beaches.<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes\n<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s harbors and bays shelter all types of boats, from kayaks and sailboats to cruise ships and yachts<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Walls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlong with Dubrovnik\u2019s hilltop views, its rugged stone seawalls and landwalls \u2013 and the views from those walls \u2013 draw visitors into the history of this rock fortress town. Today\u2019s existing walls are up to 20 feet thick and 80 feet high, for centuries protecting Dubrovnik from enemy attack. The mile-long wall walkway encircles the Old Town, with turrets, towers, red-tiled roofs, and Adriatic Sea views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n \n\n \n\t\t\t \n\n \n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Sections of Dubrovnik’s ancient walls are a dizzying 80 feet tall.\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Although Dubrovnik’s wall walk is 1.2 miles, it’s possible to hike it in shorter sections.<\/span>\n Paul Schwartz<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Some of Dubrovnik’s 40,000 residents live in ancient stone homes bordering the walls, with Adriatic Sea views.<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Hikers along the wall walkway are surrounded by Dubrovnik’s famous terracotta red-tiled roofs<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubbed “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the three-sided Fort Lovrijenac is a popular setting in the TV fantasy series, Game of Thrones<\/i>\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dozens of well-worn stone stairways lead to scenic overlooks on the Old Town and Adriatic Sea. Faster and less strenuous is a three-minute cable car ride to Srd Hill for the best bird’s-eye views, where it’s said on a clear day you can see 37 miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nViews from Dubrovnik’s Walls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlong with Dubrovnik\u2019s hilltop views, its rugged stone seawalls and landwalls \u2013 and the views from those walls \u2013 draw visitors into the history of this rock fortress town. Today\u2019s existing walls are up to 20 feet thick and 80 feet high, for centuries protecting Dubrovnik from enemy attack. The mile-long wall walkway encircles the Old Town, with turrets, towers, red-tiled roofs, and Adriatic Sea views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n \n\n \n\t\t\t \n\n \n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Sections of Dubrovnik’s ancient walls are a dizzying 80 feet tall.\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Although Dubrovnik’s wall walk is 1.2 miles, it’s possible to hike it in shorter sections.<\/span>\n Paul Schwartz<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Some of Dubrovnik’s 40,000 residents live in ancient stone homes bordering the walls, with Adriatic Sea views.<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Hikers along the wall walkway are surrounded by Dubrovnik’s famous terracotta red-tiled roofs<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubbed “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the three-sided Fort Lovrijenac is a popular setting in the TV fantasy series, Game of Thrones<\/i>\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Along with Dubrovnik\u2019s hilltop views, its rugged stone seawalls and landwalls \u2013 and the views from those walls \u2013 draw visitors into the history of this rock fortress town. Today\u2019s existing walls are up to 20 feet thick and 80 feet high, for centuries protecting Dubrovnik from enemy attack. The mile-long wall walkway encircles the Old Town, with turrets, towers, red-tiled roofs, and Adriatic Sea views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n \n\n \n\t\t\t \n\n \n <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n \n \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Sections of Dubrovnik’s ancient walls are a dizzying 80 feet tall.\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Although Dubrovnik’s wall walk is 1.2 miles, it’s possible to hike it in shorter sections.<\/span>\n Paul Schwartz<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Some of Dubrovnik’s 40,000 residents live in ancient stone homes bordering the walls, with Adriatic Sea views.<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Hikers along the wall walkway are surrounded by Dubrovnik’s famous terracotta red-tiled roofs<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubbed “Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar,” the three-sided Fort Lovrijenac is a popular setting in the TV fantasy series, Game of Thrones<\/i>\n<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Harm’s Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\nHigh above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Dubrovnik is a city that builds upon itself \u2013 first from the 1667 catastrophic earthquake, and later from the 1990s siege of the city\n<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n In earlier times, more than 120 cannons along Dubrovnik’s walls protected the city from invaders<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat prowls on an older Dubrovnik tiled roof, contrasted with a newer one on the left that likely was repaired from war damage<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
High above the car-free streets and looking out from these ancient walls, visitors may find it hard to visualize the now-repaired destruction of this beloved city. Dubrovnik\u2019s 1979 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance theoretically protected the city from wars and hostile attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In reality, during the 1991-92 \u201cSiege of Dubrovnik\u201d in the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, the city was surrounded and hit by heavy Serb shelling and Yugoslav naval bombardment for eight months. More than half of Dubrovnik\u2019s historic buildings and homes were damaged, killing hundreds and making refugees of thousands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNewer tiles (yellow-orange) mesh with older, original terracotta red tiles that distinguish Dubrovnik’s renowned roofs. Photo credit: Martin Klimenta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\nView from Dubrovnik’s Streets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dubrovnik was so painstakingly\nrebuilt through a restoration program and world-wide donations that it may\nbe difficult to discern what is original, and what is new or repaired \u2013 save\nfor the telltale roof tiles that don\u2019t perfectly match the original red\nones. (The tile factory shut down in the 1950s.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dubrovnik remains \u2013 as author George Bernard Shaw once gushed \u2013 the \u201cpearl of the Adriatic,\u201d adding \u201cthose who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.\u201d And they do. Today, Dubrovnik is one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe.<\/strong> Even the late Pope John Paul II loved this seaport city so much that he was made an honorary citizen. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStradun is Dubrovnik’s main street \u2013 wide by the Old Town’s standards \u2013 with bell towers at each end of the quarter-mile pedestrian walkway. Photo credit: Douglas Grimes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDazzling Dubrovnik<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStreet-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n Built in 1311, Onofrio Fountain has helped supply Dubrovnik’s drinking water for centuries, even during the 1990s siege of the city<\/span>\n Calvados Club<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n An 18th century baroque treasure, St. Blaise Cathedral on Luza Square is named after the patron saint and protector of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Gilded marble interior of Dubrovnik’s Saint Blaise Cathedral \u2013 a popular venue for wedding ceremonies<\/span>\n Douglas Grimes<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First built in the 7th century, Assumption Cathedral has withstood earthquakes as well as the 1990s Siege of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Street-level views of Dubrovnik are equally as intriguing as views from the the city\u2019s hills and walls \u2013 including ancient Onofrio Fountain and religious sites such as the city\u2019s beloved St. Blaise Cathedral and Assumption Cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nAn oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n This 14th-century Franciscan Monastery cloister with its eight-sided columns is a quiet escape in the heart of Dubrovnik<\/span>\n Joanna Millick<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a maze of narrow stone streets, worn smooth over centuries<\/span>\n Chris Lira<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n A cat guards the drawbridge entrance to Pile Gate, built in 1537, while Dubrovnik’s St. Blaise keeps guard above the entrance.<\/span>\n Martin Klimenta<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An oasis in the town center, the Franciscan Monastery complex includes one of the world\u2019s oldest working pharmacies as well as Dubrovnik\u2019s oldest garden, which dates from the 14th century. The Old Town\u2019s labyrinth of narrow and often steep streets are lined with shops, caf\u00e9s, clubs, and homes. At Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, the drawbridges visitors walk today were once wooden gates that lifted above the moat to protect the town from invaders. <\/p>\n\n\n
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nBeaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Beaches and swimming holes are favorite spots to cool off and relax, while seafood restaurants and caf\u00e9s feature local dishes such as ocean fish, shellfish, squid, kebabs, and zeljanica<\/em> (filled phyllo-pastry pies) along with Dalmatian wines. Of its dozens of festivals, Dubrovnik\u2019s most famous \u2013 and longest \u2013 is the season-spanning Summer Festival, with 45 days of theatre, ballet, and music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/button>\n \n \n \n \n \n One of Dubrovnik’s popular swimming holes, with craggy cliffs for sunbathing<\/span>\n Lisa Peterson<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n Freshly caught seafood includes head-on fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and girice,<\/i> tiny fried fish<\/span>\n Laneya McCullough<\/span>\n <\/li>\n \n First held in 1950, Dubrovnik celebrates its 45-day Summer Festival with performances throughout the Old Town’s baroque and renaissance open-air venues<\/span>\n Croatian Tourist Board<\/span>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(click image to view larger photo)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nLearn More About Dubrovnik, Croatia and the Balkans<\/h3>\n\n\n\nDubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dubrovnik in the News:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ann Abel calls Dubrovnik \u201cthe dreamiest old city in Croatia\u201d in her Forbes article: \u201cWhy Dubrovnik Should Be High on Your Travel Wish List”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is #6 in The New York Times article, \u201c52 Places to Go in 2017″<\/a><\/li> Author Annabelle Thorpe returns to the town she visited at age 10 in The Guardian\u2019s article: \u201cWhy I Love Dubrovnik”<\/a><\/li> Dubrovnik is one of The Telegraph\u2019s \u201c25 Places in Eastern Europe You Must See in Your Lifetime”<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nTravel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Travel with MIR to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nMIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MIR has over two decades of Balkans <\/a>travel experience<\/strong> with on-the-ground support, guides, and tour managers that clients rave about. MIR\u2019s full service, dedication, commitment to quality, and destination expertise have twice earned us a place on National Geographic Adventure\u2019s<\/em> list of \u201cBest Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s easy to add a visit to Dubrovnik before or after one of our Balkans tours, or to incorporate it into any private independent trip to the Balkans. MIR specializes in personalized private journeys, and we\u2019d love to take your ideas and weave them into a trip tailored especially for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are four ways to explore Dubrovnik and beyond with MIR:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBalkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 small group tour. This overland journey ties together seven of the wildly divergent Balkan countries: Albania<\/a>, Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/a>, Croatia<\/a>, Kosovo<\/a>, North Macedonia<\/a>, Montenegro<\/a>, and Serbia<\/a>.<\/li>Venice to Istanbul by Private Train<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 an 11 day rail journey through 9 countries.<\/li> Essential Balkans<\/a> \u2013<\/strong> a private, independent trip traveling on your own dates using our itinerary of the seven Balkan countries.<\/li>Your handcrafted, private itinerary<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 customized to your dates, interests, and pace. Travel wherever, however, and with whomever you like, relying on our expert assistance. <\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
![\"For](\"https:\/\/mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/62550021-Croatia-Dubrovnik-ws-old-town-Laneya-McCullough.jpg\")
![\"Dubrovnik's](\"https:\/\/mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/p1040885_30188185166_o-Croatia-Dubrovnik-Srd-Hill-view.jpg\")
![\"Dubrovnik's](\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Croatia-Dubrovnik-view-ws-islands-150x97.jpg\"\n)
<\/li>\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/DSC_1012-Croatia-Dubrovnik-view-Lokrum-Island-DGrimes-150x97.jpg\"\n)
<\/li>\n ![\"Dubrovnik's](\"https:\/\/www.mircorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/DUBROVN3-Croatia-Dubrovnik-ws-bay-boats-150x97.jpg\"\n)
<\/li>\n \n <\/ul>\n