Destination Wedding in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Basics
Currency: Kuna (Kn). (Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013 but will not adopt the Euro in the foreseeable future)

1 kuna=0.15 USD

1USD=6.63 kunas

1USD=0.89 euros

1euro=1.12 USD


Telephone code: 00 385


      
Flight time: London to Dubrovnik is around two hours and forty minutes



Croatian Emergency services: dial 112



Average day temperature 25 C (77F)


General info on Dubrovnik:
With its sublime location, overlooking the calm blue waters of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most magnificent walled cities. Now a Unesco world heritage site and Croatia’s most up-market destination, it was once the capital of the wealthy sea-faring Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808).
During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world, with consulates in more than 50 foreign ports.
The main draw is the charming pedestrian-only old town, packed with aristocratic palazzi and elegant Baroque churches, contained within sturdy medieval fortifications.

Add to this the beaches, pristine sea, informal eateries serving top-notch seafood, chic five-star hotels and adventure sports facilities, and your holiday is made. Which is why people like Beyoncé, Roman Abramovich, Sir Roger Moore and Bob Geldof have recently been spotted here.

What's more, Dubrovnik's Old Town has been a popular filming location in recent years. The Game of Thrones television series and the Star Wars: Episode VIII film were both shot here, while the Robin Hood: Origins film has also been in the making here this year.

Most of the top attractions are concentrated in the car-free old town, within the medieval walls. Two monumental arched gates, Pile (to the west) and Ploče (to the east), serve as entrances to the old town, and they are joined by the main thoroughfare, Stradun (aka Placa). Off each side of Stradun lies a grid of narrow alleys (some involving steep stone steps), harbouring countless cafés, restaurants and apartments to rent.

Immediately east of the old town, in the Ploče neighborhood, a string of half-a-dozen luxury hotels line the coast, while 2km west of town, opposite Gruž Port, Lapad peninsular is where you’ll find the main concentration of big modern mid-range hotels, plus several beaches.

1. The city is a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea and ancient enough to have other activities apart from soaking in the Mediterranean beaches. The city is as old as 7th century.
2. The city was the capital of the adventurous Republic of Ragusa, a maritime republic.
3. In 1979, UNESCO added the city of Dubrovnik in the list of World Heritage Centers.
4. The city is surrounded by 2 kilometers of ancient walls and fortifications. Most of its buildings are built using the Baroque style architectural designs.
5. The city receives approximately 7.2 hours of sun per day. This is about 2630 hours of sun annually.
6. You can engage in almost every holiday activity in Dubrovnik. From jeep safari, horseback riding, canoe safari, kayaking, sailing to the Elafite Islands and a visit to the national park on the Island of Mljet; tourists will never be short of fun things to do.
7. Dubrovnik, being an independent state, was the first country to recognize the United States as a sovereign state when it declared independence from the British.
8. As if to welcome you to its beautiful beaches, Dubrovnik's altitude is just 3 meters above the sea level.
9. The city occupies a land mass of about 21.35 square kilometers (8.24 sq. mi). In that small space, you will find some of the oldest European museums and buildings.
10. The State of Dubrovnik was among the first countries to abolish slave trade in the 15th century. It seems the country valued freedom even that far back.
The city of Dubrovnik is the Eastern European Paradise. It is sort of what Hawaii is to North America. You will be missing out on Eastern Europe's best destination if you do not include the city in your itinerary!

NOTE---All Transportation to and from each event will be provided! But if you find yourself needing a ride, we recommend using UBER which is quite popular in Dubrovnik. Here is some info cut and paste from the UBER website:

No need for foreign currency
The Uber app’s payment system automatically charges to your credit card, so you don’t have to worry about needing cash in the local currency. This is a secure and efficient method that lets you avoid any confusion, ensuring you always get the fairest rate. Toll payments are given in local currency and calculated in accordance with the bank’s current exchange rate. While your bank may sometimes charge additional fees, the Uber app will never charge any extra fees for travelling overseas.

Know exactly what you’re paying
When using the Uber app, you can see the price estimation before you even confirm the trip – so you always have a good idea of what you’ll be paying. The price will be displayed in your chosen currency, so even if you’re struggling to familiarise yourself with local currencies, you don’t need to worry about miscalculations.

You will always be able to view the price on the app or the website. While the final cost may vary due to certain circumstances like traffic or weather changes, you know that you’re always receiving the fairest, most trustworthy rate.

Croatian culture gets drummed into young people from an early age, an obvious hangover of centuries of occupation and having to fight for national existence. There is plenty to love in the culture, however, especially if you’re into red-and-white checkerboards.

(Balkans definition= a geographical location comprised of several countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece, and Slovenia.)

(note this excerpt was cut and paste from the internet, for the full article see link below)

If there is one thing that is synonymous with Croatia, it is the distinct red-and-white checkerboard design that is ubiquitous here. Whether it is adorning the jerseys of national sports teams, the faces of supporters or practically every flag in the country, there is nothing more Croatian than what the local people call the šahovnica (chessboard). The šahovnica has been the symbol of Croatia since the 10th century.

This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, for the full article, click on link below. 

Soccer is life!
Many fans were surprised by the Croatian national team’s run to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but not the Croats. The beautiful game is king in Croatia and has long been a source of inspiration to ordinary people from Osijek all the way down to Dubrovnik. The love and passion are shown in how vociferously the fans protest against the ruling body and the corruption that holds back this already overachieving team.

Photo Credit:
Croatian football fans cheer
© Nikolay Vinokurov / Alamy Stock Photo

(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

Few nations have been as feisty as the Croats when it comes to demanding independence over the centuries. Croatia was a part of the Habsburg Empire for hundreds of years, many of which were punctuated by protests and riots demanding more autonomy for the people of Zagreb and beyond. These demands continued with the establishment of Yugoslavia following World War I (originally called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes), and it was the Croats who protested the most. Croatia was also the first republic to formally declare independence from Yugoslavia, doing so in June 1991. Croats take their independence very seriously, so don’t make the mistake of questioning it.

Photo credit:
Croatian flag on the city of Trogir in Dalmatia
© tommaso lizzul / Shutterstock
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

This one isn’t particularly unique to Croatia but bears repeating nonetheless. Do not mention the war. This is little more than common courtesy, and digging up old wounds is a surefire way to create tension and anguish in what may have been a joyful room to that point. If a Croat wants to talk about their experiences, then by all means listen, but do not barge in with opinions based on hearsay from far away.

About the Photo/Photo Credit:
Vukovar’s water tower is the most iconic legacy of Croatia’s War of Independence
© RonPorter / Pixabay
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

The languages are about as different as British and American English, and you might not be able to tell a Croat from a Serb just by looking at the two, but don’t err in assuming the two nations are one and the same. There are similarities for sure, but you wouldn’t barge into a pub in Glasgow and tell the local people how fabulously English they are. Croatia and Serbia have separate histories, religions, influences and desires. Learning to respect this is the key to a good time in the company of Croats.

(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

The Croats are very style conscious. Call it the influence of nearby Italy or maybe even another part of a longstanding desire to be a part of the European elite, but the streets of Croatia are chock-a-block with people looking their best and fully aware of that. You can certainly travel around the country in your tatty shirt and jeans, but why not embrace a little bit of class? As the saying goes, when in Croatia…

Photo Credit: 
Croatia is one of the most stylish countries in Europe
© UberBOAT
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

When you finally find yourself deep in your first major discussion in Croatia, don’t be surprised if you feel like you are under attack. Croats can be extremely assertive and abrupt when talking, but don’t mistake it for arrogance or rudeness. It is little more than the style of conversation here. There is little in the way of wasted words and even less small talk. Get to the meat of your point, and don’t be afraid to speak up.

(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

Croatians are very proud of their food, and so they should be. The regional influences are embraced instead of being resisted, with little dabs of Croatian class added to great effect. The traditions of Central Europe and the Mediterranean are very much alive in the kitchens of Croatia. It might also seem like there is a never-ending supply of the stuff, and don’t be surprised to come home from Croatia with a bit of extra padding around the waistline.

(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

Croatia isn’t a huge nation by any stretch of the imagination. What it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in diversity, helped no end by a curious shape that bends around neighbouring Bosnia & Herzegovina and touches on many different parts of the continent. People in Osijek and Đakovo are every bit as Croatian as those in Split and Šibenik, but the Slavonians and the Dalmatians are very different nonetheless. This is true even of the coast – your average person from Rijeka is going to be different than your everyday Dubrovnik gentleman. Take a little bit of time to explore the regional cultures, and you might just find yourself stuck for life.
Dubrovnik Old Town, Europe, Croatia
© Ihor Pasternak / Shutterstock
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

Family is everything in Croatia. An extremely high value is placed on family relations, and they can often act as the social centre of life in the country. Children often live with their parents until they are themselves married, something that many Western visitors might find a little confusing. This isn’t quite as much about being a ‘mummy’s boy’ or ‘daddy’s girl’ as you might at first think – it is just how things have always been here. Blood is most definitely thicker than water in Croatia, whether they like it or not.
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

Despite the confidence and the conviction, Croatia is a nation that often experiences an identity crisis of sorts. For centuries, Croatia has gone out of its way to show that it belongs among the civilised countries of Europe while simultaneously wanting to retain some of the Balkan madness that keeps people coming back to this part of the world for more. Don’t be surprised if someone jumps between loving and loathing both Western Europe and the Balkans in the same conversation. The simple fact is that Croatia is stuck between the two, in a geographical, ideological, spiritual and cultural sense. Embrace it.
(The Balkans = a geographical location comprised of several countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece, and Slovenia.
(This excerpt was cut/paste from the internet, please click on the link below for the full article.)

From Wikipedia: 
Klapa music is a form of traditional a cappella singing in Dalmatia, Croatia. The word klapa translates as "a group of friends" and traces its roots to littoral church singing. The motifs in general celebrate love, wine (grapes), country (homeland) and sea. Main elements of the music are harmony and melody, with rhythm very rarely being very important. In 2012 klapa was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"The old city walls of Dubrovnik are one its best-known features. Built in the 10th century and modified in the 13th and 14th centuries, these formidable walls - as high as six meters and up to six meters thick-provided a solid defense against invaders. Totaling nearly two kilometers in length, Dubrovnik's city walls make a great spot for a casual stroll and offer numerous excellent views over the Adriatic and inwards over the old city center. Other highlights include its two towers, the Minceta Tower and the Bokar Tower, along with two forts, the Lovrjenac Fort and the Revelin Fort. Access to the walls is through the main entrance on the left of Pile Gate (admission is charged)."

"The spectacular Stradun is a place where locals and visitors alike gather day and night to watch the world drift by. Undoubtedly one of Europe's most picturesque pedestrian thoroughfares, the Stradun boasts many cafés and restaurants and is a good spot to rest weary feet after a day touring Dubrovnik. Measuring 300 meters in length and famous for its white limestone paving, the street dates back to 1468, although many of the surrounding buildings were built in the 17th century after the devastating earthquake of 1667, when most of Dubrovnik was heavily damaged. The Stradun's unique homes are designed to enable residential living upstairs and business activities on the main level, and are notable for having their main doors and windows under the same arch."

Standing on the site of an older cathedral dating from the 6th century and destroyed by earthquakes, beautiful Dubrovnik Cathedral-also referred to as the Assumption Cathedral (its full name is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary)-was designed in Baroque style by Andrea Buffalini of Rome. Notable for its three aisles, three apses, and splendid interior décor, the cathedral includes highlights such as paintings by Italian and Dalmatian artists from the 16th to 18th centuries, including Virgin of the Chair by Raphael from the early 1600s. A must see is the cathedral treasury with its many important relics, the most famous being a portion of the cross that Jesus is thought to have been crucified upon. Other famous relics include the head, leg, and arm of St. Blaise, dating from the 13th century, as well as a splendid display of 138 gold and silver reliquaries from around the world.
Address: Općina Dubrovnik, 20000

For centuries, Dubrovnik's famous Pile Gate has served as the main entrance and is still the most interesting access point to this fabulous old city. Formerly surrounded by a moat complete with a drawbridge built in 1537, the pedestrian-only Pile Gate - one of two entrances to the Lapad area - also boasts a pleasant garden in the old moat. Other highlights include a statue of St. Blaise located in a niche in the arch and carved by famous Croatian artist Ivan Meštrović, and, within the ramparts, a door dating back to 1460. Another gate worth seeing is the 14th-century Ploce Gate, just behind the Asimov Tower and designed as a "double defense" system that proved effective in times of trouble. Also imposing and located just across the moat from the Ploce Gate is the Revelin Fort, designed by Tvrđava Revelin in 1580.



The Square of the Loggia in Dubrovnik has long been a central gathering point for citizens and visitors alike. Featuring some of Dubrovnik's most famous buildings and public monuments, the square of the Loggia is in the north east section of the old city center. Highlights include Orlando's Column, built and designed by sculptor Antonio Ragusino, as well as the famous Loggia of the Bells dating from 1480 and used as an early warning system by residents in times of unrest. It's here you'll find the Church of St. Blaise, of interest for its Baroque façade and its collection of priceless works of art. Also of interest on the square are a clock tower from the 15th century, the main guardhouse, and the small fountain of Onofrio.

Dubbed "Dubrovnik's Gibraltar" for its location on a rocky promontory just outside the city's western wall, Fort Lovrijenac has long been one of Croatia's most important fortresses. Rising an impressive 37 meters above the Adriatic, this stunning fortress proved impregnable during the many sieges undertaken by the Venetians from its completion in the 11th century onwards (legend has it the Venetians themselves planned to build a fort here but were beaten to it by industrious city folk). Also notable for its unusual triangular layout with its three terraces, Fort Lovrijenac - also known as Fort Lawrence - is accessed via two drawbridges and a gateway through its impressive walls, as thick as 12 meters in places. In addition to serving as a tourist attraction, the fort is also used as a venue and backdrop for Dubrovnik's famous Summer Festival and its many theatrical and musical performances.
Address: Općina Dubrovnik, 20000


Built in the early 1300s, Dubrovnik's Dominican Monastery was so large that construction required moving parts of the city walls just to accommodate it. Heavily damaged in the 1667 earthquake, the monastery was completely rebuilt in its present form with special attention given to preserving features such as its splendid late Gothic cloister (the original was designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo of Florence in the 15th century). A particular highlight is visiting the monastery's museum with its many 15th- and 16th-century religious paintings in the style of the Dubrovnik (also known as the Venetian) School, along with interesting items of gold and silver and other relics. Be sure to also visit the city's Franciscan Monastery, home to one of the most valuable libraries in Croatia and a fascinating medieval pharmacy with its old decorated jars, measuring devices, and mortars (the pharmacy has been in use since 1317). There's also an on-site museum containing items of historical interest and a fine art collection.

Built between 1438 and 1444, Dubrovnik's famous Big Fountain of Onofrio is probably the best known of the city's many historic monuments. An easy stroll from the Pile Gate, this landmark structure is somewhat smaller today than the original due to damage caused by the earthquake of 1667. An important part of the city's original water supply system (also designed by Onofrio de la Cava) that carried water from the Dubrovacka river, the fountain stands immediately in front of the equally attractive St. Saviour Church (Crkva sv Spasa), built in the early 16th century in thanks for what city elders believed was divine intervention in sparing the city during an earthquake a few years earlier. One of only a few buildings to survive the devastating earthquake of 1667 intact, this small place of worship is well worth visiting for its fine Gothic and Renaissance features.
Address: Ulica od Puča 8, 20000, Dubrovnik

Designed by Onofrio de la Cava in 1435, the Rector's Palace, now home to the city's Cultural Historical Museum, has been much altered through the centuries. A beautiful mix of late Gothic and early Renaissance styles, this splendid old palace was heavily damaged by a gunpowder explosion not long after its completion, later by a fire, and then again in 1667 when an earthquake struck. These days, this well-preserved building is a delight to explore, particularly its pleasant central courtyard (try to time your visit to coincide with one of its regular summer classical music performances). Also of interest is the bust of Miho Pracat, a former merchant from the island of Lopud. Highlights of the museum's collection of 15,000 pieces include many interesting exhibits detailing life in the Republic of Ragusa during medieval times, as well as numerous fine paintings by Venetian and Dalmatian artists.
Address: Općina Dubrovnik, 20000

On the eastern edge of the old town is the Fort of St. John, known to locals as the Fort of St. Ivan. Once an important part of Dubrovnik's defenses, this imposing structure now houses several modern attractions to keep visitors entertained. In the upper area is the Maritime Museum of Dubrovnik featuring displays of Dubrovnik's maritime past illustrated through model boats and naval artifacts, while the lower area contains the Aquarium of Dubrovnik with its many interesting displays of local and exotic fish, as well as a superb collection of seahorses. Also worth a visit is nearby Bokar Fort, designed and built by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi and a great spot to visit for its excellent views over the city and the Adriatic.

More details coming soon