Our first stop in Croatia was easily one of the best. We drove north from Montenegro, crossed into the southern part of Croatia, and ended up in Dubrovnik, the country’s most famous city.

Located on the Dalmatian Coast on the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik is surrounded by some of the bluest water I have ever seen in my entire life.

I just wanted to run and jump in it, it was that pretty!

Entering Dubrovnik makes you feel like you’re back in medieval times, crossing the drawbridge that used to be lifted every evening, the city’s inhabitants locked inside.

Dubrovnik’s old city is powerfully stunning. Marble streets are surrounded by imposing stone walls, a reflection of the city state’s former status as a force to be reckoned with.

But it’s not all power. There’s a beauty to the city too, a product of Dubrovnik’s historical renaissance and prosperous artistic and architectural development.

We were lucky(?) enough to visit during the Dubrovnik half marathon. As beautiful as the city is, I can’t picture running a half marathon on those streets! I would just get lost and end up either doing a quarter marathon or three full marathons!

So instead of running, we just took pictures pretending that we had! Good job Josh!

We stopped for our first meal in Croatia, and it was a good one! Josh ordered Monkfish Medallions wrapped in bacon. As ugly as monkfish are, they taste delicious (especially with bacon!).

I ordered fried calamari, and it was perfectly crispy and salty.

Wondering if Kotor’s Cherry Strudel would be outdone, we ordered Apple Strudel as a dessert. It was a close race, I think we’re going to need a lot more samples before we can make a decision!

The number one thing that you must do when visiting Dubrovnik is to walk around the spectacular city walls. From this vantage point, you’re able to get a birds-eye view of the city in all its glory.

During Croatia’s Homeland War, Dubrovnik was pummeled with shells and suffered extensive damage. The city has now been repaired, but you can tell which areas were affected by looking at the roofs. Buildings with bright, new terracotta roofs had to be restored, whereas those with faded roofs were spared.

But it’s not just the old town that you can see from this high. The city walls provide stunning views of the shimmering Adriatic Sea surrounding Dubrovnik.

Walking around the walls, we could picture the ancient guards keeping watch over the water and protecting the city below.

The pictures don’t even do the views justice. The entire time that we were walking the walls, I keep thinking to myself “is this real?!”

Another activity that every Dubrovnik visitor needs to do is to take the cable car from the city up to the top of Mt. Srd.

Once you’re at the top, you’re treated to the most incredible views of Dubrovnik and the Adriatic Sea.

The views just go on forever! They were so beautiful, and made me wish my Dubrovnik visit could go on forever too.

~A