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 Dubrovnik
A town, port and tourist centre of the southern
Croatian coast; population 49,278. It lies at the foot of the limestone
Srd Mount (412 m), in a valley enclosed to the south-west by the
Lapad plateau and a smaller reef with the oldest part of Dubrovnik.
The ancient town core was connected with the suburban zone on the
other side of the valley by levelling and filling up of a marshy
valley between the Gruz Bay in the north and Stari Porto (Old Port)
in the south, as well as by the construction of the Placa (Stradun).
Stradun thus became the centre of the town and its main street,
connecting two opposite town gates: the Ploce Gate in the east and
the Pile Gate in the west. Upon the construction of the port in
the Gruz Bay, Gruz was gradually annexed to Dubrovnik and became
an integral part of the town. Later on, Dubrovnik extended also
to the Lapad peninsula, to lower parts of the Srd slopes and outside
the town ramparts toward Zupa. The climate of Dubrovnik is characterized
by warm and dry summers and mild winters. The average air temperature
in the coldest month (February) is 4.6 °C and in the warmest
month (August) 26.2 °C. The cold half of the year accounts for
68 % of the total annual rainfall; the spring accounts for 29, the
summer for 14, the autumn for 26 and the winter for 37 rainy days
out of the total number of 105 rainy days. Snow occurs extremely
rarely; with 2,554 hours of sunshine a year, Dubrovnik ranks among
the sunniest towns of southern Europe. In July it has 12.4 hours
of sunshine a day, like Alexandria in Egypt. The vegetation is subtropical
and extremely luxuriant (olives, almonds, citrus fruit, rosemary,
laurel, holm oak, pine, stone pine, cypress). Southeast of the old
part of the town is a tourist zone called Ploce (hotels and beaches),
west of it is Lapad (sports facilities, hotels, beaches, walking
trails), while northwest of it is the Gruz port and Gruz. Economy
is based on tourism and seafaring. The town has a number of cultural
and educational institutions: the Nautical College, the Tourist
College, the University Centre for Postgraduate Studies of the University
of Zagreb, the Institute of History of the Croatian Academy of Arts
and Sciences, the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and other.
Dubrovnik has a town port, the port of Gruz and
a marina. The old town port is protected by the Porporela breakwater;
yachts drawing up to 3 m may dock in it; smaller ships are docked
in the cove of Gornja Bocina. The port of Gruz is a trading port,
situated 2.5 km northwest of the ancient town core of Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik Marina is located in Komolac, in the interior part of
Rijeka Dubrovacka, about 4 km from the entrance to the port of Gruz.
Dubrovnik is located on the main road (M2, E65). The Dubrovnik airport
is located in Cilipi.
Dubrovnik - the city of a unique political and
cultural history (the Dubrovnik Republic, the Statute from 1272),
of world-famous cultural heritage and beauty (inscribed on the List
of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO) - is one of the most attractive
and famous cities of the Mediterranean. Apart from its outstanding
natural beauties and well-preserved cul-tural and historical heritage,
Dubrovnik also offers high-quality visitor opportunities. It is
also the city of hotels, of high ecological standards and tourist
programs, and is equally attractive in all seasons. Its geographical
isolation is compensated by high traffic and communication standards
- especially through air traffic and fast hydrofoil boats.
The tourist development of Dubrovnik started before
the First World War; quite soon, the exclusiveness of its attractions
made Dubrovnik a powerful international tourist centre.
The sightseeing of Dubrovnik and its monuments
requires several days. However, already a walk through Stradun,
through narrow streets and small squares, monumental ramparts and
fortreses, provides enough opportunities to experience the millennial
beauty of its shell-shaped urban core, centuries of building, stone-cutting,
carving and engraving, the history of the Duke's Palace, libraries,
the oldest pharmacy in the south of Europe, etc.
Dubrovnik offers individual choice among numerous
museums and galleries, which contain the jewels of Croatian heritage.
The Dubrovnik Museum in the Duke's Palace keeps
15,500 exhibits in its cultural and historical department. A collection
of furniture from the 17th-19th century, uniforms of dukes and councillors,
aristocratic garments and many other items are exhibited in the
authentic halls of the palace. The Maritime Museum (situated in
the fortress Sveti Ivan) has a number exhibits on a permanent display,
related to the maritime affairs of Dubrovnik and Croatia on the
whole, with a particular emphasis on the history of the Dubrovnik
Republic. The museum of the Franciscan monastery keeps all inventories
of the old pharmacy, as well as the works of Dubrovnik jewel-lers,
painters and embroiders. The museum of the Dominican monastery exhibits
valuable examples of Dubrovnik painting from the 15th and the 16th
centuries, as well as sculptures, jewellery, manuscripts, incunabula
and notes (music). The treasury of the Dubrovnik cathedral keeps
the relics of St. Blaise, patron of Dubrovnik, and numerous paintings
and works of art. The Rupe Ethnographical Museum presents traditional
occupations and the rural architecture of the region of Dubrovnik,
national costumes and hand-made textiles. Very attractive is also
the Aquarium of the Institute of Biology, situated in the fortress
Sveti Ivan, comprising interesting marine species.
Dubrovnik has a number of churches, monasteries
and hotels scattered all over the town. Its coastal belt is adorned
with several marinas, piers and promenades. Because of a magnificent
view on the mediaeval Dubrovnik, a walk along the town ramparts
is a must for each visitor.
A great number of Dubrovnik restaurants and taverns
offer delicious specialities of local and international cuisine.
Sports and recreational facilities include playgrounds, courts and
requisites for all sports in the sea and on the ground, from tennis
and table tennis to sailing and yachting. There are also several
gyms and fitness centres with swimming pools, saunas, massage, aerobics,
solarium, box gyms, etc.
Dubrovnik is famous for quality hotels. Most of
them are situated on the Lapad peninsula and in the area of Ploce,
southeast of the old town. The hotel complex Dubrava - Babin Kuk
on Lapad has all features of a small town. It has a shopping centre,
a bank, an out-patient department, many restaurants and cafés,
and a street called the "New Stradun", which connects
all hotels.
Dubrovnik is the city of an outstanding cultural
and artistic life. The most important event in the cultural life
of the city is the Dubrovnik Summer Festival (10th of July - 25th
of August), traditionally held since 1950. It is a theatre and classical
and folk music festival, since 1956 included in the calendar of
world festivals and as such one of the most famous cultural events
in the world. Concerts and other performances take place on open
stages in the town (Gunduliceva Poljana, Drziceva Poljana, Lovrijenac,
Revelin) or in beautiful interiors of the most famous buildings
(Duke's Palace, cloisters, churches). The repertoire includes works
of Croatian and world classics, performed by the leading personalities
from Croatia and abroad, including a number of world-famous actors,
directors, conductors, etc. So far several hundreds of them have
performed in Dubrovnik. An important part of the Festival are performances
of local (Lindo, Lado) and foreign folk music ensembles.
The artistic life of Dubrovnik is characterized
by numerous exhibitions taking place throughout the year. Apart
from already renowned galleries - the Art Gallery (Put Frana Supila
23), its exhibition space Luza Art Centre (Stradun), Sebastian -
occasional and permanent exhibitions are also held in other spaces
as well.
Very famous are also Dubrovnik carnival festivities
- so-called Dubrovnik "karnevo" (local variant of the
word "carnival"), held ever since the early Middle Ages,
when they were brought from the neighbouring Italy. Another important
event is the Feast Day of St. Blaise, also the Day of Dubrovnik
(3rd of February). The feast takes place for the whole week, including
religious ceremonies, a procession through the town, concerts, sports
events, entertainment and carnival programs. Excursions to Dubrovnik
during that week are regularly organized.
In the vicinity of Dubrovnik, in the gorge of the
Ombla river, is Miho Pracat ACI Marina; it has 450 berths in the
sea and 250 places on the land. Boaters may also use Dubrovnik Marina.
Our recommendation:
"Adria
coral charter" Sailing and motor boats - Dubrovnik
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