Day 8 – A visit to Cavtat and a Dinner Cruise

So far we have had eight wonderful stress free days. That is what I love most about a Bus Tour. All the planning is done for you. We just wake up in the morning, and if it is a day when we are on the move, it is just a matter of getting our bag out the Hotel room door by around 7.30am, and from then on our main task is following the Tour Directors instructions. We visit the best tourist attractions, the entry fee is included in the tour cost, and most days the lunch and/or the evening meal is also included. We get the most information possible about every town and attraction that we are visiting, we get guided tours through the towns, and we also get enough free time to discover a few things by ourselves.

The walk around the wall at Dubrovnik was something we chose to do, and it proved a great decision. Other people from our tour decided to take the gondola up the hill at Dubrovnik and see the views from that super high position. They came back with great reports as well.

During the day we selected an add on tour to a nearby town called Cavtat. A lovely little seaside town that has a  half hour walk around the little beaches. The little township was the place for us to have our lunches at a restaurant of our choice.

Across the water in the distance is Dubrovnik
Across the water in the distance is Dubrovnik
The lovely little harbour
The lovely little harbour
One of the little swim beaches
One of the little swim beaches
The walkway
The walkway

The day was beautiful and hot and there were several people enjoying a swim in the warm Adriatic sea. As we walked around I remembered the wonderful feeling that I felt from diving off a boat and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea at The Isle of Capri last year on our ‘Grand tour of Italy and Sicily’. Judy Teresa and I sat with our feet dangling in the sea, savouring the moment, when the decision was made that we would have a swim in the Adriatic!

Feet dangling in and being tempted to jump in
Feet dangling in and being tempted to jump in
Teresa, Lisa and myself were the only ones brave enough to jump in
Teresa, Lisa and myself were the only ones brave enough to jump in
The water was lovely and warm and very salty
The water was lovely and warm and very salty
The secluded place where we swam in our bra and undies!
The secluded place where we swam in our bra and undies!

The swim was fantastic! We ate lunch sitting in our clothes with wet underwear underneath but it didn’t matter in the least. The experience was enough to put up with any discomfort.

That evening we went out for a dinner cruise off Dubrovnik. A few others from the tour (and us three as well) were going to go for a another swim. This time jumping off the boat. The only reason why we didn’t was the fact the there was no ladder, the boat sat high up in the water, and the crew was going to have to pull us back onto the boat! It was hard enough for me to get back up on land from the swim earlier in the day. I couldn’t imagine getting my body dragged up the side of the boat and try to look glamorous as well, so I decided against it. So did the others!

This was the boat we had our tea on
This was the boat we had our tea on

We left Dubrovnik and sailed to a very still bay and had a super meal together. It was such a treat.

Just leaving the harbour
Just leaving the harbour
Our Captain telling us about the evening, and the alcohol :-)
Our Captain telling us about the evening, and the alcohol 🙂
Some of our traveling buddies
Some of our traveling buddies
Me, Teresa and Judy
Me, Teresa and Judy
Eating our nibbles and celebrating the night
Eating our nibbles and celebrating the night
And we are off to sea
And we are off to sea
A very enjoyable time was had by all
A very enjoyable time was had by all
Our meal arrives (Judy and Len)
Our meal arrives (Judy and Len)
Robin and me with our Dinner
Robin and me with our Dinner
Coming back in past Dubrovnik
Coming back in past Dubrovnik
Close up of the fortress
Close up of the fortress
Another view of the wall surrounding the Old Town of Dubrovnik
Another view of the wall surrounding the Old Town of Dubrovnik
Coming in to Berth at Dubrovnik
Coming in to Berth at Dubrovnik
The lovely sunset
The lovely sunset
Dubrovnik harbour
Dubrovnik harbour

What a fabulous evening, and we all slept peacefully and with such happy memories of the day.

Dubrovnik – Croatia

Dubrovnik is what George Bernard Shaw described as ‘Paradise on Earth’. I personally had never heard of the place, but having now seen it, I will never forget it. Imagine an old town with stone paved streets, houses down each side and all looking similar, and the whole place encircled with high stone walls and 16th century bastions. Then imagine a narrow path on top of the wall where you can walk around the town and look down on the roofs and streets. And then adding to the picture in your mind, put the whole place along the seafront. Can you picture it?

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Dubrovnik – with the old town and wall surrounding it near the sea
Happily getting our photo taken with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic Sea as the backdrop
Happily getting our photo taken with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic Sea as the backdrop

The walls run almost 2 km around the city. They are from four to six meters thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city. The walls of Dubrovnik have also been a popular filming site for HBO’s Game Of Thrones for the fictional city of Kings Landing.

Walking along the wall with other tourists on a beautiful sunny day
Walking along the wall with other tourists on a beautiful sunny day
One of the staircases to the wall walk
One of the staircases to the wall walk
And the view going back down!
And the view going back down!

The moment we arrived at the city gates we were in awe!

The bridge to the old town
The bridge to the old town
Entering into Old Town Dubrovnik
Entering into Old Town Dubrovnik
Looking down main street
Looking down main street
Look at the people walking around the wall
Look at the people walking around the wall behind me
Fabulous buildings. Any renovations done and the colour and stone has to be exactly the same
Fabulous buildings. Any renovations done and the paint colour and stone has to be exactly the same
St Blaise's church
St Blaise’s church
Probably the town Hall with the clock
Probably the town Hall with the clock
Fabulous roof view
Fabulous roof view
Look at those pillars
Look at those pillars
Looking fabulous at night
Looking fabulous at night
Look at the architecture!
Look at the architecture!
On of the many steps to the outer houses
One of the many steps to the outer houses
The steps with the lower foot built in so the ladies ankles couldn't be seen by gentlemen (Obviously not from this era)
The steps with the lower foot built in so the ladies ankles couldn’t be seen by gentlemen below (Obviously not from this era)
The church at night
The church at night
The night sky at Dubrovnik
The night sky at Dubrovnik

As you can gather walking around Dubrovnik was an awesome experience. What you can’t see from the photos was the even smaller streets going off in all directions and all the little shops about the place. The walk around the wall was definitely the highlight of the day though. The roof tops and the distant views were wonderful.

Now prepare yourself. There are way too many photos, but they were all so good I couldn’t take any out. If you want a better look at a photo just click on it and it will open up as a bigger photo…. it may take a while to load though…. but will be worth it 🙂

The start of our walk around the wall
The start of our walk around the wall
The houses behind us were ones that are part of Dubrovnik but not in the old town
The houses behind us were ones that are part of Dubrovnik but not in the old town
Robin on the wall walk
Robin on the wall walk
Going up one of the turrets
Going up one of the turrets
Some of the staircases were very steep
Some of the staircases were very steep
The wall meandering through the town
The wall meandering through the town
They just look amazing
They just look amazing
Another view of the roofs of the old town
Another view of the roofs of the old town
Looking across the old town from the wall
Looking across the old town from the wall
One of the turrets
One of the turrets
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Look at the crowd! It got busier as the day went on. Can you see Robin?
Judy enjoying the day at Dubrovnik
Judy enjoying the day at Dubrovnik
Looking down into someones home. She is doing her ironing :-)
Looking down into someones home. She is doing her ironing 🙂
Looking towards the fortress
Looking towards the fortress
The view from one of the highest points
The view from one of the highest points
Another view from the highest point
Another view from the highest point
From a turret window
From a turret window
The view to the fortress
The view to the fortress
From a turret looking out over the harbour
From a turret looking out over the harbour
From a turret looking out to the town
From a turret looking out to the town
A view of the people on main street in the old town
A view of the people on main street in the old town
Looking down at the water fountain
Looking down at the water fountain

Yes I know…. way too many photos. I did say I couldn’t delete any as they are all amazing! Thank goodness we have super Cameras to record these moments for us all to enjoy over and over again.

I have a short video of Dubrovnik for you to look at! Enjoy 🙂