|
|
Dubrovnik Croatia - 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 Croatia 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 Croatia started
before the First World War; quite soon, the exclusiveness of its
attractions made Dubrovnik a powerful international tourist centre.
The sightseeing of Dubrovnik Croatia 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 Croatia 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 Croatia 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 Croatia,
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 Croatia 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 Croatia,
a walk along the town ramparts is a must for each visitor.
A great number of Dubrovnik Croatia 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 Croatia 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 Croatia. An important part of
the Festival are performances of local (Lindo, Lado) and foreign folk
music ensembles.
The artistic life of Dubrovnik Croatia 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 Croatia (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 Croatia during that week are regularly organized.
In the vicinity of Dubrovnik Croatiak, 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.
DUBROVNIK Craotia, 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 Croatia. 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
Croatia and became an integral part of the town. Later on,
Dubrovnik Croatia 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 Croatia 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 Croatia 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 cruiser
port, yacht port and marina for local boats, situated 2 km northwest
of the ancient town core of Dubrovnik Croatia.
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 Croatia is located on the main road (M2, E65). The
Dubrovnik Croatia airport is located in Cilipi.
|