Why Dubrovnik Didn't Quite Click for Us

We're huge travel enthusiasts, and we always love reminiscing about our adventures and dreaming up new destinations. But today, I'm going to share a story about a country that my husband has no desire to return to - Croatia, specifically the city of Dubrovnik. At first glance, it seems like this place has it all: stunning natural beauty, incredible architecture, and delicious food. But, unfortunately, we didn't exactly click with the locals.

DubrovnikWe traveled as individual tourists, booking our own flights and accommodations. This time, we stayed in private apartments right next to the Old City. I chose this location on purpose - it was affordable, and the location was a major factor. Yes, I know I say this in every travel review, but location really does make all the difference.

Dubrovnik is an ancient and breathtakingly beautiful city, and its main attraction is the Old City. I thought it would be perfect if we stayed right next to it, so we wouldn't have to spend time and money on transportation.

The apartment we stayed in is located on a hill right across from the Lokrum Island and the Old City. Check out the amazing view!

View from our balcony of the Old City of Dubrovnik

View of the Old City of DubrovnikI've got to say, the views from up here are seriously stunning. We were able to take in the sights like we're gazing at a postcard, all from the comfort of our own little balcony. Of course, getting here wasn't exactly a cakewalk - we had to climb a dozen or so stairs every day. But honestly, I think it's a small price to pay for the breathtaking views and the added bonus of getting some exercise.

View from our balcony of the island of Lokrum

And check out these adorable little boats sailing by

We'd often stumble upon these massive supermarkets)One of the perks of staying in an apartment was having access to the owner's kitchen, where we'd cook our own meals every day. So, we'd regularly head to the local convenience store to grab some groceries. The selection was pretty standard, similar to what you'd find in a UK supermarket like Sainsbury's. I have to give a shout-out to the amazing hard cheese, other dairy products, and the famous prosciutto - air-dried ham sliced into super-thin strips. However, every time we visited the store, we'd notice that they were always out of eggs. By the way, eggs in Croatia are called svježa jaja, which is pretty funny. One day, my eagle-eyed husband spotted the shopkeeper pulling out packs of fresh eggs from below the counter and selling them to the locals. It seemed like they were intentionally hiding the eggs from tourists (us!) and only selling them to their regular customers. That was a pretty unpleasant realization.

Dubrovnik's Old TownDubrovnik's old town is a maze of steep hills, staircases, and narrow streets. Getting to the beach or even the local convenience store required a serious hike up and down those stairs.

I'll never forget the time we encountered an elderly woman struggling to carry a heavy bag of groceries on our way home. It was clear she was having a tough time - she kept stopping between flights of stairs to catch her breath. My husband noticed her and offered to help carry the bag. She looked puzzled, but eventually accepted our assistance. We walked with her for a bit, and then she stopped and said she'd reached her destination, thanking us for our help. Later, we realized she'd actually waited a bit before continuing on her way. It was a strange and uncomfortable encounter, and we weren't sure what to make of it. But that wasn't the end of our adventures with the locals, as I'll explain in a bit.

Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik Old TownIt was nice to balance out the negative with some positive impressions.Despite the awkward encounter, Dubrovnik is also home to some incredible Adriatic coastline. The water is so clean you can see your fingertips when you're wading in it, and there are fish swimming right next to you. I even managed to feed them once! Of course, by September the water is already quite chilly. We visited a few beaches in the area, but my favorite was Banje Beach, which is closer to the old town and our accommodation.

Beach near the Old City

Beach in DubrovnikWe also visited the island of Lokrum, where peacocks and tortoises roam free, and I even stumbled upon a mushroom that looked like a white one. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take a dip in the sea due to the massive boulders - cobblestones. Some of the stones are quite sharp and slippery, making it a bit nerve-wracking to walk on them.

Gates of the Old City Dubrovnik Old CityThe Old City itself is like an endless labyrinth in a magical snuffbox, where you keep discovering new things. The walls and floors of the houses are paved with white marble. As it turns out, some of the houses are still inhabited by locals, while many others are used as guesthouses for the numerous tourists.

Old Town Harbor in Dubrovnik Lokrum Island Turtle on Lokrum Island Pavilion on Lokrum Island Finding a place to stay in the Old Town is a real challenge - the houses all look the same, and there are endless alleys to navigate. But honestly, despite its beauty, I wouldn't want to live there - the air is thick with humidity, the smell of fish is overwhelming, and the mold crawling up the old walls is a real turn-off. But walking around the Old Town is a total blast - it's like stepping into a fairy tale world. Old Town A rocky beach on Lokrum island DubrovnikOne of the highlights of exploring Dubrovnik's Old Town is stumbling upon the numerous small restaurants and cafes. I was particularly impressed by the one near the harbor with stunning sea views. Their massive servings of seafood risotto are a must-try, and we also ordered the squid ink risotto. We paired it with a crisp white wine and a side salad. The proximity to Italy is evident in the abundance of pizza and pasta dishes on the menu. Even on a budget, you won't go hungry in Dubrovnik, with plenty of bakeries, or pekarnica as the locals call them, serving up delicious pastries.

A cafe in the Old TownThe cherry on top of our Dubrovnik trip was the day trip to Montenegro. In just over an hour and a half, we made our way to Kotor and then Budva. Both cities have their own charming Old Towns, but Kotor's stole my heart. Despite the fact that Croatians and Montenegrins speak the same language, the use of Cyrillic alphabet in Montenegro and the Latin alphabet in Croatia is a notable difference. The two countries also have distinct religious affiliations, with Croatia being predominantly Catholic and Montenegro being predominantly Orthodox.

Kotor Old Town

View from a ferry in Montenegro To be honest, the locals in Montenegro are way more welcoming to Russian tourists than the Croatians are - which is a real shame. I'm not sure if it's just a cultural thing.

Kotor Old Town And then there was the whole debacle with going to the airport. We initially agreed to take a taxi, but our host said, 'Why pay extra when we can take the bus for a fraction of the cost?' We rushed to the station to warn the driver, but he was nowhere to be found - and we waited for over an hour for him to show up. The next day, we ran into this taxi driver on the bus stop, and I explained the situation to him. I apologized, but the guy just wouldn't let it go - he was yelling, threatening to have us deported, even asking the bus driver not to pick us up. Luckily, the driver ignored him. I would've been happy to ride with the taxi driver, but we'd already paid for the bus tickets. I spent the entire ride watching this furious taxi driver following us, and it was pretty intimidating.

I have to say, the locals didn't exactly roll out the red carpet for us. I've been to a lot of places, but this was a first. I don't want to think it's just because they're not fond of Russians, but it kind of felt that way. After an experience like that, I'm not sure I'd want to go back to Dubrovnik anytime soon. I'm knocking off a star for the locals' attitude, but I still think it's worth checking out the old town.

Want to read about my adventure on Fukuoka Island on a shoestring budget?

Or maybe you'd prefer to read about my trip to Istanbul?