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DESTINATION FOCUS


Set on a TINY, FORTIFIED PENINSULA, the town of Korcula is a LABYRINTH OF MEDIEVAL STONE alleyways and GOLDEN LIMESTONE MONUMENTS.


View over Korˇ cula old city


Dubrovnik In 1511, British traveller Sir Richard Guylford, described Dubrovnik as “the strongest towne of walles, towres, bulwerke, watches, and wardes that euer I sawe in all my lyfe.” Little has changed. Approached from the sea, the sturdy medieval city walls and bastions present an imposing spectacle. In the days of the aristocratic Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808), as Dubrovnik was known, this is the same view that would have greeted foreign merchants, diplomats and sea captains – a city-state set against a dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains. No longer an independent republic, it is nonetheless Croatia’s most popular – and expensive – destination, much loved by the likes of John Malkovich and Sir Roger Moore, both of whom take part in the annual film festival. The main entrance is Pile Gate, a magnificent 16th


-century Renaissance


portal approached via a stone bridge, which traverses a moat, and a wooden drawbridge on chains. Passing through this grand archway, visitors step into a medieval world of timeless stone, where life slows to walking pace, as there are no cars. So beautifully preserved are the walls, churches, monasteries and palaces,


56 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2012-13


the entire complex has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site. Any visit should begin with a walk around the ramparts of the City Walls, a full 1.25-mile circuit. Still following the original 13th


-century ground plan, the


fortifications were elaborated through the course of history, with the addition of towers, fortresses and some 120 cannons. Afterwards, stroll through the old town, starting with a walk down the Stradun, a broad marble thoroughfare running through the heart of the city from Pile Gate to Ploće Gate. Lined by pricey open-air cafes, this is where locals conduct their morning and evening promenades.


F


or a glimpse of how Dubrovnik nobility once lived, visit the Rector’s Palace, housing the City Museum. In


the days of the Republic, the chief citizen, known as the Rector, resided here during his one-month term in office. There is also an unusual collection of clocks, each read- ing the time as 5.45. This was the fateful hour at which Napoleon’s troops entered the city on May 26, 1806, bringing about the fall of the Republic. Nearby, the Baroque Cathedral is


crowned by a bronze cupola, rising proudly above the tile rooftops. Inside,


above the main altar, a 16th -century


polyptych by Venetian master Titian depicts the Assumption of Our Lady, while the adjoining Treasury exhibits a horde of gold and silver reliquaries. Pride of place is taken by the skull of St Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint, encased in a bejewelled golden crown.


A recent addition is the Dubrovnik


Cable Car. The lower station stands just outside the old town walls, and the ride up Mount Srdj takes three minutes. From here, you have stunning views over the city and out to sea, making it a fine way to salute Croatia before continuing your voyage down the Adriatic. 


WHO GOES THERE


The following cruise lines all call into Croatia at various times from April to November: Celebrity Cruises, Crystal, Cunard, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, P&O, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Sea Dream Yacht Club, Star Clippers, Thomson Cruises, Variety Cruises and Windstar.


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