Dubrovnik Perfect for a Wedding and a Holiday

There are many reasons to visit Dubrovnik in Croatia, one of which is that it is a very beautiful wedding destination.

We spent a week in Dubrovnik recently. Alison and Ian’s wedding gave us a good excuse to visit the city where we had spent a half day while on a cruise many moons ago.

The ceremony took place in the stunning St Blaise’s Church within the old city walls. And then we returned to the Royal Dubrovnik Resort & Hotel for the reception on a terrace overlooking the Adriatic. It was a stunning venue.

The bride’s dress was just perfect for a wedding abroad and the groom looked cool (despite the warm day) in his linen suit.

I have to include a pic of the mother of the bride, Janice, who looked fabulous in a Rixo dress.

I wore a Rixo dress too, bought last year and GG wore a M&S linen mix suit. My new sunnies are from Urban Eyes in Pavilions Swords and online.  The bag is Orla Kiely (several years old) bought in Kilkenny Design.

 

OLD CITY OF DUBROVNIK

The historic old town is a World Heritage Site and is the most visited city in Croatia. We had been in Dubrovnik about 15 years ago but we walked the walls again. It is a must-do.  It’s only about 2km in circumference, but avoid mid-day in summer as it’s too hot.

You get the most amazing views over the town’s terracotta rooftops.

The walls date back to the 13^th Century and, of course, protected the citizens from intruders. Two gates, Pile Gate and Ploce Gate, had drawbridges that in times past were drawn up at night and the gates locked.

In the 15th Century, under threat from the Turks, further reinforcements were added. The Croatian War of Independence between 1991 and 1995 did considerable damage to the city and its walls, but the walls are intact again and the marble streets are gleaming.

About one thousand people still live within the walls. I loved the fact that their washing was usually hidden behind, but was sometimes visible at the front too.

Prices have increased hugely since our first visit, so I would advise getting a ‘Dubrovnik Pass’. It costs €35 but if you intend to do more than the city walls, it is definitely worth it as it includes admission to many other attractions such as Friars Minor Franciscan Monastery Museum. You also get free rides on the city buses. City bus fares are only 2 euro though.

HOTEL

We stayed in the Royal Neptun, one of 5 hotels in the Royal Dubrovnik Resort & Hotels, and I can certainly recommend it. Staff members were helpful and welcoming. Rooms were pristine and comfortable. Breakfasts were amazing and once we had eaten like kings and queens, we indulged in prosecco. Yes, very naughty. Well, I sometimes added fresh orange juice!

What I also loved was that each of the seven pools was open to all residents in the resort. We did spend some time in the Infinity Pool which was fabulous and never busy.

But the warm, clear waters of the Adriatic beckoned us too. Be warned, it is rocky so it would not be suitable for children.

 

EATING OUT

Eating out was quite expensive, but we enjoyed dining in wonderful restaurants and the views over the Adriatic were beautiful. And it has to be said that the food was exceptional. I ate seafood every night and was never disappointed. One of our favourites was Port 22 outside the Ploce Gate.

We also took a bus ride to the pretty town of Cavtat and returned to Dubrovnik by ferry. Below is the view of Cavtat as we headed back.

WHAT I WORE

For the BBQ on the beach on day two, I wore an old favourite, a maxi I bought in TK Maxx years ago.

And a jumpsuit from Traffic People got some more outings as it is loose and cool in hot weather.

An orange linen shirt is another holiday staple and, of course, my Absolutely Patsy bag was invaluable both for the plane and the beach. If you want to purchase check HERE

FINAL THOUGHTS

The only downside of our fabulous trip was a two-hour delay at Dubrovnik Airport, which does does not have a lot to recommend it.

As always, thank you for reading.

More pics on Instagram.

Hilda xx