Empty but Full - A Winter Experience in Dubrovnik
Published February 12, 2020
January has come and gone without a blog post from this girl. There’s good reason for that, my brother was visiting me here in Croatia for a few weeks! Yay! We spent that time exploring Dubrovnik and the surrounding region.
Winter in Croatia, as I’ve mentioned before, is a bit disconcerting since there are very few tourists or residents. The population of Croatia is just over 4 million people, roughly 700K live in the capital of Zagreb and the rest are dispersed in cities not greater than 175K people (Split). Dubrovnik is a town of 29K residents. Annually Croatia receives 20 million tourists - five times the national population. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Croatia) Those numbers peak in July and August. This January definitely got nothing close to those numbers based on our experience.
If you’re looking for a party scene and plenty of beach time then winter is not the season for you. If you’re looking to really experience the historical sites, still have some lovely, sunny weather and just take your time wandering through side streets and neighboring villages, then you’ll be ecstatic.
What were some highlights and key takeaways from our time in Dubrovnik?
Prices are dramatically cheaper for housing. It can often be half to one-third the cost of high season. An example my brother found was a one bedroom apartment in Old Town for $56/night in winter and $250/night in summer.
Weather is cooler but still has many sunny days. Although winter does see more rainy days than the rest of the year so pack accordingly. I recommend layers that allow you to flex your outfits with the variable types of weather.
Major attractions are open. You want to do a Game of Thrones tour, you can. You want to walk the walls of Old Town, you can. You want to join an organized tour group to Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina, you can. Want a boat tour around Old Town and Lokrum Island, there’s a guy for that. All the local museums were open and we often had the places to ourselves. All the better to get up close and take the time to study things that you couldn’t do with hoards of tourists surrounding you.
Ferries to other islands are on reduced schedules so research in advance if you’re looking to island hop.
Most restaurants in the tourist areas are closed but the few that are open are excellent. And you’ll find some surprising options in the more residential sections of town - Lapad and Babin Kuk. Look for a brochure from the tourism board that tells what’s open and when as Google results are unreliable. When in doubt, call ahead.
It’s cheaper to Uber than take a taxi while walking is free. A ride from Old Town to our apartment cost approximately $4.00 via Uber and $7.00 via taxi. Several of our Ubers were also designated taxis but we still paid the lower rate. Walking is even cheaper if you’re fit enough to handle hills and lots of stairs.
Kitties, kitties and more kitties. I loved all the cats wandering around town. Some were friendly, some were shy, some looked like they were a family pet while others needed some care. They definitely filled my Instagram stories! If you don’t like cats, too bad.
What were some of our favorite places?
These are my Top 5 experiences in Dubrovnik that were interesting beyond what you’ll find in guide books. Well, maybe still a few places that are in guide books. This does not diminish the major attractions, they were certainly beautiful and should be visited, but I share these to encourage you to explore beyond the obvious.
#1 Kupari Beach - This is a former resort of the Yugoslav military elite which was destroyed during the Homeland War in the early 1990s. It is still in ruins despite rumors of potential renovation and rehabilitation. It’s current state is a ghostly reminder of the cost of war, bullet holes are still visible, portions of the buildings are bombed out. Perhaps more importantly it stands as a reminder of the cost of an authoritarian governance. More info here: https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/lifestyle/feature/item/336-kupari-a-resort-still-in-ruins
#2 Homeland War Museum - This war began just about 30 years ago which is very recent and therefore still has a shadow over many lives here. In this museum you’ll learn about the war and more specifically about the siege of Dubrovnik by the Yugoslav army. The local people held out against that army with just under 1,000 fighters. Well worth your time to visit and understand the bravery of these people fighting against tyranny. https://www.absolute-croatia.com/dubrovnik-region/dubrovnik/museums/item/dubrovnik-homeland-war-museum
#3 Gradac Park and other coastal paths - We stumbled across some coastal paths after going through a random gate and down some sketchy stairs along a very busy road. You can see that this must have been a beautiful park in its past but is now a bit neglected. Gradac park is closer to Old Town and has some roomy trails to follow. There are even more paths to the north along the harbor and around the tip of Babin Kuk. Best of all once you enter these areas all the city sounds tend to disappear, the views are fantastic giving you a bit of an oasis to yourself.
#4 Buža Bar - This is definitely in the guide books and I imagine in summer it is a crowded hot spot. Hidden behind a small hole in the wall (literally) is the stairway to Buza Bar. In winter though you can have it to yourself - with a bartender. So grab a beer, a book and enjoy the tranquility and the views.
#5 The Croatian People - ok this isn’t a place but people make places better (or worse) depending on the quality of interactions. I will say that everyone I have met in Croatia has been lovely, helpful and kind. My brother experienced one situation where they were dismissive of tourists but that’s one out of hundreds of interactions so still positive overall. You could be cynical and say of course they treat you well, their economy is heavily dependent on tourism but I would say that’s an over simplification. Hospitality in its pure form is a natural component of Croatian culture even before the tourists arrived.
Now I’m killing time on the Peljesac Peninsula for a few weeks, then heading north to check out Krka National Park. Can’t wait to see some waterfalls and get nature trails under foot again!
Trstenik, Croatia