Dubrovnik evokes many different images for people. It has the stunning Old City with its iconic city wall that must be walked and endlessly photographed. The Games of Thrones crowd will recognize many of the backgrounds used in the series. (You could travel all through Europe just visiting sets for this series.) But it is also seen by many as the ultimate tourist trap. Cruise ships pull in daily, tourists get herded onto countless buses, everybody gets pushed through the hot, narrow streets for the sights, ridiculously overpriced food and drinks are consumed, and then it's time to get back on the ship for the next Adriatic coastal gem. We fell in love with Dubrovnik for numerous reasons but one of the main ones is that we had it to ourselves. Off season travel has its benefits! We had hoped to stay for four nights but stayed seven because of some health issues. That allowed us to relax, wander, see the surrounding area as well, and get to know some of the loveliest people we have met during our travels.
We stayed in a luxurious AirBnB far away from the Old City and got to know our harbour front neighbourhood. Off season means everything is priced differently and there are no crowds to deal with. We took the local bus numerous times to visit the Old City and used our car to explore the surrounding area.
Travel is about more than sights and we met the most wonderful people in Dubrovnik. Boris and Mirandela were our AirBnB hosts but they became so much more. We spent a Sunday visiting the market and shopping together before they came to our apartment and cooked us the most delicious sea bass supper. We got to know their delightful daughters Sara and Dominica and spent time playing games and visiting. We learned so much about the city, the people, Croatian history, summer versus winter tourism, etc. Dubrovnik will always have special memories for us but the main ones will centre around our time with Boris, Mirandela, and their girls.
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