Delightful Dubrovnik Honeymoon

Arriving late at night, my new wife and I stepped off the plane. I took a long deep breath. Wow! I may never again experience a place with such delightful air.

Stunning vistas are everywhere. The pure mountain air meets the warm sun kissed Adriatic Sea making it a pleasure to breathe and perfect for swimming. Sailing to the many nearby islands is a must, where you will discover old Benedictine monasteries, romantic hideaways and secluded beaches.

Make sure your room has a view of the Adriatic sea. If you arrive at night, you won't see much. As the dark night will only present to you a black glassy sea. When you wake up, immediately step onto your balcony and behold what is before you. Whoa!

Sail to the nearby island of Lokrum. You can spend an entire day viewing the sights like the old fort, the monastery and the gardens. The outdoor restaurant is part of the old monastery and is one of the finest restaurants you will find anywhere.

An entire second day on the island is worth it. Discover your favorite romantic spot and snuggle with your sweetheart. Or get a deep dark tan on the secluded beaches.

Quick Tips:

Visit the local wineries -- experience Plavac. Croatian wine easily rivals the best French and California wines.

Shop in the old town and enjoy the many events that are offerred daily during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Savor the local cuisine, all the restaurants have menus with many favorite local dishes; the ice cream and the seafood are excellent; pizza is done better in the USA.

Your hotel will offer many excursions to the outlying areas of Dubrovnik. These are excellent and will give you a sense of the Croatian culture -- highly recommended.

If you're there during Dubrovnik Summer Festival (July and August), they will have many events including modern dance, native dance (in traditional costume), outdoor symphony concerts, pop concerts, and much much more.

Do as many as possible, the performances are outstanding -- the very best Croatia has to offer.

Best Way To Get Around:

Get a room near the old city where all the action is and walk everywhere. There is much to see in the outlying areas, but unless you speak the language you are better off letting someone else (like a tour guide) do the driving.

Taxi drivers are friendly. I had no bad expereinces, but I used them only to get to and from the airport.

The rooms were small, but clean and well kept. There was no air conditioning in our room, but considering the delightful clean fresh air, we wouldn't have used it even if we did have it. The balcony was something that we looked forward to. After a day of running around, we would return to the hotel, relax, breathe deeply and take in the fabulous view of the Adriatic Sea. There were two single beds in our room instead of one double bed ( a slight inconvenience for a honeymooning couple).

The lobby was done in a modern style, somewhat mismatching the older architecture of the building and the roman gardens in back. The elevators were old and slow.

The location is excellent, a 5-10 minute walk to the Old City where all the action is.

The breakfast buffet exceeded all our expectations. It was free with our room and was served if we arrived before 9:30 AM. It included fresh fruit and juices, eggs, hot meats (sausages, bacon and ham), cold meats, and cereals.

My new wife had three deep tissue massages from an old strong German Masseur. She never felt so good in her life.

The beach and gardens were a delightful place to swim and tan all day.

The Villa Orsula is a villa associated with the hotel. Their outdoor restaurant is a 5-star restaurant set in old Roman gardens overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Combine that with outstanding food, immpeccable service, a 3-piece band that plays and sings heart wrenching love ballads and you have the absolute perfect setting for a couple of newlyweds on their honeymoon.

As the bus trip began the weather was great. The tour guide described the very short river Reka Dubrovacka. The views of the deep blue Adriatic Sea and the Dinaridi Mountains were incredible. As we came around to the Peljesac Peninsula we were informed that it is Croatia's 2nd largest peninsula.

The real action began when we arrived at the Grgic Winery. We were treated to a visit from the owner's daughter who runs the California operations. The Grgic wines have one many of the most prestigious international awards including Gold Medals.

Next was the Bartulovic winery. A traditional winery that has been in the Bartulovic family for many generations. Somehow outlasting the Nazis, communism and all the other political strife that has been a part of this regions history. There we really experienced true Croatian tradition as they included lunch with our visit.

Finally Frano Milos let us taste his excellent and very traditional Croatian wines. By this time we were all feeling very good. Let me say that you need not be a wine connoisseur to enjoy this trip and experience the deep loving traditions of Croatia.

Great wine!

An annual summer festival from mid July to end of August that has something for everyone. During the day it is a family scene where young well heeled European tourists and the indigenous Croatian families come to enjoy the pleasures of the old town shops, the mountains, sun and the beach.

As day gives way to night the shops close and street performers come out. The fire dancers, dance to deep throbbing rhythms setting the mood for the whole night scene.

The young chic Germans, English, French, Russians, and Croatians hit the clubs. Europeans of many languages and cultures come together in harmony to celebrate being beautiful and young.

It is also a celebration of the performing arts. The best that Croatia has to offer in music and dance are performing on stage and in impromptu amplitheaters.

It is an unforgettable place that should be experienced at least once in a lifetime.