Our first visit to Dubrovnik was in April 2012 staying at the Valamar President Hotel, just a 15 minute local bus ride from the old city gate. We really enjoyed the city, the friendly people, the Mediterranean feel of the area, and not least the very agreeable warm weather.
We went again in May last year staying, on that occasion, at the Hilton Hotel which is a very short walk from the Pile city gate. This year we again stayed at The Valamar President that has been upgraded from four to five stars in the intervening years. Not only was the hotel even more comfortable and first class, the wifi which was free everywhere within the hotel was superfast. I always found the speed to be between 70 and 80 mbps. I have never had that broadband speed anywhere in the past.
Local places of interest include many islands to which day trips are available. There is a cable car to mount Srd with splendid views across the old city and the bay. Shorter boat trips along the coast to villages like Cavtat allow you to stay as long as you like and return on any one of several boats of the same 'line'. Last year we hired a car and driver for a day to go to Mostar. Day trips to other Balkan countries are also available. We have done those things and so this was just a week to relax and not venture away from the old city and the Babin Kuk peninsular, the No 6 bus route. As a result picture opportunities were limited.
I will post some pictures with captions here first and then add some further notes after the pictures. I hope you enjoy looking at some of my holiday snaps......
The hotel reception. Sunset from the dining room terrace. Standard rooms and the beach.
Pano from the jetty around the beach. The Costa Deliziosa with 2404 passengers leaving for Venice.
Mini jet ski like devices to pull you under water.
A cove within the hotel area. P & O's Oceania departing with Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory blasting from the Tannoy. Perhaps a Brexit spring cruise.
Pano from the beach cafe.
Pile Gate, one of two entrances through the wall to the old city. Cultural posters, the city has many musical and artistic events. Stradun, the main street.
There is a network of narrow alleys with cafes and boutique shops. More cultural posters. Nice little alley restaurant.
Brass band in front of the church. Near the Ploce Gate, the other city entrance. View from our table at a harbour seafood restaurant.
Muted trumpet. Floodlit church roof. Pano of main square.
Evening lights in Stradun. Cocktails for two. Another alley restaurant.
The polished stones of Stradun. Leaving the city. Leaving by Pile Gate.
On an open bus trip, where the cruise ships berth. Looking down on the iold city. Small boats in Orhan Cove.
Orhan Cove restaurant. In Orhan Cove, yellow suits this time Jay, black last time, do you remember?
. Moules Frites, Croatian style in Orhan Reataurant.
Orhan Cove is a favourite spot, a bit cooler this day. Day before returning, a bit miserable but somewher out there is the Costa Mediterranea with 2278 passengers leaving for Venice. Pano of the tiny airport departure lounge, but they only have afew flights per day.
I booked the hotel about 2 months earlier and got 7 nights half board in a superior sea view room for £590 each, booking through British Airways holidays. Checking back I paid £530 each in 2012 for the same deal with Monarch. The week before we departed this time I did a dummy run with BA for the same room, dates, and flights. The price came up at £990 each, room and breakfast only so I got a really good deal.
For travel to Gatwick and return we use a local airport transfers taxi. I pre booked taxi transfers from Dubrovnik airport to hotel and return. Absolutely no problems with either arrangement, both prompt and good service. On the 30 minute return to Dubrovnik airport I chatted to the driver and touched on the war which is still fresh in peoples minds.
He preferred not to talk about the war from his personal viewpoint but he did explain in great detail much of the recent and historical politics behind the events of The Balkans War. Most was entirely new to me so much so that I intend to find an account of the politics of the region that culminated in the 'ethnic cleansing' and genocide that we were all aware of at the time.
Croatia depends on tourism for much of its economy. The war killed this and the driver told me that it took nearly ten years for tourism to Croatia to recover after substatial rebuilding and restoration. The old city of Dubrovnik and the city of Split, a few hours to the north, are both cruise ship destinations. Each will have up to 4 ships call each day and with a total passenger list of 8 to 10 thousand, you can imagine how these small cities a crowded when the cruise ships call.
Evening time is the best time to go into the city for a meal or a drink and just sit and people watch in the cool of the evening. You may have noticed that in many pictures the pavements look wet. It has not been raining, the stone slabs are so polished that they reflect the lights. There are no vehicles in the city so you can wander along Stradun, the main street, and all the little alleys with their restaurants, cafes, and boutique shops, in complete safety.
Croatia is a recent new member of the EU. They will not join the Euro zone but retain their own currency, the Kuna, which is roughly 10Kn to £1. There are some major infrastructure projects that they now hope will proceed to improve their internal road network. They are well aware of the UK referendum and I think it fair to say that people I spoke to from around Europe were mostly of the opinion that the EU is better WITH the UK and they could not really understand how the UK would be better off OUT of EU.
We have decided that we don't need to go to Dubrovnik again but have enjoyed all three visits to this beautiful part of the Dalmatian coast.
I did wonder if anyone is still looking in. 
