We started outside Pile Gate, where our guide told us about the beginning of what is now called Dubrovnik. There were facts of wall thickness, expansion periods and the strategic choices of location.
Just inside the first wall of Pile Gate we stopped and Andrea told us about the saint who is everywhere in and on the city. We unfortunately could not hear much of this due to a musician who was playing in the small entrance yard and the chatter of the swallows who were preparing for bed. The swallows had been giving could the air show before hand, but now they were returning to the slits in the wall where they had their nests.
Next stop was the more quiet plaza just inside the second part of the Pile Gate. We could look down the main street as well as admire the fountain. Our guide made it were clear that all the fountains in Old Town had drinkable water. It seemed a point of pride to the residents. Andrea talked at length about the history of getting freshwater to the walled city. It was fascinating and worth a read if you get the chance.
The tour was more of a standing tour, then walking. Z has difficulty with standing for longer periods of time. It results in her legs falling asleep. That is the reason why there are less and less pictures as the tour moves along.
In a side street we were told about an inscription a priest had made as a warning to the children of the city, who played ball on the sides of the churches. He warned them that they too would die. Their ball playing was considered to be disturbing those who was buried in the churches - the priest's warning was not ment as a death thread, but a reminder of their own fate.
We stopped at a house, where pictures were hung to remind visitors of the damages that was done to the historic site in 1991 when war came to Dubrovnik.
At Rectors palace our guide pointed out that every house in Old Town looked alike on the outside. This was done to prevent spies to easily identify important homes. Al signes of status and luxuries were kept indoors. All except the Rectors palace. It was the main office of the independent city, Dubrovnik.
There was a stop in the old harbour. Our guide pointed out the location of the aquarium and she also talked about the quarantine history.
Last stop was the plaza opposite Pile Gate connected by the main street. Here were the records of trading kept safe. Since the city was an important go-between during the Ottoman Empire and the European contries under the Catholic church, this is a true treasure to anyone interested in language studies.
This tour was wonderful, there was a lot of the 'boring stuff', which we love. The guide was knowledgable and friendly. We can highly recommend this experience, but if you have trouble with standing be warned there is a lot of standing an listening. We booked the tour though our travel agency.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great and informative 1.5 hours. It was hard to hear the guide at time. It was more a standing then a walking tour, but if you don't have chronic pain that may not bother you.
H&Z
=don’t⭐️= never again
⭐️⭐️= less then expected
⭐️⭐️⭐️= great experience
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️= perfect experience
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️= above and beyond
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