Memory Lane: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik was our next stop after Split in 2017, and I remember being so excited to finally see it in real life. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it genuinely looks the part. The moment you step inside the walls, the limestone streets shine under the sun and the whole city feels polished, dramatic, and almost unreal.
We had two days there, and day one was the classic Dubrovnik introduction: a walking tour through the Old Town. We walked along the Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street, where everything feels wide, bright, and busy. It’s iconic for a reason, and even with the crowds it still has that wow factor.
But the part I loved most wasn’t the main street. It was the little side lanes that peel off from it. The quieter streets felt cooler, calmer, and more like the Dubrovnik people actually live in, not just the Dubrovnik everyone comes to photograph. That’s where the city really clicked for me.
One of my favourite moments was seeing the famous staircase in person. If you know, you know. I was literally thinking about the Game of Thrones scene as we walked up, and it made the whole place feel even more familiar. Dubrovnik has that screen-location energy, and it’s no surprise it’s been used again and again, including in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Dubrovnik is beautiful, but it’s also intense. Bright, busy, and the kind of place where you’re constantly weaving through people. We kept things simple, stopping when we could and just taking it all in as we went. The only thing I remember with absolute clarity food-wise is the lemon sorbet, which was genuinely the best one I had on the whole trip.
By the end of the first day, I already knew Dubrovnik was going to be one of those places I’d remember clearly for years. It was everything I expected and somehow still better in real life.
Day two was our big views day, and Dubrovnik absolutely delivered. Between the city walls and the cable car, it was the kind of travel day that stays sharp in your head long after you’re home. The kind where you look back at your photos and think, how is this a real place?
