28th October 2016: I was lucky enough to go on my fourth trip with Classic Collection, and this time around, the destination was Dubrovnik, Croatia. With plenty of unique architecture and a historic atmosphere, there are plenty of places to wander in this intriguing city.
Getting There
We flew from Bristol, where we had access to the Aspire airport lounge, which was a lovely way to start our trip, especially as we had a 2 hour delay! The flight time was only 2 hours and 30 minutes, so it’s a great place to consider if you want a city break with a short flight. The transfer from the airport was roughly 30 minutes, then we then found ourselves at our hotel, which was a stones throw away from the Old City.
Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera
During our time in Dubrovnik we visited the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera, which is a brand new hotel and only open since summer 2015. My first impression was that the location was a little odd, situated just off a main road and near the only shopping centre in Dubrovnik. However, after looking into it a little more, it’s a good spot if you want to venture out and explore, plus I imagine it is reasonably priced, as it’s not in a main town.
Just 8km from the Old City, it only took us about 10-15 minutes to get there, with Cavtat just a few more kilometres up the road, offering another lovely quiet resort. Walking distance from the hotel is a lovely seafront promenade and the town of Mlini is only 800m away, so with so many different highlights at your reach, it really was the perfect base for exploring further.
The hotel itself was probably one of my favourites when it comes to décor, as it was still new and more contemporary in style, as well as hosting the largest bedrooms in Dubrovnik. No matter what room type you go for here, they will all be the same size, with the only difference being whether you want a park view, side sea view or full sea view room.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik Old City is probably the most famous medieval walled city in Europe, which has been perfectly preserved and saved from earthquakes and attacks. Palaces, churches, chapels, monasteries – Dubrovnik has it all. Close to the Old Town is Banje Beach, where you can soak up some sunshine, take a dip in the sparkling waters and enjoy fantastic views of Dubrovnik’s famous walls.
One thing I would recommend you do would be to eat out at least once, as there’s no better way to immerse yourself in the culture and local lifestyle than with food. We ate in the city the first night and it had such a lovely atmosphere, with countless side streets to wonder round. We could have been walking for hours trying to find somewhere for dinner, but we all settled on a lovely little Italian with an outside seating area up a quaint little side street.
Dubrovnik was a joy to explore, and with such a short flight, it's perfect for those who want a short break somewhere new. From historical buildings and alleyways, sunny beaches and wonderful restaurants, Dubrovnik has something for everyone.
Meg Gardiner, Travel Specialist
