Visiting a great tourist destination under the Biokovo Mountain, the beautiful city of Makarska, you can enjoy yourself strolling around old town passing through narrow stone-paved streets and learning about its history. Of course, there is always more to see. Near Makarska, approximately 2 and a half hour of driving distance, lies the marvellous city of Dubrovnik. On your way to Dubrovnik you also need to cross the border with neighbouring country of Bosnia and Herzegovina passing through Neum, but it is all worth it!
Dubrovnik is one of the most outstanding tourist destinations on the Mediterranean, as well as the seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. According to the theory, Dubrovnik was founded in the 7th century by Greek sailors as a station halfway between the two Greek settlements of Budva and Korčula. Dubrovnik was a part of Ostrogothic Kingdom before its fall and then became a part of the Byzantine Empire. After the Crusades it came under the sovereignty of Venice and a century later, by the Peace Treaty of Zadar, Dubrovnik was given relative independence as a vassal-state. Between the 14th century and the beginning of the 19th century Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state which reached its peak during 15th and 16th century when it became a sea-rival of the Republic of Venice.
Since 1979 old town of Dubrovnik is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site as a unique monument of culture and history. Entering old town you cannot miss the famous street of Stradun which connects western and eastern gate, known as Pile Gate and Ploče Gate. The old town of Dubrovnik is filled with amazing sites to see such as 15th-century Onofrio’s Fountain, marvellous bell towers on east and west ends, Sponza Palace (trading centre and meeting place for business people of the Republic Ragusa) and unavoidable 18th century church of St. Blaise.
If you still haven’t found a reason to visit Dubrovnik for its cultural and historical worth, there is a fact for you: it was also a filming location of Game of Thrones. Interested now?