My Guide To Dubrovnik

As you may have already seen on my Instagram (@ainetagon), I recently went on holiday to Croatia. My sisters birthday holiday has become almost a new family tradition over the recent years. The month of May works extremely well with all our calendars and isn't ridiculously priced according to school holidays. Naturally as it was her birthday my sister picked the location, and chose Dubrovnik.

Before this point I had never visited Croatia or even heard of Dubrovnik so I went in completely blind not really knowing what to expect. We booked to stay in Old Town which is the centre of all culture there. Surrounded by city walls no matter where you go it's easy to find yourself again with two main streets in an 'L' shape with lots of little side paths. We landed in the evening and it felt like our flight was a time machine back to some place untouched by the western world. I noticed as wandered the streets how well preserved the area was with only local shops, markets and odd gift shop, it was so refreshing to not see the usual retail giants taking over this beautiful place. Wonderfully lite in the evening I could already tell at this stage how lucky I was to be there when I was. Having recently appeared as the shoot location for the series 'Game of Thrones' the popularity of this town is about to be flooded with tourists.

Things To Do:

One of the first things we were keen to do after the arrival was the 'City Wall Tour'. Staying in Old Town it was fascinating to think almost everything we wanted to do was inside of these walls. Being able to walk around and see everything from the top was something I would recommend everyone does on their trip. Tip: Get up early and do this first thing in the morning to avoid sky high temperatures and the crowds. After this we went to the Fort, again this holds some of the most beautiful views of the area and is placed just outside of the city walls. We finished the evening at one of the cliff side bars as the day turned to evening. It was so peaceful and a place to rest our feet after a long day exploring.

If you want to take a breach from the tourist attractions you can pop to Banje Beach which again is place just outside of the walls. We went on a half an hour walk which brings you to Sveti Jakov Beach, which we much preferred. Although both were stunning locations, Sveti Jakov had less people making it well worth the extra steps. We spent two days there enabling us to get both relaxation and adventure from this trip.

On our last day my sister and I hopped on the Cable Cars, as we wanted to go higher than the city walls. The view from top gave you a great idea of Dubrovnik, both old and new - also displaying what we had out sites on next, Lokrum Island. If you want to go somewhere picture perfect this makes a wonderful backdrop. We went on the boat (meeting our parents) and spent the rest of our day on the Island of Lokrum. Before the trip this was one thing our research pointed us in the direction of, it has so much to offer from history, gardens, wildlife and more. It was good to spend some time somewhere else but that wasn't too far from where we were based.

Food & Drink:

One thing I will say as a vegetarian is that it's always hard with travel knowing if the cuisine will match you dietary requirements or choices. Unfortunately it wasn't the most adventurous in terms of options with the usual pasta pomodoro or mushroom risotto but it was nice enough. One place I would highly recommend if like me you are vegetarian (or it's vegan friendly too) is Nishta. This specialises in veggie food and it's the best feeling knowing there is a menu you can pick anything any everything from. They have a dishes as well as specials that change everyday. Tip: as the only place with so many vegetarian options it gets very busy so book before you go to avoid missing out.

As for drinks we arrived just in time for lots of the openings for summer. Banje Beach was the first place we went for cocktails in the evening, we were pleasantly surprised that the entry got you a free cocktail at the bar which set us off for a great start. They had dancers that took turn with a violinist going over the DJ for entertainment, the later being my favourite. Another good venue to try is Troubadour who offer jazz music whilst you sip on one or more of their delicious drinks. On my sisters birthday we went to Soul Caffe & Rakhija Bar which also had a musical offering whilst old black and white movies played in the distance, perfect to listen to whilst we tucked in to desert and such a special way to celebrate this occasion.

What To Wear:

For the day I mostly stuck to light weight cotton or linen pieces. In this post I wore a jumpsuit I purchased in Barcelona on last years trip, it's something I reach for again and again. Simple shape, cool to wear in the sun and timeless pinstripe print paired with a blazer to protect your shoulders or for when the temperatures drop later in the day.

Shop The Look:

Whether you are at the poolside or spending the day at the beach I always feel more comfortable in a swimsuit. This black one is so easily styled and the plunge neckline and deep back make this design more youthful and sexy to wear. I got this cute polka dot hair tie with this exact hairstyle in mind, been wearing it non-stop since - which my hair condition is seriously thanking me for. I paired with culottes for comfort and a kimono which I think work so well as a cover up whilst you read, listen or lounge.

Shop The Look:

In the evening I always like to make more of an effort even popping on a little bit of makeup to my more bronzed skin. This outfit was my go to night out outfit for a while. I love how classy it looks, only change I made was from heels to sandals which are more suited to the cobbled streets. This body with the straight neckline nods towards the nineties styled with these classic black wide leg trousers which is line with the linear effect. I popped on these statement tassel earrings which seem to be the accessory of the season in a very me, muted pink shade.

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