So we've moved up the Dalmatian coast to Croatia. First point of call, the old city of Dubrovnik (formerly Ragusa) which used to be a rich and powerful place, but lost its mojo when the Mediterranean trade was replaced by the Pacific and Atlantic ones, and when it became owned by Austro-Hungary – not a noted naval power.
So it has what makes a town special for me. A rich past, so big and interesting things got built, and nothing much happening in nineteenth and twentieth centuries to spoil that.
The city has its complete city walls, of about two kilometres. Even better, they are largely original. It would have been my favourite place on earth when I was 12 if it hadn't been in Yugoslavia and out of effective sight.
Sadly, it is so wonderful that much that makes it wonderful has been spoiled.
It's not just the enormous hordes of tourists directly, because we are also tourists, but the follow-on effects.
The prices are incredibly more than we have been seeing recently. In Cetinje, Montenegro in the main street with all the tourists we could get a 500 ml beer for $4. In Dubrovnik it ranges from $9 to $12. To climb the walls to the castle over Kotor with all the other tourists cost $14, but it was $35 to do the walls of Dubrovnik (we think they might be deliberately pricing the walls very high to try to cut down on the numbers – it certainly stopped us doing them). We aren't even staying in Dubrovnik because Alison blanched at the prices, although the small village we are in is much nicer, as it is quieter and there's walks along the sea.
Too many tourists drive out the local restaurants, so that you can find any number of pizza and "Italian" or seafood places, but nothing you couldn't find anywhere else. They even tend to drive out the interesting foods in the supermarkets.
The worst thing, for me, is that the other local sights have been completely ignored – little but interesting things that smaller places would make a big deal of and are a bit different.
We thought we might like to see the amusingly named Walls of Ston (not a typo, the place is called Ston), where the Ragusans built a wall across a peninsular to protect their salt panning operations. However there's no information on it, and getting there was a total mission – despite being just up the coast.
We also thought we might like to see the Ombla River. It's 30 metres long, before it hits the sea. Yup, 30 metres. So, by some reckonings the fourth shortest in the world. But apparently such a sight is of no interest at all (probably since no-one will make any money from it). It's only just out of Dubrovnik too.
The whole coast line is lovely. If there are any walks or cycle trails along it, they keep them well hidden.
It seems odd to me that a site that is suffering from excessive numbers should make almost no attempt to deflect them away.
So Dubrovnik, which should have been a high point, has been a bit of a disappointment to me. Let us hope that Split is better. I'm not hopeful, since it has been a desirable spot since Diocletian thought he would retire there.
Edit
On the way to the bus station to take the bus to Split, our taxi driver explained that it gets much more crowded. Apparently up to six cruise ships can be docking in July and August, so close on 30,000 people, plus every hotel is full. The thought of 50,000 all trying to fit into the old town is horrifying.
So if you do want to visit Dubrovnik, do so in May or October.
It's also a lot cooler then. I know this year has been unseasonably hot, but people were melting in the heat as we walked round, and it's not yet the hottest part of the year. Spring and Autumn aren't exactly cold, though I suppose if you come for the swimming and sunbathing rather than the sights it isn't really warm enough for that.
So it has what makes a town special for me. A rich past, so big and interesting things got built, and nothing much happening in nineteenth and twentieth centuries to spoil that.
The city has its complete city walls, of about two kilometres. Even better, they are largely original. It would have been my favourite place on earth when I was 12 if it hadn't been in Yugoslavia and out of effective sight.
Sadly, it is so wonderful that much that makes it wonderful has been spoiled.
It's not just the enormous hordes of tourists directly, because we are also tourists, but the follow-on effects.
The prices are incredibly more than we have been seeing recently. In Cetinje, Montenegro in the main street with all the tourists we could get a 500 ml beer for $4. In Dubrovnik it ranges from $9 to $12. To climb the walls to the castle over Kotor with all the other tourists cost $14, but it was $35 to do the walls of Dubrovnik (we think they might be deliberately pricing the walls very high to try to cut down on the numbers – it certainly stopped us doing them). We aren't even staying in Dubrovnik because Alison blanched at the prices, although the small village we are in is much nicer, as it is quieter and there's walks along the sea.
Too many tourists drive out the local restaurants, so that you can find any number of pizza and "Italian" or seafood places, but nothing you couldn't find anywhere else. They even tend to drive out the interesting foods in the supermarkets.
The worst thing, for me, is that the other local sights have been completely ignored – little but interesting things that smaller places would make a big deal of and are a bit different.
We thought we might like to see the amusingly named Walls of Ston (not a typo, the place is called Ston), where the Ragusans built a wall across a peninsular to protect their salt panning operations. However there's no information on it, and getting there was a total mission – despite being just up the coast.
We also thought we might like to see the Ombla River. It's 30 metres long, before it hits the sea. Yup, 30 metres. So, by some reckonings the fourth shortest in the world. But apparently such a sight is of no interest at all (probably since no-one will make any money from it). It's only just out of Dubrovnik too.
The whole coast line is lovely. If there are any walks or cycle trails along it, they keep them well hidden.
It seems odd to me that a site that is suffering from excessive numbers should make almost no attempt to deflect them away.
So Dubrovnik, which should have been a high point, has been a bit of a disappointment to me. Let us hope that Split is better. I'm not hopeful, since it has been a desirable spot since Diocletian thought he would retire there.
Edit
On the way to the bus station to take the bus to Split, our taxi driver explained that it gets much more crowded. Apparently up to six cruise ships can be docking in July and August, so close on 30,000 people, plus every hotel is full. The thought of 50,000 all trying to fit into the old town is horrifying.
So if you do want to visit Dubrovnik, do so in May or October.
It's also a lot cooler then. I know this year has been unseasonably hot, but people were melting in the heat as we walked round, and it's not yet the hottest part of the year. Spring and Autumn aren't exactly cold, though I suppose if you come for the swimming and sunbathing rather than the sights it isn't really warm enough for that.
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