Top 10 things to see on Lokrum Island

If you're looking for a quick day trip from Dubrovnik, I would highly recommend visiting Lokrum Island. It's a quick 15-20 min boat ride from Dubrovnik and costs 120 Kunas, which includes a round trip and entrance into the nature reserve (i.e. the entire island!) Lots of unexpected sites and hidden treasures.

Leaving the harbour of Old Town Dubrovnik, on our way to Lokrum

The view from the ferry

We left on the first ferry out (9am), so we had our choice on where to sit

Entrance to Lokrum. There are several maps along the way, but it helps if you take a picture of one to follow along the way.

1.) The views from Lokrum are spectacular, some of the best on the Adriatic. Some of the hiking trails are rocky, but don't be afraid to explore them until you reach a dead end. Or, better yet, a view like this!

2.) A secret garden in itself, Lokrum has it's own Botanical Garden with 800 exotic plants from various parts of the world.

Similar to a scene from Dr. Seuss, the Botanical Garden also boasts a variety of exotic bugs and insects.

3.) The free-roaming peacocks and rabbits! Hidden beneath the whimsical trees, this made the island more magical than it already was. Originally brought over from the Canary Islands by Maximilian, they are now the only residing inhabitants of Lokrum Island.

4.) "The Path of Paradise" is the tree-lined path that was created during the time of Maximilian. It'll take you up to Fort Royal, which is the next stop on our list...

5.) Fort Royal is the highest point on Lokrum. It was originally built by the French army in 1806 and eventually completed around 1835. 

Feel free to explore the inside of Fort Royal, entrance is free.

The view from Fort Royal is well worth the hike to get up here. You can see Dubrovnik in the distance.

A bird's eye view of Fort Royal (centered on Lokrum Island) and Dubrovnik.

Can you spot the Fort?

Old Town Dubrovnik, a picturesque European town

Going back to my #1 thing to see on Lokrum...the views! Take some time to sit, unplug, and enjoy the scenery around you.

Old Town Dubrovnik

Each trail leads to something new and unexpected, don't be afraid to take them all

6.) Find the Cross of Triton. It was constructed in honor of the perished sailors from the Austrian war ship “Triton.”

7.) Kayak around the Island. Since Lokrum is so close to Dubrovnik, kayaking makes for another easy way of transporting yourself to/from the Island. Plus, with crystal clear waters, you're bound to encounter some interesting sea creatures.

8.) Float in The Dead Sea (Mrtvo More). This salt-filled sea is rocky, so bring your swim shoes!

The Dead Sea on Lokrum

9.) Climb the Rock formations. Lokrum is composed of limestone and dolomite rocks, which were deposited around 85 million years ago.

Who knew rocks could be so beautiful?

Layers upon layers of history in the making.

The peacocks love the attention and will put on a show for you, just wait and see

10.) Find the city of Qarth and the Iron Throne! Ok, this is also known as the Monastery Complex, which includes the remnants of the basilica (12th and 13th centuries) and a monastery with a cloister garden (15th and 16th centuries).

If you venture around the Monastery, you'll find...

The Iron Throne from Game of Thrones! No lines and no fees to take a picture, what more could you ask for?

Lokrum has so much to offer and even more, including a nudist beach, water reservoirs, a quarantine hospital, gardens, and groves. You would never guess it, but the island is said to be cursed. So, be sure to catch the last ferry out by dusk. The peacocks may even bid you farewell.

Game of Thrones or Real Life?

We took a 3.5 hour ferry ride from Hvar to Dubrovnik (aka King's Landing). It was the one day out of our entire trip where it was rainy and cold for the majority of the day. Not a good day for traveling, but we made the most of it. From the ferry, we took the bus to Pile Gate, which is a drawbridge from the 1500s and the main entrance to Old Town Dubrovnik. It was our first glimpse into scenes filmed from Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik.

Pile Gate is the arched entryway that is pictured here. This was used for many background scenes in Game of Thrones, including the Lannister procession.

The main street of Old Town Dubrovnik is lined with many shops and restaurants. Be careful when it rains, the marble-lined floors are very slippery!

Be forewarned...Old Town Dubrovnik has many steep steps (equivalent to about 8-10 flights of stairs). Thank goodness for our luggage backpacks! Highly recommended, as it would have been impossible for my wife to carry her luggage up those steep steps by herself.

Like many European towns, the rooms are very small, but cozy. Apartments Bottega was in a very convenient location inside of Old Town Dubrovnik. The stone walls added a nice touch to the ancient architecture of the building.

With Bosnia being a close neighbor to Croatia, Bosnian food is easy to find. Taj Mahal was one of such places and highly recommended. A small restaurant, so wait times may be long at peak hours.

Pljeskavica Stuffed With Cheese (think hamburger stuffed with cheese, aka juicy lucy); so tasty packed with flavor

One of the Taj Mahal specialties...rolled veal and turkey in dough filled with mushrooms and cheese

Another background scene used to film Game of Thrones; used for most of the market scenes in King's Landing.

Church of the Holy Annunciation, as Serbian Orthodox church built in 1877

Saint Ignatius Church in Old Town Dubrovnik

Inside of Saint Ignatius Church in Old Town Dubrovnik

One of the most iconic steps in Game of Thrones, the Jesuit Stairs. You all know what was filmed here, the "Walk of Shame."

Cersei's view before she descended on her Walk of Shame.

The Dubrovnik Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral that has been rebuilt several times due to war and natural disasters.

Inside of the Dubrovnik Cathedral

Rector's Palace was closed for renovations while we were there, but it was used by elected rectors to govern Dubrovnik from the 14th century to 1808. It was also used for the scene where Daenerys asks the Spice King of Qarth for ships to take her army across the Narrow sea.

Church of Saint Blaise, a Baroque church that was built in 1715

Outdoor cafes in Dubrovnik are plentiful. The weather was cool in the evenings (late May) and the air was always filled with the sound of live music.

Exploring outside the city walls of Old Town Dubrovnik

The entrance to the oldest pharmacy in Europe, The Old Pharmacy in Franciscan Monastery that was built in 1317.

Franciscan Church and Monastery in Old Town Dubrovnik 

The Cloister in the Franciscan Monastery

Onofrio's Fountains, which was a complex aqueduct system from the 1400s. Croatia has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world (we drank from the tap and didn't get sick) 

St Dominic Street, used in many of the market scenes in Game of Thrones

Malvasija, a quaint little wine bar located on the street leading up to our apartment

Grk is a white wine that is made on the island of Korcula, which is another town that we visited earlier on our trip. Similar to a Pinot Grigio, Grk is a dry wine.

Charcuterie board made up of local meats and cheeses

Malvasija Wine Bar in Old Town Dubrovnik

Cities tend to take on a whole new personality at night. These are some of the same places that were visited earlier in the day. 

The main street of Old Town Dubrovnik at night

Wandering the alleys of Old Town Dubrovnik

Jesuit Stairs at night

Church of Saint Blaise

The port of Old Town Dubrovnik

With a night like this, it's easy to allow one's imagination to wander. To a time of kingdoms, castles, and dragons.

Far from a night that is "dark and full of terrors."

Although night has fallen, the water is so clear and calm that you can see every rock and creature on the bottom of the sea. The bright lights reflect a rainbow of colors, and the misty clouds add to the dream-like trance of this historic land.  

Day Trip to Korcula

This morning we took a ferry from Hvar to Korcula, which took about one hour. Korcula is known as the "mini Dubrovnik" of Croatia. It is an ancient town (said to be founded around the 12th century BC) that is surrounded by walls with a fort in the center. 

The small town of Korcula, surrounded by the Adriatic Sea

A quiet little town, perfect for photo opportunities without large crowds of tourists.

Steps leading up to the Revelin Tower, which dates back to the 13th century. It is the southern entrance into Old Town.

Vendors line the walkway leading you to an incredible view of the sea

The majority of the islands around Croatia are uninhabited (there are over 1,000!)

Walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula and you will see some of the best views you've ever seen. A perfect place to have lunch.

There is a cocktail bar at the top of that tower called, Massimo. You have to climb a narrow ladder to get to the top. It was not open when we were there due to it being pre-season. However, it is said to have some great views.

A walk around the outer perimeter of Old Town Korcula.

Every door and building has it's own unique set of characteristics and history. Each one told it's own story. No telling how long this one has been there.

The crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea 

The center of Old Town Korcula

This is very similar to Dubrovnik and Hvar where you have narrow alleys with lots of steps.

Korcula is said to be the birthplace of Marco Polo. This was his home.

Walking outside of Old Town to explore the rest of Korcula

Because Korcula is such a small town, there is not a whole lot to do (especially in off-season). However, it's beauty makes up for what it lacks in activities.

We literally had the whole beach to ourselves!

Old Town Korcula

We walked back to Old Town to have some ice cream at this cafe.

Gelato is always a good choice in Europe. This refreshing melon gelato did not disappoint.

Plenty of fish in the sea for this lone fisherman

As you can see, there were only a handful of tourists here in Korcula at the end of May. No lines or reservations needed for any of the restaurants!

Zrnovska Makaruni (a traditional homemade pasta with beef) at Pape Pizzeria

Pizza with prosciutto, mozzarella, sunny-side egg, and ricotta at Pape Pizzeria. My wife really loves pizza. Loves it to the point where she would eat it everyday if she could. She said that this beats the pizza we had in Italy (but NOT the calzone from Positano). We even had pizza in Naples...the BIRTHPLACE of pizza! She would go back to Korcula just for this pizza.

My wife shared some (a little) of the pizza with me, but there were no leftovers.

We stopped at this little cafe for dessert before heading back to the ferry. Homemade pies, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats. 

Chamomile tea and a lemon tart. The lemon tart was delicious and not too sweet.

So long, Korcula. You were lovely. Well-worth the day trip and memories that will linger in these photographs. We may have to return to you someday just so that my wife can have your delicious pizza. Until then, we will remember, "take every chance you get in life, because some things only happen once." This holds true for so many things, but today and for us, it means travel and see as much of the world as we can. It's never too early to cross things off your bucket list.

Island Hopping Around Hvar (Bisevo, Vis, and Palmizana)

We were able to reserve a day trip to the Blue and Green Caves by shopping around the day before. Several companies offer various excursions from Hvar, it just depends on how much time you have and what you are interested in seeing. We left the port of Hvar around 9:30am with a return time of around 6pm.

We were grateful for another day of beautiful weather for exploring.

We traveled by high-speed boat, which took us about one hour to get to our first stop, Bisevo. The tour guide recommended that we bring a long-sleeved shirt, which my wife was glad to have because the wind was chilly.

The pier of Bisevo. Compared to the Blue Grotto in Capri, there were not nearly as many boats lined up to see the Blue Cave. We only had to wait about 10 minutes. The procedure was still the same: purchase tickets at the gate, then transfer to a smaller boat that is small enough to fit into the cave.

The entrance to the Blue Cave is straight ahead. As you can see, the opening is very small. You have to duck down inside of the boat in order to safely enter the Blue Cave.

We made it!

The skippers were very skilled in guiding our boat through the small space. Only one boat was allowed in at a time.

We arrived to the Blue Cave just in time, around 11am. A small opening allows just enough sunlight to reflect off the bottom of the cave, which creates the natural blue glow.

The natural glow is created entirely by sunlight, no other forms of light were present inside the Blue Cave. The water was clear enough to see the fish swimming around inside.

Walking around the island of Bisevo, spectacular views of the coastline

We headed back to our boat to continue our day trip to the island of Vis.

Stiniva beach is located on the island of Vis. It is a hidden beach; only accessible by small boat or  by steep and narrow hike.

Stiniva Beach was rated as the "Top Beach in Europe for 2016." As with most of the beaches we've encountered around Croatia, this one was also rocky and the water was cold. Still beautiful, nonetheless.

Since we were there pre-season, it was almost as if had the beach to ourselves.

Just a short boat ride down the island of Vis is the Green Cave, which was much larger than the Blue Cave.  When we were there they were not charging an entrance fee. However, I have since seen that this has changed. Be sure to takes some cash, just in case.

Sunlight enters through a small opening at the top of the cave and reflects off the bottom of the cave in order to reveal the green glow that you see here. For those seeking even more of an adventure, we saw people climbing up the steep side of the entrance to this cave and cliff-jumping into the waters below.

One last stop before we head back to Hvar...

The small island of Palmizana

Each island had it's own unique set of characteristics, but the clear turquoise-blue water was a refreshing and common theme throughout.  

Palmizana Island

As you can see, Palmizana is very small. Just a few restaurants line the shore.

Just a short 15 minute boat ride from Palmizana and we were back on Hvar.

Dinner reservations are highly recommended at Macondo. We were able to secure an 8pm reservation outside (which are usually preferred over inside).

Lobster spaghetti, delicious and fresh!

Frittare (fried fish, shrimps, prawns, squids)

Another walk around Hvar at dusk

Beautiful sunset on Hvar

It's as if the boats are dancing in the water, happy to be a part of such a beautiful place.

Sunset on Hvar

While walking around this evening, we were able to book another day trip from Hvar tomorrow. Almost half-way into our vacation and we are so grateful for how smoothly our trip has gone.

Lately, we haven't planned detailed itineraries or extensive travel plans. We just go. We experience the culture. We make plans based on what we feel like doing in the moment. That's what you do while on vacation. Itineraries can possibly leave one disappointed. Or worse, miss out on an even greater experience.

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." -Martin Buber

And that's the beauty of a true adventure.

Hvar, Croatia

We woke up early this morning to catch the ferry from Split to Hvar, which was about a two-hour trip.  We chose to utilize the ferry for the majority of our adventure around Croatia, but many have also rented cars without any issues.

The bakeries in Croatia are AMAZING! Everything is baked fresh. I highly recommend the burek, which is phyllo dough stuffed with either meat, cheese, or a chocolate/sweet filling. I had this almost everyday.

We arrived around 9am in Hvar, which gave us plenty of time to check-in to our apartment. The apartment was recommended over a regular hotel so that we could stay closer in the heart of the city. It was also much cheaper (around $60 USD/night in late May, pre-peak season).

The views around the port of Hvar were so picturesque. The turquoise waters were so clear that we could see to the bottom.  It was almost as if the boats were floating in thin air.  Every morning when we went down to the port, the boat and yacht owners were eating breakfast with their friends and remained there for the majority of the day. Makes me wonder what else they do all day!

View of the port of Hvar

Take a walk around the island, lots of little hidden beach entrances and spots to discover. You will not find a bad view, even if you try.

Tourism is one of Hvar's biggest industries. If you're not one for crowds, late May is one of the the best times to go (which is also pre-Yacht week)

Although there are several beach entrances around Hvar, make sure to take water shoes if you want to go in. It's a rocky beach and there are sea urchins everwhere!

We were able to walk around Hvar without needing any other modes of transportation. However, you can rent a moped if you'd like to explore the island a little more.

The entrance to Hvar's Fort, also known as Spanjola, which was built in the 16th century.

Just as Marjan Hill is to Split, Hvar Fort holds the best views of Hvar. Just look at this!

View from Hvar Fort

View from Hvar Fort

We spent a good majority of the day here, but who wouldn't?

Another view from Hvar Fort

The entrance to the prison cells of Hvar Fort.

The prisons of Hvar Fort. The windows were just big enough to let light in, but too small for one to climb out. A lonely place indeed.

Why can't the gift shops in the U.S. hold as much character as the ones in Europe? Unfair to compare, I know.

Bird's-eye view of Hvar Fort

St. Stephen's Cathedral in the center of Hvar's town square

Today marked our actual anniversary!  So, we spent it celebrating at this highly-recommended restaurant, Dalmatino's in Hvar (not to be confused with the Dalmatino's we will later visit in Dubrovnik).

They start you off with a carob liqueur to clear your palate

Carpaccio "Amor"; sliced octopus, olive oil, lemons, capers, and fresh bread

Gnocchi "Istria"; black gnocchi with black truffle and shrimp in a creamy wine sauce. I would like to re-name this dish "pillows from heaven." It's one dish that I dream and reminisce about often; one reason alone why I would travel back to Croatia. 

The sea bass with fava beans and feta mousse was also good, but not as memorable as my Gnocchi. The gnocchi was just that good.

Lavender liquor to finish the meal

...or so we thought! Dessert wine, made in-house. Delicious touch to compliment the end of our meal.

Our usual stroll around the city at dusk, waiting for pictures at sunset.

Hvar at dusk

Sunsets always seem more memorable when you're on the other side of the world. Either that, or you make more time to stop and enjoy your surroundings...

Sunset on Hvar

Bird's-eye view of Hvar at sunset. Can you spot the fortress?

Comparable to Split, the Main Square of Hvar has lots of restaurants with outdoor seating. Most of which tend to come alive after 8pm. The marble cobblestone pathways seem to also be a common theme around Croatia, which adds to it's hidden and unexpected charm.

The alleys of Hvar are narrow and filled with many stairs. Keep this in mind if you happen to get an apartment in the city. Luckily, we had rolling luggage that also converted into backpacks. A lifesaver for us!

As mentioned before, night-time shots are some of my favorite ways of capturing the beauty of a city.  Life is calm, the day is done, and everything is back in it's place. We signed up to take a day trip to some surrounding islands tomorrow. Stay posted to see where we go!