| When he wrote that the second most beautiful place in the world was Dubrovnik, the fi rst being that in which we were born, the poet could never have imagined the number of people who would agree with him. Indeed, Dubrovnik still enchants as much as it did Cvijeta Zuzorić with its elegant Renaissance beauty. And for her, verses were written; for her, they sailed the seas... |
 The face of Dubrovnik is caressed by the sun for 2554 hours a year, a fact that few places in Europe equal. This is the face of a monumenttown, one of those favoured by having its place in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. Why it does fi gure in that list is a question that only those who have never visited the city would ask. The redoubtable defensive walls of the one-time city-state are witnesses to the mighty merchant fl eet with which Dubrovnik competed with Venice. Reaching its zenith in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Republic of Dubrovnik became a treasure trove of architectural, diplomatic, scientifi c, literary, and many other skills. Strolling on the stones of the central street - Stradun – the visitor will walk where before him walked the physicist Ruđer Bošković, playwright Marin Držić, poet Ivan Gundulić, and physicist Martin Getaldić. After just a few paces he will arrive at the Onofrio Fountain and Orlando’s Column, the bell tower with its famous clock fi gures, popularly known as zelenci (the green ones), the Dominican monastery, the Rector’s Palace, and the fortresses of Lovrjenac, Bokar, Revelin and Minčeta.
This one-time city-state is set amidst Mediterranean nature of unrivalled beauty. And not only the city. With its autochthonous rural atmosphere the area of Konavli seems to be a complete contrast to Dubrovnik, but it is actually a continuation – a fact particularly visible in ethnographic heritage. Župa dubrovačka enchants with its beaches. The wide delta of the River Neretva is home to rich ornithological and ichthyological reserves. Located on the Pelješac peninsula are the small towns of Ston and Mali Ston, where extensive walls still protect what today are the oldest salt works in Europe, dating from 4000 years ago. The bay of Mali Ston is a paradise for connoisseurs of shellfi sh and other sea food. It is no different on the slopes of Dingač and Postup, where fantastic wines of the same names are reared. The island of Korčula delights visitors with its ancient Moreška sword dance, and its tribute to Korčula-born Marco Polo. The island of Mljet is a national park, and nearby is the island of Lastovo and the Elafi ti isles. And everywhere, but everywhere, are small, sheltered, enchanting beaches.
 
 
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