Hotel Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik

More on Dubrovnik, Croatia

Encircled by the sturdiest city walls, Dubrovnik climbs up cobbled streets, twists along narrow alleyways and opens onto hidden squares. It’s a labyrinth with a sightseeing treat round every corner. The view from the ramparts over terracotta-topped buildings is almost too perfect to be real. Church domes and bell towers rise towards the sky. And here and there are splashes of green – where a tall tree is throwing dappled shade onto an ancient piazza. But it’s not all about the city scene. Lapping at the city’s south-western edge, the Adriatic forms a sparkling blue backdrop to a picture unchanged through centuries. So much for the wider picture. Now home-in on the detail. This UNESCO World Heritage Site may look much as it did six hundred years ago, but it survives because it’s anything but old-fashioned. Along with the monasteries and palaces, there are markets and pizzerias. Intimate bars and restaurants inhabit old-world buildings. In July and August, Dubrovnik’s Summer Festival fills the stone-paved streets with the music of outdoor concerts. The town’s marina is attracting a growing number of yachties – and sailing is second-to-none with so many offshore islands to explore. This city is a one-off.