View of Dubrovnik from the city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

I went to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik for the first time this year and I liked it so much that I’m going back there with my family another time. I was only in the Croatian city for a few hours as my daughter and I were there on a post-GCSE Mediterranean cruise with MSC.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is in the region of Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. The city was founded in the seventh century and was an important Mediterranean sea power in medieval times. Despite damage from the armed conflict in the region in the 1990s the city is still a remarkably well-preserved medieval walled city and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When we were there we walked around the defensive city walls, strolled through the marble streets, bought a few things at a street market and had a drink on a café terrace. I liked the fact that the local people who we met were polite and helpful but didn’t hassle us – our previous stop had been Istanbul and my daughter really hadn’t enjoyed the attention that we’d received there. In Dubrovnik nobody hassled us and we felt relaxed. As we queued for the bus back to our ship we agreed that we’d really enjoyed our short visit to Dubrovnik apart from the fact that it was crowded with thousands of cruise passengers, us included. We vowed to return to the city at a quieter time and to explore it properly.

So we’re planning a family trip to Dubrovnik next Spring. We’ve booked our flights using the airline loyalty points which my husband amasses on his business travels (the only consolation to his being away from home so much). James Villas have arranged for us to stay in an apartment at a resort called Dubrovnik Sun Gardens which looks lovely and is a little way along the coast from the city. Now we’re thinking about what to do and where to go when we’re there so when I was asked to review Monarch’s Destination Tips Map I looked at the Dubrovnik tips straight away.

Dubrovnik. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Destination Tips Map

Monarch’s Destination Tips Map shows insider tips for the destinations which the airline flies to including Rome, Venice, Bodrum, Malaga and Lanzarote. The tips are all provided by Monarch cabin crew. I think that this is an excellent idea because the cabin crew go to these places regularly and so must get to know them really well. They’ll know the best places to eat and interesting places to go and things to do nearby. Here are some of the Monarch cabin crew tips for Dubrovnik:

Island of Lokrum

A day trip to the island of Lokrum, 600 metres from Dubrovnik is fantastic. Apparently Richard the Lionheart was shipwrecked here in 1192.

Cavtat

The quaint town of Cavtat is great. It’s just a few miles from Dubrovnik airport and has restaurants along the harbour as well as swimming areas.

Dubrovnik boat tours

The most impressive way to enter Dubrovnik Old Town is by boat. The ferry from Cavtat to Dubrovnik is inexpensive and offers a great views of the coast and the islands.

View of the Adriatic from Dubrovnik city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Dubrovnik city walls

To enjoy the sunset take a walk along the city walls of Dubrovnik Old Town during the early evening.

Dubrovnik cable car

The Dubrovnik cable car costs about 10 euros per person for a round trip and offers spectacular views of the city from above.

Proto Restaurant

This is an excellent seafood restaurant in Dubrovnik Old Town. The corner table on the terrace has the most comfortable seats.

I like these tips, especially details such as which is the best table to sit at in a restaurant – and I’ll definitely be following some of this advice when we go to Dubrovnik.

Do you do research a place before you go there? Do you like these kind of insider tips, do you prefer guidebooks or apps or would you rather discover a place for yourself?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Monarch. I can no longer link to their Tips Map as Monarch have ceased operations.