DALMATIA THE DUBROVNIK REGION www.visitdubrovnik.

.hr In the deep south of the Croatian coastline is the Dubrovnik region whose centre, the city of Dubrovnik, in Croatia and across the world bears the title of the "Pearl of the Adriatic". The harmony of the centuries-old buildings and the walls girdling the city are like a fairy tale apparition created for enjoyment. Why visit this part of Croatia? Because anyone who does not is poorer for a visit to a part of heaven on earth and the "second best place in the world" - since the first is always the place you hail from. It is hard to say what makes the Dubrovnik area fascinating: its history marked by the centuries in which the city has flown a flag bearing the word "Libertas" (freedom) or its present day role of a tourist Mecca consisting of a series of picturesque places on the coast and the islands, telling their stories and legends to guests and the chance traveller, always ready to walk you through many centuries in just a few short steps. History in this area lives to this day in the beauty of the buildings and the magnificent artwork left to posterity by renowned sculptors, painters and builders. Just as much so in small places like Ston on the Peljeac peninsula, Korula, upa dubrovaka, Konavle or Trsteno as in Dubrovnik itself. In building summer residences and villas the hand of man and nature appear to have gone hand in hand combining the beauties of nature with those of architecture and horticulture. The end result is one of the today most impressive places on the Mediterranean. NATURAL HERITAGE The natural characteristics of the area are dominated by the mild and warm climate of the Mediterranean south with its lush vegetation, not only Mediterranean plants but also those of the sub-tropics among which lemon and orange trees, palms and agaves are the most attractive. A relatively small coastline is very varied: from the rocky and steep shorelines of deep bays to sandy beaches, fertile plains and tall hills descending to the very sea. The Mljet National Park at the southernmost end of Croatia is considered by many to be the Adriatic's most beautiful island as it has something truly rare a lake in the midst of the island with another island in its midst and a castle on the island - a Benedictine monastery from the 12th century. This mythical picture is as if torn from some beautiful tale, one of which relates that it was precisely Mljet that is referred to with the island of Ogygia on which Odysseus was held in captivity by the nymph Calypso. The seabed offers a remarkable world of the most beautiful red coral. The Elafiti are a group of islands located west of Dubrovnik. The largest of the group is ipan with Lopud and Koloep (Kalamota) being also counted among this group. It attracts numerous tourists with its beautiful landscapes and sandy beaches. The islands are connected to Dubrovnik by daily boat lines. In the course of history the Elafite Islands relied on the city of Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik Republic, in whose possession they had supposedly been from the 11th century. There are 13 islands in this archipelago northwest of Dubrovnik mostly covered by evergreens but only three Elaphiti islands are inhabited: Koloep, Lopud and ipan. The islands were inhabited from ancient times, a fact which is borne out by the remains of Illyrian buildings and Greek and Roman toponyms. The name, 'Elafiti' or 'Elaphitic islands' was introduced

by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century who named the islands after the Greek word 'Elaphos' which means 'deer'. One supposes that the islands were once populated by those animals. Elafiti are mostly covered by evergreens but there is little arable land which is why the population of the three inhabited islands turned to the sea and navigation. Trsteno is the oldest renaissance garden in Dalmatia (1502) and today the only Arboretum on the Croatian coast. It is rich in exotic plants and two giant Oriental Plane trees over 400 years old, unique specimens of this species in Europe. A Baroque period fountain with figures of Neptune and nymphs adorns the garden. The name of the village Trsteno situated some twenty kilometres west of Dubrovnik comes from the Croatian word trstika (cane), which grows in the area thanks to an abundance of water. Two giant Asian plane-trees (Platanus Orientalis), which are more than 400year old, growing in a little square, are considered the biggest trees of their kind in Europe. The greatest attraction in the village is the magnificent Trsteno Arboretum, the only one on the Croatian Adriatic coast, which combines the rich cultural and natural heritage. The arboretum, renowned for its historic gardens and a collection of Mediterranean and exotic plants among which are Eucalyptus and the Camphor-tree, was founded in 1948 in the area of the summer residence of the Dubrovnik Gueti-Gozze aristocrat family. The entire arboretum is a protected monument of garden architecture. Spreading over 25 hectares, the Trsteno Arboretum comprises a number of different units: the historic Renaissance garden with the summer residence, the historic neoromantic garden from the 19th/20th century, the historic olive grove and the natural vegetation of the woods of the Downy oak, Alpine pine tree and cypress, as well as the vegetation of macchia and coastal rocks. The mighty river Neretva that flows from neighbouring Bosnia & Herzegovina enters the sea in a fertile delta near the towns of Ploe, Opuzen and Metkovi, creating an exceptionally fertile farming grounds covered in forests of mandarines and fields of watermelon, while the river itself is a habitat for eels and grey mullet known far and wide as the river's sweet water here mixes with that of the sea. The backwaters of the Neretva, overgrown in reeds, should be visited on a Neretva safari on the traditional local boats called "trupice". The quiet here is broken only from time to time by the call of birds on the marsh. There is an ornithological reserve at the settlements of Vid, Prud and Orepak at which birds stay during the winter while the south-eastern part of the Neretva delta is a spawning area for many kinds of fish. A not-to-be-missed place which nature has granted to the Dubrovnik coast is the Bay of Mali ston that is, on account of the inflow of nutritive salts from the mainland, a water habitat of high biological production, known as a breeding area for shellfish among which are the renowned Oysters of Ston, served at the nearby restaurants. The Island of Lastovo, one of the ten heavenly gardens of the Mediterranean from the list of the prestigious World Wildlife Fund (WWF), from September 2006 with its archipelago and underwater world has been given the status of a Nature park. A HERITAGE OF CULTURE AND HISTORY Dubrovnik is called the Pearl of the Adriatic above all because of its great wealth of heritage in the arts and in history. The famous writer George Bernard Shaw once wrote that "those who seek heaven on earth must come to Dubrovnik." He has been followed in visits and delight by millions of those searching for the dream during the past century in which Dubrovnik has been an unavoidable tourist destination in the Croatian south. Its name is derived from the oak forests that

grew nearby, called locally "dubrave". Every historical story and legend has today its traces and inscriptions in the stone facades of the historical core and the paving stones of Stradun, the surrounding streets, the church of the patron saint St. Vlaho (Blasius), the fortresses among which are Lovrijenac that rises on a steep 37 meter high crag and that costed the Venetians great pains as they threatened the freedom of the Dubrovnik Republic and in the memorials to Dubrovnik's knights and princes, nobles But the most identifiable characteristic of this historic UNESCO protected city is its untainted city walls that circle the city in an unbroken line 1940 metres long. This small state, which had no army of its own, brought its defensive mechanism to perfection using skilful diplomacy and broad consular activities. It managed to preserve its independency by maintaining neutrality in international conflicts, and by using the tutelage of powerful countries, especially that of Spain and the Vatican. The Venetian Republic was its only permanent rival and enemy. The walls of Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik ramparts) are one of the most beautiful and strongest fortress systems on the Mediterranean, full of forts, bastions, towers and separate fortresses. The first fortifications were built already in the 8th century, but the most intense construction took place from the mid of 15th to the end of the 16th century. The Dubrovnik city walls are the major attraction for visitors and one of the best preserved fortification complexes in Europe. The 1940-metre long walls encompass five forts and sixteen towers and bastions. The three entrances to the walls include those next to St Lukes Church in the east, next to St Saviours Church at the Pile entrance to the Old City and next to the Maritime Museum located at St Johns Fort. Of the five existing forts, Mineta, Bokar and St John were built within the city walls complex, whereas the two freestanding ones include Lovrjenac in the west and Revelin in the east. Located at the highest point of the city Fort Mineta protected Dubrovnik from the north. The fort is the symbol of Dubrovniks defence and the flag of our homeland waves on it all the time. In summer you can also see the Libertas flag flying on Fort Mineta. Lovrjenac Fort is situated to the west of the Old City on a 37 metre-high rock. The symbol of Dubrovniks survival and freedom, the fort was used for the defence of the city and the western Pile gate. Above the entrance to the fort is the famed inscription: NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO (Freedom is not sold for all gold in the world). Fort Lovrjenac, also known as the Dubrovnik Gibraltar, is nowadays a famous stage of Shakespeares Hamlet, Macbeth and Julius Caesar. The residents of old Dubrovnik entered the city through two main gates, the eastern gat e at Ploe and the western one at Pile. The draw bridges were pulled up at night to prevent passage to uninvited visitors. Entering the Pile gate, you come to the principal street called Placa or Stradun. The name Placa comes from the Latin term "platea communis", denoting the venue of all major public events. The second name Stradun has a Venetian origin and means a large street. The Large Onofrio Fountain stands at the eastern end of Stradun. It was named after the constructor (Onofrio della Cava) of the 11,7- kilometre long Dubrovnik water supply system from the 15th century, which supplied the stone city with water from the village of umet located in the Dubrovnik hinterland.

The 31-metre high City Bell-Tower with a clock was built in 1444. In 1509 the famous foundryman Ivan Rabljanin cast the bell and the green men Baro and Maro. The Dubrovnik green men on the bell-tower strike on the hour and on the half-hour, repeating the striking after three minutes. Between the City Bell-Tower and Sponza Palace is Lua, the old bell-tower which sounded the convoking of the Dubrovnik Republic council, but also fire and other alarms. Lua was built in 1463, and thoroughly reconstructed in 1952. The monumental Sponza Palace built in the Gothic-Renaissance style preserved its original form till the present day. At the time of the Dubrovnik Republic it housed the customs office and storehouses, and was therefore also called Divona (from the Itaalian word dogana - meaning customs). Apart from the customs office, the state mint, the exchequer and treasury were also situated at the palace, designed by the Dubrovnik master Paskoje Milievi. Today the palace is the home of the major cultural institution of the Dubrovnik Archives. The Dubrovnik Orlando Column is adorned with a statue of the medieval knight holding a sword in his hand. With a characteristic gothic smile on his face encircled with long curls, he is considered one of Europes handsomest Rolands. The Orlando Column is the symbol of statehood. The Baroque church dedicated to the Dubrovnik patron Saint Blaise is located in the Old City centre close to the Orlando Column . On the main church altar is a valuable Gothic statue of St Blaise from the 15th century, the work of the Dubrovnik goldsmiths school. In addition to its artistic value, the statue has documentary worth. Thanks to the city model, which the saint holds in his left hand, the buildings that were to be destroyed later in the the disastrous earthquake in 1667 can clearly be seen. The small votive Church of St Saviour is situated at the beginning of Stradun, between the Pile Gate and the Franciscan Monastery. Preserved in its original form, it is a fine example of the Dubrovnik Renaissance building. The interior of the church is nowadays used for concerts and exhibitions. Old Pharmacy with the artefacts of the Friars Minor Pharmacy (founded in 1317) is located next to the Baroque church at the Franciscan Monastery atrium. Initially it was a monastery pharmacy for sick Franciscan friars, in accordance with the provisions of their order. In the course of time, primarily for humanitarian and charitable reasons, the pharmacy expanded outside the monastery walls and became a public pharmacy. Today it is still in function, and its products include preparations made according to age-old recipes, which are also popular with the tourists. The Dubrovnik Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary exists in its present day form from the early 18th century. According to historic records, the former Romanesque cathedral was an outstandingly luxurious church with a dome decorated with statues. The building features three high naves, three apses and a grand Baroque dome. The Cathedral now houses a rich treasury including paintings and relics, and in its apse stands Titians polyptych the Assumption of the Virgin Mary from 1552. Lokrum Island can easily be reached by boat from Dubrovnik port. There, in addition to the remains of the Benedictine Monastery, is a botanical garden. The island was once owned by Maximilian Ferdinand of Habsburg and is tied by legend to Richard the Lionheart, who is said to

have been shipwrecked on Lokrum in the 12th century on his way back from the Crusade in Palestine. The best views of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area are, can without doubt be experienced from the top of the Sr Hill. The 413-metre high Sr rises northwards from Dubrovnik and it can be reached by road or by a cable car built back in 1969. The monumental Fort Imperial was built in this strategic place during Napoleons occupation in 1810. From the fort the French controlled Dubrovniks sea and hinterlands. Fort Imperial, as the first line of defence, played a major role during the Croatian War of Independence. A huge stone cross stands near the fort. The old cross made of well-known Bra stone was destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence, and the new one - a present from the Bra-Hvar Archbishops District like the old one - was erected after the war. An unavoidable place for rest and relaxation is the Peljeac peninsula, after Istria Croatia's largest peninsula and once a part of the Dubrovnik Republic. There to this day are the walls of Ston, a 5 and a half kilometre long line fortified by strongholds that defended the passage to Dubrovnik. Especially interesting is the town of Orebi, an 18th century maritime centre where to this day the facades of the local family homes show the prosperity and wealth of the families of the sailors who sailed the entire world and invested their earnings into these stone villas and palaces. From back when the global seafarer Marco Polo departed from his birthplace of Korula, an island in the waters of Dubrovnik (his home still stands in the city and can be visited), the knightly town of Korula with its rich history has developed into a kind of stone urban sculpture of orderly lines and is entirely preserved to this day. What makes it special is the municipal architecture, the creators of which wished to have the city's streets, arranged in a fishbone pattern, at all times bathed in sun morning and afternoon, but not during the heat of noon. In honour of the famous seafarer Marco Polo an international festival of song and wine bearing his name is held in July, while a rendition of his sailing into the Korula harbour is held every May. Korula is also the site of a festival of Knights games of traditional sword-play dances, the Moreka, Kumpanija and Motra. Performed in the original 16th century outfits, these dances depict the struggle of the white and black king for the favour of the princess that has been abducted by the black king. The performance is accompanied by a battle march song played by a wind orchestra and is performed every year on July 29th on St. Todor's Day and every Thursday during the tourist season. Only 3 km from Metkovi in the place Vid there are the remains of the antiquity city of Narona, a Roman colony and Emporium that based its wealth on commerce and is the most precious part of the historical heritage of the Croatian south and the most significant archaeological find outside of Rome with over 30 Roman-era monuments. Not far from this historic place there is, every year at the beginning of August, a boat marathon of the traditional vessels of the region, a sports competition on the river Neretva spanning 22 and a half thousand metres. Arts and Entertainment Events Many arts and entertainment event have been spawned on the foundations of the rich and turbulent history of the region, with each tourist destination having its own fair share. They preserve the tradition of folklore, knightly competition, processions and socialising with song and dance. Metkovi is the site every year of the "Moonlight on the Neretva" folklore review. Within these

centuries-old historic walls and buildings there is now the bustle of modern tourism in which every generation can find fun and pleasant recreation, especially during the summer months but also, thanks to the exceptionally warm climate that in mid winter never drops under 10 degrees Celsius, year-round. The Dubrovnik Summer Festival are the premier arts event of the year, not only in Dubrovnik itself but also in all of Croatia. A long tradition, the irreplaceable backdrops of ancient Dubrovnik's stone edifices, numerous premier and sneak premier stagings, the worlds best-known directors, actors and musicians make this festival of arts unique to the world and Croatia. ACTIVE TOURISM The Dubrovnik seaboard and islands are an ideal lace for an active holiday on the coast. The "Cro Challenge" adventure race is held every year in Dubrovnik, Konavle and on the islands of Lokrum and Koloep. The island of ipan is the venue of the MTB Challenge adventure cycling race held on hill and field trails. Cycling trails are marked along the entire coastline and on the islands of Korula, Mljet and Lastovo as "Blue Riding Trails". There are also walking trials in Konavle, Korula and Orebi. Viganj on Peljeac is, along with Bol on the island of Bra a favourite summer destination for surfers with its daily Maestral and southerly winds. Because of its moderate waves Viganj is appropriate for beginners to the sport. There is sea kayaking under the walls of Dubrovnik offering a unique chance to see the city and the more distant Elafiti islands from the sea. A special treat is Dubrovnik's green hinterland. The Konavle hills, within reach of the city, are the site of organised all-day jeep safaris. CUISINE The stunning summer residences and villas of the Dubrovnik region for centuries had the most skilled masters of cooking in their kitchens who discovered the best the art of cooking could offer, creating feasts for the wealthy and their guests from around the world. The Bay of Mali ston offers the unique pleasure of gathering oysters that are bred here practically in front of every house they are best served fresh with a slice of lemon. The Peljeac peninsula is the kingdom of Dinga, Croatia's most prized wine. Besides seafood specialities a special delight are eels from the Neretva River and frogs from that river's valley. The sweets of the Ner etva, Korula and Dubrovnik regions are known far and wide, Arancini (candied orange, grapefruit and lemon peels), the Kontonjata (quince cake), Roata and others. The Neretva river valley is every year the site of organised mandarine harvests in which tourists can take part while the Wine Roads of the Peljeac peninsula and Korula are, because of the quality of the wines produced here, among the most prized in Croatia. ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES The Dubrovnik region has the greatest number of four and five star category hotels in Croatia, the majority of which are in the very city of Dubrovnik and in Cavtat. This is also why it is the largest congress centre on the Adriatic, whose ten congress hotels have at their disposal 20 conference halls and seating four thousand people. The other hotels have a capacity of about 1,200 places. Guests have at their disposal a total of 90 hotels and 73 camps, ten thousand beds in private rooms

and apartments, villas by the sea and in the hinterland. At the beginning of December 2006, the completely renovated Hotel Bellevue opened its doors. Guests can enjoy in the private beach, tavern by the sea and bar. The hotel offers accommodation in 93 rooms and a relaxation spa and wellness centre. This year the Rixos Hotels, a Turkish chain of exclusive hotels, will present its latest project, the first on the Croatian market. It is the Hotel Libertas which the company purchased in 2004. The investment is worth some 50 million Euros. The hotel has 14 floors with 315 accommodation units of which are 298 rooms and 17 luxuriously furnished apartments. The Rixos Hotel Libertas will complete its offer with a wellness and spa centre and congress facilities with a capacity of 1000 people. The opening of the hotel has been announced for May of this year. FAMOUS VISITORS The city of Dubrovnik has over the past few years been the holiday choice of numerous world famous entertainment and arts personalities - from Richard the Lionheart, Wallis Simpson, Prince Edward, Elisabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Michael Douglas, Catharine Zeta Jones, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Richard Gere, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, Kevin Spacey, the fashion king Valentino, Roman Abramovich, Paul Getty, Bill Gates, to celebrities, famed athletes, and virtuoso musicians. Every summer the polished stone slabs in Stradun show the reflection of world-famous persons. Last summer Dubrovnik hosted the Academy Award winner. The City was also visited by the Norwegian royal couple King Harald and Queen Sonia, who were sailing in the South Adriatic on their yacht, Caroline of Monaco, the Prince of Hanover, the Prince of Oman and the king of Jordan Abdulah II as well. The guests of the Chamber Music Festival Julian Rachlin & Friends were the world popular agent 007 Roger Moore and the old friend of Dubrovnik John Malkovich. TRAFFIC ACCESSABILITY Dubrovnik can be reached by air as it has an international airport in ilipi that is connected to all larger European centres by about 40 companies from around the world. By boat there is a direct line from Dubrovnik to Bari in Italy and from Korula to Ancona while local ship lines connect all the islands in the waters of Dubrovnik with the regional centre. Korula can be reached by ferry from Split by way of Vela Luka and from Dubrovnik, Orebi and Drvenik near Makarska, while ferries for Lastovo sail out of Split. MUST: - see the Moreka knight's games on the island of Korula - visit the Mljet National Park - feel the peace of the river on a Neretva canoe safari - taste the oysters of Stone - hear a concert in Dubrovnik by Julian Rachlin and friends

I Give the English explanation and Croatian translation of the following expressions: 1. apparition 2. to hail from 3. captivity 4. archipelago 5. arable 6. to inhabit 7. arboretum 8. Camphor tree 9. Downy oak 10. fertile 11. steep 12. crag 13. untainted 14. tutelage 15. rampart 16. fort 17. bastion 18. founfryman 19. adorned 20. nave 21. apse 22. dome 23. assumption 24. polyptych 25. shipwreck 26. seafarer 27. emporium 28. premier staging 29. venue 30. to breed 31. quince 32. ornate

II Insert the following missing expressions in the below text on the Walking Tour through the Old Town of Dubrovnik: Archives, Monastery, 14th, Renaissance, almost, eastern, tower, processions, aqueduct, Gate, Fountain, night, topped, quickly, drawbridge, statue, market, Gunduli, holds, dedicated, ornate, leaving, Dominican, Ploe, cloister, centuries, St, painters, across, earthquake, Treasury, glorious, highlight, office, revolving.

Walking Tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town

Then, begin your walking tour at Pile Gate. You'll ______ appreciate rich Ragusa's security concerns when you cross over a __________ that was raised every______. There are two massive doors through the walls, an exterior door in a Renaissance style and a Gothic interior door _______ by the statue of St Blaise (left), Dubrovnik's patron saint.

Straight ahead is the town's main street, Placa or Stradun, Dubrovnik's most illustrious feature, punctuated by the clock _____ (left) at the end. Along this wide gleaming street lined with shops and cafes, all Dubrovnik's ____________ take place. It's curious to note that Stradun was actually a part of the sea until the 11th century when it was finally paved over. Notice the Orlando Column on the ________ end of Stradun. It was carved in 1417 and has been a popular meeting place for _______ six centuries!

Right in front of the Pile _____ entrance is the circular Onofrio ________ (named after its Neapolitan builder) built in the 15th century and sporting 16 carved masks. Unlike the rest of Dalmatia, Dubrovnik citizens were not relegated to capturing rainwater; the fountain was connected by __________ with a spring 12 km from town.

Opposite is the Franciscan _________ with the restored sculpture of the Pieta over the entrance door. Inside is the Pharmacy dating from the 14___ century and a gorgeous cloister (left) also from the 14th century. Next to the monastery is the 16th-century St Saviour Church, one of the few __________ structures to survive the earthquake of 1667. Concerts and exhibitions are often held here.

Dubrovnik's Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace (left) which now houses the State ________. You may visit the ground floor and the Museum of the Dubrovnik DefendersMuseum of the Dubrovnik Defenders.

Nearby is the _______St Blaise's church, at the end of Stradun, _________ to Dubrovnik's patron saint. Inside the lavish 18thcentury church is a charming 15th-century statue of St Blaise who _______ a scale model of Dubrovnik in his hand.

The Renaissance _______ you can visit is the Rector'sPalace. It was built in the late 15th century for Dubrovnik's ruler, the elected Rector, who held ______for one month on a _______ basis and was not allowed to leave during his term.The interior has been turned into a fascinating museum with renovated rooms, furnishings and art from Dubrovnik's _________ past.

_________ the square is Dubrovnik's baroque Cathedral. Built in the 18th century after an __________ destroyed the original, the cathedral is still being explored after excavations revealed traces dating back to the 7th century. Don't miss the _________ with its relics from St Blaise and a Madonna attributed to Raphael.

Between the Rector's Palace and the Cathedral is _______ square, scene of a morning ________ and the deluxe Pui Palace hotel, the only luxury hotel in the Old Town. In the centre of town is a ______ (left) of Dubrovnik's renowned poet Ivan Gunduli.

Before _______ town by the ______ Gate; you'll come to the _________ Monastery (left). The art collection here centers on Dubrovnik's finest _______, mostly from the 15th and 16th________. There's also a lovely ________ dedicated to ____ Sebastian.