Dubrovnik

I must say Croatia really surprised me. It is such a beautiful country, especially in terms of its landscapes. I traveled from Split to Dubrovnik by long-distance bus for four and a half hours. Definitely longer than I expected, but the journey was worth it. Many mountains and an incredibly beautiful coastal landscape.

Upon arriving in Dubrovnik, I first had to book my hostel room. I couldn't decide for a long time. Which hostel, what room size? Do I want to be among many people or rather a few? Sometimes these are decisions that I get tired of making from time to time. But if I don't decide, I have to sleep on the street, and I don't want that.

In the end, I chose a hostel near the bus station, a bit farther from the city center, but perfect for my next journey, early at half past seven.

In the evening, I went on another discovery tour to the harbor (where all the cruise ships arrive) and watched the sunset.

In the evening, I met Edgar. A Dane, also traveling, and the next day we explored Dubrovnik together.

So the next morning, we first walked for an hour to the old town. A boring route along the main street, but then we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the old town.

Dubrovnik is also very touristy, mainly because some scenes from the series 'Game of Thrones' were filmed here.

On the way to the old town, I randomly ran into Anna-Lucia again. We had initially said goodbye in Split, and then we crossed paths again. Four times within two weeks, often unexpectedly, is quite funny. The world is really not as big as you think.

So there we were, three of us, strolling through the old town and just letting it soak in.

The old town of Dubrovnik is built on different levels. To reach these, there is only one way, climbing stairs.

The old town is surrounded by a city wall. Here you can really tell that Dubrovnik is a tourist hotspot. The one-time entrance fee for an adult costs an incredible €40. That was definitely too much for me, and we also found free spots to discover the old town from above.

And then it was time for the beach. In the best weather, I could collect stones and pretty shards of glass and finally opened the swimming season. It was cold, but still pleasant, and I managed to swim back and forth a few laps.

Afterwards, we wanted to get a bit higher, but save the gondola if possible. We went right into the residential area and found some really nice spots.

On the way back, we found an easily accessible roof and enjoyed the view.

I actually waited there for two hours for the sunset, and what can I say, it was really worth it again.

Warmly wrapped up against the strengthening wind, I enjoyed the last rays of sunshine with a beautiful view of the old town, without having to spend any money on the gondola.

After the sunset, I made my way back to the hostel in the twilight. When you go up high, you also have to come down again. Of course, via stairs!

After an hour of walking, I was back at the hostel and still had enough time to organize the last things and get food for my next bus ride. Off we go to one of Croatia's neighboring countries.

Another first time: Bosnia and Herzegovina.