/countries/show/croatia/1.rss en-us Softly glowing from behind its celebrated stonewalls, the lights in Old Town Dubrovnik pour out over the Adriatic coast. The seasoned streets are full of medieval charm, and on a rare night, undisturbed by any other tourists, I was one of small group of travelers who had the privilege of the place all to ourselves. I came to Dubrovnik by sailboat – the third stop along our Dalmatian coast cruise. Completely unaware of its enchanting power, intensely rich history and lively culture, I was taken happily by surprise. After docking amongst the other beautifully crafted European boats in the harbor, we trailed down the marble streets of Dubrovnik one at a time. Running our fingers over the carvings along these ancient buildings, we hurriedly soaked up the excitement of our charmed opportunity. The walls and buildings of Dubrovnik gleamed softly under the moonlight, and in that moment I could see why Lord Byron called this place 'the pearl of the Adriatic'. Dubrovnik is located at the very tip of Croatia's coast on the Adriatic Sea, and the remarkably well preserved Old Town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the highlights of visiting Old Town Dubrovnik is walking the perimeter of the walls and sea towers that encircle it. The walls are several meters thick and served as fortifications as far back as the 14th and 15th centuries. The 2km walk offers stunning panoramic views and several quaint cafés along the way to help you enjoy the vistas a little longer. After a full day exploring the winding city streets, enjoy dinner at a pizzeria by the sea and stroll down to Placa Stradun, in Old Town Dubrovnik. Placa is the main street and home to a thriving culture from years ago that remains untouched today. Embellished in magnificent stone detail, Placa Stradun is the perfect place for an early evening stroll. Saunter through Old Town Dubrovnik and savor its charming bars and restaurants, often with live music playing, and visitors wandering in and out at their leisure. With fresh caipirinhas in hand, we danced the night away with locals, until night gave way to morning. Sailing away just after sunrise, we were off to our next destination, but my heart and head were still in Dubrovnik, captivated and full of love for this wonderful place. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:58:15 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/old-town-dubrovnik http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/old-town-dubrovnik As the crisp scent of dawn gives way to the break of day, quiet solitude can be found along the waterfall lined trails of Plitvice Lakes National Park. While the morning dew subsides, a winding plank walkway unfolds, lacing together an exquisite collection of waterfalls. Comprised of 16 interconnected lakes, Plitvice Park is divided into the Upper Lakes, Gornja Jezera, and the Lower Lakes, Donja Jezera. The azure waters and distinctive cascades are derived from the location of the basin, which lies on a large deposit of karstic rock. Spanning over 8km, the terraced Plitvice Lakes are sprinkled amongst a lush forest backdrop home to deer, wolves, bears, wildcats and some 160 rare species of birds. The Big Waterfall also known as Veliki Slap, is located on the lower portion of the Lakes series, due to this and the exceptional head on views of mother nature, the preferred route for hiking is bottom to top. Not far from the Big Waterfall lies another popular element of Plitvice Lakes Park, the Supljara Cave, one of many that can be found along your hike. The soft spills of water from one lake to another is a scarce pleasure that Plitvice Lakes promises to provide. Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:42:01 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/plitvice-lakes http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/plitvice-lakes