The stones of Dubrovnik tell a 13-century-long tale of survival. The
Roman city of Ragusa developed into a city-state encompassing the coast
as far south as the Bay of Kotor, the Pelješac Peninsula and nearby
islands including Mljet and Lastovo. On the walls of Korčula Town,
antique cannons still aim across a narrow channel at the village of
Orebić, on Peljesač. That’s because Korčula was an outpost of
Dubrovnik’s rival, the Republic of Venice. Legend has it that St.
Blaise appeared in a vision in 971 to warn Dubrovnik of an impending
Venetian invasion. He’s been revered here ever since. But it’s
appropriate that he’s the saint who is celebrated with the blessing of
throats. After all, Dubrovnik remained independent and prosperous for
more than a millennium on its citizens’ powers of negotiation. Now
Dubrovnik has thrown open its gates to an annual invasion of thousands
of visitors who come to walk its ancient streets, to see the wealth the
city amassed through centuries of trade, and to stand on its mighty
walls and gaze across the crystalline seas. We’ll tell you all you need
to know to enjoy your visit to Dubrovnik and the entire region it once
ruled.
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