Overtourism isn’t new, it’s just taken some destinations time to stop seeing the dollar/euro signs ringing up on tills and start seeing the negative effects of what has often been partly their own doing – e.g. not regulating cruise ship numbers, or campaigns which have attracted the wrong sort of tourists. The first time I remember being shocked by the impact of the ‘wrong sort of tourist’ was in Barcelona during a blog trip to Catalonia in 2012.

Behaving badly in Barcelona
The transformation from the previous time I’d visited Barcelona was extreme. Las Ramblas late night was a stag and hen disaster zone. Waiting in line at an ATM I realised the swaying guy in front wasn’t withdrawing money, he was pissing against the wall. The group of bloggers I was with were mostly Spanish, American, and Canadian. The pissed up folk on Las Ramblas were mainly British. It was an embarrassment.
But, and this is a key point, the only place we’d experienced overtourism of this ilk was on Las Ramblas. We were taken to many other city centre locations where the visitor/local balance wasn’t weighted quite so much in the favour of drunken extranjeros.

Something we spotted shortly after moving to Tenerife was the herd habits of many tourists. A significant amount of people follow the same routes when meandering through towns and cities. In Puerto de la Cruz, the seafront promenade between the old town and the new could be jam-packed whilst one street back was crowd-free. Lots of great little tascas and interesting sights remained unseen by the majority of visitors because they were literally off the beaten trail. It was a piece of information which completely changed how we visited popular tourist destinations.

Drowning in Dubrovnik
I regularly read how Game of Thrones has been responsible for overtourism in the old town of Dubrovnik. I’m sure it has brought more visitors, but Dubrovnik had a serious overtourism problem long before GOT raised its tourism profile even higher. We had an exclusive sneak preview of a GOT tour just after the first series to feature Dubrovnik as Kings Landing was screened. GOT hadn’t become so huge at that point, we hadn’t even watched it and bluffed our way around as our tour guide, who’d been an extra in the series, pointed out key locations from the show.
The entrance to the old town, Pile Gate, was a manic war zone of tourists shipped in from cruise ships. It was a nightmare; moving through being almost impossible. A single organism which suffocated the beautiful, limestone-paved Stradun. However, dink up a narrow side alley and it felt like escaping a straight-jacket.

Huge tour groups are the scourge of many a city; touristic cream cheese disrupting the smooth flow through main arteries. However, they don’t clog up minor ones in the same way, which makes them easy to avoid. Once we know tour group routes we’re on the way to avoiding the worst impacts of overtourism.

A tour group antidote in Venice
Cities suffer from overtourism because they’re so popular. And they’re popular because they’re fabulous places to visit. Venice is a classic example. There is no alternative to Venice. It is stunningly unique and the most romantic city we’ve visited. We only got round to doing so in June last year as the ‘too busy’ tag had put us off for years. But it wasn’t that much different from every popular city we’ve visited. The main attractions were mobbed, and the routes between cruise ship and attractions were clogged. However, there is nowhere which isn’t beautiful in Venice and, again, just by veering off the main drag we strolled many delightful and quiet streets lining gorgeous canals. After dark, once the day-trippers had departed, the city wasn’t busy at all. We stayed in Venice twice, the first time was just off Piazza San Marco. The second was in Dorsoduro where the streets were equally charming… and totally devoid of tour groups.

Frantic Florence
It was similar with Florence. Where Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria were claustrophobic with people, Oltrarno on the south side of the river delivered the Merchant Ivory vision of Florence we’d hoped for.

Lively Lisbon
Lisbon suffers from overtourism of a different kind. I don’t tend to notice big tour groups in Lisbon as much as in the likes of Venice or Dubrovnik, they’re absorbed more by the city. But Lisbon’s popularity has exploded over the last few years among independent travellers. Airbnb and similar have capitalised on demand for a more ‘local’ experience, subsequently the personalities of some neighbourhoods have changed. There are pros and cons. Some areas which were seriously dilapidated have been invigorated. Others, which oozed local charm by the bucket-load, have had some of their character erased. Like every other popular city, visitors head to the same spots and tread the same routes. We’d never eat along Rua Augusta as it’s a tourist trap, yet its restaurants are packed daily even though there are far better places in the surrounding side streets. There are neighbourhoods where few tourists wander, between Chiado and Belém for example. As it’s another of those European cities where everywhere you meander is interesting, there are still plenty of crowd-free places to explore.

There’s no disputing these, and other cities like them, have a battle on their hands to balance the needs of the local population with that of a transient one. They are cities of joy, which is why so many want to enjoy them. Straying from the well trodden path helps reduce pressure on over-filled pavements, and spreads the love (i.e. money) as well as visitors around more.

That’s what I tell myself anyway, to ease a conscience which is guilty at wanting to visit already oversubscribed destinations.

We knew there would be historic cities and beautiful landscapes. But the truth is that we had no idea just how overwhelmingly stunning those landscapes in Croatia would be, or that we would be assaulted by mouth-wide-open views that simply never let up.

Possibly the biggest surprise was Croatian gastronomy. We really didn’t know what to expect. What we found was a culinary tradition that, for us, surpassed areas which normally have travel bloggers salivating over their keyboards (I’m especially thinking Morocco and France).

Croatia had it all, putting it right up there as one of our favourite gastro hike destinations

Walking in Dalmatia – A land of emerald lagoons and flamboyant insects
We’ve enjoyed more challenging walking and more dramatic terrain than we experienced in Croatia. However, often it felt like walking in an unspoilt paradise – a Garden of Eden. I’m not sure how much of a reputation Croatia has as a walking destination but in mostly perfect walking weather in May we rarely met any other hikers.

On Hvar, we strolled through olive groves and past tiny historic hamlets, mysterious stone mounds and fields of wild flowers where the scent of wild orange jasmine was borderline orgasmic. One trail emerged at a small farm by the perfect Adriatic Sea and we were treated to a home grown feast during an afternoon so idyllic, it will take some beating.

On Mljet our routes traversed dreamy lakes and dappled forest paths where a flighty army of butterflies and the most exquisite looking insects I’ve ever seen added explosions of colour to the rich green landscape. At one point we caught a boat to an island within an island. At another we emerged at Roman fort beside a picturesque lakeside town and listened to the woes of a woman tending a goat with anger management issues.

Each walk was full of beauty and interest. There was often a tangible feel of walking in the paths of people from great ancient civilisations.

We’re also big fans of city hiking and Dubrovnik and Zadar offered two destinations that were ripe for exploring on foot. Dubrovnik’s streets can be a bit manic, but an escape to the walls both acted as a breather and stole our breaths away. Captivating Zadar didn’t have the same level of tourists but was the huge surprise of the trip that we would have overlooked completely if wasn’t for the fact that Ryanair made it a cheap option to fly there.

Our memories of all those places are filled with warmth, big smiles and a sense of discovery.

Wining & Dining in Dalmatia
From our first meal in Zadar, a world-beating seafood risotto and sensationally savoury cheesy gnocchi, our tastebuds were whooping with joy throughout our time in Croatia (save for two truly bad meals in Dubrovnik).

We were constantly impressed with the diversity of what was on offer; from light Mediterranean pastas and fish and seafood dishes to rich stews (pasticadas) and herby sausages. Traditional Croatian konobas with rustic designs and cosy courtyards were our favourite places to enjoy a varied cuisine that should keep all palates satisfied. Even the accompaniments to the main dishes scored high marks; creamy polenta instead of potatoes or blitva (Swiss chard, potato and garlic), a seriously tasty side dish that’s good enough to eat on its own.

When it comes to wine, Croatia’s is still a bit overshadowed by other European countries. But it has been a wine producing country since Roman times and the peppery, fruity reds we downed enthusiastically were right up our street, especially the Plavac Mali.
What made Dalmatia and other areas of Croatia a dream destination was the huge generosity and infectious humour of the people who offered us drinks at the slightest opportunity. I’ve lost count of the number of free grappas we were plied with – usually a throat stripping one for me and a softer, sweeter variety for Andy. The grappa highlight was at Konoba Lambik on Hvar where they even had a grappa experimental lab.

We were totally smitten by Croatia; its people, landscapes, towns, cities, food and wine. It was one of those places that had all the ingredients that ring our travelling bell.
It is an extraordinary gastro hike destination and we can’t wait to return to explore, and eat, more.

Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+

There’s no arguing the likes of Tenerife and neighbours Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are all decidedly on the beaten track destinations. But here’s the thing I’ve learned about people who stay ‘on the beaten track’. They don’t stray far from the well worn path at all… even in tourist hots spots.

Zoom in close on what that means and you find that even within any one resort in a popular holiday destination and people generally follow the same track as everyone else. We’re only animals in the end and many people find comfort in staying with the herd.

In the town we live there are the ‘main tourist drags’ – the route the majority of people follow to get from A to B. Take a step away from the crowd and head up a side street to walk along any of the streets running parallel to the main drag and it’s a different scene altogether, often it’s where the more interesting places are to be found.

It’s no different in popular beauty spots. The most visited location on Tenerife is Mount Teide. Thousands of excursionists, independent travellers and locals descend on Teide National Park every day. Most of them stick to the same routine. They stop at the Teleferico cable car to get as close to the summit of Mount Teide as possible without actually having to put a lot of effort into walking, and stray a few steps from coach/car to the viewpoint at the Roques de Garcia.

These are the sort of places which are dismissed by people who crave going off the beaten track. Yet anyone who avoids popular tourist attractions is overlooking one crucial piece of information. To go off the beaten track, even in a massively popular tourist destination, often all you have to do is walk a short distance away from the crowds.

Less than a minute’s walk along a dusty volcanic path and the masses are jettisoned. What’s more, the great bulk of the rest of Teide National Park is devoid of people.

It’s more or less the same everywhere.

It was bedlam where our coach deposited us at Great Wall of China, but after a 15 minute climb of a steep section of the wall, we were virtually alone. Generally people who are on excursions don’t stray far from their coaches.

It’s similar with popular cruise destinations. Dubrovnik is chaotic when the cruise passengers descend in their thousands. At least Dubrovnik old town is. The ‘main drag’ through the historic streets is a chaotic sea of people at peak times of the day. Dubrovnik outside the old town isn’t affected by this mass invasion. Even in the old town, the streets away from the established cruise route are often tranquil places to explore, especially if you time your visit to avoid the cruise invasion.

Carcassonne in Languedoc is another example. One of the most popular tourist attractions in France, the medieval citadel is an tourist magnet to the point we couldn’t wait to escape. But the old ‘new’ town which lies at the feet of the citadel is not without charm. It is, however, free of the coach excursionists who clog the arteries of the citadel.

Wandering through medinas/souks in places that are popular tourist destinations, such as Marrakech, can involve an incessant and exhausting assault of offers of ‘help’. Ducking into historic buildings like ancient palaces or old forts is to escape into a people-free oasis of calm.

Cinque Tierre on the Italian Riviera looks enchanting, but I have no desire to visit after seeing photos of lemmings in human form bloat the picturesque streets. And yet I’m sure the same thing applies there as in the places I’ve mentioned; move away from the established tourist and there will be a different scene.

Living on an island known for mass tourism has taught us it isn’t very difficult at all to escape the crowds.

Going off the beaten track in on the beaten track locations is also immensely satisfying. Popular mass tourism hot spots are the last places many people would look for unique travel experiences.

Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+

The city looks as though it could have remained perfectly preserved since the times of the great ancient Greek and Roman civilisations. But there are tell tall signs that all is not as it seems. On closer inspection the tiles are much younger than the edifices they cover. A walk along the city’s formidable walls reveals ruins and scars that are difficult to spot from below.

Just over 20 years ago, in November 1991, The Yugoslav People’s Army launched an attack on Dubrovnik, bombarding the historic city with mortar shells and missiles. By the end of the siege of Dubrovnik 68.33% of buildings had been damaged with eight palaces totally destroyed.

The first signs that the war is not something the people of Dubrovnik want to forget lies close to the Hotel Lapad at Gruž Port. In a small park beside the flotilla of speedboats, fishing vessels and yachts is Sveti Vlaho. A plaque describes Sveti Vlaho as the first battleship of the Croatian army. The ‘battleship’ is the size of a minesweeper. Small in size it may be, but the boat is a symbol of pride and resistance. Nearby, half hidden amongst the trees, is a camouflaged troop carrier that was hastily built to help defend the city.

Further evidence that Dubrovnik wants people to remember their ignominious treatment at the hands of would be invaders lies just inside the main entrance to the old town at Pile Gate; a bottleneck of a city entrance reached via a stone bridge. A map on the impenetrable wall illustrates the extent of the damage suffered by Dubrovnik. Various symbols identify which roofs took a direct hit, which were damaged by shrapnel and which buildings were completely destroyed. There weren’t many homes left untouched by relentless shelling.

It’s a fact which makes it all the more astounding to step through Pile Gate and into a Dubrovnik that looks both ancient and, at the same time, pristinely new.

Ahead, the cobbles of Placa-Stradun have been worn so smooth by the passage of time and the footsteps of traders from across the world, they exhibit a wet and slippery sheen. To the right, the 16 stone maskerons of the Onofrio fountain provide cool refreshment to thirsty travellers. All around, enticing narrow alleys beckon you to explore their dark shadows.

Dubrovnik is immaculate. It is one of those cities that actually exceeds the promise of every glorious photograph you’ve seen of the place.

Although the ridiculously picturesque squares and streets are mainly given over to the pleasure of visitors, reminders of the siege are scattered around the warren of alleys. Some are understated, such as the Memorial Room in Palaca Sponza whose photographs of those who perished defending the city deliver a quietly poignant message that brings an uncomfortable knot to the stomach. Others reflect a more gregarious Croat personality. The house of painter Ivo Grbic is a proud, artistic shrine that has become an exhibition of its own destruction and which delivers a clear message – ‘NEVER FORGET’.

Without these memorials it would be all too easy to stroll perfect streets completely ignorant of the fact that Dubrovnik is a city that has risen like a Phoenix from the flames after defiantly enduring a catastrophic eight month assault just over two decades ago.

Jack is co-editor, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to online travel sites and travel magazines. Follow Jack on Google+

We were underwhelmed at pricey Buza and then presented with a mediocre, microwaved meal that cost us more than any other we’d had in Croatia.

The plan was to buy a bottle of Croatian wine and head back to the Hotel Lapad to sit on our balcony, drinking the wine and wallowing in views over Gruz Harbour.

Trouble is we’d committed the basic error of not taking note of shop closing times. The sexy looking wine shop we’d passed up a side street pre-dinner, when we commented ‘we’ll pick up a bottle there later’, was now closed even thought the night was still young.

Living in Spain, we tend to operate on Spanish time – shops are open till at least 10pm. A booze shop near us doesn’t open till about 11pm. But then I reckon there’s an illicit den of iniquity going on in there as hordes of people go in, yet when you look inside there’s always only one old guy and his equally old mate leaning on the counter having a chin-wag.

The upshot of this is that we’re sometimes caught out with dining times and shop opening hours when we travel.

We could have bought a bottle of plonk in the hotel, but why pay 3 times the price of what you’ll pay in the local off-licence?

The plan was we’d make our way back to Lapad district and hope somewhere would be open en route.

By the time we were 100 yards from the hotel, we were still wine-less.

And then we saw a door in an old stone building beside the port was slightly ajar. The light from inside was a welcoming golden colour and it had a look of a place where we’d find alcohol. Closer inspection revealed the words ‘vinarija’ and ‘winery’ on a long black flag beside the entrance

A peek inside revealed treasure – a couple of old armchairs, a few oak barrels strewn around, a distressed pale blue cabinet filled with wine bottles and a simple but extremely inviting looking wooden bar.

The place was clearly closed but, as the door was ajar, we ventured inside anyway, shouting  hopeful ‘hallos’.

A ruggedly handsome man with chiselled features appeared from another room, his amused expression saying ‘why are there a couple of tourists wandering around my closed winery?’

We explained our plight and the man laughed, motioning we should follow him to the bar. He grabbed some glasses and a bottle of wine and poured three generous measures of Plavac Mali – result.

Mato was a sea captain by trade who, with his brother, has become a wine producer. The wine comes from the family’s vineyards in nearby Peljesac. Like the best wine producers, Mato was passionate about what he was doing and, even though he was officially closed, happy to share his wine and give us a tour of the only truly authentic winery in Dubrovnik.

He didn’t really have to take the time to show us the wine cellar with its rows of bottles and Hungarian and French oak casks; one sip of the dark, fruity, spicy Plavac Mali and we were sold.

It was a wee cracker. Exactly the sort of wine we’d drink all the time if we could get hold of it –  smooth as you like with bags of peppery character. We heard Joe Wadsack waxing lyrical about Croatian wines at the World Travel Market in 2012. Whilst we’d quaffed plenty of good wines in Croatia up to that point, Mato’s Plavac Mali made us realise why Joe enthused so much.

We bought a couple of bottles of the Plavac and let Mato close up properly so that he could get home to his family.

As well as being cock-a-hoop at finding fabulous wine at decent prices, the chance meeting with Mato changed our view of Dubrovnik and the people who lived there… or outside of the old city anyway. He was a genuine and extremely likeable guy who was infectuously enthusiastic about what he was doing. For the first time we felt we’d had a taste of the real Dubrovnik.

Mato’s Plavac Mali is labelled Lekri – which may, or may not be the name of the shop. I’ve heard it also called Skar. Take note, if you see a bottle anywhere don’t hesitate, buy one… or two… or three. The winery is a short distance before the Hotel Lapad.

Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+

Everyone and their dog raving about Buza Bar prompted us to present a different take on the bar. Similarly, glowing reports about the city itself often seem to skip over the whole business of there being an overdose of cruise passengers – something that overwhelmed us when we arrived outside the Old Town for the first time.

The truth is that there is much that we liked about Dubrovnik. It is a beautiful and immensely interesting city and once we broke free from the massed ranks, we were able to experience and savour some of its true riches and hear about some historic and fantastical Dubrovnik tales.

Classic Dubrovnik Old Town

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and an immaculately preserved historic city, located in a peach of a setting, that exceeds expectations in the looks department.

NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO

Barely discernible above the entrance to Lovrijenic Fort, the motto NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO  says much about the people of Dubrovnik and their history. ‘You can’t buy freedom with all the gold in the world’.

Dubrovnik Old Town – On the Outside

Even at the height of the cruise madness inside the Old Town, the bay at Lovrijenic offers tranquil relief… and a great view of Dubrovnik.

Large Onofrios Fountain

One of the first things you see when you enter Dubrovnik by Pile gate is the impressive Onofrios Fountain, originally built in 1438. Apart from looking spiffy with its 16 dribbling maskerons, the Onofrios Fountain is your friend. Fill your water bottles here rather than pay exorbitant prices in the tourist shops.

St Blaise

Even when the streets of Dubrovnik are quiet, the skies aren’t. Poor old Saint Blaise atop his church finds himself swamped by swifts. St Blaise is the patron saint of Dubrovnik, earning his title after appearing in a vision to warn a priest of an impending attack by the Venetians; an act which saved the city as the Venetians were in fact planning a sneaky attack. He’s found all over the place, often looking out to sea – probably keeping an eye out for those pesky Venetians.

The Old Harbour

The harbour has looked much like it does now since the 15th century although the harbour itself is much, much older. The three arches, once the arsenal, date back to the 12th century. Now it’s a restaurant. Some cruise passengers arrive by sea here. We heard a quite bizarre comment by a cruise passenger stepping off the transfer shuttle.
“When I got on this boat I didn’t realise we were coming here,” remarked a man who was clearly quite perturbed.
I desperately wanted to ask him where exactly he thought the little boat was taking him if not to Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik Cathedral

Admittedly, it’s a bit in the background in this shot. As the shadows creep up the walls in the Old Town, Dubrovnik chills out quite a bit and is a much nicer place to spend time in. The Cathedral owes its existence to Richard the Lionheart who survived a shipwreck near Lokrum and was so happy to be breathing air rather than sleeping with the fishes that he vowed to donate the cash to build a cathedral in the city closest to where he reached dry land again. Jackpot Dubrovnik.

The Synagogue

Apart from the Orthodox Jewish paraphernalia outside the oldest active Sephardic synagogue in the world would be anonymous, lying up a narrow side street. Don’t know what Sephardic is? Me neither. Apparently it means the Jews of Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East. Built in 1408, it is also the second oldest synagogue in Europe.

Real Dubrovnik

At times there may seem as though there are only tourists and businesses aimed at tourists in Dubrovnik Old Town but real residents do exist. There aren’t many but they are there.

Rector’s Palace

That the Gothic styled Rector’s Palace still stands is a minor miracle as it has twice been blown up by two gunpowder explosions and partly destroyed by the great earthquake of 1667. Apart from being a cool place for local teens to hang out, inside is the only bust of a plebeian (ordinary bloke) in Dubrovnik, Miho Pracat, a rich ship owner from Lopud who made his fortune after being inspired by a persistent lizard trying to climb a wall (if only it were that easy). Why the bust? He left a lot of his fortune to the city. Money talks. But it don’t sing and dance. And it don’t walk.

There are plenty more interesting historic curios in Dubrovnik – the statue where it’s good luck to rub its ‘bits’ or another statue which, apart from being used to measure cloth, was where you’d be publicly flogged, or worse, if you committed adultery or other crimes of the time.

Explore and ye shall discover many more treasures.

Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+

Driving into a city for the first time can be quite a daunting task. But finding the Hotel Lapad beside  Gruž harbour was remarkably easy. After crossing the Dubrovnik Bridge we simply followed the road around the bay till we reached the hotel’s car park beside the main building. From then on the car was dumped until we left. It was a stress free way to arrive at a hotel in a thriving city and in some ways it felt more like arriving at a seaside resort than a major European city.

Our View
Dubrovnik old town can be a bit mad, so having a base in a quiet area beside the bay provides relief from the bustle of the old town. It’s not too far to walk to catch a bus into town and there are bars and restaurants nearby if you don’t feel like making the trip into the historic centre. There’s a great little wine shop very close to the hotel for picking up a bottle to enjoy on your balcony… if you have one.

The Hotel Lapad looks like one of those grand hotels from another era, its lovely Victorian façade lending it a style that is befitting of the halcyon days of travel. Inside, an old sweeping, stone staircase is brought up to date with some contemporary touches and art work. This blend of old and new is carried throughout the hotel.

Staff all look prim and proper in immaculate matching uniforms and are professionally courteous. In every way the Hotel Lapad looks and plays the part of a grand old dame, albeit one wearing the latest glad-rags. Maybe it was after the casual and sincere friendliness of Hotel Podstine on Hvar, but we felt that the air of grandness could occasionally slip into something that felt more like aloofness.

Rooms

The rooms are of a good size and are stylishly modern with soothing scenes of lapping waves above the bed, big flat screen TVs and a cool bathroom with glass walls which we loved. There’s air conditioning, wi-fi, a hairdryer in the bathroom, mini bar and a safe. The contemporary, comfortable style suited us. Our room also had a tiny balcony which we both could just about squeeze into to enjoy a local wine with (side) views of the bay. Not all rooms have a balcony.

Facilities

The most popular attraction at the Hotel Lapad seems to be the swimming pool in front of the hotel. Although the hotel has an olde world ambience, it also bizarrely has the air of a beach resort hotel about it. Some people would arrive at breakfast in outfits that seemed more appropriate to a holiday in the sun than a stay in a city centre hotel. That freaked me a bit. It gave the Hotel Lapad a bit of a split personality. But the swimming pool area was perpetually packed so obviously many guests look for and enjoy the beach resort element.

The dining room is large and it has to be as it can be extremely busy in the morning. We only ate breakfast there so can only comment on that. There was an excellent selection that was kept well stocked. The only criticism is the hot options were more like the lukewarm options.

The hotel also has an attractive bar with an open air terrace overlooking the pool. When we were there most people chose to sit on the terrace, possibly because the music in the bar drove them outside.

Ultimately, the Hotel Lapad is an exquisite looking and professionally run hotel which deservedly earns it good customer reviews. It’s in a good location that offers the best of Dubrovnik’s worlds (it’s a 10 minute walk to the regular bus service into the old town and reception staff can sell you tickets. Incidentally, the return bus drops you off right outside the hotel).

Hotel Lapad, Lapadska obala 37; Dubrovnik; tel: +3385 20 455 555; double rooms with breakfast cost from around €109 in low season to €240 in high season

Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+

In front of us, people sat in a neat-ish row quietly looking out to sea as if waiting for a show to start.

I’d first read about Café Buza on Tripadvisor a couple of years ago. Rave reviews waxed lyrical about this ‘hidden away’ bar with ‘stupendous views’ and ‘wonderful sunsets’. It was the bar to visit in Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik is an immaculate and unbelievably beautiful city; one of those locations where you can Photoshop and Instagram the hell out of it and it’s still going to look better in reality.

Saying that, just about every business inside the city wall seems to exist to meet the needs of tourists. Café Buza isn’t the sort of bar where you’re going stumble across gregarious locals enjoying beers and breaking into impromptu song or anything like that. It’s the sort of bar where the people around you are the same as you – visitors. I’ve been in plenty of great bars around the world that are frequented mainly by visitors and, being one myself, don’t consider it a reason not to like a place.

Finding Café Buza isn’t too difficult. There’s a hole in the old walls by the sea. It’s even signposted. You find the hole, you go through it. You reach a bar on the rocks. BTW there are two of them not too far apart from each other.

The bar itself is delightfully ramshackle with slightly chaotic seating around the rocks. The service was relatively fast and friendly. The beers were small and ridiculously expensive, 35 kunar for a bottle. We heard the same conversation over and over when people asked for the bill.

“That’ll be Seventy kunar.”

“Seventeen?”

“No, Seventy.”

“Seventy?” In a slightly higher and increasingly incredulous tone.

Stunning Views and Wonderful Sunsets
This is where we part company with the majority of the reviews on Tripadvisor as well as those of some fellow travel bloggers who consider Café Buza to have some of the best bar views in the world. The vistas are very nice but they amount to the island of Lokrum and the Adriatic.

Off the top of my head I can think of Greek bars overlooking bays of turquoise water with a crumbling acropolis or olive grove thrown in for good measure; bars in Jamaica with a bouncing atmosphere where the sunset comes right down your throat; tranquil Scottish pubs on the banks of misty lochs whose beauty is rocketed off the chart by moody castles… and so on and so on. There are a lot of great bars with WOW views around the world.

As for the sunset – where exactly was it? I must be missing something as the sun seemed to set just around the corner, blocked by the fortress walls that give the bar its uniqueness.

I’ve checked photo after photo online, convinced that I must have this wrong (please put me straight if I am). But Café Buza doesn’t seem to be in the best position to watch a truly spectacular sunset where the sun slips below the horizon in front of you. Maybe if you’re perched on one of the rocks closer to the sea it’s different?

And there lies my problem with Café Buza. The views are good but not the best and the sunset is nice but I’ve been in many more bars with far better ones; even a few days before in Zadar further up the Croatian coast.

To round it all up Café Buza is a decent bar in a unique location that makes it worth a visit. But all the hype had lead me to expect an exceptional bar in a beauty spot that would have my jaw bouncing off the rocks.

My chin left Café Buza unbruised even if my wallet didn’t.

Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+