Dubrovnik
in Dalmatian coastal

The old city walls are genuinely one of the finest walks in Europe: two kilometres of limestone ramparts above the Adriatic, with terracotta rooftops on one side and open sea on the other, best done early in the morning before the cruise ships arrive and the Stradun fills to capacity. Dubrovnik is not a secret and does not pretend to be, but it handles its fame with more grace than most. The surrounding coastline offers relief: the Elaphiti Islands by ferry, the Pelješac peninsula for wine and oysters, and the Dalmatian coast stretching north towards Split with the kind of beauty that makes it very difficult to leave. Come in May or early October. July is a different, considerably louder experience.