Dubrovnik, Croatia
The Beautiful Castle in Dubrovnik is dubbed “Kings Landing” and is a lodging for a King, located on the blue waters of the Adriatic Sea.
Lovrijenac has a triangular shape with three terraces. The thickness of the walls facing the outside reach 12 m whereas the section of the walls facing the inside, the actual city, are only 60 cm thick. Two drawbridges lead to the fort and above the gate there is an inscription Non Bene Pro Toto Libertas Venditur Auro (Freedom is not to be sold for all the treasures in the world)
Dubrovnik (pronounced [dǔbroːʋnik]) is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It has been referred to “The St.-Tropez of the Balkans”
It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641. In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, also known as a Maritime Republic (together with Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa, Venice and other Italian cities), it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. Although demilitarized in the 1970s with the intent of forever protecting it from war devastation, in 1991, after the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was besieged by Serb-Montenegrin forces for 7 months and received significant damage from being shelled.
Dubrovnik’s motto, Libertas (“liberty”), which is plastered across the sides of buses and the city’s tourist literature, speaks volumes about the city’s self-image and the idealized way in which it is perceived by others. For several centuries the city-state of Dubrovnik – or Ragusa as it was then known – managed to hang on to a modicum of independence while the rest of this coast fell under the sway of foreign powers. The Venetian Lion of St Mark is conspicuously absent, while statues of St Blaise (Sveti Vlaho), the symbol of Dubrovnik’s independence, fill every conceivable crack and niche in the city.
An essentially medieval city reshaped by Baroque town planners after a disastrous earthquake of 1667, Dubrovnik’s historic core seems to have been suspended in time ever since. Set-piece churches and public buildings blend seamlessly with the green-shuttered stone houses, to form a perfect ensemble relatively untouched by the twenty-first century. Outside the city walls, modern Dubrovnik is comparatively bereft of sights but exudes a Mediterranean elegance, gardens are an explosion of colourful bougainvillea and oleanders, trees are weighted down with figs, lemons, oranges and peaches.
Few visitors will notice any remaining signs of the 1991–92 Siege of Dubrovnik, during which over two thousand enemy shells fell on the old city. Reconstruction has been undertaken with astonishing speed, and the old town is pretty much back to its normal self. The fact that conflict took place here at all only reveals itself through subtle details: the vivacious orange-red hues of brand-new roof tiles, or the contrasting shades of grey where damaged facades have been patched up with freshly quarried stone.
Akrotiri, Santorini, Greece
This three bedroom Villa has a total area of 134 sq. m., built over two levels and sits on 299 sq. m. It is located in Akrotiri village, in Santorini.
Santorini Excursions: Things to do and to see on Santorini, Sightseeing, Cyclades
Famous for its breathtaking caldera, the volcano and the romantic sunset, Santorini is considered one of the top places to visit in the world. Perched on the edge of steep cliffs, the picturesque villages of Santorini offer great view to the Aegean Sea and the submerged volcano.
The villa has garden with swimming pool and wooden pergolas.
It consists of three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen and an open plan living room (with fireplsace) with dining room. It also comprises of a store room of 89 sq. m. The villa is constructed using high standards making it hospitable throughout the year.
Akrotiri is a village on the most irrelevant part of the island about 12 km from Fira at the southwestern tip on te most remote part of the island. The picturesque atmosphere by the view towards Fira and Oia will rivet you. There are many hotels around the area and also many taverns.
Santorini lies at the south end of the prefecture of Cyclades in a distance of 128 miles from the port of Piraeus. Santorini is an unusual island with intense character and unique fascination.Santorini is located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece’s mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km (28 sq mi) and a 2001 census population of 13,670.
The main island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea. On the fourth side, the lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia; the lagoon is connected to the sea in two places, in the northwest and southwest. The caldera being 400m deep makes it possible for all but the largest ships to anchor anywhere in the protected bay; there is, however, a newly built marina in Vlychada on the southwestern coast. The principal port is called Athinias. The capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon. The volcanic rocks present from the prior eruptions feature olivine and have a notably small presence of hornblende.
Santorini is known for its pristine beaches and spectacular views and Donkeys. Donkeys and mules in Santorini are part of the native charm of the island and can be loads of fun. During the summer the main business of the day is carting the tourists up and down the endless steep steps which connect Fira town down to the small port of Ormos, and Oia to Ammoudi harbour. They are extremely adept at negotiating the steps, but they do have a tendency to go very fast and take the bends like racing motorcycles.
