16 Dec 2022
We had originally booked this tour for the fall of 2020. When the pandemic hit we were given a refund of our deposit. It was only natural to book again when we planned a cruise on the Regal Princess to Dubrovnik.
We can't say enough about our guide Ivo. He met us on the dock and then had us wait while he left to bring the van around. As requested, he had a portable step to help my wife enter the van.
In Cavtat Ivo pointed us to the only restaurant that accepted euros (this won't be a problem come January when Croatia accepts the euro). He then waited while a couple did a bit of shopping.
When he couldn't find parking near the Old Town of Dubrovnik he dropped us near the entrance to the old town while he found parking. Parking was 160 steps up the mountainside. At the end of the tour he climbed those steps again to retrieve the van and then pick us up.
The tour starts with a drive from the port up the mountain to a panoramic lookout that the larger tour buses cannot drive. Along the way Ivo shares his expert knowledge of Croatia and its history. The lookout is a rocky area with a magnificent view of the old town. There is no prepared ground or guardrails.
We then drove through the mountains back to the coast. Before arriving in Cavtat Ivo took us to an abandoned area to show the damage left behind after the fighting in the 1990s. A leisurely walking tour of Cavtat to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows. It was mid November and many of the tourist based shops and restaurants were closed for the season. A quiet break for coffee and pastry at the cafe was preferred over time in Dubrovnik.
Our tour ended with a walk through Old Town Dubrovnik. Ivo took us down a side street to explain medieval life in the town and a fascinating story about children left at the orphanage.
Ivo is truly a professional guide who loves to share his knowledge of the area. He
answered all our questions and even talked about the upcoming World Cup where Canada was in the same group as Croatia. This tour certainly exceeded our expectations and was better than any cruise line shore excursion.