A Mediterranean Cruise To Savor

Seasoned cruise enthusiasts wil tell you that over the years, they will go through a number of cruise phases; one year you might be in calypso mode and the next, well, it's off to the untamed wilds of Alaska. More recently, I decided it was time to grab a little history lesson on a mediterranean cruise with one destination in particular grabbing my fancy... Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik is surrounded by the clear, beautiful waters of the Adriatic and without a doubt,has a presence and charm all of it's own. This is the place the famous King Richard was stranded in over seven centuries ago and when he was finally found, was so grateful to the locals that he left them with a monetary gift, just enough for them to build a brand new church. This mediterranean cruise was always going to be special: sure I let my hair down a little but as I said earlier, I needed a little education in cultural history and Dubrovnik was just the ticket.

There aren't many areas in the world where man and nature can exist in total harmony. Dubrovnik gave me the impression that this was one of those places. The tempting waters of the Adriatic coupled with the natural features of the area surrounding Dubrovnik just wanted to make disappear into the landscape and return only when I was ready. I guess when you are on a mediterranean cruise schedule, time is precious and when the captain says it's time to go; it's time to go! When we docked in Dubrovnik, the skies weren't the beautiful clear blue I was hoping for and it threatened rain but it didn't dampen the sprits of most of the 942 passengers on board. This was the one and only shore excursion I had booked before we commenced the cruise and a little wet weather wasn't going to keep me bound to the ship.

Mediterranean Cruise Climate

There is something very special about the mediterranean climate. When it's perfect, it's hard to beat. It wasn't quite perfect in Dubrovnik on this occasion but you sensed it was around you by absorbing the wonderful aromas of the surrounding vegetation including the vines, herbs and flowers. This cruise had very much gone to plan up until this point and I considered my stop in Dubrovnik as the impending highlight. It didn't let me down. The walking trail we were led along gave us an appreciation of the amazing contrasts in the local landscape. While there were no sandy beaches here, the pebble beaches which backed up against the imposing cliffs had us clicking furiously with our cameras. I was in an area seemed to stand still in time, yet, it somehow embraced progress at the same time.

I looked out across the Adriatic from a cliff top and located our ship. If this cruise had ended now and I would have been truly satisfied. Dubrovnik was worth disembarking the ship for. This amazing city is world heritage listed and boasts some wonderful architectural designs. Now it was time to return and rejoin my mediterranean cruise holiday ship but it was a struggle to get going.

A mediterranean cruise well worth remembering. There were plenty of other highlights on this cruise but Dubrovnik certainly satisfied my historical curiosity. The mediterranean region offers so much in the way of historical attractions that on occasions, I felt thrust back in time.