I’d been told Dubrovnik is a must-see, some even saying that it is the most beautiful city in Europe. I was a little skeptical. How could it possibly compete with Florence or Paris? But I’m very happy to admit I was wrong – it is stunning!

We berthed at the marina, which is a long way from the old city. After spending the last week cruising around the islands in stifling heat and with pretty basic amenities, a few of us decided to book an apartment in the middle of town for a few nights. We were in desperate need of air-conditioning, a comfortable bed, and a good long shower. But mostly we wanted to enjoy Dubrovnik without having to worry about transport to and from the boat.

For two days and nights we wandered about taking in the sights and sounds of this amazing city. Our apartment had a great view of the market square so I also spent time hanging out the window with my camera. A few of our group were brave enough to walk the city wall – quite a challenge in this heat. I plan to visit Dubrovnik again when it is cooler and less crowded and will do the walk then.

We also enjoyed what was probably the best meal of our entire trip, at a restaurant serving Bosnian food and weirdly named Taj Mahal. Croatian dishes tend to be bland and unimaginative so we were very pleased to have found it. Again we were reminded of how lucky we are to have access to great food like this every day at home.