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Taking the Kids: to Dubrovnik

By Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Media Services on

We found our way to Maje I Tonke (www.facebook.com/umajeiTonke) a tiny restaurant where the young owner set us up at an outside table and served us some of the house specialties -- grilled eggplant, tuna, homemade goat cheese and homemade smoked ham, marinated anchovies, hummus, marinated zucchini, homemade bread followed by onion marmalade and polenta and the local wine. At just $80 dollars for four, it was not only a bargain, but one of the highlights of our entire trip -- sitting outside in the sunshine overlooking the ancient medieval walls and the sea beyond.

Croatia, it seems, offers that perfect mix of historic sites, good eats and seaside fun. Kayak or sail along the coast. (Croatia has long been considered a premier cruising destination in the Mediterranean, with more than 1,000 islands. Charter a yacht from www.moorings.com, or opt for a family adventure with a company like www.backroads.com or an escorted trip with Abercrombie and Kent (www.abercrombiekent.com. There are vineyards (Southern Dalmatia makes really good wine) to visit, scuba diving and hiking.

Since this was our first visit and we had just one day in Dubrovnik, we opted for a tour that took us through the Historic Old Town to see the 15th-century Dominican Monastery, the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, originally built in the 15th century but rebuilt several times since.

We loved the local market where we bought prize-winning fig jam and sage honey from Nina Sardi whose family has a farm nearby. She pocketed our U.S. dollars with a gesture to her 17-year-old daughter who was helping. "For her college fund," she said. There is wild oregano and lavender at all the stands.

The majority of tourists come via cruise ship, as we did. (We were aboard Windstar, www.windstarcruises.com.) Read more about our adventures in Croatia and Italy on the sailing vessel at http://www.takingthekids.com/category/travel-diary/page/5/).

I'm glad we had time to walk the walls. It's only about a mile and a half around (and $14 for the privilege), but you go up and down steep stone steps. The views of the Adriatic, the neighboring fortresses, the terra cotta rooftops and laundry hanging to dry were spectacular.

Kids we met loved checking out the bastions and the walls -- 80 feet high and up to 10 feet thick on the sea side -- even thicker on the other side. What a place for a history lesson!

 

According to local legend, Dubrovnik first developed in the 7th century. By the 15th century, gold and silver, as well as salt production was important here and it was an important trading center on the coast, a link between the Mediterranean and the Baltic. Most of the original construction took place during the 13th century. Much of Dubrovnik was destroyed by earthquake in the 15th century, killing more than 5,000 people -- but the walls were reinforced with towers over the following 40 years.

I try to imagine families walking these walls so many centuries ago.

The kids were probably teasing their younger siblings, annoying their parents, complaining that the walk is taking too long and racing ahead laughing.

I'm guessing taking the kids hasn't changed all that much in 600 years.

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For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.


(c) 2012 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

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