BY AIR
Travel to Dubrovnik by air is simple. There are direct flights to
Dubrovnik from some major European cities such as London,
Paris, Dublin and Rome to name a few. Many international
airlines offer regular flights directly to Dubrovnik or to Zagreb,
Croatia's capital. Dubrovnik airport is situated just 17km (30 mins)
from the city with connecting courtesy bus transport readily available.
BY SEAThroughout the summer months, you can catch one of the frequent
ferries from Venice or Bari in Italy or any major coastal Croatian city,
to Dubrovnik. Cruising the blue Adriatic Sea is one of the most
picturesque and pleasant ways to travel to the festival.
For further information on travel to Dubrovnik:
The Dubrovnik Tourist Board:
www.tzDUBROVNIK.hrFor more information on Croatia visit:
Travel-2-Croatia.com
HISTORY OF DUBROVNIKDubrovnik is a tiny city but nonetheless uniquely impressive and historical,
neatly enveloped in the blanket of a thick stone fortress walls. Her cobbled
streets worn marble-smooth by time, the riviera's near-by vineyards, olive
groves, almond trees and bitter orange tree orchards all combine to create
a serene and atmospheric harmony between humans and nature.
The Republic of Ragusa, as Dubrovnik was called in the 14th century, was a
major port in the Mediterranean, often competing with Venice. Built in the 7th
century by former settlers of nearby Cavtat fleeing Saracen onslaughts,
Dubrovnik flourished in the Renaissance period. During this time, many
mathematicians, poets, physicists, philosophers and noble families came from
Dubrovnik. The Republic of Ragusa was one of the first cities in Europe to
establish sewers, an orphanage and a pharmacy, which remains to this day one
of the oldest and currently operating. Argosy, an English variation on the word
Ragusa, was the general term used for merchant ships originating from Dubrovnik
that were so often treasure-laden. In addition, proving that Dubrovnik was on
the cutting edge of art and culture in its peak, it was one of the first countries to
abolish slavery in 1418, approximately four hundred years before England or the
United States. Even on a Ragusan ship, a slave was considered a free person.
The impact of Dubrovnik's ideals travelled much farther than its fortified stone walls.
When the United States declared independence in 1776, the Dubrovnik Republic was
one of the first countries to acknowledge it as a new and sovereign nation. More
recently, Dubrovnik was listed under the United Nations Heritage Endangered Cities
Act during the Serb and Montenegran aggression in 1991, following Croatia's
declaration of independence. This small treausure-city sustained more than 2000
mortar shells while her people found shelter in the centuries old fortresses and walls,
cut-off from the basic human nessessities of food and water. Since the end of the
war in 1995, international efforts have restored the proud heritage of Dubrovnik
and reconstructed cultural assets, hotels and the tourism infrastructure. Today,
Dubrovnik has returned to its former glory and is fast becoming the new European
vacation hot - spot. Following the rich heritage of its location, the Dubrovnik
International Film Festival strives to showcase the very best in the world of film arts
and cultural treasures, just like the Argosy fleet that famously sailed the Old World.
