We had heard that Dubrovnik was beautiful, and we were not disappointed. After our Mediterranean Cruise we caught a train from Rome to Bari on the east coast of Italy, where we then caught an overnight ferry to Dubrovnik. Luck was with us and we had a calm crossing, arriving in Dubrovnik on a clear and sunny Friday morning.

Dubrovnik is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, and prices in restaurants, tourist attractions and accommodation are high because of this. The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade, achieving a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1991, after the break-up of Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik was besieged by Serbian and Montenegrin soldiers of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) for seven months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, Dubrovnik re-emerged as one of the top tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.

The apartment we booked was just outside the old city walls and was an ideal base for our five nights here. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the old city and its harbour and surrounds. Plenty of stair climbing was undertaken up and on the city walls, and up and down the steep narrow streets rising from the main central street, where the paving stones are highly polished by all the passing foot traffic.

We were lucky to be here at the end of the tourist season, so no crowds. And the weather was mostly fine and warm, so blue skies set a glorious backdrop for photos. Only on the final day did we wake to the sound of thunder rumbling round the hills, followed by showers on and off, but the grey gave us another whole perspective of the city.

Game of Thrones fans are probably aware that Dubrovnik sets the backdrop for much of the show’s filming, and associated merchandise abounds in local shops. Star Wars, the Last Jedi was also filmed here and is due for release soon. Also, rumour has it that a new Robin Hood movie and the next James Bond movie will be filmed here.

A side trip into Montenegro was a highlight for us. Day trips from Dubrovnik to Montenegro are popular with tourists and, in summer, the roads are heavy with traffic, the border crossing slow and cumbersome. Our trip was a breeze, blessed with brilliant sunshine, end of season low tourist numbers, and minimal Sunday traffic.

It is only half an hour to the border from Dubrovnik. Once in Montenegro we followed the coast line around Kotor Bay, sucking in the scenery, which is nothing short of breathtaking. The mountains rise from the water and embrace the inner bay in shadows for much of the day. We stopped at Perast, Kotor and Budva, then came home via Tivat, where we made a ferry crossing across the narrow entrance to the inner part of Kotor Bay before heading back to Dubrovnik. So much beauty in such a small country.

Tomorrow we catch a bus to Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina, another new place to explore.