Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea, in the region of Dalmatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilleddiplomacy. The historical Latin and Dalmatian name of Dubrovnik is Ragusa. The current name was officially adopted in 1918 after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but was in use from the Middle Ages.The name is from dubrava, which means "oak grove". Dub in the Croatian language means "oak".

The finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace which dates from the 16th century and is currently used to house the National Archives. Dubrovnik includes a number of famous buildings such as the Onofrio's Fountain, Monastery of St. Clare, St. Saviour Church, Franciscan Church, Monastery of the Friars Minor, Birthplace of Ivo Vojnovic, Palace "Sponza" steeple "Puddle", Bell Tower, Little Onofrio Fountain, Orlando's column, building the main guard, and Church of St. Blaise, built in the 18th century in honour of Dubrovnik's patron saint.

In the historic centers within the city there are many taverns and restaurants with a special offer nearly all kinds of Mediterranean specialties, while in nearby souvenir shops can buy typical souvenirs Dubrovnik - delicacies, filigree jewelry, Bronze Saint Blaise or embroidery.

A feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run almost 2 km around the city. The walls run from 4 to 6 metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city. The walls of Dubrovnik have also been a popular filming site for the fictional city of King's Landing in the HBO television series "Game of Thrones".

Dubrovnik has an international airport of its own. It is located approximately 22 km southeast of Dubrovnik city centre, near Ćilipi. Buses connect the airport with the Dubrovnik old main bus station in Gruž. In addition, a network of modern, local buses connects all Dubrovnik neighbourhoods running frequently from dawn to midnight.

With a favorable climate, historical heritage and prestigious cultural events, Dubrovnik is the perfect holiday destination, where every generation can find their ideal place.

Graz

Graz is the capital of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna, with the population of 320,000.

Graz has a long tradition as a "university town": its six universities have more than 44,000 students. Its "Old Town" is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe.

Symbols of Graz, which are indispensable on all postcards, are:

  • The Schloßberg or Schlossberg, a tree-clad hill, and the site of a fortress, in the centre of the Graz. The hill is now a public park and enjoys extensive views of the city. It is the site of several entertainment venues, cafés and restaurants, and is managed by Holding Graz, the city owned utility company.
  • Innere Stadt is the first district of Graz. It is the part of the Old Town containing the Schloßberg and the city park (Stadtpark). The district borders are formed by the Mur river between Radetzkybrücke and Keplerbrücke, the Wickenburggasse, the Glacis, Jakominiplatz and the Radetzkystraße. In 1999, the Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Kunsthaus Graz, or Graz Art Museum was built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has since become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria. Its exhibition program specializes in contemporary art of the last four decades.
  • Landeszeughaus, is the world's largest historic armoury and attracts visitors from all over the world. It holds approximately 32,000 pieces of weaponry, tools, suits of armour for battle and ones for parades.
  • Pubs, that increasingly resemble those in Ireland and England, are concentrated around the historic core of the city.