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.

Ljubljana

Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. The origin of the city's name is unclear. In the Middle Ages, both the river and the town were also known by the German name Laibach. This name was in official use as an endonym until 1918, and it remains frequent as a German exonym, both in common speech and official use.

During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the area. Ljubljana itself was first mentioned in the first half of the 12th century. It was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Situated at the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, it was the historical capital of Carniola, a Slovene-inhabited part of the Habsburg Monarchy.

The city, with an area of 163.8 square kilometers, is situated in the Ljubljana Basin in Central Slovenia, between the Alps and the Karst.

The city's architecture is a mix of styles. Despite the appearance of large buildings, especially at the city's edge, Ljubljana's historic center remains intact. Although the oldest architecture has been preserved from the Roman period, Ljubljana's downtown got its outline in the Middle Ages.

The central square in Ljubljana is Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) where the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is located. Built between 1646 and 1660, it replaced an older Gothic church on the same site.

Ljubljana is famous for its bridges. The most notable bridges of Ljubljana are the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), the Trnovo Bridge (Trnovski most), the Dragon Bridge (Zmajski most), the Hradecky Bridge (Slovene: Hradeckega most), and the Butchers' Bridge (Mesarski most). The Trnovo Bridge crosses the Gradaščica, whereas the others cross the Ljubljanica.

Each year, over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city, including ten international theater, music, and art festivals. The Ljubljana Festival is one of the two oldest festivals in former Yugoslavia (the Dubrovnik Summer Festival was established in 1950, and the Ljubljana Festival one in 1953).