Dubrovnik, Croatia Shore Excursion and Port Reviews This was a substitution for Istanbul and it turned out to be a real sleeper. The old walled city is a World Heritage Site and deservedly so. Be on deck for the arrival if you can -- this is a beautiful coastline. The highlight of your half day here is simply to walk the top of the walls around the city (4 Euros), preferably in the early morning when the light on the rooftops and sea is best. Access to the walls is available near the Pile (west) gate just steps from where the cruise shuttle bus drops you of, or near the northeast gate or southeast maritime museum. Surprisingly, there are convenient restrooms and even a few snack bars on the walls. The city itself is great for strolling, with no traffic and no advertising to mar the views. A handy tourist information office is on the main street. If you want to wander farther afield, there are ferries leaving every half hour from the small harbor at the east end of the town, to Lokrum Island, which is visible a few hundred yards off shore. We did not try this (the town is too nice) but instead took a swim at the very pleasant (but shadeless) beach just a few blocks east of the old town (visible from the walls). There is a convenient public restroom at the taxi stand on the way to the beach, and a stylish café with lounges and umbrellas at the beach is currently being completed. Swimming out will give you a great view back to the town. In addition, there is a small doorway in the south city wall between the two cathedrals, which gives access to rocks and a staircase down to the water for an even more impressive close-up swimmer’s view of the walls.