I know, I know. Most of the time when we go travelling we seek not to be enlightened / impressed / intellectually challenged. In fact we would prefer to let the mind wander and simply enjoy life. This is precisely why before and after our trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina we were in Croatia. And goodness I am sure for some of us heaven on earth can't be better than this.

Dubrovnik (Picture 1) was only recently named as such. It used to be Ragusa, a name that reminds us of its Italian heritage (Dalmatia used to be part of Italy. Let's not go into the details), and you'll still see the name everywhere. In fact, the reason of my ending up in Croatia is that I was told the country has 'everything you expect from Italy, with a much lower price tag'.

Where to Stay: if you're rich, stay in Hilton (www.hilton.co.uk/dubrovnik), which is just outside the old town. If you're not, stay in Hostel Marker (www.hostelworld.com), which is more or less across the road from Hilton. And believe me you'll love it. We stayed in this really nice 4-star apartment and Mr. Marker (forgot his first name, sorry mate), the host, is well-travelled (studied in Germany) and cares more about you having an enjoyable stay than your money. We actually got a discount because I'm short of Croatian Kuna (the currency) as it's my last day in the country. Please don't try to cheat him. You can also hire motorboats / kayaks / taxis through him for a discounted price.

Where to Eat: anywhere, really. It can't go very wrong. But if you must know, I liked 'Poklisar'. I can't quite remember what food I've had, but the atmosphere is superb, with this guy (see, Picture 2) doing his jazz (music), not to mention having a nice view of the harbour. Just walk all the way to the harbourside of the old town and you'll find it. The other restaurants along the harbour are quite good too, and while some locals told me the price was like 40% higher than before already, it is still really affordable as the locals form a sizeable per cent of the custom as well, and quoting the exact words to avoid offending people 'most of us are not exactly rich'.

For pasta, try 'Toni's'. On the main thoroughfare, it's the 3rd right. I think. I'm not sure, but as you will see they have a nice little canvas on which the restaurants along that particular side street will be listed. So look for it.

Where to Drink: If you have money to spare do try Gil's (see, Picture 3). The menu didn't strike my fancy (English cuisine, of all things) so I passed, but having a drink would surely be a romantic way to end the night.

My personal favourite is this 'hole in the wall' (see, Picture 4). Ask the locals for directions because there isn't even a sign at the entrance, which is literally a hole in the wall. It did say 'NO TOPLESS, NO NUDIST' though. It's not the first time I had a drink there and it will certainly not be my last. And I'll spare you from needless theatrics - the picture says it all.

What to Do: Getting lost in the winding alleyways is fun. You'll also get loads of decent photo opportunities. Just be as lazy as a cat (to learn how, see Picture 5) and you can't go far wrong. But if you must know, visiting the city's walls is easiest the highlight of the visit. I'm not the first one to say this - I just followed Lonely Planet's advice and I came back a happy man. There's actually a cafe up on the walls so take your time. The city beach is good too, way better than the city beach in Split. Before you ask, Lokrum Island isn't worth it, unless you're a nudist who can't wait a long ferry ride to get tanned. You're better off taking the ferry to, say, Hvar (more about it later). 

Sounds good? Course it does. Look no further. Take a seat, grab a drink, and do some people watching in one of the quieter little squares (see, Picture 7). Those who are bored of Dubrovnik are bored of life.