This morning we woke up in Dubrovnik; once a capital of the medieval Republic of Ragusa, nowadays the best preserved medieval city in Europe. The sight of it surrounded by white walls 500 feet long, the clear blue Adriatic, and the orange color of the rooftops was breathtaking.

We started our guided tour of the city and its walls early, before crowds of tourists occupied it as nowadays the beautiful Old Town of Dubrovnik is becoming more and more popular. Walking in the clear morning sunlight reflected on marble streets full of life, music, and colorful shops leaves an unforgettable impression.

After lunch our historian Rebecca Ingram held an interesting opinion-altering lecture introducing us to the tragedy of the Fourth Crusade and its consequences on the coast of the western Balkans.

The afternoon was reserved for swimming in the crystal clear Adriatic, and later in the day we enjoyed a wonderful private concert in the atrium of the 13th century Dominican monastery. A group of traditional singers called Klapa was performing medieval and traditional a’capella songs as well as some songs accompanied by medieval instruments. The atmosphere that the ambience and the group created felt like a travel back in time of the famous republic of Ragusa.

Our day ended with a stroll through Dubrovnik capturing the night lights of the “Pearl of the Adriatic.”