October 2, 2018 – Continuing our look at how Croatia looked in the past through a series of historical online videos, the Pearl of the Adriatic almost 100 years ago, including its most important day – the Feast of St. Blaise.
Some destinations in Croatia are timeless, none more so than Dubrovnik. Come in the summer when it is packed with tourists, and of course you will struggle to see the best of this magical stone city, which is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Come out of season, however, and at times, it is hard to know what century you are in. Most of the bars and restaurants are closed, the awnings reeled in and the tables and chairs in winter storage. The old town is stipped back to its bare stone components, and parts of modern Dubrovnik have not changed a bit in a century.
And how did Dubrovnik look almost a century ago? A wonderful snapshot in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMcQInWqiLU
The most interesting time to visit Dubrovnik in my opinion is the first week of February, long before the main tourist season begins. For this is the time when the old town fills up with a very different crowd – the locals – as they celebrate their beloved patron saint and protector, St. Blaise. It was quite an experience for me a few years ago, as I was fortunate enough to spend a few days for the feast, which you can read about here. The traditions and processions have changed little over the centuries, and you can get a glimpse of the St. Blaise procession of yesteryear in this 1925 video – fabulous.
