As bronzed colleagues waft into the office on a trail of Ambre Solaire, the battle is on to see who can win top trumps in the holiday sweepstakes.  Among the top contenders, Dubrovnik offers centuries of culture, sea-faring adventures, botanical islands and a cable car to zip you up to some of the most impressive views in the Eastern Med.  Throw in a few bargain meals in top-kuna restaurants and what colleague wouldn’t wish they were there?

Office Breaks Dubrovnik

Battered by earthquakes and bulldozed by the Balkans war, Dubrovnik has repeatedly risen from the ashes like a medieval mirage. It’s only when gazing down from the city walls that a few mismatched red tiles hint at its traumatic past.  Offering a swallow’s-eye view across the church spires, tantalising glimpses of secret bistros, a shared bottle of wine on a roof terrace and laundry fluttering in the breeze completes the rich tapestry of old town life.  (A walk along the city walls costs £10.00 and takes approximately one hour.)

Office Breaks views from the ramparts

Office Breaks Ramparts Dubrovnik

Climbing back down to earth, I shimmy along the shiny flag stones, before popping into the Franciscan monastery.  Providing a sanctuary from the heat of the midday sun, the cloisters are a haven of shady tranquillity.   A sudden commotion next door jolts me back to life. In the world’s oldest pharmacy, the ancient apothecary bottles tremble as a frenzy of Japanese tourists rush to snap up the organic face and hand creams produced on-site. As the new invaders of Dubrovnik, the cruise ship parties are occasionally an overwhelming presence.

Office Breaks Franciscan Monastery

The next spiritual stop is the 18th century baroque St Blaise Church.  Named after Dubrovnik’s great patron saint and protector, on St Blaise Feast Day, worshippers are protected from sore throats for the rest of the year by two candles being placed each side of the throat.  The story first emerged after St Blaise reputedly saved the life of a young boy with a fish bone stuck in his throat and the tradition continues to this day.

Office Breaks Saint Blaise

Delving deeper into Dubrovnik’s maze of narrow passages, tucked down a back street, I encounter the War Photo Limited gallery which provides a sobering reminder of the Croatia’s war-torn past.  By coincidence a few moments later, I bump into the painter Ivo Grbic whose home was raised to the ground during the war.  The bottom picture below depicts Ivo’s indomitable spirit on the day his house was bombed and is proudly displayed on the hoardings outside his shop.  Now 83, Ivo still sells art work just a few doors down from his home.

Office Breaks Ivo Grbic

Office Breaks Ivo Gribic

Parched after all this culture, I make a bee-line to the ice cream stands which pop up on every street corner and at £1.00 a scoop who could resist?  Pasta is also a fraction of what you’d pay across the Italian border but the dish du-jour has to be seafood. Glistening from the Adriatic, the fish is ceremoniously brought out for inspection before being prepared (which can take up to an hour) and presented with a grand flourish.  Opt for succulent sea-salted sea bass or push the boat out with a seafood platter but beware of ordering fish by the kilo where prices can rise to a stinging £40.00 per person.

Office Breaks Sea food, Dubrovnik

For sea-faring adventurers, a half day sea kayaking around the city walls and neighbouring island of Lokrum provides the perfect burst of exercise to work off the excess gelato. Two-man kayaks are guided by an instructor and no previous experience is necessary. For those who prefer rest and relaxation, a fifteen-minute ferry ride drops you off at Lokrum, a pine tree-clad oasis of crystal bathing pools, shaded walks and a botanical garden featuring 500 species of exotic plants.  Disturbed only by the chant of cicadas and the screech of peacocks, the island’s seclusion also makes it a popular spot for naturists who let it all hang out on their own stretch of beach.

To end the day, a sunset  cable car trip is the perfect way to see Dubrovnik in all its glory.    A three and a half minute ride teleports you up to the goat- grazing pastures above where you can watch the sky slowly turn from azure to golden red against the stunning silhouettes of Croatia’s islands.  (Take a jumper as the temperature plummets.)  The cable car trip costs £10.00.

Office Breaks Dubrovnik cable car

Driving back to the airport along stunning coastal roads, I can’t help wishing that my mini break to Dubrovnik had been a luxurious two-week affair.  But with so much packed into my three-day stay, there’s plenty of bragging rights with the folks back at the office. Having lost early on in the World Cup sweepstake, I’ve definitely struck gold in this year’s holiday stakes.