An epic Dubrovnik journey that ditches the crowds

Dubrovnik has long been one of Europe's most over-touristed destinations. Now, a new Camino footpath is revealing a different side of the city beyond its medieval walls.

"Five-thirty in the morning?" I asked, incredulously.

"Yes, before it gets too hot," my friend Ivan Vuković (no relation) replied.

After I discovered Europe's newest Camino pilgrim trail had opened in March, I convinced Ivan to lace up his trainers and join me for a three-hour hike in July – peak season in the world's most overcrowded city,  Dubrovnik, Croatia. Each summer, throngs of tourists flood the medieval town's cobblestone streets, leaving a lingering aroma of sunscreen. I was staying in the heart of the bustling Old Town, and I was looking forward to escaping the crowds and connecting with nature.

Known as the Camino Dubrovnik – Međugorje, the seven-stage route starts in front of the Church of St James in Dubrovnik, and winds 145km north-west, crossing the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and ending at the Church of St James in Međugorje, one of the Balkans' most important pilgrimage destinations. The route follows centuries-old trails used by traders and pilgrims to journey from the southern Adriatic coast into the remote Herzegovinian hinterland, offering modern-day travellers a new perspective on the history of one of Europe's most popular cities and its surrounding landscapes.

For centuries, Dubrovnik was an independent maritime republic that relied on trade, and until the early 1990s, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia were part of the same country, Yugoslavia. "Pilgrims walk along historic infrastructure, including medieval water systems, traditional rural paths, railway routes and areas marked by continuous Christian pilgrimage tradition," said Miroslav Drašković, Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board.

Approximately 61km of the hike is in Dubrovnik-Neretva County. The entire route takes around seven days to hike and passes through Dubrovnik, the suburb of Mokošica and the villages of Orašac, Slano, Ravno and Hutovo, ending in Međugorje, luring intrepid travellers out of the Old Town tourist bubble and into rural local life.

According to the city's mayor, Mato Franković, the idea to create a Camino was hatched three years ago as part of its "Respect the City" initiative to guide travellers away from the overcrowded Old Town and focus on sustainable tourism. "We also saw it as a great opportunity that tourists, [local residents] – all those that are going to walk – would see for the first time some areas that are completely hidden," he told the BBC. 

Ivan, a local tour guide, grew up in Dubrovnik, and has seen this medieval walled city's transformation firsthand. He explained that in the 1980s, 4,000 to 5,000 people lived in the Old Town. "Now, there are a maximum of 700 people living in the Old Town. It's Airbnb business." By 2019, Unesco had warned that Dubrovnik's World Heritage status was under threat as cruise ships, tour buses and record visitor numbers put increasing pressure on the city. To help control traffic flow in and out of its historic centre, the city has since installed directional ropes at the Pile Gate where most visitors enter.

In the soft early morning light, we set out to hike part of Stage 1 of the Camino, an 8km stretch starting at the Church of St James to the Strinčjera plateau on Mount Srđ, taking in spectacular Adriatic Sea views along the way. After passing Buža gate – the northern entrance to the Old Town – we followed roads leading out of the city and climbed a steep series of stairs. The crowds disappeared and it was so quiet we could hear the beats of our........

© BBC