We learned from our host that the Hotel Belvedere had been built in 1985 but destroyed only 6 years later during the Croatian War for Independence when Serb forces lay siege to the city of Dubrovnik. Our host was a child at that time, stranded with her family in their home, halfway between the Old Town and the hotel, both of which were being bombarded.
Now the Hotel Belvedere is a 20th-century ruin with a billion-dollar view of the Adriatic. Questions of ownership have prevented the redevelopment of the site and have resulted in the Belvedere becoming "undead"-- locked in destruction and frozen in time. Even today it is clear that the hotel must have been built at immense expense, and you can't go there now without marveling at travesty that has befallen such a beauty. Steps are hewn from famed famous Brač stone. Numerous terraces and walkways are carved out of the rocky promontory leading down to the sea. The hotel building itself is like an interconnected collection of buildings soaring up from the sea to majestic height.
In the United States all of this would be fenced off and marked with NO TRESPASSING signs. But this is Croatia. Anyone who wishes can simply walk onto the property and explore the fantastic ruin.
I couldn't resist. Armed with my DSLR I went exploring.
One thing was clear. This is not a "safe place." The only other people I encountered were some locals walking their dog, but judging from the graffiti I could have easily run into less friendly people. I would not advise anyone to go into this place without a plan for getting out. In retrospect it was probably not such a great idea for me to go in alone. Nothing bad happened during my visit, but there were plenty of opportunities for me to seriously injure or kill myself during the adventure. Sturdy shoes are a must-- you will be walking on broken glass almost everywhere you go. Also, this is really not a place to take your kid.
To get to the hotel, make your way down Vlaha Bukovka to Villa Dubrovnik. If you are unfamiliar with this road, it's worth noting that the road seems like it is one way-- it is only wide enough for one car-- however rest assured that it's two way. At least, it was when we were there in 2013.
Once you get there, it's up to you choose what to explore. There are many options. I wanted to go as high up as I could manage, so I entered what I believe was the "main" building and kept taking stairs up wherever I could find them. I was particularly interested in seeing the level where one of the Serbian mortars had damaged the walls on the "clock tower". |
A typical room in the Belvedere has a great view of the ocean and/or Dubrovnik old town, as well as peeling wallpaper and occasional plumbing fixtures. Not 5-star by today's standards, but I'm sure it was luxurious in the heyday.
My visit to the Belvedere was one of the highlights of our time in Croatia. If you're looking for an adventure, it's hard to beat.