Strolling down the Stradun was not the easiest thing in the world, thanks to the marble blocks that so smoothly line this street in the heart of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

This view is looking west at sunset, toward the Gradska Vrata Pile, or Pile Gate. The tower is the bell tower of the Franciscan Monastery Museum.

I was in Dubrovnik in May 2009, and the city was already bustling with cruise-ship tourists. And it was sweltering hot. Any later in the summer and a visit here could easily be miserable, but there are a handful of serene locations where you can soak up some rays and splash in the water.