The hightlights of a maritim jewel: blue sea like only the Adriatic can be, watched by a sea of crimson roofs, the kind only rich medieval cities could have, with picturesque old houses and streets, with an architecture marked by Latin- Dalmatian influences, cosmopolitan like all ports of the world. City-republic since the 15th century, The Pearl of Adriatic has maintained its sovereignty for centuries, balancing politically between the flourishing Venice and other Italian maritime republics and the mighty Ottoman Empire. The oldest arboretum in the world, Trsteno Arboretum and the oldest pharmacy in Europe still in use, are just two attractions of the city which George Bernard Shaw described in 1929: "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik. "