The ancient port city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, is arguably the biggest tourist attraction in all of the Balkans. The ancient buildings and pathways speak to the rich history of the city that was formerly known as Ragusa, the capital of the maritime republic that rivaled Venice in importance and wealth. The Republic of Ragusa was one of the very first foreign powers to recognize the U.S. with the goal of securing trade agreements with the fledgling country.