Insider tip: coastal bliss in southern Dalmatia

As beautiful as Dubrovnik is in the early morning hours and later afternoon hours, the city center is chaotic when cruise tourists are guided through the day in single file behind colored flags through the city. If you have enough time, you can avoid the old town throughout the day and visit other pretty places in the region almost counter-cyclically. I was surprised by the southernmost tip of Dalmatia. Beyond the thick city walls of Dubrovnik, lonely coastlines, green islands and pretty fishing villages are waiting to be discovered.

Island escape to Lokrum

The good is often so close. It’s the same with Lokrum. The small island is located just 700 m from Dubrovnik’s harbour and can be reached by boat in 15 minutes. Depending on the season, the excursion boats depart from the old port two to four times an hour. The ticket can be purchased right next to the ship and costs 40 kn for adults (round trip).

Unfortunately, the trip to the island is also offered by the cruise ships as an organized excursion. At first, I was shocked at how many people wanted to get on the ship. But don’t let that fool you. The day-trippers are rather lazy people (I’ll just assume that to them). Surprisingly, we didn’t meet a single person on our tour of the island. On the other hand, we encountered numerous nimble hares and proud peacocks. The guided groups move exclusively around the monastery area and the botanical complex. On the rest of the island, you can either take a leisurely stroll along the varied paths or relax in wonderfully secluded azure bays within sight of Dubrovnik. The best view is from Fort Royal, which is located on the highest point of Lokrum.

Kleinstadtzauber in Cavtat

Ragusa – anyone who sighs with pleasure at this name and inevitably thinks of the divine hazelnut praline filling of Chocolats’ legendary chocolate product Camille Bloch has taste. What you may not know, however, is that the name actually refers to the old name of Dubrovnik of the same name. The chocolate dreams can be traced back to a holiday in Croatia by the Camille Bloch family.

Konavle, the southernmost region of Croatia, is home to Cavtat, formerly called Ragusavecchia – ancient Ragusa. The historic town is idyllically located in the bay of the Rat peninsula. The eventful history of the place dates back to ancient times, where it was a thriving centre under the name of Epidaurum. Today, Cavtat enchants with its waterfront, charming alleys, and a mausoleum, surrounded by a cemetery with a unique view over the Adriatic Sea to its sister city Dubrovnik. In contrast to its big sister, tourism in Cavtat is tranquil. The cafes along the waterfront are primarily used as a meeting place for locals. Cavtat is also the birthplace of the painter Vlaho Bukovac, who is considered an outstanding representative of Croatian Art Nouveau. In the house where he was born (Bukovceva 5) some of his works are exhibited.

After a few minutes, I took Cavtat to my heart. The brilliant sunset was just the icing on the cake. By rental car, the journey from Dubrovnik to Cavtat takes 20 minutes. In Cavtat there is a central car park on the opposite side of the waterfront, where you can park for a fee. By public bus (No. 10 / 25 kn) the journey takes about 25 minutes. A half-day trip that I highly recommend to you. It’s that easy with coastal happiness in Dalmatia!

Note: My trip to Dubrovnik was supported by the Croatian National Tourist Board – thank you very much for this. As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm here.