Dubrovnik and south of Croatia

On holiday in Croatia

Dubrovnik, in particular with its historic Ragusa part, is one of the most fascinating sea cities in the world. The coasts in the surroundings are perfect for a sea holiday, but also for a travel itinerary to discover small hidden paradises. On this page we therefore describe what to see and how to move to Dubrovnik, and what to do in the surroundings, in particular on the splendid Peljesac peninsula, or Sabbioncello. (This story of the Croatian/Italian name will make me go crazy in writing 'I'm article, I already know). We begin with some general information on Croatia and its southern coast, and then, below, we tell everything about Dubrovnik/Ragusa and on Sabbioncello/Peljesac ... good reading :)

Travel information

Croatia is now assaulted by German tourists, Eastern Europe and Italians, and the times when wonderful places were deserted and cheap is far away. Yet a journey through its many islands and islets still allows you to find baiette secluded, even in August, especially if you have a kayaking, a boat or a sup (or even good will to reach walking places lost). Obviously, if you can visit Croatia in June or September ... the better! Otherwise, in high season, you can avoid the most famous destinations, because even those less notes to tourism are beautiful.

Obviously Dubrovnik, albeit more expensive than Portofino, is fundamental. The non-fars of Sabbioncello peninsula, instead, offers so many quiet places, even in August.
To reach Croatia you can take a night ferry from Ancona to Split, or, from Northern Italy, drive directly from Friuli (but in this way to get to Dubrovnik is long!).
An alternative is to take a plane and then rent a car. You can find the Car at the best prices here .

In general, Croatia is a little cheaper than Italy, but there are tourist destinations, in the first place Dubrovnik, where high season accommodation reach crazy prices (and even parking lots: we have seen 15 euros per hour. .. and they were full !!!). By contrast, always in August, but in less tourist places, we ate oysters and calamari, drinking wine, spending 20 euros each. In short, take into account when you decide the destinations for a holiday in southern Croatia. Ah, obviously the local currency is the Croatian Kuna (it is better to change in the special shops or in the bank).
We have included the south of Croatia within a fantastic travel itinerary that also led us to Montenegro and in Bosnia (in Mostar , which is very close and is worth the excursion!).

Dubrovnik

Just the picture above to understand why Dubrovnik should be included in a trip to Croatia. The Italian name, Ragusa, has ancient origins, but you don't have to confuse with the Sicilian Ragusa! The Venetian influences were important in the construction of the citadel on the sea, which applies to many other places along the Croatian coast.
The ideal viewpoint to admire the city from above is the one from the imperial fort, on the hill behind Ragusa , conveniently accessible by car or cable car.
Dubrovnik is known (also) for its extraordinary Venetian walls.

As mentioned, arriving by car to Ragusa in high season is not easy. For example, for 7 hours of parking at Dubrovnik's "Public Garage", which is about a 15 minute walk from the walls, we spent as two nights at the hotel in Montenegro or Bosnia. To not pay a shot, you have to park much further from the center. The alternative is to stay in Dubrovnik in a B & B with parking included, but the prices are obviously high.
Once you arrive at the Old Town, every effort is repaid.

You can wander through the center for a few hours, between the streets invaded by tourists and the most isolated. Then, we must absolutely go around the walls, despite the high price (almost 30 euros per person! To pay in kuna or credit card). The Venetian walls, 2km long, run along the entire dubrotway by Ragusa, offering fantastic views of the city and the sea below.

From the walls, in addition to the historic center, you can admire the islet of Lokrum (Otok Lokrum), which is about 600 meters from Ragusa and is a small natural paradise.

The ideal way to visit Otok Lokrum is the canoe (rent a double kayak for 3 hours cost almost 60 euros! In short, between walls, parking and canoe in 8 hours in Ragusa we spent as much in 3 days in Montenegro). But I would say that I stressed enough the high costs of Dubrovnik. The views from the kayak have given great satisfaction, so this 3-hour trip is absolutely recommended.

You can get to Lokrum even by boat, then in some areas the rocks on the sea (there are no large beaches) are full of tourists, often nudists. Most of the island, however, is wild and offers fantastic views.

The islet of Lokrum is narrow and about 2 km long, with ever-clear water. Taking the kayak ride is not too tiring and in 3 hours you have time to do several bathrooms. The return to Dubrovnik allows you to still admire the city walls, this time from the sea.

The Sabbioncello Peninsula

If you want to visit a wonderful section of Croatian coast by car, without wasting time with ferries, the Peljesac peninsula is the solution that does for you. A trip here is convenient, away from the most famous destinations traffic, just a car's hour from Dubrovnik, and with a wide choice of places to see, because the peninsula is 70 km long. At the clear sea it joins the possibility of visiting characteristic countries and eating delicious seafood of the place.

We stayed in dray, not far from Zuljana, also called Giuliana. (The fact that even smaller places have a double name, Italian and Croatian, is a great sign of the strong Italian influences in Croatian history, but it is also a probable cause of loss. To read road signs or request information or use one Non Italian map, it is essential to know the toponyms in Croatian. If you can remember the names of the places in both languages, you are small genes and you deserve all my admiration. I, in doubt, I try to report the double denomination).

As in all of Croatia, the coast is mostly rocky and the beaches are not many, therefore, to admire the beauty of the landscapes and the clarity of the sea, a kayaking or a sup are the best means. The advice is to bring your inflatable games by car.

Near Zuljana, there is a islet surmounted by a lighthouse, perfect destination for a itinerary in kayak or in sup.

In addition to the long coast from the crystal clear sea, the Sabbioncello peninsula offers trekking paths, medieval walls (famous ston/ponds) and food and wine delights. The vineyards overlooking the sea are in fact an attractive one that deserves the trip. Also, along the sea arm between the peninsula and the Croatian coast, where the water is warmer and repaired, there are numerous farms of delicious oysters and mussels, which you can taste fresh and convenient price, perhaps with a sea dinner for Seal a splendid holiday.

From the village of Sabbioncello (Orebic in Croatian) (yes I know is not at all intuitable), you can take a ferry to the beautiful and very close island of Curzola, where to carry out more trips on the (and below) sea.

If you like wild trips or if you want to find more photos of this and other destinations, as well as advice and new itineraries, visit our FB page and put like: