DUBROVNIK - In Your Pocket

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dubrovnik neretva county
waves. And traces of its history – especially its history of
piracy, which incurred the wrath of Rome – can also be found
below the waves. More than 40 Roman wrecks lie in the
Pelješac Channel, plus ships that sank as recently as World
War II. Aquatica Mljet arranges scuba trips to a variety of dive
sites. For lone divers, beware as it’s forbidden to go diving in
the Veliko and Malo Jezero and the Bay of Soline, although
diving is permitted 100m from the islands of Glavat, Borovac,
Crna Seka, Seka od Liskanja, Pomeštak and Galicjia. Fishing
is basically permitted everywhere except in the Veliko and
Malo jezero. The Aquatica Mljet company also offers water
skiing, banana rides (behind a speedboat), longer excursions
via speedboat to Split, Dubrovnik and other islands as well
as renting bicycles and scooters. Sailing (Ana Sailing) offers
sailing lessons during the summer. For more information, ask
at the registration desk of Hotel Odisej.
Day Trips Half- and full-day tours leave periodically from Hotel
Odisej during the summer season. Ask at the registration
desk for more information.
C a v t a t - A n c i e n t
Epidaurum T h e
approach to this little
gem of a Mediterranean
town is one of the most
breathtaking things about
it, as the campaniles of
its churches poke their
way into view above a
canopy of lush trees. But
that’s not all – this was
the ancient settlement
of Epidaurum wh ose
inhabitants populated
Dubrovnik. A pleasant
promenade fringes the
rambling old streets,
e d ge d b y c a f é s , a
couple of good places
to drink, a selection of
good restaurants and
a h an d ful of ra th er
lovely small hotels. The
promenade leads to the
pleasant town beach, a
park and a cemetery with
an imposing mausoleum by sculptor Ivan Meštrović as its
centrepiece. A little way out of town are several large hotels
which are good choices for families, with good shingle beaches
and occasionally all-inclusive packages. But we certainly
wouldn’t recommend imprisoning yourself in a modern hotel
complex when you can indulge in the delights of a meal in a
traditional konoba in the town, and the rural Konvale region,
famous for its traditional style gastronomy and folklore is on
your doorstep.
A highlight of a trip to Cavtat is the Bukovac house, where
one of the best-loved Croatian artists, Vlaho Bukovac
(1855-1922) grew up. As a child, he painted murals on the
interior walls of the lovely old villa, bringing them alive with
colourful paintings featuring semi-naive animal themes.
Although subsequent owners saw fit to paint over his
works, they have been restored with some success, and
the delightful exhibition space upstairs features paintings
and sketches surrounded by original furniture from Bukovac’s
day. Bukovac’s portraits are especially personal and full of
emotion. An exhibition space on the ground floor is given
over to the work of young artists, and the shows feature
contemporary works, a refreshing contrast with the antique
mood of the rest of the house. There’s an idyllic garden at the
back, and the whole experience is a rather uplifting one.
Dubrovnik In Your Pocket
Konavle The Konavle region stretches from Cavtat to the
border with Montenegro. The village of Čilipi close to the
airport is one of the cultural centres of Konavle, and on
Sunday mornings you can witness the traditional songs and
dances of Konavle and performers dressed in colourful folk
costume. Konavle consists of a fertile valley plus upland
and coastal parts, all with stone villages that would reduce
real estate agents to tears. In the central valley, you’ll find
traditional rural restaurants where you can enjoy delicious
home grown food - locally reared meat and trout, sometimes
served by waiters and waitresses in traditional costume
(see our “Where to eat” pages). If you come in spring, you
can try dishes made with wild asparagus and see almond
orchards in bloom.
The upland section borders with Herzegovina, for centuries
the dividing line with the Ottoman Empire. Its highest point
is the Snježnica (“snowy”) peak, 1234m high. The village
cemetery at Brotnice has unusual gravestones (stećci) of the
Bogomil sect, featuring vivid primitive carvings and lettering
in the ancient language of Bosnia. There are well-marked
hiking trails, and organised trips include a hearty meal as
part of the deal.
The coastal part of Konavle is unusual for Croatia in that
it is characterised by limestone cliffs. There are very few
settlements, and the only people on the shores are locals
looking for a little solitude. At the village of Močići there is
a second century stone carving of the pagan god Mitreus,
and scattered around are old houses with unusual conical
chimneys. Molunat, the largest coastal settlement, is a quiet
fishing village in a pretty cove.
The Prevlaka peninsula is the southernmost point of Croatia
and there’s now a Nature Park here, from which you have
views over the Gulf of Kotor in Montenegro, with wild mountain
ranges behind. Prevlaka was until recently a military zone,
so don’t be surprised to come across barracks now used
as a realistic venue for paintball games. Military enthusiasts
will also be interested to see the islet which used to be an
Italian prison in WWII. There is a strange Cyrillic-inscribed
monument within the Park, apparently containing the bones
of prisoners who died of hunger – no mention is made of this
in the pamphlet. More cheerfully, there’s also a petting zoo,
an excellent climbing wall, mountain bikes are for hire and you
can feast on grilled meat and have a dip.
Agrotourism
Jakanov dvor Uskoplje, Konavle, tel. 77 36 00/
091 177 36 00, fax 77 36 01, jakanov_dvor@net.
hr, www.jakanov-dvor.hr. This magnificent, rambling
old country home not far from Čilipi has a super terrace
with wide open views of the Konavle countryside, and
offers meat cooked on the spit or under an iron bell
with live charcoal. A real treat. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00.
ALBC
Konoba Vinica - Monković family Pridvorje,
Ljuta, tel. 79 12 44/ 098 34 54 59, fax 79 10 54,
monkovic@konobavinica.com, www.konobavinica.
com. Another excellent option in the Konavle region south
of Cavtat. If you ask nicely, the Monković family who run
the place may show you their collection of folk costumes
as you digest your home made prosciutto, cheese, baked
meat, trout and garden salad. A drop of home made rakija
would go down a treat too… QOpen 12:00 - 24:00.
Closed Mon. (50-110kn). PALGB
www.inyourpocket.com
Neretva river delta - Orange groves and water life If
you visit Dubrovnik in the spring, you may be surprised to
see ripe oranges lying on the ground everywhere you walk.
Orange trees are so common that the fruit is often ignored,
inducing a twinge of regret in visitors who have to part with
good money for them back home. Obviously, the warm climate
gives the people of the Dubrovnik region these southern
fruits. But there is one more life-giver - the River Neretva.
It starts its life as a brazen young thing, rushing green and
impetuous under the famous stone bridge at Mostar, upriver in
Herzegovina. In Croatia, it spreads out open arms to meet the
sea, creating a swampy region. Generations of backbreaking
work mean that this area today is a fertile region sometimes
called Croatia’s California. As you drive north to Metković, you
can stop at roadside stalls and pick up sacks of mandarins,
local honey and spirits. It is also sometimes called Croatia’s
Venice, as the life of
the people is closely
tied up with boats,
used for transporting
pretty much everything
around here. The region
has its own types of
wooden boat; a smaller
kind called a trupa, and
a larger one called a
lađa. Although these
traditional boats largely
died out, in recent years
an annual race which
a t tracts competin g
teams from around
the world looks set to
revive the picturesque
dubrovnik neretva county
tradition – the boats have a curiously flattish construction
which is very attractive but definitely renders their navigation
a challenge! More curious still is the water life of the valley.
The traditional dishes of the area are often centred around
two aquatic inhabitants, the frog and the eel. Both are made
into a tomato casserole called brudet – you can try it in the
popular restaurant at Villa Metković at the town of the same
name, where accommodation, tours by boat and photo safaris
are also offered. The area is also rich in bird life, particularly
storks and coots, the latter being traditional hunting game.
Near the town of Ploče you can see the Baćina lakes from
the main road – a spectacular chain of seven interconnecting
freshwater lakes, plus one separate one. They are beautifully
clean and have beaches suitable for swimming. It is hoped
that the region will be proclaimed a nature park in the near
future.
Pelješac - Oysters and wine The Pelješac peninsula is so
tenuously connected with the mainland that it has the unique
character of an island. The first delight that awaits you is
the gastronomic haven of Mali Ston. The narrow lagoon
dividing Pelješac from the mainland is rich in premium quality
oysters, and the village restaurants offer some of the best
cuisine in the country. Nearby, the town of Ston is encircled
by 14th century stone walls, 5.5km long and once including
forty towers, which with the backdrop of the mountainous
countryside look scarily like the Great Wall of China. These
walls were built by the Republic of Dubrovnik due to valuable
salt pans and the town’s strategic position, and Ston is often
called “little Dubrovnik” as the streets have the same layout
and the same names. The historic salt pans still produce salt
for industrial purposes. If you’d like to have an active holiday
with a difference, you can join in salt harvesting, board and
victuals provided. Check out www.solanaston.hr.
Summer 2008
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