This special little island is a must-see when you go to Croatia. Just a scenic two hour drive from Dubrovnik, in which you will drive through the majestic walled city of Ston, and then a quick ferry ride (cars allowed), you will find yourself on a beautiful little island in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. Home to Marco Polo and with lots of Venetian influence, it’s a quaint little town that will take you back centuries in time. I recommend staying at Hotel Liburna and request a room with a view, because you get the most picturesque view of the town this way, including the famous Bell Tower at St Mark’s Cathedral. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to go up it since it was raining that day, but instead we dined on a delicious Venetian style pizza right outside of it. We drank wine and I ate a whole mortadella pizza. It was perfect.
We went to the bar Massimo, which is supposed to have a great view from the top. The rain kept us from seeing that but we still got our dranks. And met some crazy New Zealanders who were sailing their way down the Dalmatian coast. And we still got to see all of this…
From there we went on to Split, which you can actually get to by utilizing the car ferries as opposed to having to drive across the border in Bosnia. Croatia was kind enough to give Bosnia a 10-mile piece of the coastline so they weren’t landlocked since they provided help against the Serbs in the Croatian War for Independence, but we were told they don’t always take kindly to tourists just passing through. So having the car ferry as an option was clutch, and they were also working to construct a bridge that would keep you in Croatia but connect you to Split more directly. On the way to the ferry to Split, you will see a huge wine bottle on the side of the windy mountain road. Stop there and talk to the woman behind the counter. She will tell you stories about the Grk, my favorite Croatian wine. They brought Grk grapes to Napa Valley during the War, and if you are ever out there you should absolutely check out the Grgich Winery. Although spelled differently, it’s one in the same and one of the few places you can find authentic Croatian wine in the states.
We took a ferry from the tiny little town of Trpanj, which turned out to be one of my favorite memories of the trip. We became pros at the car ferry and knew it was ok to park and go wander, as long as you get back in time for boarding so you didn’t hold anyone up. During that time, we got to explore this town by the sea, its flags flying high, sat at a streetside cafe to enjoy lunch and wine (naturally), and then went on the most amazing walk along a random trail we literally stumbled upon. It was so beautiful, almost surreal. Standing on the rocks, on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, looking at the majestic mountains and trees, being one with nature, feeling so present in the moment with my boyfriend. It was a beautiful feeling, one I wish I could put in a bottle and drink forever.
XoX,
Avril