The Best Of Dubrovnik

Croatia’s Pelješac peninsula is known for its dynamic red wines and briny European flat oysters, and a trip to the Dalmatian coast would be incomplete without sampling the local fare. Just 25 miles north of Dubrovnik is Vinarija Dingač (3 Potomje; +385-20-742-034) located on the precipitous limestone cliffs of Dingač. Named after Croatia’s first protected wine region, the vineyard itself was established in 1902, and not much has changed since then. Due to its precarious position overlooking the Adriatic, using motorized vehicles or mechanical harvesting is impossible, so local donkeys were wrangled to help care for the vines, and harvest the grapes. That’s why you’ll see the stubborn creature on the label of every Vinarija Dingač bottle. The wines themselves share similar qualities to California Zinfandels, which have been identified as New World offspring of the centuries old Croatian grapes.

When it comes to fresh seafood, venture over to Ston, a small, picturesque village, with first class fish, great oysters, and salty bottarga for the tasting. Arrange a boat tour with Dubo and Tomislav Šare from Bota Šare (+385-20-754-482) who will take you on a private outing on their boat to explore the local oyster farms. Harvest and shuck your own, or leave that in Dubo and Tomislav’s capable hands, and focus on feasting on fresh-from-the-sea bivalves with a little squeeze of lemon while floating amid calm blue waters.

Since 1950 the Dubrovnik Summer Festival (+385-20-326-100) has hosted a 47-day-long program of music, theater, and dance, poetry readings, contemporary art exhibitions, and outdoor film screenings. Throughout the city center, former palaces, fortresses, and monasteries are transformed into outdoor theaters and makeshift concert halls where some of Europe’s greatest talents perform works ranging from the classical (Sophocles, Shakespeare, Molière) to the contemporary. Lokrum Island, just a short boat ride from Dubrovnik and covered in pinewood and lush greenery,is perhaps the most impressive stage: to see a performance outdoors amid the ancient ruins of a Benedictine monastery is to be transported. “You feel like you're somewhere else, in another century,” says Iva.

About a five-minute drive from Sun Gardens Dubrovnik is the Trsteno Arboretum (+385-2075-1019), a 500-year-old Renaissance garden surrounding the former summer residence of the Gučetić-Gozze family. Legend has it the gardens were planted with seeds given to the noble family by ship captains returning from voyages abroad. “Today the arboretum has plants from all over the world,” says Iva.

Once inside, explore the more than 60 acres of flowers, herbs, and citrus trees. There’s also a collection of rare palm tree species, and an ancient koi pond presided over by a statue of Neptune, god of the sea. “In the summer, when it's 95° Fahrenheit in the hot sun, the park is a lovely place to cool off, thanks to the shade of the tall plants,” says Iva.

In recent years the arboretum has received new recognition for its role as King’s Landing in the HBO series, Game of Thrones. “There’s the beautiful place at the end of the park with a shaded pergola and a spectacular view of the sea and the Elaphiti archipelago,” says Iva. Fans of the show will recognize the setting as Lady Olenna's preferred waterside garden at King's Landing.

“You’ll never see a Croatian having a coffee to go,” Iva explains. “They’ll sit for an hour, sipping an espresso, chatting, and enjoying their time.” Take a stroll along Stradun, the main street in the Old Town, where locals gather early in the morning to drink strong Croatian coffee and begin their work days. Iva recommends a visit between 7 and 9am before the main drag gets too crowded. Another interesting place for a kava or something a bit stronger? Buza Bar (9 Crijevićeva Street; +385-98-361-934) a little café carved into the southern rampart of the Old City walls. Visible only from above and from the water, it has spectacular views towards the Elaphiti islands and the open sea.