Increasingly frequented by visitors who have already done Dubrovnik or are tired of the crowds at the nearby Pearl of the Adriatic, the pretty resort of Cavtat has plenty of attractions in its own right.
A short taxi journey from Dubrovnik Airport, this former Ancient Greek and Roman settlement has plentiful accommodation, including the Hotel Cavtat, with its own beach and a rooftop pool overlooking the boats gently bobbing in the harbour.
Everything is close at hand, including the house where Vlaho Bukovac (1855-1922) was born and raised, now a museum. When he was only 17, Croatia’s most renowned artist painted frescoes inside the 19th-century property, a fitting background for discovering his paintings and mementos.
Overlooking Cavtat, the wealthy Račić family, commissioned famed sculptor Ivan Meštrović to build their mausoleum using the high-quality Brač stone. You find this majestic work by the town cemetery at the peak of the peninsula.
By day, you can also relax at the beach – both Žal and Rat offer tranquillity and the shade of pine trees a short walk from the town centre – while in the evening, the waterfront restaurant Bugenvila should live up to its Bib Gourmand recommendation by the experts at Michelin.
All of this is 40 minutes from Dubrovnik, meaning you can pop in by regular Libertas bus 10, and head back again, leaving the tourist hordes to it.