Much has been made of the newly unveiled cable-stayed bridge that gracefully spans the Adriatic between the village of Komarna on the Croatian mainland and the Pelješac peninsula facing it. After decades of having to pass through a section of Bosnia to drive between the main Dalmatian hubs of Split and Dubrovnik, motorists can now skirt round it completely, thus avoiding border crossing to and from the EU.
Then there’s the bridge itself, a thing of wonder when backdropped by the sea and rolling vineyards of Pelješac. Anyone who has been to Podgorica in Montenegro will recognise the handiwork of Slovenian engineer Marjan Pipenbaher – his cable-stayed bridge over the Morača looks similar in appearance, albeit much smaller in scope.
Driving over this huge construction, though, toll-free and well signposted, is another matter entirely. Leaving behind the half-moons of beaches, bars and konobas lining the seafront of previously little-visited stretch of Dalmatia south of the Makarska Riviera – there’s now even a Bridge Restaurant at Komarna 97 – you head for Pelješac as pylons 98 metres high tower above you. Dramatic is the word you’re looking for.
It’s then that you realise that the bridge, all 2.4km of it, now grants access to the vineyards, windsurfing spots and oyster beds of the Pelješac peninsula, without you having to take the infrequent ferry from Ploče or Korčula. More than just shortening the route between the familiar hubs of Split and Dubrovnik, it opens up a whole new swathe of Dalmatia only intrepid oenophiles may have explored before.
Roughly as long as Hvar to the north and stretching further than Korčula that lies alongside its south-western tip, Pelješac lacks the recently developed tourist infrastructure of either and is much the better for it.
Locals have long been drawn to its very lack of visitors, fine wines, long shingle beaches and, most of all, the best mussels and oysters in Croatia. They are farmed at Ston, one of two key destinations on the peninsula, close to the mainland to the south. The other is Orebić, a resort in its own right, a quick hop across from Korčula and hub of a windsurfing scene. One road runs the length of the peninsula, and with your own transport, you can drive the 65km of vineyard-lined road, calling at wine cellars serving the famed local Postup and Dingač reds.
Dingač refers to a seven-kilometre-long stretch of seaside land where Plavac mali grapes – a varietal indigenous to Dalmatia – grow. Only grapes harvested in this small area, on the underbelly of the peninsula roughly between the towns of Podobuce and Trstenik, have the right to be called Dingač. And just like with any other patch of land that’s internationally celebrated for wine, the reason farmers cling proprietarily to this geographic distinction is because of the valuable convergence of conditions here.
First and foremost, the land faces southwest, which means grapes receive the full allowance of long, sunny Dalmatian days. Secondly, the soil the vines grow in is calcified and rocky, which provides two benefits to the plants: a second shot of sun due to the light's reflection from the rocks and an evolutionary advantage owing to the fact that only the heartiest grapes can grow here. Finally, the hillside upon which the fruit grows is incredibly steep, meaning harvest time is difficult but in return the land gets a third instalment of sunlight reflected right off the sea.
The result is a strong, full-bodied red with a massive bouquet that resembles the great wines of the genre: Sangiovese, Pinot Noir or Red Zinfandel. The difference being that the flavour of the best bottles of Dingač is, some would argue, more robust, both in taste and smell. According to one vintner from the peninsula, the trick isn't in growing great grapes here, the trick is learning how to control their strength without being too controlling. Another compared the grapes to wild horses, which you want to tame – a bit, but not so much that you destroy the innate qualities that make them wild.
A wine road links 11 vineyards signposted along the peninsula. One is Miličić. “People think only the French make good wine but the wine here is excellent,” says Goran Miličić, whose vineyard has its operations on the edge of Potomje, the heart of Dingač production. “The biggest difference is that the French have four, five or more generations but we are only in our first generation, which means we have to start everything for ourselves.”
Excellent beaches stretch either side of the main road too. On the north side, Divna, near the tiny village of Duba, some 6km from Trpanj, is secluded and sandy. Prapratno, 3km west of Ston, is also sandy. On the south side, Žuljana, before Trstenik, is a lovely village in a bay where you’ll find several beaches. The most beautiful is Vučine, almost immediately across from Brijesta 5km away as the crow flies, the point where the bridge drops you.
Further north, Orebić is worth a weekend away in its own right. A major trading centre until the late 19th century, it contains grand villas festooned with greenery, built by retired sea captains. A Maritime Museum details this seafaring history. The other main sight is a Franciscan monastery on a hilltop 20 minutes’ walk from the Hotel Bellevue. Built in the late 15th century, it houses Our Lady of the Angels, an icon said to protect sailors in the Pelješac Channel picturesquely spread below. Before you reach it, another trail leads to the summit of Sv Ilija, with views from 961 metres high.
Locals come to Orebić and nearby for its beaches. The nicest one is Trstenica, sandy, with a few bars and a section for naturists. Also close is Viganj, a popular spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with schools, rental offices and campsites.
At the opposite end of the peninsula, Ston’s natural lake-like bay has hosted mussel and oyster farms since Roman times. In summer, locals sell oysters individually, by the side of the road, but you’ll also find them at the family-run, traditional Kapetanova kuća restaurant, occupying the house where the captain in charge of the historic city walls once lived. Built to protect the salt pans there, these historic fortifications date back to the 1300s and link the twin towns of Veliki and Mali Ston along three kilometres of towers and bastions.