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Dubrovnik & the Dalmatian IslandsGlittering seas & alluring islands
Nights: 8
Starting point: Hotel Zagreb (3*), Dubrovnik. Converted from a villa with a pink façade set in landscaped gardens, this friendly hotel is located in the leafy district to the west of the Old Town. The pedestrianised street is lined with cafés and shaded by palm trees and leads to the pebble beach, a ten-minute stroll away. There are just 26 bedrooms, ensuring intimate and personal service, and you can choose to enjoy breakfast on the terrace if you wish. Please contact us if you would prefer to stay in a 4-star hotel. Day 1: spend your first day exploring Dubrovnik's Old Town, the jewel of the Adriatic. Frequent buses pass by close to the hotel (the bus stop is just 1 minute away) and the journey takes 10-15 minutes (pay locally). For a good introduction to the city, you could start by walking along the remarkably well preserved stone walls which encircle the Old Town, admiring the views over the terracotta rooftops and the wooded hills which gave the city its name (dubrava means 'holm oak'). Afterwards, stroll through the streets themselves, taking your time to appreciate the ornate architectural detail of the gracious buildings (the city, once an important trading centre, was rebuilt in Baroque style after an earthquake in 1667). Many squares and some streets are paved in marble, and are lined with tall houses, amid which are scattered convents, mansions and churches all constructed from the same light-coloured stone. Accommodation: Hotel Zagreb, as above. Day 2: leaving Dubrovnik, you drive north-west, perhaps pausing at Ston to sample the seafood for which the town is renowned and to marvel at the fortifications, the oldest in Europe, which appear to defy gravity as they clamber up the hillside away from the sea. You continue across the mountainous Pelješac Peninsula, crossing by ferry to the island of Korčula. The drive takes just under 3 hours, plus the ferry crossing (pay locally). Accommodation: Hotel Feral (4*), Brna. The setting of the Feral is superb, right by the water's edge on Brna Bay. The plain façade belies an airy, comfortable hotel which has been decorated with style and attention to detail, and the bedrooms all boast a balcony and views over the bay. There is an outdoor pool as well as a platform from which you can swim in the crystal-clear waters. Each evening take your pick of the village restaurants lining the seafront (pay locally). Days 3 & 4: tempting as it may be to spend your two days relaxing by the sea, to do so would be to miss out on some delightful walks on both the east and west side of the island. We suggest three walks which are all within easy driving distance of the hotel. The first (13km, 4hrs) ascends gently across terraced hillsides before descending to the interesting village of Blato and finishing with a section across open countryside to a marvellous viewpoint on the coast. The second (3.5km, 2hrs) is a short but relatively steep ascent to Mount Kom, whose 360-degree views are just reward for your exertions. A third, very varied route (12.5km, 4.5hrs) leads across verdant slopes and along the rocky coastline, ascending to Mount Hum (376 metres). Alternatively, you could use your hire car to gain a good feel for the open landscapes of rolling green hills coated with silver-green olive groves, scented pine woods, vineyards, orchards, expanses of wild rosemary and stone-built villages. It is worth visiting Korčula Town, a picturesque town with a busy marina, where we also suggest a short 5-kilometre walk through the surrounding hills. Yet another alternative is to hire bikes for the day and explore on two wheels – we provide notes for a 27-kilometre route which starts from the hotel. Accommodation: Hotel Feral, as above. Day 5: to reach your final base, you return along the Pelješac Peninsula to Prapratno, from where a ferry transports you to the enchanting island of Mljet, whose narrow roads wind through pine-clad hills, affording panoramas of small coves and bays. The drive from Korčula takes a total of 2 hours, plus the two ferry crossings (pay locally). However, we recommend a detour up the fertile Neretva Valley, which is different in feel to the scenery you encounter on the rest of the holiday and which boasts wetlands that are rich in birdlife. Accommodation: Hotel Odisej (4*), Pomena. The staff at this seafront hotel are friendly and attentive, and we include rooms with sea views and a balcony. Facilities include a bar, a lounge area, a shaded terrace overlooking the marina, and a platform from which you can swim in the clear waters, enjoying views of Pomena's bustling harbour and the neighbouring islands. Days 6 & 7: your hotel is located on the western extreme of the island, within the National Park which encompasses almost half of Mljet, making it a great base for exploring the protected reserve. There are endless opportunities for walking in these lush green landscapes accompanied by the rhythmic chirping of cicadas. As you explore, the sea is seemingly omnipresent, its glittering waters dominating the far-reaching views in which tones of blue and green prevail. Our two suggested walking routes and one cycling route (which all start from the hotel) explore the two turquoise, salt-water lakes just south of Pomena, which are shaded by Aleppo pines. The first walk is a gentle stroll (4.5km, 1.5hrs) around the shores of the smaller lake, while the second (up to 17km, 5hrs) explores the northern shores and hills of the larger lake, taking in the summit of Montokuc, which commands superb views across the lakes towards the open seas of the southern Adriatic. To ring the changes, enjoy some of the water sports available locally (pay locally) or, for a different perspective of the lakes, take a boat trip (pay locally) to the tiny island on the larger of the two lakes, Jezero. Accommodation: Hotel Odisej, as above. Recommendations for extra nights: any of the three hotels would make a good choice. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Similar holidays: Citrus Groves & Dramatic Coast (grades 1 & 2), The Treasures of Eastern Sicily (grades 1, 2 & 3), Sardinia's Rich Interior (grades 1, 2 & 3), Tranquil Coast, Temples & Islands (grade 2)
Prices & travel 2008:
#Numerous ferries run daily between our featured islands and the mainland during the main summer period from 1 Jun-30 Sep inclusive. However, outside this period there is only a restricted number of crossings which operate at unsocial hours. Timetables are subject to change as more crossings may be added at short notice in response to local demand. Extra night prices 2008 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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The southern Dalmatian Coast is Croatia at its most beguiling. Dubrovnik is justly famed for its splendid architecture and jumble of medieval houses topped by terracotta tiles. North-west of the city, we have found two equally captivating islands. The first, Korčula, combines pretty coves, sleepy villages and rolling hills clad with olive groves and vines to wonderful effect. But if Korčula is idyllic, then Mljet, with its forests and glistening lakes, is spellbinding in its beauty – and its tranquillity. Touring by car (pay locally for the ferries to and from the islands), you can take things at your own pace, choosing walking or sightseeing as the mood takes you. You stay on a bed and breakfast basis at all three hotels, enabling you to sample a variety of local restaurants.
Dubrovnik
