by Cynthia Cruz
| January, 12, 2026
Day 4 looked to be a rainy day and so began, ideally, with a 60-minute massage at Hotel Bellevue’s spa followed by a steam sauna, floating leisurely in the heated pool overlooking the ocean, and lounging in the whirlpool Jacuzzi. A perfect start to a rainy day.
This was also a good day to try the Croatian dish called peka – a hearty and comforting dish of lamb, veal, pork, and potatoes placed over a fire, then covered with a bell-shaped lid. Hot coals and embers are then placed on top of the lid, allowing the food to bake slowly for several hours. Fortunately, we had made reservations at the restaurant the day before. If you’d like to try Peka (and you really should), you must call ahead as the dish takes time to prepare. Konoba Durbrava, located in a lovely stone building on Srđ Hill was highly recommended and this is where we went. The tender succulent meats and creamy potatoes hit the spot. Tip: Peka is a dish best served for a large group – the portions are huge.
The rain and a full belly dictated a cozy afternoon in. By all means, enjoy your hotel room if you can. Oftentimes, we spend so much time out and about, we rarely take time to appreciate our home away from home. I opened my glass doors and listened to the waves and the rain between napping and reading my book in my comfy bed.
The day began with a ride through the countryside to Kameni Dvori, a family operated bed & breakfast and restaurant in the Konavle Valley specializing in agritourism. Fruits and vegetables are grown in the garden and guests are invited to hand-pick the ingredients for the meal they will learn how to cook in the centuries-old kitchen. On the menu were fresh bread, vegetable soup, beef skewers, and apple strudel – all made by us, the guests.
After lunch, we traveled to Cavtat, a coastal town located just south of Dubrovnik. Here we took a guided walking tour of this picturesque seaside town. The walking path provided gorgeous views of the sea as well as entry into some of the town’s churches and monuments. There is also an uphill trail to the cemetery with a well-earned view from the top and an opportunity to explore and admire the ages-old headstones and mausoleums.
Next, we made our way to the Hotel Supetar, my favorite of the Adriatic Luxury Hotel collection. Cavtat is less crowded than Dubrovnik which is easily accessible from Cavtat via a short boat ride. The hotel’s pool, grounds, excellent bar and restaurant, and whimsical decor also place it high on my list.
The food and wine at Hotel Supetar are supreme. We enjoyed an expertly paired wine tasting featuring local wines partnered with small bites of cheese, cured meat, and fish –outstanding. I was introduced to some lovely Croatian wines, and I was wishing I had room in my suitcase to bring some home.
As part of the food festival, the hotel offered a special on drinks and appetizers at the hotel’s Garden Terrace & Bar. We snacked on bao buns, quesadillas, and seafood with refreshing cocktails in a beautiful garden next to the ocean.
Ston and Mali Ston are two settlements at the entrance to the Pelješac Peninsula in Croatia, famous for the longest preserved fortified wall in Europe and their oyster and mussel production.
Ston, the larger medieval town, is best known for its impressive medieval walls, often called the “Great Wall of Europe,” which stretch for miles and connect Ston to Mali Ston. Ston is also famous for its salt works which are among the oldest active saltworks in the world, dating back to the 14th century. Ston feels like stepping into a fortified medieval outpost: stone houses, narrow lanes, and those iconic walls stretching across the hillside. Across the bay, the smaller fortified village of Mali Ston is the hub for oyster farming. Both are key destinations for history and food lovers, easily accessible from one another and from mainland Croatia via the Pelješac Bridge.
Be sure to eat at Bota Šare, the beloved seafood restaurant on the waterfront in Mali Ston. Housed in a historic salt-storage building, its location near the water is picturesque. A table outside is ideal. We were lucky enough to enjoy the “Oyster Experience” before lunch, a boat ride to a floating oyster bar, a presentation on oyster farming, and fresh oyster tasting. We learned how oysters are farmed and shucked, and we got to sample oysters right out of the water. It was a lovely experience, and we saw firsthand how fresh our lunch would be. Definitely order the oysters, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu – everything we tasted was delicious.
After lunch it was time for more wine, so we made our way to Miloš Winery (Vinarija Miloš), located in Ponikve on the Pelješac Peninsula for a tour and tasting. This winery is a multi-generational, organic operation that works largely with Plavac Mali, the flagship red grape of the Pelješac Peninsula. The Miloš family has been making wine for over 500 years! If you are in the Pelješac Peninsula, tour the vineyards, learn about traditional winemaking, and taste their Plavac Mali wines — their Stagnum is especially noteworthy.
My last dinner in Dubrovnik was at Proto Fish Restaurant in Old Town. This lovely rooftop restaurant served one of my favorite meals throughout this trip. We started with an amazing octopus salad, and, for my entree, I ordered the seafood ravioli – pasta stuffed with lobster with fresh shrimp in a robust seafood tomato sauce – divine. The espresso martini – the best I’ve ever had. And the desserts? Phenomenal. I will definitely be back if the stars align.
Dubrovnik is a rare blend of natural beauty, deep history, and creativity. I was impressed by the people, the food, the nature and the history.
October is an excellent time to visit as the tourist crowd starts thinning, and timing your visit to coincide with the Taste the Mediterranean Festival adds an extra layer of richness to the experience.
The winds may sometimes delay your landing, but the moment your feet touch its ancient stones, you will fall in love with this city.
