Chasing the wind at Dubrovnik Riviera

Home to 1200 islands, the Dalmatian Coast is a sailor's paradise. In August, we set sail from Marmaris to the Adriatic Sea.

Mali Ston, wine and cheese
Our first stop in Croatia was Mali Ston, about 60km from Dubrovnik. The waters of Mali Ston are very clean and ideal for oyster farming. The next day, we set sail for Cavtat. After the Great Wall of China, Cavtat has the world's second longest defensive walls. The region is famous for its sea salt and cottage wine industry. Our first stop on the Adriatic was the ACI Marina in Dubrovnik. Here, we stocked up on supplies for our journey. By a strange coincidence, we ran into an old friend of one of our shipmates. Based on his knowledge of the area, we decided to change our Adriatic course.

Maria's island

In the morning, we set sail at full speed. At about 15.00, we caught sight of the small island of Lopud. Back when Dubrovnik was an independent city-state, the aristocrats had their summer homes on Lopud. Lopud is one of the few islands to have a beach and is covered in trees. No motor vehicles are allowed on the island. We stopped here for a meal and were served by a cheerful waitress named Maria. For the rest of the trip, we renamed Lopud "Maria's Island" in her honour. We spent that and every subsequent evening sipping Lopud wine on deck. The next morning, we woke to discover that we had the bay to ourselves. We set sail for our next stop, Mljet. Two boisterous dolphins joined us for a part of the journey.

Turkish folk songs

The island of Mljet is a protected national park that has two saltwater lakes but no fresh water. The next day, we enjoyed a day of sailing before anchoring in Vera Luka Bay on the island of Korcula. Korcula boasts the cleanest waters of the coast. We all fell in love with the nearby island of Sipan. After two whole days on deck, we headed to the shore for dinner. The restaurants on both islands proved to be full, but we luckily discovered a tiny bakery that sold a local version of borek. It was run by an Albanian man in his seventies. Hearing us speak Turkish, he started to sing a half-remembered Turkish folk song. The next morning, we woke at dawn and went for a walk. The road was lined with fruit trees and we helped ourselves to grapes, peaches, apricots and figs on our way. The figs were particularly delicious. In the afternoon, we went for a swim to escape the baking heat. Sadly, the seabed was littered with old car tyres and empty bottles. Nevertheless, we were loath to leave Korcula. However, the time had come to return to Dubrovnik. Once there, we spent out last night on the ship and drank a toast to the beauties of the Dalmatian Coast.

Dubrovnik Riviera Guide

DUBROVNIK

Although it saw a lot of damage during the war, Dubrovnik is still an enchanting town surrounded by mountains, forests and the sea. There are four districts: Gruz, Babin Kuk, Lapad and the Old Town. The shores of Babin Kuk, Lapad, Boninovo, Pile and Ploce are lined with luxury hotels. Watch the sunset from the old fortress, go shopping in Placa-Stradun and wander through the torch-lit streets by night. The hotels fill up during the Summer Festival (July 10-August 25). Ferries to all islands leave from the Dubrovnik Gruz pier at least 3 times a day. Hotel Gruz: Gruz, Tel: +385 20 418-977. Hotel Grand Villa Argentina: Ploce, Tel: +385 20 440-555. www.hoteli-argentina.hr Hotel Excelsior: Ploce, Tel: +385 20 414-222, +385 20 353-353 www.hotel-excelsior.hr Dubrovnik President: Babin Kuk, Tel: +385 20 441-100. www.babinkuk.com Hotel Kompas: Babin Kuk,Tel: +385 20 352-000. www.hotel-kompas.hr. Orhan: Old Town, Od Tabakarije 1. Tel: +385 20 414- 183. Most restaurants serve Mediterranean fare. Try the "Black Risotto", "Lobster Salad", and "Dubrovnik Rozata" (crème caramel) and "Cevap Cici", a kind of meatball. Restaurant Konavoka: Vl. Stijepo-Miso Zvrko, Setaliste Kralja Zvonimira 38, Lapad. Tel: 20 435 105. Restaurant Wanda: Prijeko Street 8, 20 000, Old Town. Tel: 20 321 010. Restaurant Arka: Gunduliãeva poljana, Old Town. Restaurant/Cafe Levanat: Nika i Meda Pucica 15, Lapad, Dubrovnik.

ACI MARINA

42º 40,3´N / 018º 07,6´E. 5km from Dubrovnik city centre, at the mouth of the Ombla (Arion) river, spanned by a beautiful bridge. Tel.:+385 20 455-020. VHF Kanal 17. http://www.aci-club.hr/

MALI STON

An old fishing town north of Dubrovnik. Lots of oyster farms. Hotel Ostrea: A luxury boutique hotel run by the illustrious Kralj family. Excellent breakfast-particularly the cold cuts and breads. Mali Ston, 20230, Ston Tel:+385 20 754-555. www.ostrea.hr Kapetanova Kuca: Also owned by the Kralj family. The "Captain's House" next door is said to be the best seafood restaurant on the Adriatic. Everything is fresh and the oysters and delicious. Reservations are essential. The local Peljesac, Plavac and Dingac red wines are very good. Local Pag Island goat's cheese is sold at ACI Marina or at the shopping centre. A wheel costs around 480 Kuna.

LOKRUM ISLAND

A small island and national park surrounded by high cliffs and covered in forests. There are day trips from Dubrovnik. Great swimming. There are plenty of piers and showers. The island has two small lagoons and a restaurant. Smoking is forbidden. One nudist beach. You are not allowed to stay overnight.

ELAFITI ISLAND CHAIN

Sipan: There are enchanting bays around Sipanski Luka. The Albanian bakery is to the left of the pier. Make sure to try the tripe and potatoes at the restaurant-bar behind the ice cream stand to its left. Hotel Sipan: 20223 Sipanjiska Luka. Tel: +385 20 758-000. www.sipanhotel.com Lopud: This gorgeous island is the smallest island between Sipan and Kolocep. Maria's restaurant is on the corner before the Lafodia Hotel. Try the fried fish and sautéed mussels. The Sunj monastery lies at the end of the 1km long Sunj shore. Have breakfast at a cafe on the shore. Grand Hotel: +385 20 87 014. Hotel Lafodia: +385 20 759 012 Kolocep: There are two settlements on the island: Gornje Celo and Donje Celo. Famous for its 15th century summer palaces. Its rocky shores are covered in coral reefs. Its waters reflect every possible shade of blue. The shore is lined with hotels and restaurants, some large, some small. Excellent pomegranates and figs. The restaurants serve homemade lemonade. Boasting a pool and a great view, the Hotel Villas Kolocep is the best in town. A 500m long nudist FKK Beach is located beyond the Ruza restaurant in the marina. Hotel Villas Kolocep: Tel: + 385 20 757 025. Hotel Kolocep: Tel: +385 20 757 025/ 757 027

MLJET ISLAND
Enjoy a game of billiards and a cup of coffee at the Hotel Odisej in the centre of Pomena. The hotel's beach is a great place to swim, especially at sunset. The restaurants at the far left end of the marina serve excellent fish. At ticket to enter the Malo Jezerro (lagoon) and Veliko Jezerro National Park will only set you back about 40 Kuna. Make sure to take a canoe or motorboat to the small island in the middle of the lagoons to visit the Church of Santa Maria. This beautiful island also has a restaurant and a cafe. Smoking is forbidden in the national park. If you decide to go swimming in the lagoons, beware that the fish have a tendency to bite! There is a FKK nudist beach on the Malo Jezerro lagoon. Hotel Odisej: 20226 Pomena, Otok Mljet. Tel: + 385 20 744 022. Fax: + 385 20 744 042.