Dubrovnik Travel Guide » Dubrovnik Location

The coast of Dubrovnik: the Mljet island

Katarzyna — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:51:01 +0000

Mljet is a lovely island on the coast of Dubrovnik. More than half of hte island is a National Park and it is beautifully kept. The main feature of Mljet are the 2 salt water lakes that are in the National Park. There is a well maintained path bordering the lakes that mkakes walking, running or biking easy and beautiful. Mljet is very laid back island with a very small population. You really feel like you are in unspoiled wilderness and this is helped byt eh communities commitment to conservation. The public toilets are water-less eco toilets and many of the residents seem commited to self sustenance.

To reach Mljet catch the morning boat the “Nona Ana” from Dubrovnik’s ferry terminal. The trip takes about 90 minutes and to go see the lakes get off at the second stop POLACE. From Polace you can buy admission to the park for 90 Kuna (30 for children). Admission to the park includes a van ride from Polace to the interior and the two lakes and a boat to take you to/from the small island monastery (small island on the lake) where there is a pricy resturant but also swimming.

You can also catch a ferry from Korcula to the town of Pomena.

There are a number of places to stay on Mljet and they are mostly run by families that have rooms and apartments to rent to tourists. There is also one traditional hotel on the island in Pomena called Hotel Odisej.

Most of the accomodations are located in Pomena and Polace. However you can also stay in the nearby town of Soline (SO-lee-nay) for a vacation that is a little further away and a little bit lovelier. Soline is 3 km from the van drop off point and here there are a row of houses that offer acoomodations as well as food. Often the food served is locally caught fish and locally grown produce. On the island there is even a small vineyard where people grow grapes and then make their own wine.

One place that is recommended is Soline6 Eco Apartments. Soline6 is owned and run by a young English-Croatian couple and their family. There are 4 apartments in back of ther main family house and they are clean and new with balconies, small kitchens and private bathrooms. The prices are reasonable and the family makes guests feel like friends rather than customers. They overlook the water and nearby buildings. The young couple’s father is a local fisherman and their mother is an amazing cook who will pull together an amazing home-cooked meal of fresh caught fish and locally grown veggies.

There is a very tiny and not well stocked market at the ven drop off point so it is advisable to bring some fo your own food for lunches.

Restaurants have been set-up in front of almost all the homes along the main road/path around the lake. Don’t expect any menus just ask them what they have and trust it will be delicious seafood.

Hiking trails jut off the main paths that circle the lakes. At Polace and Pomena you can rent bicycles for about 100 Kuna a day and biking in the area is fun because there aren’t a lot of hills. The lake water is particularly warm - though just the right temperature to cool you off on a hit day. There are two lakes the larger lake “Veliko Jezero” has the island monastery and the smaller lake “Malo Jezero” is known for it’s exceptionally warm waters.

Dubrovnik- “heaven on earth”

Katarzyna — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:08:09 +0000

In 1929, George Bernard Shaw, the famous Irish writer, wrote:
” Those who wish to see heaven on earth should come to Dubrovnik.”

His immortal words do not only praise the rich and glorious history of Dubrovnik, but also the natural features of the whole region, known today as the Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Few places on earth exhibit such harmony between nature and men, a harmony still preserved till today. From the clear Adriatic waters, the interiours karst system, to the rich Neretva river in the Northeast, a magnificent combination emerges, taking your breath away every time you visit this region.

The defining characteristics of the landscape are the evergreen flora, pine and oak forests, macchia, karst fields, all creating the beautiful tropical and subtropical vegetation in Dubrovnik Region. Many natural phenomena can be found; Europe’s longest underground river Ombla, the bay of Mali Ston famous for oyster beds, the national park on the Island of Mljet, Arboretum Trsteno, Lokrum Reservation, Konavle, the Elafiti Islands and many more. The real joy is to explore this region by yourself, finding your own secret spots of harmony and peace.

Ecology in the Dubrovnik region

Katarzyna — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:06:35 +0000

The Neretva River dominates the scenery in the hinterland of South Dalmatia. This is mostly a marshland region, with occasional limestone areas. Shallow riverboats characteristic of the region glide up and down the river, and there are endless fields all around where people grow a variety of produce. The Neretva is the habitat of one of the largest species of trout-the marble trout, which can weigh more than thirty kilograms. Near the mouth of the Neretva, there is an unusual bay called Malostonski zaljev, where the sea abounds in different kinds of shellfish.

On the road to Dubrovnik to the south, lies the Trsteno arboretum, one of the oldest designed parks in Croatia dating from the 16th century. The park has many exotic plant species grow in. Rijeka dubrovačka is the place of a harmonious coexistence between the villas of Dubrovnik aristocracy and the natural environment.
Other examples are found on the Elafiti Islands (Koločep, Lopud, Šipan, Jakljan, and Olipa), Island Lokrum and other islands off the coast of Dubrovnik. As the many villas show, these wooded miniature islands have been a pleasant retreat for centuries. Equally wooded are the islands of Lastovo and Mljet. One third of Mljet and a part of its sea are within the boundaries of the National Park Mljet. The special and magical beauty of Mljet led many to recognize Mljet as Homer’s lost island Ogygia, the place where Ulysses and the nymph Calypso met. Amid all this natural beauty, there are two historic monuments: the ruins of a late-antiquity palace in Polače, and the former Benedictine monastery on an islet in in the lake of Veliko jezero in the middle of Mljet National Park

Sea water quality

Katarzyna — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:05:59 +0000

The results of the sea water analysis, made in the criteria prescribed by the European Union, show that the Adriatic Sea is of the highest quality, the only exception being several major seaports. Along Dubrovnik Region visitors will enjoy in the crystal clear sea and clean environment. The only exemption where swimming is not recommended are the port of Gruz and the Old Town harbor. Due to many ships and sewage water the sea quality in those areas must be improved before swimming can be recommended. The control measurements of the sea water quality around Dubrovnik is done yearly, before the tourist season. Unfortunately, there are no beaches around Dubrovnik that have yet received the Blue Flag award, an European award that recognizes beaches with high standards regarding both sea water quality and supporting facilities. The only received Blue Flags in Dubrovnik Region are held by the ACI marina Miho Pracat in Komolac, 6 km from Dubrovnik and the ACI marina on Korčula.

The territory of Dubrovnik Republic

Katarzyna — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:05:34 +0000

As it had good relations with its neighbors, Dubrovnik was allowed to trade, trading both in the Orient and the Mediterranean. With numerous countries and towns it had special agreements and was not paying taxes on goods sold or transported trough some country’s. During several centuries Dubrovnik grew into the most powerful economic center in the south of the Adriatic and it developed a powerful fleet of merchant and war ships. Dubrovnik had over 200 merchant ships called Argosy.
At the Golden Period of Dubrovnik the territory of the Republic extended from Klek-Neum in the north to Sutorina (Boka Kotorska) in the south and a few kilometers inland. It included the islands of Šipan, Lopud and Koločep (after 1080), Mljet (1141) and
Lastovo (1216), the town of Ston (1298) and the Pelješac Peninsula (1399). The coastal territory of the Republic without islands was approximately 120 kilometers in length.
Dubrovnik Republic also ruled Korčula, Brač and Hvar for a brief period (1414-1417), but was forced to release them to Venice.

Nautical Info

Katarzyna — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:54:02 +0000

The part of the Adriatic Sea belonging to the Republic of Croatia ranges from Prevlaka in the south to cape Savudrija in the west, embracing all islands, islets and cliffs along the coast, including the archipelago of Palagruza. No other areas in Europe possesses such unique opportunities for cruising, whether with motor boats, speedboats or sailboats. The breathtaking scenery of more than a thousand dazzling islands along the Croatian coast, combined with the unpolluted crystal clear sea, will satisfy even the most demanding nautical enthusiasts.

For those interested in exploring the magic’s of the underwater world we included a special section about diving opportunities in and around Dubrovnik. Croatia has long been proud over its picturesque beaches and marinas. The recognition regarding the quality of sea water and other ecological parameters came when beaches and marinas across the Croatian coast begun receiving the Blue Flag reward. The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded beaches and in countries across Europe. The Blue Flag Campaign is owned and run by the independent nonprofit organization Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE). It symbolizes high environmental standards as well as good sanitary and safety facilities at the beach/marina.

In the year 1999 ACI marina Dubrovnik along with five other ACI marinas was awarded the “European Blue Flag”, an environmental award, given to communities that make a special effort to keep their beaches and marinas clean and manage them with consideration for the local environment. The marina has been nominated for the same award in the year 2000.