Where the promenade in Gradac ends, across the Bacina lakes, the fertile Neretva Valley, Dubrovnik, Konavle and all the way to Prevlaka, South Dalmatia stretches.
The southernmost region of Croatia is the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and it ends in Prevlaka - the extreme south of the Republic of Croatia.
This part of Croatia is also a favorite vacation spot for many tourists, so do not be surprised if you see some Hollywood star behind you, because this part, especially Dubrovnik, is very popular among celebrities.
While your vacations in Croatia, you should visit one of the beautiful islands (Elafiti, Lopud, Mljet, Korcula ...) which are a favorite destination for world travelers and yachtsmen.
Thanks to the pleasant climate, you are always welcome in the South Croatia. You won't go wrong if you visit the southern part of Croatia during the winter, when fewer tourists are circulating in cities and towns.
Metković, Opuzen, Ston, Dubrovnik, Cavtat, Konavle, Orebic, Peljesac, Elafiti, Lokrum, Mljet, Korcula, Lopud… is just part of the list of cities, islands, and places you can visit during your stay in Croatia.
From Dubrovnik you can also go to neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro, which you will reach quickly. If you are not traveling by car, we recommend renting a vehicle so you can visit nearby places.
If you need transport, accommodation, or boat rental services, our and your travel agency Croatia Charter Holidays-Acantho d.o.o. it is at your disposal!
For all those who are planning a trip to Southern Croatia, we have prepared a guide How to get to Southern Croatia. One of the Important things you should know is that there is a 24 km long The "Neum corridor", which belongs to the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (not a member of the EU) and all those who headed south, must cross it.
If you are traveling by car, make sure that your private or rented car has a green card for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Peljesac Bridge should open soon, so you won't have to cross the Croatian border.
The most popular and cheapest way to get to the south is by bus, but if you live outside of Croatia, the best option is to travel by plane. If you do not find a direct flight to Dubrovnik, then the best option is to land in Zagreb or Split and board a flight to Dubrovnik from there.
From coastal cities, for example from Split, there are ferry and catamaran lines to Dubrovnik, Korcula, Peljesac… Ferry from southern Italy to Dubrovnik are available in the period from March to October. If you are staying in Split or some other city / town in Central Dalmatia, except by bus and plane, you can travel to south by car. Stunning scenes of the indented Adriatic coast await you.
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South Dalmatian coast is rich in interesting destinations and Dubrovnik is probably the best-known city in Croatia. The Old Town, which has been under UNESCO World Heritage protection since 1979, is situated inside almost 2 km long great City walls. Ramparts were first built in the 16th century and inside the city walls now lives around 5000 people but there are also numerous churches, palaces, monasteries, museums and monuments to visit. One of the most recognizable Dubrovnik landmarks is St. Lawrence fortress (fort Lovrijenac), also known as Dubrovnik's Gibraltar. Dubrovnik also has own cable car that leads from the Lower station placed north of the city walls to the top of Mount Srdj from where you can enjoy the view across the terracotta Dubrovnik rooftops, beautiful South Dalmatian coast and islands. One of the cultural practices and expressions of Dubrovnik region is the dance of Lindjo, inscribed on the UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Lindjo is a performance where one man sits in the middle playing the old South Dalmatian instrument called lijerica and pounding rhythm with his foot thereby giving rhythm to the dancers.
The small island of Lokrum is situated only 1 km from Dubrovnik and this lovely island can be great excursion spot to escape from the mainland. It takes only 15-minutes boat ride to get to Lokrum, often called the ‘Island of Kings’, because, according to legend, King Richard the Lionheart got caught up in a storm and shipwrecked on Lokrum Island on his way home from the Third Crusade.
Just off the coast of Dubrovnik are the Elafiti Islands, perfect spot for an easy day trip. Elafiti are small archipelago consisted of 14 islands out of which only 3 are inhabited and connected by ferry lines to the mainland – Sipan, Kolocep and Lopud. Trio of islands is rather popular destination for daily trips but despite that, they remain largely unaffected by the tourism. Kolocep is best known for its cliffs, pebble beaches and olive groves while Lopud is celebrated for its well-preserved Benedictine monastery dating from 11th century, 16th-century churches and sandy beach Sunj.
Travel to Peljesac peninsula, only about an hour-drive from Dubrovnik and discover some of the best red wines in Croatia. Traveling around the peninsula you will taste some traditional Peljesac wines and enjoy in breathtakingly inspiring views of the vineyards and the immense blue sea. If you want to be more active, vineyard tour can also be realized as wine-and-bike tour. These tours are a mixture of history, culture, wine and gastronomy. This region is rich in flavors. Travel along the Peljesac peninsula to the medieval town of Ston, famous for the Walls of Ston known as the European wall of China. Mali Ston bay is well known for oysters and mussels farming thanks to the fact that waters here are unpolluted.
Neretva river flows into Adriatic Sea a bit north from the Mali Ston bay creating amazing estuary with numerous lagoons, lakes and courses. This area is known for fruit and vegetables production so depending on the season, you will easily find fresh watermelons or mandarins.
South Dalmatia is home to Mljet National park, an island of magic beauty and the first larger island you will come upon while sailing along the Croatian Adriatic coast from south to north. The Mljet island is rich in green forests, vineyards and cultural and natural beauties – sandy beach Saplunara or Odysseus Cave. The legend has it that Odysseus shipwrecked nearby and swam to the cave to take shelter. The island was dominated by a nymph called Calypso, both her and the island charmed Odysseus who was trapped there for 7 years. Mljet National Park takes up the northwestern side of the island and consists of two saltwater lakes and a Benedictine monastery built on a small island of St. Mary (island within an island). Worth visiting! Another larger island of South Dalmatia archipelago is Korcula. This charming island is known for its dense forest and thanks to it ancient Greek called the island Black Korcula. Largest towns on the island are Lumbarda, Vela Luka and Korcula Town often referred to as ‘’Little Dubrovnik’’ due to its walls, medieval palaces and squares. Events on the island usually take place during the summer months and one of the main events to attend is famous Moreska sword dance, Korcula’s proudest tradition and one of the most unusual custom in the Adriatic.
