Top Sights around Dubrovnik

bukOvAC HOuSE (kućA bukOvAC) A highlight of a trip to Cavtat, where one of the best-loved Croatian artists, Vlaho Bukovac (18551922) grew up. As a child, he painted murals on the interior walls of the lovely old villa, bringing them alive with colourful paintings featuring semi-naive animal themes. Although subsequent owners saw fit to paint over his works, they have been restored with some success, and the delightful exhibition space upstairs features paintings and sketches surrounded by original furniture from Bukovac’s day. Bukovac’s portraits are especially personal and full of emotion. An exhibition space on the ground floor is given over to the work of young artists, and the shows feature contemporary works, a refreshing contrast with the antique mood of the rest of the house. There’s an idyllic garden at the back, and the whole experience is a rather uplifting one.QBukovčeva 5, Cavtat, tel. (+385-20) 47 86 46, www.kucabukovac.hr. Open 09:00-18:00; Sun 09:00-12:00. Holidays closed. Admission 30/15kn.

METkOvić nATuRAL HiSTORy MuSEuM Over 340 stuffed animals, amongst which 218 birds and 310 species that have been recorded in the Neretva River Delta, are shown at this beautiful and modern museum. The permanent exhibition features the richness of the flora and fauna of the Neretva Valley by using info panels, stuffed animals set in glass showcases, multimedia audio-visual displays as well as a 3D view of their habitats. One event that touches your senses and especially for those who love culture, arts, history and archaeology all in one!QUlica Kralja Zvonimira, tel. (+385-20) 69 06 73, www.pmm. hr. Open 09:00-16:00; Sat 09:0014:00; closed Sun. Admission 40/15kn.

MiLLS On THE RivER LjuTA The protected landscape surrounding the Ljuta is home to a watermill and stamp system, which consists of eight flour mills, two oil mills, and three stamp mills. Part of this system, called the ‘lower mills’, was built after 1550, when Konvale came to be under the control of the Republic of Dubrovnik. The lower mills have been preserved until today. The mills were built on a canal network, while some of them were driven by three aqueducts. Most of the mills were on the western bank of the river, apart from the Đivanović stamp mill which was on the eastern bank. The mill system was extremely important for the economy of Konavle and the Dubrovnik Republic as a whole. QKonavle.

MLjET nATiOnAL PARk & ODySSEu’S CAvE Established in 1960, the park is Mljet’s top attraction. The park, encompasses 54 square kilometres at the western end of the island, with an astonishing interior and coastline beauty. Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero (Big Lake and Small Lake), and the villages of Soline, Babine Kuće, Pomena, Polače and Goveđari all lie within the park boundaries. Of interest, this park represents the first institutionalised attempt to protect the native eco-system in the Adriatic. Odysseus’s Cave (Odisejeva

Špilja) Technically that would be Calypso’s cave; Odysseus, shipwrecked on his way home from the Trojan War, only stayed with the nymph seven years, and most of the time he was pining for his wife and his home. After walking along a path lined with rock walls and wildflowers, which takes you out above a deep grotto and the crashing waves, you may wonder why he was in such a hurry to leave. You can pick your way down into the cave; come back another day by boat to squeeze into it through a 30m tunnel. Local fishermen use the grotto as a harbour. QPristanište 2, Goveđari, tel. (+385-20) 74 40 41, www. www. np-mljet.hr. Open 07:15-20:00. Admission 125/70kn.

nAROnA ARCHAEOLOGiCAL MuSEuM (ARHEOLOški MuzEj nAROnA) This archaeological museum is located at the former site of Narona, an ancient Roman City in the present day Neretva Valley. Open to visitors since May 18, 2007, the Roman Temple Augusteum forms the base of the museum exhibition. The museum’s permanent collection features statues, pottery, jewelry, glass and money, which date as far back as the 3rd Century BC.QNaronski trg 6, Vid, tel. (+385-20) 68 71 49, www.a-m-narona.hr. Open 09:00-19:00; closed Mon. Admisson 40/20kn.

SOkOL TOwER (SOkOL GRAD) Kids these days will say ‘hey, this reminds me of a fortress in World of Warcraft’, and they are not far off. Enter an ancient fort located in Konavle and up on a 25 meter high cliff, it dates back to 1420 and was most likely used for military purposes. After long renovations, it’s open to the public and also maintains some archaeological items including Bronze Age weapons for the feisty!QDunave, Konavle, www.citywallsdubrovnik.hr. Open 09:00-19:00. Tickets 70/30 kn.

STOn SALTwORkS (SOLAnA STOn) Did you know that Croatia has one of the oldest salt mines in Europe? Located in Ston, this salt mine is one of three in Croatia and dates back to the 14th century. It was created in 1333 after the Dubrovnik Republic bought Ston. Annually, they produce up to 2000 tons of organic salt in salt pans!QPelješki put 1, Ston, tel. (+385-20) 75 40 27, www.solanaston.hr. Open 08:00-20:00. Admission 20kn.

THE RAčić MAuSOLEuM (MAuzOLEj ObiTELji RAčić) The Račić family mausoleum was built by Ivan Mestrović, a friend of the family, in the early 20th Century, in order to house their remains. Located in the middle of the cemetery, on top of the hill overlooking Cavtat, from the mausoleum you can look out at the magnificent Adriatic Sea. It took Meštrović two years to complete the mausoleum and he finished his work in 1922. It’s dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels.QCavtat Cemetery, Cavtat, www.migk.hr. Open 10:00-17:00; closed Sun. Admission 20/15kn.

THE wALLS OF STOn In an area known for its rugged natural beauty, few man-made sights are more magnificent than the grizzled fourteenth-century walls of Ston. For many years only a tiny stretch of this 5.5km-long line of fortifications was accessible to the public, but after a long period of renovation a significant circuit of wall was ceremonially opened to the public in October 2009. Visitors can now scramble around the ring of bastions that surrounds the town of Ston itself, enjoying fantastic views of the surrounding countryside. The walls date back to 1334, when the Republic of Dubrovnik gained Ston and the neighbouring Pelješac peninsula, and immediately set about securing it against potential Venetian or Ottoman attack. The area was well worth the investment: the salt pans of Ston went on to become a key source of Dubrovnik’s revenue, and helped to keep the republic’s fleet on the seas. Spanning the isthmus that connects the Peljesac peninsula to the mainland, and consisting of 40 towers and 5 fortresses, the walls comprise one of the longest stretches of surviving fortifications in the whole of Europe. Local sources reckon it to be the second longest stretch in the world after the Great Wall of China, although this eye-popping claim was probably intended as an attention-grabbing ruse by PR-conscious tourist officials. In the event, we feel obliged to report that a few idle seconds of web-surfing revealed that Kumbhalgarh in India boasts 36km of surviving wall – although we didn’t bother investigating any further. QSton, Pelješac, tel. (+385-20) 63 88 00/(+385-20) 63 88 01, www. citywallsdubrovnik.hr. Open 08:00-19:30. Tickets 70/30 kn.