So I'm finally back on the blogging front. Thanks for bearing with me over the last few weeks but I do find it's good to take a break from the net every once in a while to recharge the old batteries.
In terms of what I've been up to, well, Ad and I recently came back from our first ever trip to Croatia. I'd done some serious research prior to planning this trip (it's kinda my thing) and decided to book our stay at the Hotel Croatia in the beautiful little harbour town of Cavtat. The photo above is the view from our hotel bar so I'm hoping you can see it's appeal already!
When researching the trip, I knew we both wanted the following: to go somewhere new, to go somewhere which wasn't too touristy, go somewhere which had plenty of things to do and somewhere which had great food (of course!).
Cavtat is just a short 10-15 minute drive from Dubrovnik airport and has a population of around 2000 people making it a fairly quiet little resort. Despite being quite close to the airport, the planes don't start coming in until fairly late in the morning and finish around 9pm. The arrivals and departures are few and far enough between that you don't really notice the comings and goings all that much.
I can safely say this place isn't a tourist trap at all, I'd even go as far as to say that it's far enough off the beaten track that it regularly attracts numerous celebrities, footballers and millionaires on their super yachts who regularly make port and stay at the harbour for several days at a time. It was quite enjoyable to watch the yachts coming in as I've never seen anything like it up close.
This one in particular caused quite a stir when it arrived, apparently costing almost half a million dollars a week to charter!
Cavtat has two harbour sections on separate peninsulas which are both a short walk apart. The main harbour which I've featured above has the vast majority of Cavtat's fantastic restaurants many of which are situated right on the water front giving you a prime spot to watch the yachts come in and the sun go down.
Now, just because Cavtat is small, don't go thinking that you won't find a good spot to eat! We ate at so many great restaurants and I can honestly say, we didn't have a bad meal the entire time we were there. Most places all have a strong Italian influence with pizza, pasta and fresh seafood all featuring on most menus. Given the freshness of the seafood, it should come as little surprise to my readers that I had to have a seafood pizza. What might surprise you though is that most of our meals, including alcohol, came in at 200 Kuna or less, which is around £20.
If high dining is your thing though, then Restaurant Bugenvila, which is situated on the main strip, is definitely worth a visit. We both wolfed our way through three courses which were more than worthy of a Michelin star and several show-stopping cocktails.
Whilst the meal came to 900 Kuna, you need to bear in mind this included three courses each, three cocktails and a large glass of beer. As it's number 1 ranked on Trip Advisor, I would strongly recommend you book in advance as this place is almost always fully booked well in advance.
If you're looking for something a little more pared back, then it's worth heading around to the second harbour where many of the locals dock their boats. Here's where you'll find even more laid back restaurants which offer local wine by the litre and a stunning spot to watch the sunset.
Another big plus for me after having eaten so much food is that are so many spots where you're free to just pop down a beach towel and dive right into the water. The water is so clear and so beautiful it's hard to resist going for a swim every day to cool down. Just bear in mind you'll be sharing the water with some fishes, don't be too startled if they brush up against you.
Cavtat really does have something for everyone, gorgeous scenery, fantastic food, beautiful crystal clear waters, spots to sit back while watching the world pass by and some piece and quiet.
If I could, I'd go back in heartbeat, after all, who wouldn't miss staring at that view every evening?
I hope you've enjoyed this post, I plan an doing some extra travel based posts on things to do in the local area which I hope will be helpful if you're planning a trip away soon!
