Self catering in Croatia
We don’t like crowds and we do love amazing food, so a colleague suggested that we start our holiday on the island of Korcula. A simple drive along the coast from Dubrovnik, then a short ferry ride and we arrived at Port 9 apartments. These were simple, well equipped for our needs but best of all had a super balcony which proved to be the perfect dining venue for our self-catering quest. The resort was a 30min walk into the old town, on a small pebbly beach, had a choice of pools and there was a supermarket across the road. Tick, tick, tick!
We had a car for the duration of our stay so were able to explore local beaches, restaurants and olive groves. After a week of stunning sunsets, homemade pasta and cheap local wine, it was time to move closer to the action in Dubrovnik.
Our traditionally decorated apartment was in the pebbly seaside town of Lapad. Local buses whisk you to the old town of Dubrovnik in about 10mins. Lapad is a bustling tourist town, with bars, shops, an inflatable obstacle course on the sea and good ice cream shops.
The old town of Dubrovnik with its lights tone buildings, narrow streets and interesting cafes is delightful.... but busy. For me, it is a place to visit when the cruise ships have left the Med, the days are cooler and restaurants quieter.
We had 2 nights at the Hilton which is a few steps from the old town, so the perfect accommodation for roaming early to walk the walls of you do visit in summer. The Hilton has an indoor pool, but the hotel staff will direct you to a local beach for cheap beer and a game of cards.
Top tip: Look out for small traditional restaurants which prepare local food in time honoured traditions. Konoba is the word to look out for.
