Dizzy heights of Dubrovnik

Finds this historic Croatian city by the sea has it all but hidden away

THE glorious setting of Dubrovnik around a pretty bay surrounded by red terracotta roofs is just made for strolling. Meander along the ancient fortified walls, walk along streets glistening in white stone and watch the beautiful people on their yachts glide into the harbour. The Old Town, as it’s known, which nestles behind the thick fortification walls, is made up of wide paved streets flanked by majestic limestone buildings with ornately-carved balustrades.

Between the streets, narrow alleyways weave, offering much-needed shelter in the height of summer.

Tiny tables line the side lanes, with clusters of people sipping cocktails and watching the world go by.

Shoppers wander along the Stradun, where the old limestone pavement has been worn to a shine by hundreds of years of passing feet. In the main square is a pretty cluster of market stalls with brightlycoloured canvas awnings.

Traders offer crystalised orange peel and almonds – a local speciality.

From the harbour, boats set sail for islands such as Lokrum, a rocky outcrop covered with dense forest where people go to visit the cool, shaded gardens of the monastery and dive into the sea from the rocks. The Valamar President (dialling from the UK: 00385 52 465 000/valamar.com) is one of the clutch of five-star hotels on the Babin Kuk peninsula, a 10-minute drive from the old city of Dubrovnik.

The hotel is a sleek modern building with gleaming stone floors and enormous picture windows. It has 292 rooms and is built into the steep hillside, spilling down to the pebbled beach, where there are sunloungers and parasols.

All of the rooms have balconies offering sea views and have a nautical feel, with decor in muted shades of coral and blue and polished wooden furniture.

There are two restaurants: a buffet where breakfast is served, with indoor dining and a large terrace overlooking the ocean and the tiny local island of Daksa from several floors up; and the Miramare beach bistro, which is just a few feet from the beach and serves seafood.

There is also a beach bar with an outdoor terrace which has live music every night, and serves drinks and light meals around the clock. The hotel has two generouslysized pools and a spa with a wide range of treatments. A trip to Dubrovnik wouldn’t be complete without exploring the stunning scenery of the Dalmatian coastline.

The tiny villages of Ston and Mali Ston (which means “Little Ston” in Croatian) were the gateway to the Republic of Dubrovnik in the 1400s and the impressive limestone defence walls still loom over the tiny, vine-shaded houses.

Stay for lunch. The best spot for fresh morsels of seafood is Bota Sare – a rustic building with exposed stone walls and dark beams, which is feet away from the bay in Mali Ston.

Here the water is a dense turquoise rather than crystal blue, thanks to underground springs on the seabed, which make it the perfect environment for oysters and mussels.

A few times a day, the restaurant owners take a small wooden boat out to fish for oysters – and for 20 Euros you can join them on their trip. As you step onto the dark-stained wooden deck under the canvas canopy, a local white wine variety called maraština is served, along with a firey shot of grappa.

You can eat the salty, slippery oysters and mussels seconds after they’re caught, before heading back to the restaurant for a plate of the Dalmatian delicacy crni rižot – a rich gooey black risotto coloured with cuttlefish ink, with bites of mussel, prawn and squid.

For dessert, try the rich and creamy rozata, which is a little like crème caramel. Although Croatian wines don’t enjoy the fame of their Italian and French counterparts, there are some delicious local varieties to try which never make it to British shores as they’re made in such small quantities.

To unwind after a long day of sightseeing, head into the cool shade of a side street just off Stradun to the Skaramuca Dingac wine bar