Aer Lingus kicks off Summer 2010 Flights to Croatia

Aer Lingus today commenced its summer schedule from Dublin to Dubrovnik - the service will run up to four times weekly until the end of October. Flight time is in the region of 3 hours! Pelješac is just a 90 minute drive from Dubrovnik airport! The great thing about arriving at Dubrovnik airport is its small size - you can land, collect your bags and be ready to go exploring in a matter of minutes! For flight times, prices and reservations visit aerlingus.com

Peaceful Podobuče

Podobuče is one of those unforgettable destinations which you will want to return to again and again. The great thing about this tiny village on the Adriatic is its lack of facilities! There are just two konobas (cafes/restaurants) and then just several homes all perched around a sheltered cove and pebbled beach. It really is a haven of peace and tranquility. Accessing it is not for the faint hearted. To get to Podobuče you need to take a small winding road from nearby Postup (just off the main regional road on the Peninsula about 4-5 kilometres from Orebic on the Dubrovnik side near to Vila Antonio) - the road clings to cliffs for most of the way and is single-lane with rocks cut out every now and again to allow cars to pass by each other. Once you arrive at Podobuče, you'll need to leave your car in the designated parking area and then descend via a very steep and winding path to the village. You'll know you've arrived at Podobuče because you can't go any further - its at the end of the line - literally! However, the effort is really worth it! Podobuče is perfect for a lazy afternoon - take a swim, read, laze on the beach and have a drink while the sun sets! There are apartments and rooms for rent in Podobuče but you will need to stock up on supplies before you arrive - the nearest shops are in Orebic! Podobuče seems to be popular with arty types out of season while families seem to gather in during peak season. I'll post more information again about Podobuče...

Ston Salt Pans

The village of Ston is located on Pelješac Peninsula and is only 1 kilometre from the smaller village of Mali Ston. The two are connected by an impressive stone wall which runs for over 5 kilometres. This series of defensive stone walls was completed in the 15th century to protect the precious salt pans (seen above). There are some 40 towers and 5 fortresses along the wall. It is the second longest wall in Europe after Hadrian's Wall (Scotland/England). Visitors can climb the walls. This picture was taken from the wall in 2006 and shows the village of Ston beneath with its salt pans spread out behind.

Buying mussels in Pelješac

You can buy fresh mussels and oysters at this "raft" near Janjina - Pelješac is famed for its seafood, especially the towns of Mali Ston and Ston which offer an array of top class fish restaurants.

Croatia Spring & Summer Ferry Times

The Rijeka-Split-Stari Grad (Hvar)-Korcula-Dubrovnik-Bari (Italy) Summer Timetable is now available from Jadrolinija - you can downlad the PDF document by clicking here. It operates from 24 May to 30 September 2010. Those wishing to get to Peljesac can disembark in Korcula and take the short connection ferry to Orebic.

For those wishing to spend time on the island of Mljet, there are ferry connections from Prapratno (Pelješac) to Sobra (Mljet)also with Jadrolinija - you can download the PDF timetable by clicking here. This timetable runs from 08 March to 31 May 2010.

The OREBIĆ – DOMINČE (KORČULA)car ferry timetable can be downloaded as a PDF document by clicking here. This timetable also runs from 08 March to 31 May 2010.

Korta Katarina Winery

Korta Katarina Winery is fast establishing itself as a world-class winemaker - the company is currently renovating a large, imposing building on the eastern approach to Orebic and what looks like a wine showroom/shop is being constructed there also. Their website is not yet up and running but I came across their Facebook page - visit Korta Katerina's Facebook page

Hotel Indijan, Pelješac

View from bar in Hotel Indijan, Orebic, Croatia

The staff are very friendly and multi-lingual. The dining terrace is also magical and the food top-notch. Make sure to check this place out, even if its just for a bijela kava (white coffee in Croatian!)

Where to stay in Pelješac?

There are lots of places to stay on Pelješac - while there is not a huge variety of hotels on the peninsula, there's of private accommodation. As one of Pelješac's main sources of income, tourism plays a leading role in its economy. As a result many locals rent our private rooms (sobe) or apartments (apartmani) during the summer season. Usually, you don't need to reserve in advance and, in fact, many people sit outside their homes advertising vacancies during the busy season. The majority of hotels in Pelješac are located in Orebic, one of its biggest towns and a popular destination for travellers. My recommendation for hotel accommodation is the recently opened and well-designed and comfortable Hotel Indijan.

Who's flying to Dubrovnik from the UK and Ireland?

Lots of companies are for Summer 2010 including Aer Lingus (Dublin); BA (London Gatwick); Easyjet (Stansted; Gatwick, Liverpool); FlyBe (Birmingham, Exeter & Southampton); Jet2 (Belfast, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Manchester) and bmibaby (East Midlands).

Drop in to Dubrovnik

Many visitors to Pelješac fly into Dubrovnik Airport - if you do, make sure to leave time for a visit into Dubrovnik's old walled town - this medieval walled city is about 20 minutes from the airport and only about 40 minutes drive to Pelješac - it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site

How to get there?

I would recommend hiring a car to get the most out of your visit to the Peninsula. My favourite website for car hire in Croatia is broker site www.economycarrentals.com - they always have good deals and are usually a lot cheaper than other car hire companies operating in Croatia. From Dubrovnik airport, it couldn't be easier - take a right when leaving the airport onto the main Dubrovnik/Split road and keep driving until you reach the sign for Pelješac - it really is that easy. As yet, there are no motorways or roundabouts to contend with! You also by-pass Dubrovnik along the way which I wouldn't recommend doing - if you've never been to Dubrovnik before it is a must-see! But try to avoid it when the cruise ships are in.

This is a view of the town of Orebic on Croatia's Peljesac Peninsula - it was taken from the ferry which connects the town to the nearby island of Korcula with its impressive old town.

This is a picture taken in September 2009 in the quaint village of Viganj - this village is also one of Croatia's top wind-surfing destinations

Where is it?

Pelješac Peninsula is in Croatia - a truly stunning destination in its own right. The Pelješac Peninsula is located about 45-60 minutes drive from Dubrovnik and is reached from there via the Adriatic Highway, one of Europe's most stunning and breathtaking coastal roads.

Welcome to my blog

Hi all - I have set up this blog to share my love and knowledge of the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia. I hope travellers out there find it useful!