Weekender: DUBROVNIK GETAWAY

Need a weekend blast of sea, sunshine, and fresh air? Direct and frequent flight connections from every European city April through October make Dubrovnik an easy short-term destination. High-speed catamarans zip passengers between Split and Dubrovnik 2 times/day. Just 10 minutes from Dubrovnik, Zaton Bay is a welcome refuge from the tourist crowds clogging Dubrovnik's ancient alleys and historic walls. The picturesque 2 km deep bay is home to three small villages, pebble beaches, swimming caves, some of the region's finest seaside restaurants, and a lovely waterfront promenade. The bay's location offers multiple paddling routes and destinations: to Koločep and Daksa Islands; to Dubrovnik's lively café lined pedestrian lane in Uvala Lapad; and to Trsteno's quiet marina and historic arboretum. While tourism in Dubrovnik has experienced explosive growth in the past 10 years, Zaton Bay remains true to its roots. A place of natural beauty and tranquility, the deep bay offers calm seas and natural protection from Dalmatia's characteristic coastal winds and safe paddling waters. Deep in the bay is a restored old stone mill fed by bubbly underground springs and aristocratic stone villas from Dubrovnik's Renaissance.