Dubrovnik and southern Dalmatia: a three-day road trip

Dubrovnik is the perfect base for exploring the south. With a car picked up at the airport in Čilipi you can see the old town, the Pelješac peninsula and the island of Korčula in three days.

Day 1: Dubrovnik and Cavtat

Leave the old town for early morning or late afternoon, when the cruise-ship crowds are gone. Park in the garage at Ilijina glavica and walk down. In the afternoon drive to Cavtat, fifteen minutes from the airport, for a swim and dinner on the waterfront.

Day 2: Ston and Pelješac

The Pelješac bridge has shortened the way north and there is no longer a border crossing at Neum. First stop is Ston with its walls and salt pans, then the Dingač and Postup wine roads. At the end of the peninsula, in Orebić, a ferry takes you to Korčula in about fifteen minutes.

Day 3: Korčula and back

See Korčula town in the morning and drive to Lumbarda's sandy beaches in the afternoon. Getting back to Dubrovnik with the ferry and the drive takes about three hours, so plan for it if you have an evening flight.

Practical tips

• The Orebić – Korčula ferry runs often, but in season arrive half an hour early.
• Pelješac roads are narrow and winding; an automatic makes the drive easier.
• Parking in Dubrovnik is expensive, in Cavtat and Ston free or cheap.
• Return the car at the airport and forget about parking for your departure.