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Konavle Valley: A hidden gem on Croatia’s Adriatic coast

On the southernmost tip of Croatia is a region of particular natural beauty known as the ‘Konavle Valley’.

Published: 27 April 2018 17:12 CEST
Konavle Valley: A hidden gem on Croatia’s Adriatic coast
Photo: B. Jovic

Almost half of the entire Konavle region is formed of flourishing wildlife; there are cypress and pine trees in abundance with vineyards almost everywhere you turn. 

Photo: B. Jovic

The scent of the sea intermingled with the aroma of lush Mediterranean vegetation is thick in the air in Konavle Valley. Life goes by slowly in this part of the world, making it the perfect spot for some honest-to-goodness R'n'R.

Start planning your trip to Konavle Valley

Often compared to Tuscany, Konavle Valley is a must-visit destination for lovers of nature and foodies. It offers peaceful surroundings, breathtaking scenery, and excellent restaurants serving extraordinary local wines.

Photo: B. Jovic

The restaurants and konobas (the local word for ‘tavern’, you might want to memorise it!) in the region are based on Mediterranean gastronomic heritage: fish, vegetables, and olive oil. At night, you can dine under a blanket of stars away from the light pollution common in much of Europe.

If you prefer active holidays, the region is excellent for cycling, hiking, horseback riding, and practically anything else to do with nature.

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

The picturesque town of Cavtat is possibly the most famous place in Konavle and is situated on the region’s north coast. It’s Croatia’s little jewel; its best-kept secret is the old harbour that hides many lovely restaurants. The stunning waterfront is lined with palm trees and has been compared to France’s glamorous Saint Tropez.

Click here to find out more about Cavtat

A caveat about Cavtat: it’s not for you if you’re looking for nightclubs and wild nights. It’s a place to relax and recharge your batteries while enjoying wonderful scenery, food and wine.

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

However, if you are in search of a more upbeat nightlife, nearby UNESCO world heritage site Dubrovnik would be a better choice. Luckily, it’s easily reachable by bus or water taxi from Cavtat, so if Cavtat is your base you can have the best of both worlds. In short, Cavtat is busy enough to keep you entertained but quiet enough for some calm and privacy.

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

This part of the world is a wonderful and charming place to explore and be active. There are excellent walking trails (which can be done with or without a guide), horse riding across olive groves, a coastal ride offering great views, as well as biking routes. You can enjoy wine tasting tours at most vineyards, including sampling local drinks you probably haven’t tried before and won’t be able to try anywhere else in the world.

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape or an action-packed trip, you can find everything in Konavle. This is just a glimpse of many possibilities; there’s something to suit every taste and an experience for all kind of travellers. You can bathe at some of the most beautiful beaches or stroll around untouched natural coves while enjoying stunning views of the open sea.

Or perhaps you’ll opt for something more active and go scuba diving, rowing, trekking, or climbing?

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

Whatever you choose, this is a destination that won’t disappoint.

How do you get there?

The Dubrovnik Airport is in Čilipi, just 5km from Cavtat. You can get to Cavtat by ferry through the Dubrovnik port, which is also connected by ferry lines coming from other Croatian ports. Other transport information can be found here.

What to do?

Just some of the places well worth visiting while in the Konavle Region include Dubrovnik, Korčula, Mljet, the River Neretva Delta, the Elafiti Islands, the Pelješac Wine Road, Trsteno, Ston Međugorje, Mostar, Kotor, and many more!

But if you want to awaken your inner adventurer, you shouldn’t miss the following activities:

  • The Sea Path: recreational horse riding
  • ATV safari: take a quad bike tour around the Konavle region
  • Scenic train ride through Konavle Valley
  • Hiking, cycling, climbing, and diving!

What to see?

Even the most experienced of travellers will find something new and exciting to do on their trip to Konavle Valley. The beautiful scenery, rich cultural and historic heritage combined with a wide range of services, makes the whole region a very attractive destination on the Adriatic coast.

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

Photo: Kanavle Tourist Board

This article was produced by The Local Creative Studio and sponsored by the Cavtat-Konavle tourist board and Croatian National Tourist Board.

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TRAVEL NEWS

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail operator and the GDL train drivers' union have reached a deal in a wage dispute that has caused months of crippling strikes in the country, the union said.

Published: 26 March 2024 09:55 CET
German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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