Leaf through a dictionary until you find the word picturesque, and you might just see Cavtat holidays featured alongside it.
Neatly preened
Cavtat teeters between charming seaside town and swanky resort, without tipping too far in either direction. It’s on a peninsula wedged between two coves, where fishing boats share the shallows with yachts that are bigger than your average apartment. Pebble beaches and stone bathing platforms dress the waterfront, and pretty stone houses poke out from the tree-coated headland. Sunset’s quite a show from the restaurant-lined promenade, and a cluster of bars kick into gear after dark.
Nod to the past
On top of its present-day good looks, this pretty town’s not shy about showing off its history. There’s a waterfront statue of one of its most celebrated sons, Baltazar Bogisic, who was a big name in 19th-century law. Head to the column-fronted Rector’s Palace, and you’ll see a collection of his work. Elsewhere, the home of Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac’s been turned into a museum, and his frescoes are still on show at the Franciscan Monastery beside the bus station and the harbour.