Dubrovnik and Ston

Our cruise ship docked at the Port of Dubrovnik, a bustling city with an active harbor. We’ll have to visit there on another trip as our excursion this day was to the Walls of Ston and the oyster farms of Mali (little) Ston. Our very amusing tour guide, an older gentleman with very red hair unused to all going in the same direction and a voice like Gru from the Despicable Me movies kept us entertained for the almost hour drive. At the onset he said, “I’ve been given permission to torture you for the next hour.” But his banter and knowledge were quite welcome.

The Ston town walls are perhaps what this little town is best known for – and rightfully so. The walls are much longer than those of its more famous neighbor, Dubrovnik, at 5km (just over 3 miles) in length. This makes them the longest defensive structure in Europe; they are sometimes referred to as the “European Walls of China”.

I’m still calling bullshit on my Apple watch step counter for that day

Built in the 14th and 15th centuries as an additional defense for the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and to protect the lucrative salt pans in the area, the walls also consist of three fortresses – Veliki Kastil (in Ston), Korula (Mali Ston) and Prodzvizd Fort – and a number of towers. The walls once stretched for as long as 7km (4+ miles), but parts were destroyed following the fall of the Republic of Ragusa, and during the 19th century when the stone was used to construct other structures. The walls have long since been protected and, following extensive renovations (still going on today), were open to visitors. There was a marathon there just a week before we arrived, and I pity the runners attempting those hills. I’m still calling bullshit on my Apple watch step counter for that day. We didn’t climb to the top of the wall (thankfully it was closed) but far enough up that we could see the famous saltworks below.

The saltworks were established as far back as the 13th century (although the harvesting of salt in the area is thought to go back much further). The production of salt contributed to the wealth of the Republic of Dubrovnik. These days, the harvesting of salt from the sea is still done in a traditional manner. One rainstorm during the harvest can ruin the entire crop. The Fleur de Sel, Cvijet Soli, or Flower of Salt is the topmost layer of salt, a thin layer of salt flakes that look like flower petals. The layers of salt below are used commercially, but not regarded as highly as the Flower of Salt.

Our next stop was Mali Ston, where a small ship carried us to the floating oyster farms. We were treated to Rakija, Croatian moonshine, and candied orange peel and almonds on the short trip. Once there we transferred to the oyster facilities where we were instructed as to how the oysters and mussels are grown, saw the seedlings (or spat), then treated to raw oysters and delicious mussels in wine and garlic, along with copious amounts of wine.

After a short trip back to the dock at Mali Ston we entered the beautiful restaurant, Bota Sare, and old salt warehouse where salt remnants still coat the stone interior walls. We were treated to a mussel and prawn risotto and pasta, followed by a flan, and of course, more wine!

The guide pointed out the wild pomegranates and olive trees growing roadside. I was taken by rosemary the size of hedges growing everywhere. On our return to the ship we watched a sailing school regatta and sat in the forward lounge on the top deck to experience our exit from the Dubrovnik harbor and eventual passage through the Strait of Messina, which separated the eastern tip of Sicily from the western tip of Calabria, Italy. 

The strait was greatly feared by sailors in antiquity, mainly because of the rocks and whirlpools known as Scylla and Charybdis, which were personified as female monsters in Greek mythology. Yup, we women always get the bad rap. But the strait is still considered narrow enough and dangerous enough that a pilot is brought on board to navigate through it. It was sunset, so my picture isn’t great, but it’s the experience that counts.