The Dubrovnik region comprises some of Croatia's most stunning scenery. From Trsteno in the north right down to Cavtat and the Konavle region in the south, the jagged and heavily indented coast is rife with coves, beaches and inlets.

The highlight of the region is undoubtedly Dubrovnik, the center of a string of resorts and villages that extend northwest, southeast and offshore where the sea is speckled with islands: Mljet, Lokrum and the Elaphiti Islands.

The region is part of Dubrovnik-Neretva County and only the peaks of the Dinaric mountains separate it from Bosnia.

The narrow slit of land that forms this part of the Dalmatian coast was once part of the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik). Cavtat and the fertile fields of Konavle contributed to Dubrovnik's enormous wealth.

The region's proximity to Bosnia put it in the crosshairs during the breakup up former Yugoslavia and some war damage is still visible south of Dubrovnik, particularly in Srebreno.

This entire strip of land is easy to visit. The winding coastal road is extraordinarily scenic as the rugged terrain has left it largely immune to development, at least for now. Regular buses ply the coast, particularly between Dubrovnik and Cavtat. Less frequent are buses north to Trsteno and south to Konavle. Ferries chug back and forth to the islands all year except for Mljet which is harder to reach off-season.

Known as the Zupa Dubrovacka or "Dubrovnik Riviera", the area south of Dubrovnik has several lovely beaches and makes a good alternative place to stay particularly if you need to be close to Dubrovnik's airport at Cilipi.

See more about staying on the Dubrovnik Riviera.

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