My partner and I stayed in Cavtat, Croatia for a little under a week in September. We found a village where there’s a little something for everyone! There were jewellers and antique shops; coffee shops and fancy restaurants; museums and ruins. The more I saw of it, the more I liked—even the things I wasn’t expecting, which included…

• It’s pronounced Sav-tat, not Kav-tat. In Croatian, the C is a soft “s” sound, never a hard K. Croatian was a language I really struggled to pick up simple phrases with, but my partner seemed to have a real knack for it (or at least, knew enough so that—when I went wrong when waiters and bus drivers gave me that look that says oh, honey—he would correct me). Speaking only English wasn’t a barrier for us; everyone we spoke to was fluent in English, which I was very grateful for.

• The weather predictions aren’t reliable. I was a little sad about the fact that the week before going, the weather network was calling for stormy skies and cool temperatures. As we got into our taxi from the airport, our driver assured us that there was nothing to worry about. “Anyone who could actually predict weather around here would make millions,” he said—and he was right! We had many days of warmth in the sun, and only a few cloudy, rainy days.

• Google isn’t connected to public transport, but Cavtat’s public transport is impressive. Villages not connecting their schedules to Google isn’t unusual, in my experience; but it seemed odd that we could bus to Dubrovnik, or even across the border to Montenegro within the hour, and that the only timetable available was a piece of paper outside the bus stop. Your best bet if you’re unsure where to go or how to get there is to get chatting to a bus driver or a knowledgeable passenger!

• It’s a perfect mix of sun, sea …and no sand. Every beach that we found was made up of large rocks that descended into the sea, or man-made cement paths or blocks besides the water. I’m unsure how this phenomenon happens—I’d never been to a sandless beach before—but the water was still lovely!

• There was as huge difference between nightlife on Friday and Saturday night. On Friday night, our hopes were dashed as most places had closed by 9:30pm; we were told that chefs had gone home, and the boardwalk seemed quiet. Compare that to Saturday night; live music on the played throughout the city until nearly midnight, with lots of people out enjoying themselves. It’s possible we came during an odd week, but this difference felt stark to me.

• If you’re not sure how you’d like to spend your time, get ready for a lot of help. Plenty of small-boat tourism companies line the boardwalk, eager to sell bespoke experiences. Want to go kayaking? Fishing? Wakeboarding? Rent a vespa? Sail to an island, or major city? Go on a cave tour? If you’re showing up without a plan, there are plenty of ways to explore the coast that you can decide day-of.
• The greenery is stunning. I love a good nature-filled hike, and I didn’t think that I’d get that here. But there was a huge amount of green space with a trail overlooking the ocean, and a special West-facing cliff that was perfect for watching the sun set. If you’re looking for a beautiful hike, it takes only an hour (but is very hilly) to do the full loop!