Dub star: Croatia's beautiful Dalmatian Coast

The walled city of Dubrovnik is one of 2013’s must-see places. But I was lucky to get there for a week’s holiday exploring Croatia’s shoreline before the rush. We stayed at the gorgeous Villa Pepe in the tiny village of Trsteno, about 10 miles north of the city. The villa can only be reached by climbing more than 100 steps hewn from the cliff face. But it was worth the effort to step on to the patio and see the clear blue sea, a handful of fishing boats tied up in the harbour and lush vegetation rising up the hill.

The villa’s guests stay on the lower and top floors, while the owner, Pepe, lives on the middle floor. There was no need to worry about privacy because Pepe was a discreet host, appearing only to present us with pots of delicious jam or home-made cake. Downstairs, there was a day room and a kitchen leading out to the patio and pool, which were surrounded by beautifully tended flowers. Upstairs there were three large bedrooms, each with their own bathroom, making the villa ideal for families and groups alike.

Trsteno is very small, with just one restaurant and a church. It’s populated by a few hundred locals and visitors, is most famous for its 500-year-old arboretum and was once a hive for Renaissance artists.

After a day relaxing and swimming there, we decided to explore Dubrovnik – a city I’d wanted to see since visiting then communist Yugoslavia 20 years ago. It’s popular with tourists of all nationalities who flock to walk on its medieval walls, dine al fresco in its squares and explore the cathedral and shops.We ate at Buffet Kamenice, which serves simple, delicious food at decent prices. The shrimp risotto and fried calamari were great.

Foodies should also visit Restaurant Ankora, a couple of miles north along the coast road where grilled tuna and octopus salad is the house speciality. We got a table on the waterfront and as the moonlight shone over the sea, it was hard to imagine a more romantic setting. The next day we drove our hire car to Mali Ston, famous for its mussel farms, and then to the old walled city of Ston. From there we headed inland to the wine-growing region, where gorgeous green hillsides were dotted with olive groves and vineyards from which you could sample the local produce.

Driving back along the coast road, we came across Slano, a pretty village set in a cove surrounded by pine trees. But many buildings were pockmarked with bullet holes, a reminder of the bitter civil war fought only 20 years before. On the last day we hired a speedboat for £65 and went from Trsteno to the small island of Lopud, although there is also a cheaper ferry that runs from Dubrovnik. Our captain, Tommo, was a gold mine of information about the area and told us tales about the war.

We spent a blissful afternoon on the beach dozing in the September sun and swimming in the shallow sea. Waiting at the airport for our easyJet flight, I thought about how much Croatia had changed since I’d first been. Back then there was an air of tension. But the country has embraced tourism without losing any of its charm. It has stunning natural beauty, friendly locals and because it doesn’t join the EU until July, it’s still relatively cheap. It’s going to be a very busy year for Croatia.

Text: http://www.mirror.co.uk