Vitaliy samarskiy no comments

Experienced car travelers know the places where you can eat oysters. One of them is oyster farms in the Maloston Bay of the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia. Here, at the confluence of the Neretva River into the Adriatic Sea, you can see the process of growing Croatian oysters and taste them, with the freshest and at pleasant prices.

Many fishing tents offer customers fresh oysters and mussels around the Bistrina Bridge and Mali Ston. In fishing mini-cafes (the only dishes of which are these seafood), oysters will be opened and served with lemon. One of them came across to us in the area of \u200b\u200bthe village of Zamaslina.

So, we turn off from the Jadran highway (highway number 8) at the sign for Korcula and Ston (Korcula, Ston) ...

And we’re driving one and a half kilometers. That’s the name of the village ...

And a fishing tent:

Its GPS coordinates: 42.831807,17.730828, the name on the pointer is "Antonio".

We park and go inside. The price of oysters here is 5 Croatian kunas apiece, with a serving - 6 kunas apiece (this is about 37 rubles).

In the village of Drace there is a good restaurant “Dalmatinska Kuca”.

Here, while admiring the seascape, you can taste mussels perfectly cooked in a white wine sauce with garlic and spices. Mussels served with bread, they will offer good local wine. Mussel dish - 40 kuna.

Mussels are also included in one of the “daytime menus”, which we have successfully used a couple of times when we were here. A set of mussel dishes, grilled fish with potatoes, salad and a basket of fresh bread will cost 90 kunas (550 rubles).

I admit: we had enough of such a set for two, especially considering that we supplemented it with drinks and desserts.

  Croatian oysters and mussels are one of the best culinary memories of our journey.

“I ate oysters, which were strong in the sea, cold white wine washed off a light metallic taste, and then there was only the taste of the sea and the feeling of a juicy mass in my mouth; and swallowed cold juice from each sink, washed down with tart wine, and this feeling of emptiness disappeared, and I felt happy and began to make plans. ”

Ernest HEMINGWAY, “A holiday that is always with you”

I first tried oysters in Croatia. And since then I firmly believe that you can eat them only if you have a direct sea view. The taste of frozen and just pulled out of the sea is different as the taste of crab and crab sticks.

I’ll tell you more specifically where and when to eat them, when you are in Croatia.

Oysters (Croatian oyster - Kamyanitsa) are grown at two points. In the south of Croatia, on the Peljesac peninsula in Dalmatia, in the Gulf of Neretva (canal). And in the north, in the Limsky channel on the peninsula Istria European flat oysters Ostrea edulis and Mytilus galloprovinicialis are grown here. Oysters need water with low salinity. And both channels are well suited.

Oysters near Dubrovnik

It will be convenient for you to go to Ston if you are traveling in the region of Dubrovnik, the Makarska Riviera.

The Pelješac Peninsula in Dalmatia (in the south) is separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Neretva. The water in it is just with low salinity, because the Neretva River flows into it.

I didn’t find normal photographs of Ston, because every time we go there in the evening.

Photo by Boris Jov ić .   Neretva Strait, oyster farm

We accidentally fell into the tiny town of Ston on Peleszec in the fall of 2011. For half a day they were waiting in Dubrovnik for a ferry to our beloved island Mljet, and when he arrived, it turned out that he was only a passenger, and we were by car. Frustrated and without plans, we went to Peljesac (70 kilometers), because not far from Ston there is a beautiful Prapratno bay with a ferry port for car ferries. And they spent in Ston one of the best evenings in life :)

Photo by Boris Jović.   Prapratno Bay

It was the end of September, there were no tourists from cruise liners brought to Ston by buses from Dubrovnik because of the 5-kilometer fortress walls on the mountain. There were cafe tables right on the streets of Ston and all the few guests spoke Italian. The waiter (in Croatian konobar) said that the oysters are of high quality and freshest (caught an hour ago), but they are incredibly cheap - a piece for 1 euro. Therefore, Italians love Ston.

Dozens of them order. Taste to describe - nothing. Like a gulp of the sea. Hemingway said everything. They are served with lemon and black pepper. They are also offered in some cooked form (baked). But this is not serious. Oysters are not food. This is different.

Then we were still in Ston in May. It’s always good there.

Photo by Boris Jovi   . Oyster farm

Oysters from the Limsky Canal

It is more convenient and closer to go to the Limsky Canal on the Istrian Peninsula from Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.

We really like the Fjord. Previously, we looked at all restaurants and cafes only as guests, but now we can not help but look like restaurateurs. Despite the fact that this is a very tourist destination, to which buses are constantly brought, the quality of service almost does not drop even in high season.

I know how difficult it is and therefore I choose and support the Fjord restaurant for the efforts they make to maintain the quality of service.

The next day we drove towards the island of Mljet, highly recommended by big Croatia lovers. On the way we stopped in Trsteno, where the largest and oldest plane tree (650 years) in Europe grows. After making sure that he was nothing interesting, they tried to walk around the nearby Arboretum Botanical Garden, which is famous for its unique trees and plants. Entrance to the arboretum 40 kun. But he didn’t work: some movie was being shot in the garden ... I don’t even know if we were upset: on the one hand, I wanted to check out the beauties of the local garden, on the other hand, it was raining at night and started to walk in the rain somehow did not smile much.

Therefore, we drove further towards the city of Ston with the hope of catching a ferry to the island of Mljet at 10.15. To be more precise, the ferry itself departs from Prapratno, which is 3 km from Ston. We had time for the ferry, but driving along the main street of Ston, we decided to take a little walk around the city. Fortunately, right on the central square there is a wonderful tourist office, in which we got maps of the city and its environs, and also found out where you can taste the local delicacy of oysters. Although the consultation was very veiled: 4 restaurants in Ston himself and 2 restaurants in Maly Ston, and where you can taste them is up to you. We noticed that not a single tourist office in Croatia (unlike, for example, the USA) recommended any particular restaurant to us: at best, we were told where the largest cluster is located, but they didn’t say anything specific, carefully avoiding sharp corners in conversation (fines for covert marketing, are they afraid?).

The city of Ston (1333) is very small: 580 inhabitants. It is located on a narrow isthmus connecting the peninsula with the mainland, and therefore was an important strategic point. To protect the local saltworks and summer residences of the nobility, a powerful defensive complex with long thick walls and powerful towers (14-16 centuries) was erected here. Unfortunately, due to frequent earthquakes, most of the architectural monuments have not been preserved.
The city of Ston is divided into 2 parts: there is simply the city of Ston (or Veli Ston), and there is the Small Ston (Mali Ston). The Big Stone is famous for its vintage wines and the "Chinese" wall, the largest stone wall in Europe. Its length is already 5.5 km. Tourists, by the way, have the opportunity to walk along this wall. There is both a short route around the Big Ston and a long one: the wall reaches right up to the Small Ston. Of course, we could not take the opportunity to climb this wonderful sight, and at the same time enjoy the views of the ancient town. A wall ticket costs 30 kunas.

From the height of one of the towers of the stone wall, wet squares are visible. We decided that this is the place where salt is mined. The salt plants of Ston are the oldest plants in the world to date. Moreover, today salt is extracted using the same technologies as it used to be in ancient times.

We decided to follow a long route, but after some time it turned out that the wall was over, but there was no further move ... Going back to the hill to the hill was lazy :).

A little walk around the city

and drove to Little Ston. This part of the city is known for breeding oysters and shellfish. When you go from the mainland to the Peljesac peninsula, you can see plantations on the right hand in Maly Ston Bay, where oysters are grown. Really curious.
The town itself consists of two restaurants on the bay and five neglected courtyards.

We went around the whole town. Tourists in pairs are looking for where to eat those same oysters. Looking at the huge, but empty halls of restaurants, you somehow do not dare to enter. As a result, they waved a hand, sat down at the smallest and modest table in the far corner. After 10 minutes it turned out that this was the thieves table in the restaurant: at okroshka, overlooking the sea. 20 minutes after we settled down, 3 tourist buses arrived, and the restaurant was immediately filled with excited Chinese and Japanese tourists eager for oysters. As if they have a shortage of fish in Japan and China.

By the end of our lunch in the restaurant there were no empty seats. And when they paid, we were presented with a kilogram of local salt as a gift. And where are we going with her? Excess weight in baggage? But throwing it to us was a pity. And then it was very useful to us :).

If you think where it is better to go there are the notorious mussels and oysters, then I still recommend you Big Ston (where we had lunch already on our way back): it’s both cheaper and somehow more comfortable. Most of all we liked the restaurant right by the large parking lot opposite the tourist office. Sure, don't get lost.

Yadrolin ferry (adult ticket 30 kunas, ticket for transportation of cars 140 kunas) brought us to the town of Sobra on the island of Mljet. Travel time is 45 minutes. While they were waiting for us to be launched on a ferry, we examined the sea with a cloud of sea urchins. Swimming without slippers is not safe there.

At first, they decided to visit Salpunara beach, which is located on the eastern end of the island. The beach is sandy, the entry into the sea is excellent, it’s nice to swim, there is no wave. The beach is in fact wild, but there is a kiosk where you can pour delicious coffee, and you can also rent a sunbed for 25 kunas. In general, there are few people. In general, I really liked it there. It’s only a pity that on this day we had a lot of interesting things, but there wasn’t so much time. Then we drove towards the national park, which is located in the west of the island.

Our hotel was located right at the entrance to the park, in the city of the Executioner. We tried to check in so that I could leave my things and walk with a clear conscience, but it didn’t work: at four in the afternoon there was no one in the hotel. We went to the park, logically assuming that in the evening we will have more chances. So it, by the way, subsequently turned out to be. Plus we, in an apology, were presented with a huge plate full of grapes. Nicely:)

Entrance to the park costs 90 kuna per person. You can enter the park by car, you do not need to pay for the car. At some point, the road in the park ends, at this place there is free parking where you need to leave the car, and then move around the park on foot. It's nice to walk around the park.

Doesn’t resemble anything?

This is the same blue helicopter on which the wizard carries five hundred popsicle!

In the park and in the city, you can rent a bike or boat. If you arrived by boat from Dubrovnik, you can rent a bicycle in the city itself. The cost is from 40 kunas per hour to 240 kunas per day, a wide choice of options.

The price of a ticket to the park includes 2 shuttle rides from the entrance to the park in the town of Polache to the lake, as well as a catamaran ride to St. Mary's Island.

In a good way, especially if you are by car, you can go to the park for free. Despite the rather large number of ticket offices at the entrance to the park, nobody checks the tickets, everything is based solely on the consciousness of citizens. Perhaps the meaning of the ticket is a boat trip to the island of St. Mary's, but in half an hour that the boat is on the pier, this island can be walked along and across three times.

However, many bathe. The calls to the lake are excellent. There is nothing special to do on this island.
Amused fish flying over the water. Either one school or another school of a school of fish flies amicably above the water, creating a sensation of a white shiny rainbow.

In the park Mljet 2 lakes: Big and Small. Most people bathe either on the island of St. Mary (which is located on the Big Lake), or on the Small Lake. Big and small lake are connected by a small bridge. In fact, a small bridge is a channel between two lakes. It’s funny to go into the sea on one side of the bridge and swim to be on the other side of it.

The water turned out to be salty. Which is generally logical, since a large lake also connects to the sea through the same strait, which is called a large bridge. We found out this moment empirically, when, on the advice of an aunt in the tourist office, we decided to go around both lakes along their perimeter. I had to return in the same way.

In general, the impressions of visiting the park are positive. The island is suitable for those who want a secluded holiday, to be left to their own devices.

A memory photo next morning :)

  Croatia, September 2013.

The word "boredom" can have a positive mood. This is when your life is measured and leisurely, the weather outside is warm and sunny almost all year round, near the mountains and the Gulf of the Adriatic. You know all your neighbors, you go to work every day, but it doesn’t annoy you. You may be forty, and you still work as a waiter or patrol policeman. You have no desire to make millions: they simply are not needed. But there is enough salary for everything you need, and the best bonus is the smiles of the people you meet every day. They are just like you - happy.

Although this whole story is not about me, but the three days that I spent in Ston in the summer, I was really bored and happy. Now I will tell you about this amazing ancient town.

1. Ston has no access to the open sea and is located a little away from the main highway Split-Dubrovik. That is why tourists, although they come here, are in very small quantities and literally for several hours: there is simply nothing more to do in Ston.

2. Climbing the longest fortress wall in Europe and eating a couple of local oysters is the whole cultural program for the guests of the village.

3. What you saw in the preview photo is the whole Moan. All streets are pedestrian.

4. Residents leave their cars in front of the main square with a clock tower.

5. Classic street in Ston. Yes, the apartments in many houses are two-story.

6. Life in these nooks and crannies cannot be called busy: people are either at home or at work. Like in Moscow :)

7. In many houses, attics are on the third floor of the building, only there is no window in the opening.

8. But there you can store tomatoes or olives.

9. And in the far corner prshut is dried.

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11. Some houses are abandoned, but residents are trying to hide it. And they do pretty good! And there are a lot of cats in Ston!

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13. Literally for every taste cats!

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15. And for sure - the residents of Ston cats love more than dogs.

16. There are two old-old churches here.

17. Unfortunately, one was closed.

18. But I lifted the camera over the fence and watched what the priest was growing in his garden!

19. And the second church is completely closed, apparently for a long time.

20. Walking around the town, you can long figure out the figures and symbols on the houses.

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23. As elsewhere in Croatia, there are drinking fountains. Stonsky was somehow especially ancient. I won’t be surprised if he has been here since Roman times.

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25. I do not know how the word "groan" is translated from Croatian, but in English it means "stone". And in fact, the whole city is made of stone.

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27. Here it is so boring that the residents no longer know what to do with themselves. And they invent all kinds of things: for example, a festival of films about food!

28. In total there are about three restaurants in Ston and about the same number of cafes, where, according to local traditions, there is no food - only drinks. This photo shows that there are many evicted houses here: what made people flee from here, is there a paradise here? Someone is bored, but someone escaped from the war with the Bosnians, which was here a dozen and a half years ago. It seems: come, occupy any house, unpack suitcases and live ... it's not so simple: all apartments have a landlord, and for some reason they are in no hurry to sell them. Perhaps hoping to someday return?

29. This small bulk road leads from Ston to the tiny village of Broce, which stands directly on the bay. To the right, salt lakes begin - another, third local attraction.

30. Of course, these developments are far from Lake Baskunchak, but these reserves are enough to provide salt to the entire Croatian province of Dalmatia.

31. There is a winery in the village of Broce: a small, like the village itself, wine factory.

32. One grandfather, who himself is a big lover of his products, and her main taster are holding Vinarnu. The first thing he offers to all visitors is to taste his wines completely free of charge.

33. You can taste at least everything, while chatting with the old man for life. And then you can buy a bottle. I brought with me several bottles of excellent brandy and walnuts.

34. Let's climb the walls of the Ston fortress and look at the whole village from above.

35. I want to climb backwards: such beautiful views here!

36. As you can see in the first photographs of this report, the ramparts go left and right, encircling the mountain. The left part is the most interesting, at the top there is the Bartolomeo bastion, but now it’s impossible to climb there: the walls are very old, they are more than seven hundred years old, and in some places they have been destroyed.

37. No, well, in principle, everyone can try their hand at a kilometer climb along these "steps", but I did not dare.

38. The right side has been restored and is completely safe, even boring-safe. There are two extremes.

39. The towers, unfortunately, are also a remake, although they are neatly made.

40. Now the Croatian flag is fluttering at the fortress, and once there was the flag of the Dubrovnik Republic here.

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42. If you go along the wall to the end (about six kilometers of ups and downs), you can go around the mountain and go out already in another place - the village of Mali Ston.

43. The views are amazing. Now I understand what the phrase “in full view” means.

44. When evening twilight comes down - what could be better than a large piece of grilled meat on charcoal? By the way, about oysters: here they are considered almost the best on the whole Adriatic: they are caught in a special place where water from a fresh mountain river meets the brackish water of the bay. But personally, I did not dare: they are some vile, these oysters. And for connoisseurs and amateurs: one thing costs 25 rubles.

45. And after dinner, it's nice to take a walk around the evening Moan.

46. \u200b\u200bHere my comments ended, besides I just ate the same piece of meat, however, cooked at home.

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49. By the way, when I was thinking about wintering in Croatia, the first applicant was precisely Ston: warm, comfortable and boring: the very thing is to relax, not to go anywhere, but to manage to process all the photos and write texts for the stories about your travels.

50. Let not this time, but I will definitely return to Ston. I miss this boring place.