Elite Traveler Spring 2024

EXPLORE THE JOURNEY

Sampling the wine at Villa Korta Katarina & Winery

We’re back in the car for a well-deserved siesta, and before long we’ve arrived at Villa Antoan — a striking fi ve-bedroom, 6,780-sq-ft villa lording over the Adriatic with direct access into the glittering depths. Our private chef arrives and prepares a divine dinner of fresh seafood pasta (accompanied by olives he grew himself and tomatoes and capers from his mother’s garden) cooked in front of us. DAY4 Following a refreshing morning swim in the sea, we meet our private tour guide, Jelena and explore Dubrovnik’s magical streets, including the Old Town and its medieval walls. Jelena takes us to Clara Stones Jewellery for a private visit to the artisanal jeweler’s workshop. Red coral only grows under rocks and caves, and only in eight countries. It’s very limited and very protected — only four divers in Croatia are able to get the coral; it grows at around 200 ft below sea level at a minimum, but can be found up to 430 ft deep. (Only two divers are willing to go to those depths.) We are shown how the coral is prepared in the workshop, and we marvel at the jewelry created with the vibrant pieces. We head back to the villa for a sleep-inducing private massage followed by a gentle yoga session

DAY3 The next destination is Dubrovnik, with a few choice pit stops along the way. While the routes were mapped out (I received our glossy itinerary, as well as an Assouline travel book, well in advance of the trip), our personal driver pointed out extra places to stop — a gorgeous co ff ee-cum-wine bar right on the edge of a mountain and a few places with sublime scenery to snap a few pics. At Ston, we hop out of the car and board a boat to sail across Mali Ston Bay, where freshwater and the Adriatic Sea meet. It’s a protected special marine reserve, and superb oysters have been bred here for centuries. Our hosts are Dubravko and Dea, a father-and-daughter team (it’s a family-run operation) who take us to their oyster farms; Dubravko tells us all about the intricacies of oyster farming — they check on the oysters every few months as the bivalves grow for around two-and-a half to three years (after that they are too old). As he tells his story, he pulls and shucks the oysters right from the lines. We feast on the fresher-than-fresh oysters, washed down with white wine, and enjoy mussels cooked with tomatoes and onions from Dubravko’s garden.

Next, we drive on to Villa Korta Katarina & Winery, a Relais & Châteaux member and a ridiculously pretty spot. After a tour of the winery and barrel cave, we are shown to our table on the patio overlooking the pristine vineyards and the sparkling Adriatic Sea below. A lazy, languid wine tasting ensues — the grapes are grown on the steep slopes next to the ocean; the heat from the sun and the re fl ection from the sea makes the grape sweeter, leading to better-quality (and higher alcohol content — hic!) wine.