Dubrovnik – Zaton

Private transfer Dubrovnik to Zaton  OR  Zaton to Dubrovnik

Distance approx. 15 km

Duration 20 min – it may take longer depending on the traffic condition.

You can arrange your private transfer to Zaton quickly and easily. One of our English-speaking drivers will be at your disposal

Not to be confused with two namesake villages near Zadar and Šibenik, Zaton near Dubrovnik is a perfectly positioned oasis of calm and tradition that makes for a great kick-off for exploring the neighbouring city and nearby islands. The coastal town has a picturesque bay comprised of Mali Zaton and Zaton Veliki.

Zaton is a popular day trip from Dubrovnik. They often arrive by boat, plonk themselves in the bay and just leap over the side for a swim. You can enjoy the water and sun at any point you find comfortable along the bay, such as spots near the two local camps. Soline beach, on the western shore, is quiet, a little rocky and not serviced by a bar. The Small Zaton beach is nearer the village centre and a popular stop-off for those who find it when travelling the coastal road. Parking can be tough to find, so walk there if you can. Further south, tricky to find and reach, Gof beach may not be best for young children, but it’s worth a trip for its clear waters and isolation. To the west, right at the end of the peninsula, there are rocks from which teenagers like to jump into the sea, a small cave and, sometimes, a rope swing. If you want to head outside of Zaton, the nearby Sun Gardens Resort has a beach. Dubrovnik also has several good beach options, with one of the best being the Copacabana beach, bar and restaurant, known for its stellar amenities.

You don’t need to traipse into Dubrovnik for a good sit-down meal if you’re staying in Zaton, especially if hearty, unfussy, traditional and tasty is what you’re after. A tavern, known locally as a konoba, is the Dalmatian equivalent of a pub with great food and, usually, much better views than you’d find in the pub back home. Zaton has several great ones.

One of the very best things about staying in Zaton is having the ancient city of Dubrovnik on your doorstep. A visit to the narrow, pretty alleyways and historic walls of its old city is not so much a day trip you have to plan in advance.

While Zaton may not have an exquisitely designed and thoroughly modern shoreside walkway, like those of Split or Zadar, it does have one featuring brilliant views. Snaking around from one side of the bay to the other, the pathway along the edge of  Zaton’s water runs almost three kilometres in length. Unlike the road which traces a similar route around the bay, on this walkway your view of Zaton and the sea is never interrupted. This allows wonderful views of the opposite shore, perfect for a relaxed saunter in the evening. It’s the perfect way to soak up the ambience of the quiet little oasis in which you find yourself.

This most southerly region of Croatia is recognised internationally for its wine production, which dates back many centuries. The warm, sunny climate helps produce some of Croatia’s most powerful red wines, such as the Plavac ali variety, although nearby islands like Korčula are also famed for white wines like Grk and Pošip. The best way to learn about the region’s amazing wine is to visit a vineyard, where you’ll learn all about the history of local winemaking, the traditional methods, the grapes and the wines they produce. Many vineyards in the region cling to slopes, so finding a vineyard on the mainland usually means heading a little back into the hinterland, to the foothills of the Dinaric Alps. You can find small winemakers not so far from Zaton but, on the mainland, the more professional outfits that provide tours are located north of Neum or south of Dubrovnik. If you’re going to travel that far, don’t miss a winery visit on Pelješac, such as Matusko, Korta Katarina, Špaleta or on Korčula island (where Toreta or Grošić are great options).