Our driver pulled into what looked like a private drive save for a blue and white sign with an oyster image on it and told us that no self-respecting Croatian from Dubrovnik would order oysters at a restaurant in Dubrovnik. No, they all head to Ston, a settlement along the Pelješac peninsula dating back to 167 BC uniquely situated between the flows of salt and fresh water perfect for the cultivation of bivalve shellfish.

A small town by most standards (around 43,000 at the last census in 2011), Dubrovnik's charm lies in its approachability - walk the city walls in the morning, kayak in the cerulean blue waters in the afternoon, relax for a late afternoon lunch of local grilled fish, explore the shops along the steep and narrow streets that emanate from the Stradun before dinner, and wind down before turning in by watching the sunset from a cliffside bar.