Ston in southern Dalmatia is by and large known for three things – its very well preserved town walls, its salt works, and its mussels! If you pay a visit to this part of the Peljesac Peninsula, we’re sure you’ll encounter at least two of these three things!
Getting to Ston
The town can be easily reached by local buses from Dubrovnik; journey time is around 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can see schedules on the Dubrovnik Bus Terminal website – click on the Suburban link.
Sightseeing
The Town Walls
As mentioned, the town walls are perhaps what this little town is best known for – and rightfully so. The walls are much longer than those of its more famous neighbour, Dubrovnik, at 5km in length. This makes them the longest defensive structure in Europe; they are sometimes referred to as the ‘European Walls of China”.
Built in the 14th and 15th centuries as a additional defence for the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and to protect the lucrative salt pans in the area, the walls also consist of three fortresses – Veliki Kastil (in Ston), Korula (Mali Ston) and Prodzvizd Fort – and a number of towers. The walls once stretched for as long as 7km, but parts were destroyed following the fall of the Republic of Ragusa, and during the 19th century when the stone was used to construct other structures. The walls have long since been protected and, following extensive renovations, were open a number of years ago to visitors.
The walls are open year-round to visit (with longer opening hours in summer). More on the Walls of Ston website, including opening hours and ticket prices.
Saltworks in Ston
The saltworks were established as far back as the 13th century (although the harvesting of salt in the area is thought to go back much further). The production of salt contributed to the wealth of the Republic of Dubrovnik. These days, the harvesting of salt from the sea is still done in a traditional manner.
You can not only visit the saltworks, but you can even work there! Summer camps exist every year for willing participants – you can see more information on the Solana Ston website.
Mali Ston and its oysters
Mali Ston (meaning ‘Little Ston’) is about a kilometre and a half away on the upper side of the Peninsula. You can easily walk between the two places.
Mali Ston Bay is where you will find the oyster beds that produce what are often said to be the most delicious oysters in the world! (If you can’t make it down to this part of the Peljesac Peninsula, fear not! You can also find these oysters at many other restaurants in Dubrovnik and the Southern Dalmatian region.)
If you do make it to Ston or Mali Ston, you must consider dining at a local restaurant to try out some of these famed oysters, right from where they are farmed.
Eating in Ston
Baca is a smart choice in town – unsurprisingly, they have a number of oyster specialities, plus meat mains too.
Stagnum is a great choice for all the family, with a wide range of fish and seafood dishes (you can’t go wrong with the fish plate, or the mussels or squid ink risotto), plus pizza and steak options if that’s the kind of thing you prefer.
Kapetanova Kuca (‘Captain’s House’) is in a excellent location by the harbour in Mali Ston. As ever, oyster dishes rule the day but there are also excellent pasta choices and you must also try one of their desserts.
Bebek in Mali Ston is a very suitable place if you want to merely sample some of the local oysters (and wine!) without having a proper sit down meal.
Wine Bar Ston is the place to go if you like to concentrate on sampling the local wine!
Events in Ston
One of the top events has to do with oysters (unsurprisingly!). The Festival of Oysters takes on and after 19th March each year, where you can sample oysters and local wines.
And it’s also no surprise to see an event related to the town walls! The Ston Wall Marathon takes place in September.
For other goings on in the nearby area, do also take a look at our Events in Dubrovnik and Events in Southern Dalmatia pages.
Accommodation in Ston
There aren’t many hotels in this part of the Peljesac Peninsula, although there is the Hotel Ostrea in Ston. Private accommodation – apartments and rooms – to rent are certainly available. Take a look at where to stay on the search map below:
More info
You can find out more the town and what there is to see and do there at the Ston Tourist Office website.