How to Spend One Day in Ston, Croatia

Most visitors to the Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast flock to Dubrovnik and squeeze in a visit to Split, but they overlook the enticing Pelješac Peninsula. The town of Ston is located off the coast of mainland Croatia on the Pelješac Peninsula. Ston and neighboring Mali Ston are charming villages packed with ancient history, delicious wines, and world-famous oysters. These coastal Croatian towns are worth a day trip from Dubrovnik.

Ston is surrounded by a fortress of stone walls built to keep people out, yet a new bridge is making the town more accessible to visitors than ever. I’m an American with Croatian heritage, and I have visited Ston and Mali Ston multiple times including on my honeymoon! Here are my tips for how to spend one day in Ston, Croatia.

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Brief History of Ston, Croatia

Ston is an ancient Croatian town that was settled by the Illyrians until the Romans arrived in 167 BC. After the original city was destroyed in an earthquake, the present city was built in 1252. Ston became part of the Republic of Ragusa, whose capital was Dubrovnik, in 1333 and construction began its famous defensive walls.

What to Do in Ston and Mali Ston

For centuries, Ston has quietly produced fine sea salt and world-renown oysters in the shadow of the world’s second longest defensive walls. If you’re interested in history, a unique hike, and delicious food and wine then there is more than a day’s worth of things to do in Ston, Croatia!

Looking for more Croatia travel tips? Uncover hidden gems like underground tunnels and Roman mosaics!

Hike the Walls of Ston

Approaching from the water delivers a sensational view of the nearly four-mile-long limestone wall with twenty towers stretching over the green ridge from Ston to the village of Mali Ston. The dramatic medieval fortifications were even featured on Game of Thrones standing in for King’s Landing and the Eyrie. They were built to protect the Republic of Ragusa and Ston’s precious salt pans. The Walls of Ston are the longest defensive walls in Europe and second in the world only to the Great Wall of China!

Tips for Hiking the Walls of Ston

Embark on a quest to hike the Walls of Ston and between the two towns. The steep climb delivers sun-drenched views of the turquoise Bay of Mali Ston, lush hills, the checkerboard of saltworks, and five fortresses. You can hike the wall to walk around Ston in about 20 minutes and traverse the wall from Ston to Mali Ston in less than an hour. If you’re going to trek up the hill, I think it’s worth making the journey to Mali Ston to maximize your views and reward yourself with local oysters and wine at Bebek when you descend!

The walls are steep, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Bring sunscreen and plenty of water as there’s little shade on the walls. I hiked the walls during the summer at the hottest time of the day, but I’d recommend tackling the walls earlier or later to avoid the direct sunlight if possible. The walls of Ston are open to visitors all year long. There is an entrance fee of about 10 euros per person to visit the walls.

Tour Europe’s Oldest Saltworks

Ston’s massive defensive walls were built in the 14th century to protect a precious resource⁠—salt. Used for payment, salt was nicknamed white gold. It was a precious resource for preserving food when there were few other methods to do so., making it essential for sustaining human and animal life. For centuries, wars were fought and trade routes were created to access salt. Ston’s salt production was critical to the Republic of Ragusa’s economy.

Producing sea salt for over 4,000 years, Ston is Europe’s oldest operating saltworks. Solana Ston maintains traditional harvesting methods, using shovels in lieu of heavy machinery. Solana Ston boasts 58 pools and harvests about 500 tons of salt annually. Tour Solana Ston’s small museum and the salt pools named for saints. Lend a hand volunteering from July through September to harvest a salty souvenir. The cost to visit the saltworks and museum is around 7 euros per person.

Taste the Acclaimed Mali Ston Oysters

“Mali” means “small ” in Croatian, so Mali Ston translates to “Little Ston.” Mali Ston is Ston’s smaller neighboring town, and it’s an absolute must visit on the Pelješac Peninsula if you’re a fan of seafood.

Oysters plucked from the Bay of Mali Ston are celebrated around the world and protected by the European Union. The meeting of the salty bay and an influx of mineral-heavy water from the Neretva River produces plump, briny delicacies. Only 40 farmers have legal permission to farm oysters and mussels in the bay, a multi-year, manual process using nets and rope.

You can find Mali Ston oysters on menus throughout Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, including nearby Dubrovnik. You won’t have a problem finding iconic oysters while visiting Ston and Mali Ston. If you’re staying in Dubrovnik, you can book a tour to transport you to Ston for an oyster and mussel tasting. Another tour transports you from Dubrovnik to Ston to eat the oysters straight from the water on a boat.

Treat Yourself to Stonska Torta

In a region replete with culinary delights, the most unusual is Stonska torta—macaroni cake. The recipe developed to economize ingredients and became a favorite for special occasions. Pastry surrounds macaroni mixed with nuts, lemon, eggs, and chocolate for a delightful blend of sweet and savory flavors. Dig into this traditional dish on the picturesque patio at Kapetanova Kuća (Captain’s House) along with a selection of Pelješac Peninsula wines.

Drink Pelješac Wine

Ston is the gateway to the Pelješac Peninsula, which is dotted with local winemakers. Plavac mali is the main varietal found in about 90% of the Pelješac vineyards. Every restaurant in Ston and Mali Ston will have a selection of dry, full-bodied reds from Dingač and Postup for you to sip while planning a vineyard outing. If you take a wine outing on Pelješac, wineries, tasting rooms, and agritourism experiences await you. If you’re staying in Dubrovnik, you can book a wine tour of Pelješac and Ston with transportation.

Festivals in Ston

Although Ston is a small town, it offers several reasons to celebrate throughout the year. In March, oysters are the start of the show during the Oyster Festival. If you visit in May, raise a glass at GrapeSton, a festival celebrating Croatian natural winemakers. Ston’s legendary salt is the star in August and September at the Ston Salt Festival, which includes live music, gastronomy, and children’s activities. In August, the Kinookus Food Film Festival highlights the region’s iconic gastronomy via cinema, lectures, and workshops.

How to Get to Ston

Due to its location off the mainland Croatia, the Pelješac Peninsula was a bit of a hidden gem. Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast is interrupted near Dubrovnik by a small section of Bosnian coast at Neum. Driving to Ston from the north used to require crossing the Bosnian border, which was not a big deal, but it added a few moments for passport control. Once, I took a bus to Dubrovnik, and after border control boarded the bus at Neum the driver stopped at the conveniently placed gift shop.

In 2022, the long-awaited Pelješac Bridge connected Ston and the rest of the Pelješac Peninsula with mainland Croatia, bypassing the stop for travelers from the north at a border crossing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Pelješac Bridge is an 8,000-foot cable-stayed engineering marvel enticing many travelers to the peninsula for the first time. Tourist nights on Pelješac were up 10% in the first half of 2023 (the year after the bridge opened) compared to pre-pandemic numbers from the same period in 2019, according to the HTZ. More than 2.1 million vehicles used the bridge during its first year open.

If you’re driving from the north, including Split, you’ll bypass the Bosnian border crossing by entering the Pelješac Bridge around Duboka. There may be a brief wait to cross the bridge (longer during the summer high season), and traversing the 1.5-mile bridge will take a few minutes. Driving from Split to Ston via the Pelješac Bridge should take about two hours, saving you about an hour if you were to take the D8 and cross the Bosnian border.

Driving from the south, including Dubrovnik, is straightforward and does not require you to take the Pelješac Bridge or drive through the Bosnian border crossing. Simply take the D414 and you’ll arrive in Ston in about an hour from Dubrovnik.

The first time I visited Ston was by boat. I highly recommend a multi-day Croatian sailing excursion! The stunning views of the Walls of Ston as we approached from the water were breathtaking. If you’re lucky enough to visit Ston by boat, here is more information on the Ston Port. Since the port is small, boaters recommend reserving a space in advance via WhatsApp. The mooring cost is around 60 euros a night.

Where to Stay in Ston

Part of Ston’s appeal is that there are no big hotels or resorts. While Ston is a great day trip from Dubrovnik, you can opt to spend the night in a charming inn or guest house. Why not watch the sun set on the Bay of Mali Ston while sipping a local wine?

Hotel Ostrea

Perched on the Bay of Mali Ston, Hotel Ostrea offers a dose of Old World charm. The house was once the home of fishermen and sailors before the Kralj family converted it to a small hotel in 1998. Rooms have views of the water, and a waterfront terrace offers a scenic dining location.

Villa Koruna

Villa Koruna also offers views of the sea from its rooms on the bay in Mali Ston. The onsite restaurant specializes in seafood and is a hit with families as well as couples enjoying the waterfront views.

Apartment Stara Kuća

Apartment Stara Kuća earns high marks for its convenient location in the heart of Mali Ston’s old town and for its exceptional service. The family-owned, two-bedroom guesthouse offers a garden and terrace for guests to unwind. Admire the Bay of Mali Ston with sea views.

Where to Eat in Ston

Oyster Bar Bebek

I can’t visit Pelješac without stopping for some oysters and beer at Oyster Bar Bebek. It’s my favorite restaurant in Mali Ston. The family-owned restaurant offers a shady terrace and welcoming hospitality for the weary traveler. Bebek isn’t a full-service restaurant. They specialize in serving oysters and other snacks. You can also stock up on items like jams, ajvar (red pepper spread), and wine. I prefer supporting this small business and buying authentic Croatian gifts here rather than at a touristy shop in a city. Bebek offers Mali Ston oysters in various sizes, and if they run low they will pull more fresh from the bay!

Kapetanova Kuća

Located in the Hotel Ostrea, Kapetanova Kuća specializes in seafood. It offers an inviting location on the Bay of Mali Ston waterfront. Chef Lidija Kral uses fruits and vegetables farmed in Mali Ston to create classic dishes like seafood risotto and the famed Stonska torta.

Bota Šare

Serving elegant seafood in a 14th-century salt warehouse, Bota Šare can arrange a boat excursion to the oyster beds or a waterside table to slurp them. Enjoy Dalmatian cuisine by the sea like grilled fish, oysters, and pastas.

If you’re traveling on the Dalmatian Coast, consider ditching the clubs of Hvar and crowds of Dubrovnik and take a day trip to savor the charms of Ston. Let me know if you found this travel guide to Ston and Mali Ston useful!

Sources

• Anđelković, Katarina. “Peljesac Bridge Achieves Excellent Results in Its First Year.” Total Croatia, 17 July 2023.
• “Ston Torte.” Croatian National Tourist Board.
• “The Oysters of Ston.” Croatian National Tourist Board.
• “The History.” Saltworks Ston, Solana Ston.