The household is located in a stone house, between an olive grove and a one hundred year old češvina (a type of evergreen oak tree) which creates a lovely breeze during the summer heat. Adding to the whole atmosphere are the smells and flavours of dishes prepared from exclusively domestic ingredients grown in the fields of Lastovo. Proving how good the climate is on the estate there are the octopuss who come out in the nearby bay looking for some shade during the summer heat.

Lastovo Archipelago, with Lastovo as the largest island is located south of Korčula and is one of the ten paradise gardens on the Mediterranean, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Latovo was named by Greek seamen and merchants who sailed to the land of the Ilyrians from southern colonies. The name Ladesta, Ladeston or Ladoston, was given to it because of its similarity to the island of Lado in the Ionian Sea. The Romans gave the island its Latin name – Augusta Insula – Emperor`s island.

Throught its turbulent history there were many rulers on Lastovo. After the Greeks and the Roman Empire it was under Byzantine rule, then under the Croatian Empire and then the Venteian Republic. In the 13th century it voluntarily became a part of the Dubrovnik Republic.

At the beginning of the 17th century it was briefly under the rule of Venice and then it went back to the Dubrovnik Republic, which was abolished by the French at the beginning of the 19th century. Latovo was then briefly taken over by the British, and in 1815 became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy. From the end of World War I until the capitulation of fascist Italy in 1943, it was under Italian occupation.

There are a few villages on the island but Lastovo is the largest. It is an old medieval town with an amphitheatrical shape and a long and interesting history. There one can find beautiful family houses from the 15th and 16th century, which are richly decorated with “fumari” (chimneys). This is a unique architectural expression from the 17th and 18th centuries. The people of Lastovo have always competed amongst each other as to who will have a more original chimney.

The island of Lastovo is full of beautiful bays, Zaklopatica and Pasadur on the north coast, Skrivena Luka and Ubli on the south coast and Lučica at the foot of Lastovo is the most famous among tourists.

He restored his estate in a traditional style and on the first ecological family estate with an agro-tourism offer in the area of Dubrovnik, he welcomes guests in a traditional costume and offers healthy products, traditional dishes and appropriate folklore.

He has decided to certify his agricultural products and is now in the phase of aquiring the «eco» sign for his olives, figs, herbs and vegetables that can be found on the menu.

Investors are collaborating with the company Geofoto, which has a fleet of airplanes. With the purchase of new hydroplanes, the nautical centres on the islands would be connected to airports in Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar and therefore be at the disposal of, for example sailors from Germany, who would be able to reach their vessel in Lastovo in three hours.

This is an Adriatic coastal air traffic project which will enable the islands with the warmest seas in Europe to be connected with a network of air, land and sea corridors of the old continent. In the first phase, which envisages the constuction of water airports, purchasing of the aircrafts and the creating of a reliable air carrier, investors from Germany and Switzerland plan to invest at least 31 million euros.

In the first phase the ECA plans to connect Split and Dubrovnik with Korčula and Hvar, Vis, Lastovo and other surrounding islands, and to the north Šibenik, Zadar, Rijeka and Pula with Mali Lošinj, Rab and other Dalmatian islands, with six 19 seater aircrafts.

30 sea harbours would be used for landing and take off. In the second phase the islands will be connected with Italian cities of Brindisi, Bari, Foggia, Ancona, Rimini, Ravenna, Bologna, Padova, Trieste and Venice. The flight from Ancona to Mali Lošinj would only take 32 minutes and from Pescara to Vis only 42 minutes.

Brijuni Riviera is the name of the company that was founded by the state and the Istrian county. Its job is to give out concessions on the coastal area opposite Brijuni, which encircles three locations. These are the island Sveta Katarina – Monumenti, Hidrobaza in the area of Pula and Pineta in Fažana. For each of the three areas there will be a tender by which contractors will be chosen for the construction of hotels, apartments and two nautical marinas.

They will have concession rights for 66 years. Investments are expected to be around 350 million euros.

Pineta is located eight kilometres from Pula. Numerous four and five star hotels, with 650 beds all together as well as sports and recreation facilities, are expected to be built there.
Hidrobaza is located in the far northwest part of Pula. By one concept, there should be five or six four star hotels built there, with 1000 beds and by another concept it should be a tourist resort with a hotel and three and four star villas.

The island Sveta Katarina and Monumenti is located on the north side of Pula harbour.
Two nautical harbours are expected to be built there, with a total capacity of 600 berths in the sea and a dry marina with 1000 berths with according facilities, a four or five star hotel with a capacity of 200 beds and various public use facilities as well as a gastronomy centre.

With the Brijuni Riviera project Istria is to become the most prestigious destination of the Mediterranean. Brijuni will not be offered on the tender, but plans are made for the upgrading of their tourist offer from concession charges funds. The plan does not include the construction of new tourism facilities on Brjuni but the plan is to raise the existing facilities to the highest category level. The existing hotels on the island are the hotel Neptun, Istra and Karmen. There are also three villas; Lovorka, Primorka and Dubravka which are a part of the Brijuni National Park. Villa Lovorka was renovated last year. By the end of this year the plan is to renovate all the 30 rooms in Hotel Istra, which is a part of Hotel Neptun, as well as the construction of a wellness centre, after which the hotel would receive its fourth star. The three year plan includes the renovation of all the other hotels and villas.

Among «The Wine Gang» members is Joanna Simon, the author of the «Sunday Times Book of Wine» and the long time columnist of The Sunday Times, she is also the current editor of House and Garden and the president of one of the most respected panels in the worlds – IWC from London. Also here is Anthony Rose, a columnist and critic for the Independent and Decanter and the president of the Decanter panel at the Decanter World Wine Awards as well as Tom Cannavan, the author of the internet website Wine-pages and collaborator of Decanter Magazine, The World of Fine Wine and The Wine Report. Other members of the «gang» are David Williams, a correspondent of the Observer and deputy editor of The World of Fine Wine as well as Jane Parkinson, an experienced wine judge and reporter, whose articles have been awarded by the prestige Louis Roederer trophy.

The town of Dubrovnik attracts more and more tourists every year and if we look carefully we can easily see why – the beauty of the surroundings in combination with the Old Town is irresitable and rarely leaves anyone indifferent, writes Emyr Thomas.

Surrounded by ancient walls, Dubrovnik is decorated with Rainessance and Baroque buildings and many bars and restaurants which proudly offer fresh sea food.

The author shares his experience with readers through his stay at two hotels, the Bellevue and the Excelsior as well as a tour of the town and enjoying his dinner.

Dubrovnik`s hotel Bellevue is located about thirty metres above the picturesque Miramare Bay with a view onto the crystal blue Adriatic Sea. In the hotel, he was welcomed by smiles and enjoyed his coffee on a large terrace with a panoramic view of the sea, writes JustLuxe.

The hotel ensures an alternative, faster way to the beach by a private elevator. On the beach there are informal restaurants and local bays perfect for sunbathing and swimming. The Bellevue has 91 spacious and well equipped rooms and elegantly furnished apartments which offer a wonderful view of the sea. The presidential suite has a large dining room, a separate living room, two highly equipped bathrooms and a balcony with a view of the sea.

The luxurious hotel Excelsior has been the host for guests of Dubrovnik since 1913. With a view of the island of Lokrum and the Old Town, it boasts a beautiful terrace which is ideal for dining, enjoying coctails or simply having a cup of coffee. The hotel Excelsior has 141 standard rooms and 17 luxury apartments. It also has the renovated Villa Agava, with three bedrooms, surrounded by five terraces that offer an unbelievable view. In its offer the hotel also has a spa centre and inside pools in a relaxing and intimate atmosphere.

The restaurant Vapor in the Bellevue offers a wonderful view onto the bay and the possibility of enjoying a relaxed atmosphere and top quality cuisine. The author recommends oysters for starters followed by risotto.

The Excelsior actually has four exquisite restaurants that offer authentic national and international dishes. One of the most famous city restaurants, Nautika, is located near the walls of Dubrovnik, and offers domestic recipes and dishes that are simple but elegant. Good food combined with a picturesque view onto the city walls offers an unforgettable experience.

A tour of the town with a specialized guide will satisfy everyone`s curiosity and climbing the steep stairs of the city walls will give more information about the city and the damage done to it during the war, as well as the restoration of the same. The mountain above the town can be reached by a taxi and from it one can experience the panoramic view while enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, concludes the author Emyr Thomas.

Hopkin starts his list of beautiful Croatian islands with Vis, for which he thinks is ideal for couples wishing to escape the city bustle. Hidden bays, beautiful vineyards, palm trees, olives, oleanders, around three hundred aromatic herb species, small fishing boat rides, dolphin spotting, emerald waters near Stiniva, discovering the military history of the island and the local seafood and good wine are ideal for a romantic dream holiday, says the author.

For lovers of culture and history he recommends Korčula, which `combines a part of Dubrovnik`s chic with an aboundance of natural beauty`. Compared to Dubrovnik, he gives an advantage to Korčula because it has more contents and there is the possibility of one day trips to the nearby islands as a bonus. From Greek and Roman artefacts, through to the speculation whether Marco Polo was really born on this island, all the way to the well documented local tradition of shipbuilding, lovers of history and cultural events will find everything they are looking for on Korčula.

For those who wish to relax, on the other hand, the best place to do this is on the `most relaxed` island – Mali Lošinj. The colour of the sea here is surprisingly green, as are the many forested areas on the island, for which the island of Mali Lošinj is known as an island of vitality. Close by is Veli Lošinj, `an old fishing area with a combination of Venetian and Greek urban details and beautiful small bays ideal for therapeutic swimming`, states the article.

As far as food is concerned, the author liked Pag most of all, which he says is famous for moonlike landscapes, cheese, lamb and salt. Apart from the traditional production of cheese, the author was obviously fascinated by the phenomenon of salty grass due to the winds coming from the sea, which gives the lamb from Pag a special taste.

For those looking for a good time, he recommends the `most glamorous` island of Hvar and the town of Hvar, which is at the height of the season `full of Italians, party posers and snobby English yachtsmen and sailors`. In the article he metions that the town was founded the same year that Aristotel was born in, and that King Edward VIII and his lover Wallis Simpson would often loose themselves among its beautiful stone paved streets.
Hopkin`s trilogy of short stories about Dalmatia will be aired on BBC`s Radio 4 in March of 2012.

Since the war ended in the 90s, Croatia has become a leading tourism destination for western tourists. Miles of beautiful Adriatic coast and forests and lakes in the inland have attracted travellers and second home buyers from all over the world. In a unique way, Croatia combines the Slavic heart with the Mediterranean soul, says the author and states that Croatia is a country with a thousand islands, a 1778 kilometre long coastline and over 300 sunny days a year. The emerald sea is crystal clear and the seafood is incredibly tasty.

Even though the inland is aboundant with karst mountains, beautiful lakes and waterfalls and Zagreb has a rich culture and fantastic night life, the main tourist attraction and the centre of everything is along the coast. Visitors literarlly rush to the pebbled beaches of the Istrian peninsula, the beautiful islands on the turquoise sea, are amazed by the history, culture and beauty of Split and Dubrovnik and attend the fancy parties on the island of Hvar – the author describes Croatian tourist offer and adds that the top quality olive oil and wines are proof of its Mediterranean roots.

She goes on to state that the Istrian peninsula with kilometres of beautiful coastline is close to Austria and Italy and is very popular among buyers from the north of Europe and Italy. The fertile hills in the inland of Istria have for many become the new Toscani, with attractive old houses that are definitely worth renovating and villages which offer numerous delicacies, such as for instance, white truffles.

The town Opatija is a pearl of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, where the architecture reflects its European past. It is a sophisticated and fancy place which attracts buyers with high spending power, states the article and stresses how the Croatian islands are altogether a special story.

Dubrovnik was, of course, also mentioned. This beautiful pearl of the Adriatic is one of the most popular destinations. The author points out how Croatia is successfully fighting against too much concrete and huge buildings along the coast beacuse it wants to keep the special quality with which it has attracted so many visitors.

In the article, the BBC stresses that there are good ferry connections all along the Adriatic coast, a presence of almost all the European air carriers in the Dubrovnik and Split airports and that Zagreb is connected by rail lines with almost the whole of Europe.