Konavle is much more than just the home of Dubrovnik Airport.
In spite of its close proximity to the City of Dubrovnik, Croatia's picturesque southernmost county barely gets the level of recognition it deserves.
With rolling hills covered with old evergreen pine trees, flanked by karst mountains to one side and the sparkling Adriatic sea to the other, Konavle is a sight to behold for all nature lovers. With historic settlements dotted among the trees and the Konavle valley, perfect for wine growing, just a stones throw away, not to mention some of the most beautiful beaches in Dalmatia hidden away so closely, the fact that this beautiful, rural area of Croatia close to the Montenegrin border is so overlooked has always surprised many.
In more recent times, Konavle has managed to make itself attractive with folklore dances and traditional tourism to people otherwise staying in nearby Dubrovnik. Cilipi, the settlement Dubrovnik Airport is located next to, has made good use of its folklore and other cultural traditions, attracting tourists each Sunday until October to view traditional dances and the old ways of rural Konavle life. A trip back in time for many.
It seemed however, despite being home to Sokol Grad (Sokol Tower), untouched nature, a few excellent restaurants, some wonderful beaches and of course, Cavtat, Croatia's southernmost town, that Konavle's destiny was simply to live in the shadow of neighbouring Dubrovnik, never to find a real niche of its own. Is that about to alter?
As Dubrovacki Dnevnik writes on the 5th of January, 2018, as part of the Family Accommodation Forum, held from the 2nd to the 3rd of February at the Zagreb Fair, there were acknowledgments for ''Tourist Flower - Quality for Croatia for Family Tourism'' and the EHHA Awards for the European House of the Year. Among the other winners were two houses from the wider Dubrovnik area, including both Pelješac and Konavle.
In the category of the best active holiday home, Villa Falcon Rook from Konavle took the award. In September 2017, Villa Falcon Rook also received the EHHA award for the European House of the Year in the category of the best family home.
With a natural wealth of active and sustainable tourism opportunities just waiting to be taken advantage of, has Konavle finally found its niche?
