Around the county

Explore and discover

The Dubrovnik – Neretva County has much to offer, from soaring mountain peaks to long sandy beaches lapped by the Adriatic Sea, this is a country of surprises, a county that is calling out to be explored.

The Dubrovnik – Neretva County is in the far south of Croatia and is the southernmost county in the country. The capital and the seat of local government is Dubrovnik. The surface area of this needle shaped county is 1,782 km2 (688 sq miles). The population of the county is around 122,000. It starts with the Neretva river delta in the north with larger towns such as Metković, Polče and Opuzen. Then continues south with the islands of Korčula, Mljet and the Elaphite before Dubrovnik and then onto Cavtat. The county is divided into five cities and seventeen municipalities.

Over its turbulent history many empires and forces have fought in the county including the Venetians, Byzantines, Normans, Romans and the Napoleonic Empire. And through all these battles the city of Dubrovnik, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, managed to keep its independence mainly through clever diplomacy.

The stunning coastline of the county is separated from the interior by a mountain range that runs in parallel to the sea. This divided the county into two basic parts, the coastline and islands and the interior with its river delta at Neretva. Adding to this rich natural heritage is a national park on the island of Mljet as well as a designated nature park on the island of Lastovo.