Mali Ston — Little Ston — is the smaller of the two walled villages at the neck of the Pelješac peninsula, a cluster of stone houses around a tiny harbour where the oyster boats dock. The setting is unforgettable, with the city walls climbing the hillside behind and the calm green water of the bay in front.
The half-dozen seafood restaurants here are some of the best in Dalmatia. Bota Šare and Kapetanova Kuća are the two old institutions; both buy directly from the oyster cultivators twenty metres offshore. The local trick is to order a starter of black risotto, a plate of fresh oysters, and a bottle of Pelješac white — and not to plan anything for the rest of the afternoon.