Cavtat, Croatia is 11 kilometers south east of Dubrovnik and an utter paradise. I start a typical weekday morning by riding my bike to the gym 5 minutes away, exercising, and then swimming laps in the Adriatic sea. The temperature of the water is 79 degrees — the salinity of the water makes staying afloat easy. There are no waves and the water is clear enough that I feel like I am flying while I have my goggles on. Swimming in such a vacant, accessible and wonderful place is immensely freeing — the shores are uncrowded or busy and you can plop into the ocean from anywhere around the city quite easily. This makes an impromptu swim on the way home from the office simple. After my morning swim I return home to shower and prepare for a day at the office – a nice 10 minute walk to the conference room in Hotel Croatia.
I have been living off of grilled squid, fruit salad (fruit and vegetable vendors are 100 meters from my apartment) whatever I stir up in my tiny kitchenette. My friends organize potluck dinners regularly and finding others to share dinner with or help cook is always a breeze. This lifestyle is immensely healthy for me and completely sustainable; my only vice is a weekly inundation of rose wine – a perfect complement to my warm, coastal surroundings. I could live in Cavtat for an entire summer and in the process grow to be a happier and better version of myself. The surprising thing about Cavtat is that it is a hidden gem unspoiled by the immense tourism of Dubrovnik only 10 kilometers away. Dubrovnik itself is a magical place – it feels like a fantasy walled city — and has afforded fun weekend excursions via a ferry travelling directly into the setting sun.
