Sunlight Above Dubrovnik

Daily miles: 28.24 | Total miles: 12,680.1

I woke up in a warm, cozy room. All my things were hung up and spread out everywhere — a bit chaotic, but completely dry. After yesterday, that alone felt like luxury.

I made a coffee, began organizing my gear, and then faced the first challenge of the day: rolling the buggy step by step up a steep flight of stairs. Once it was up, I carried all my bags, loaded everything carefully, and set off. It was still a bit windy, but the sky looked promising.

I knew I would be running high above Dubrovnik on the coastal road, staying on the upper route rather than going through town. That meant views — but it also meant traffic.

The morning traffic around Dubrovnik was intense. The road was narrow, with barely any space for me. It wasn’t just a climb; it was a stretch of pure adrenaline. Every vehicle passing required trust — trust that they saw me, that they would give me a few precious inches of space.

But the views.

Mountains rising sharply, the ocean shimmering behind them, houses clinging to steep hillsides — so many impossibly beautiful places with breathtaking outlooks. Seeing Dubrovnik from these upper angles was extraordinary. And once again, I realized there is no way to truly capture the beauty of what I see out here. Photos fall short. Words too.

After surviving the busiest stretch, I passed the impressive Franjo Tuđman Bridge. Shortly afterward, I met Nicoletta on the road. She once lived in Zurich and spoke German, so we chatted for a bit — a lovely surprise connection.

Later, I stopped at a gas station to recharge my phone. A group of locals were standing around having a morning beer. Naturally, I joined them for a short while. Some spoke German too, and we shared easy laughter and conversation. These spontaneous exchanges are small gifts during long days.

As I continued, the road widened and traffic thinned out. I could finally relax a little while running and facing the oncoming cars.

When I reached Trsteno, I stopped to admire something truly magnificent: the famous Oriental Plane Tree. I had read about it — estimated to be over 500 years old, around 50 meters tall, brought from Constantinople in the early 15th century by a sea captain. One of the oldest and largest of its kind in Europe. Standing beneath it, you can feel its presence. Pure beauty. Timeless strength.

Not long after, I met two cyclists: Shaun from London, cycling all the way to Thailand, and Matteo from Italy, riding to Albania and back. The energy between us was immediate — mutual respect, shared understanding, that quiet recognition of what it means to move through the world under your own power. That exchange lifted me and gave me fresh momentum.

The day unfolded in sunshine and warmth. The views continued to enchant me. Looking down into bays of turquoise water, so clear I could see rocks along the shoreline — it was almost unreal. The blue sky, the light, the clarity — I soaked it all in.

About three miles before my destination, I stopped at a grocery store, then pushed on for the final stretch.

When I arrived in Banići, I found a beautiful old house surrounded by a slightly wild garden. An elderly, slow-moving dog named Bella came to greet me. Then Ivo opened the door and welcomed me warmly. By coincidence, the two cyclists had stayed with him the night before. Perhaps it’s the budget price that draws us all here.

Ivo is a wonderful host — kind, generous, genuine. Shortly after showing me around, he knocked on my door with three pieces of strudel baked by his mother-in-law and tangerines from his garden.

I love the plants around this house. I could stay here a long time, tending to them, enjoying the peacefulness of this small village overlooking the ocean.

Tonight: chickpeas and borek. And strudel for dessert.

What a contrast to yesterday.

As you probably know by now, I love sunny, warm weather. But I’m here to experience it all — the storms and the sunlight.

Thanks for checking in, Andrea