Croatia: A Walk in the Garden | Vagabundo Magazine

By Lorraine Rivera

As we roamed along a shady walkway my sister Tina commented that Trsteno Arboretum was just as she imagined the estate from Chekhov?s ?The Three Sisters? might have looked ? with the sea in place of a river ? and we agreed we could easily picture Masha and Vershininmeeting clandestinely in the shadowed corner of a twisting path.

We were in the garden on the advice of our port guide, which called the Trsteno Arboretum one of the prettiest parks on the Dalmatian Coast. After a brief drive out of Dubrovnik along scenic cliffs and shoreline, we found ourselves at the garden?s entrance.

A stone path led from the main road through bushes and palm-trees until the Mediterranean water was spread out before us, shining in the sun like blue diamonds. We stood in the shade of a tile-roofed pavilion, gazing out over the tops of a pair of snowy sailboats towards a hilly island while our guide explained the history of the gardens, built in 1502 as the summer home of a noble family from Dubrovnik. The estate stayed in the family until the 1940s, when it was confiscated by the communist regime. The government added to the property, but the original home and a few outbuildings still stand.

The garden was a jumble of plant life, with fun juxtapositions like cacti in front of purple flowers scaling the walls of the renaissance-era main house. The flowers, plants and trees were collected over the course of five centuries, oftentimes brought to the family by sailors returning from their voyages abroad.

Garden paths meandered past ivy-covered walls and stone benches, leading to hidden alcoves. We encountered an old building with a massive stone mill inside and peeked in the windows of a small chapel, where the family would have worshipped. The door was locked, but the altar was covered in cloths, as if the chapel was still in use. Further ramblings revealed the arboretum?s showpiece, an 18th century statue of an enrobed Neptune and two nymphs standing watch over a pretty goldfish pond.

As we walked back towards our starting point, I spotted a trail snaking out of sight. ?I bet that trail goes to a beach!? I exclaimed. ?Let?s take a look!?

Alas, my sensible sister glanced at her watch and shook her head. Of course, she was right. We were the last ones to the meeting point and our ride arrived moments later. After a sleepless overnight flight followed by a day of sightseeing in Venice and partying on our cruise ship, a quiet stroll through a sunny garden had been just the thing I needed to slow down and recharge.

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About the Author

Lorraine Rivera?s family, travel, reading and writing are her passions. Visiting a fun new spot with the hubby and kids in tow and a light novel and her?travel journal for down time is her idea of bliss. Lorraine?earned?a bachelor?s degree from the University of Michigan and worked in?the field of technical writing for several years before turning to?freelance travel writing.?You?can?read?more?about?her?adventures?on her blog,?The Traveling Mum, or follow?on Twitter.

Source: http://www.vagabundomagazine.com/croatia-a-walk-in-the-garden/

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