Villa Leoni

Converted from a 19th-century Dalmatian stone villa, Villa Leoni occupies a quiet residential lane in Lapad, the leafy peninsula west of Dubrovnik's Old Town walls. The No. 6 bus to Pile Gate runs four minutes from the front door, making the location practical without the noise of the Stradun tourist corridor.

The property's original carved-stone window surrounds and terracotta roof have been retained throughout a renovation that added modern air conditioning and private bathrooms to each room. Sea-facing rooms look out over Lapad Bay toward the open Adriatic.

The harbour promenade at Gruž, where the ferry to Hvar and Korčula departs, is a ten-minute walk north. Restaurants along Lapad's pedestrian strip serve local peka dishes and fresh-caught bream without the Old Town price premium.