Psssst! I'm almost loathe to tell you this, but if you promise not to share it with a single living soul I might just let you in on a delicious Croatian secret.
My secret? The island of Mljet. An elongated green hump that juts like a sleeping giant from the sparkling green waters of the Adriatic Sea. A place where the hands of clocks go unnoticed and fishermen putt-putt their small boats into the dazzling greeness, returning only when supper has been tempted from the depths where dolphins leap and play.
A small ferry plies the route daily between Dubrovnik and the tiny quayside hamlet of Polace - the 90 minutes it takes is, thankfully, just a little too much for most tourists. Polace is no more than a necklace of houses and seafront restaurants ringing the idyllic tree-lined harbour where yachts anchor, bobbing in a hypnotic ballet.
But maybe that's not for you? I can understand how not everyone enjoys waking to watch the sun rise over the mainland in floods of pink and orange light. How you might not relish the solitude of an outdoor breakfast where the only bustle comes from darting schools of fish. Lying on an empty beach and being forced to dip your hot body in the cool waters can be a tiresome thing indeed. Even lobster for dinner is not everyone's cup of tea - with all of that juicy dripping flesh, it's enough to ruin one's freshly laundered suit. And, as the sun sets and the little owls hoot in call and answer across the bay, the endless list of local wines can become one choice too many.
As I say, it might not be to your liking. But if you happen to know someone who needs to recharge their body and soul, then Mljet might just be what they crave. On second thoughts, let's not tell anyone.