Trsteno Arboretum

Trsteno Arboretum is a historic garden in the village of Trsteno, at Potok 20, about 20 kilometres north-west of Dubrovnik on the D8 coast road in Croatia's Dubrovnik-Neretva region. The garden was laid out in the late 15th century by the Gucetic family, a noble Ragusan family, as a summer estate, and it is among the oldest arboreta in the Mediterranean. It is now run by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The grounds combine a formal Renaissance garden with terraces, pergolas and a stone summerhouse, a Neptune fountain with a nymph statue, a fishpond, and an old aqueduct that waters the garden. The collection includes two enormous oriental plane trees thought to be more than 400 years old, as well as palms, cypresses, citrus, oleander and exotic species brought by Ragusan sailors. The estate has been a filming location for television productions set in the fictional King's Landing. A fire in 2000 damaged part of the garden, which has since been restored. Visitors normally spend 1.5 to 2 hours walking the paths, and admission is about EUR 8 (about $9), with reduced fares for children. The garden is open daily in daylight hours, longer in summer. Libertas suburban buses towards Slano and Ston from Gruz bus station take about 30 minutes, making it an easy half-day trip. Spring and early autumn mornings are best, with milder temperatures, flowers in bloom and fewer tour groups. The view from the terrace across the sea towards the Elaphiti Islands and the lower garden with the Neptune fountain make the best photographs.