Where the Road Is Part of the Story

On Pelješac, the road is part of the story. Few travel experiences are as evocative as following these winding roads with the roof down, passing through the very vineyards that have made this peninsula Croatia's most celebrated wine region.

And there may be no better way to experience it than from behind the wheel of a Mazda MX-5, roof folded down. The perfect car for the duo whose biggest passion is freedom.

Mazda MX-5 parked beside a stone wall on Pelješac Mazda MX-5 steering wheel and interior detail Mazda MX-5 on a country road near the vineyards

After a visit to the famous wine-growing sites of the peninsula, a glass of Plavac Mali at Saints Hills feels less like a tasting and more like the final chapter of the journey.

One Couple's Love for Winemaking

Founded by Ernest and Ivana Tolj, Saints Hills was created from a simple idea: that great vineyards deserve great stewardship, recognition and visibility. Surrounded by some of Croatia's most prestigious wine sites, including the famous Dingač slopes, the winery has become one of the peninsula's most compelling places to experience both the past and the future of Croatian wine.

A bottle of red wine being poured on the terrace Two guests toasting with wine on the terrace A host presenting bottles of Saints Hills wine

The estate reveals itself gradually. A gravel road. Stone walls softened by Mediterranean greenery. Rows of vines stretching toward the hills beyond. Then a terrace where time immediately seems less important. This is where afternoons disappear.

A bottle is opened. Olive oil is poured. Small plates begin arriving at the table. Conversation drifts from wine to travel, from food to stories, and nobody checks the time. The best wineries understand that wine is never simply something you drink. It is a way of understanding a place.

For many years, Saints Hills worked alongside renowned consultant Michel Rolland, whose guidance helped shape wines that remain deeply connected to the character of Pelješac. Yet what defines the winery is not only what happens in the cellar, but the people behind it.

Country Is What You See, Taste and Feel

A guest seated on a Mazda MX-5 in front of the vineyards A charcuterie board and a glass of red wine on the table A guest in a red dress holding a bottle of rosé

Because wine begins long before it reaches the glass. It begins with the hands. The hands that prune the vines in winter, that harvest the grapes beneath the summer sun, that care for each vintage throughout the year, giving it time, dedication and attention.

It begins with generations of knowledge and with a respect for the land that cannot be rushed. Perhaps that is why days like this stay with you. Not because of one spectacular view or one memorable bottle, but because of everything together.

The Perfect Day Trip from Dubrovnik

A Mazda MX-5 parked among the vines on Pelješac

A Mazda MX-5 parked among the vines. A glass of Plavac Mali in your hand from the Dingač region, the first protected wine region in Croatia, established in 1961.

If you ask us locals, this is how we imagine a perfect day trip from Dubrovnik.