{"id":98882,"date":"2025-10-16T22:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T22:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=98882"},"modified":"2025-10-16T22:18:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T22:18:00","slug":"croatias-delightful-philosophy-of-slow-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=98882","title":{"rendered":"Croatia\u2019s delightful philosophy of slow living"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>8 Minute, 19 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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In Dubrovnik, \u201cpomalo\u201d isn\u2019t just a holiday indulgence. It\u2019s a philosophy of life that shapes everything from seaside swims to long lunches.<\/p>\n

When I told my husband I needed a mumcation, he knew exactly where I\u2019d go. My obsession with Croatia is no secret: I\u2019ve lost count how many times I\u2019ve visited my grandparents\u2019 homeland (more than two dozen) and I even wrote\u00a0a novel\u00a0set there. Dubrovnik\u2019s\u00a0stari grad<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 the medieval walled old town \u2013 stole my heart when I first glimpsed it in 2001 on a holiday with my parents.<\/p>\n

For my solo trip, I had a singular goal: to embody\u00a0pomalo<\/em>, a deeply ingrained Dalmatian lifestyle that emphasises a relaxed, unhurried approach. I needed to reconnect with myself away from my fast-paced New York City life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wake up pomalo, we drink coffee pomalo, we eat pomalo, we spend time with our friends pomalo, we live pomalo,\u201d said Ivan Vukovi\u0107,<\/strong>\u00a0my longtime friend and a local Dubrovnik\u00a0tour guide. He cautioned me not to confuse pomalo with\u00a0fjaka<\/em>, a fleeting state akin to Italy\u2019s\u00a0dolce far niente<\/em>\u00a0(the sweetness of doing nothing).<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a local, I would describe\u00a0pomalo\u00a0as much more than just \u2018take it easy\u2019,\u201d echoed De\u0161a Karamehmedovi\u0107, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Herzegovina specialising in cultural tourism. \u201cIt is a mindset and a philosophy of life. It means slowing down, being present in the moment and savouring the simple joys without hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stradun, Dubrovnik Old Town\u2019s main thoroughfare, served as a filming location for scenes depicting King\u2019s Landing in Game of Thrones (Credit: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was craving some unhurried time alone \u2013 a return to my people-watching days 21 years ago when I studied in Dubrovnik and wrote in my journal at\u00a0Caf\u00e9 Festival\u00a0on Stradun, the old town\u2019s main thoroughfare, lingering over a cup of coffee for hours. I wanted to reacquaint myself with the selves contained within me, ensconced like matryoshka nesting dolls: the university student who fell in love with Dubrovnik; the woman who got engaged and married there; the mum who celebrated her daughter\u2019s first birthday at\u00a0Restaurant Magdalena\u00a0on the same terrace where we\u2019d held our wedding reception.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m used to having a plan and itinerary, but this time, I simply bought a ticket for mid-August and booked a room at my favourite hotel. Apart from alerting Vukovi\u0107 and several friends of my trip, I had no real plans. After all, pomalo encourages you to go with the flow. \u201cIn Dubrovnik, it influences our daily rhythms \u2013 coffee is not rushed, conversations are not interrupted and life flows at its own pace,\u201d Karamehmedovi\u0107 explained.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pomalo feels distinctly Dalmatian, tied to the sea, the sun, the gentle\u00a0povjetarac<\/em>\u00a0breeze and the slower island and coastal lifestyle. Karamehmedovi\u0107 believes it\u00a0can even be a meaningful response to overtourism. \u201cInstead of rushing through checklists, it invites travellers to deeply savour one place, one encounter, one moment and to enjoy every minute,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d been dreaming of swimming in the Adriatic and feeling saltwater on my skin, so on my first afternoon, Vukovi\u0107 and I headed straight for Titova villa beach on Lapad peninsula, where locals at Splendid beach bar lingered over beers and card games. The minute I dove into the clear water, my jet lag vanished and I felt refreshed and ready for a good night\u2019s sleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pomalo is a cherished Dalmatian philosophy that emphasises a relaxed, unhurried approach to life (Credit: Ivan Vukovi\u0107)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was staying at\u00a0Hotel Stari Grad, where I\u2019d lodged on my first solo visit to Dubrovnik. The next morning, I climbed five flights to breakfast at the hotel\u2019s rooftop restaurant. As I sipped coffee, I watched visitors walking the walls and locals shooting hoops on what is one of the most scenic basketball courts in the world.\u00a0Much to my delight, there were fresh figs and organic eggs from the owners\u2019 farm. I could have spent all morning watching the city awaken from my bird\u2019s-eye view, but I was eager to see how the day would unfold.<\/p>\n

The boutique hotel had changed hands since my first stay more than two decades ago, and Vukovi\u0107 introduced me to the new owners, Anna Slabovska and Sedi Fetahi, who shared their own Dubrovnik love story: they met in 2016 on Stradun and it was \u201clove at first sight\u201d, Slabovska said. \u201cWe fell head over heels for Dubrovnik.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born in Ukraine and ex-Yugoslavia respectively, they had to learn\u00a0pomalo\u00a0after years living in the UK and Switzerland. \u00a0\u201cIt turns out what we truly needed was a dose of the \u2018pomalo\u2019 lifestyle,\u201d Slabovska said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I was eager for adventure and quickly agreed to tag along when they invited me to see their renovation project \u2013 a holiday villa perched on a secluded bay in Koba\u0161 village on the Pelje\u0161ac peninsula, about a 90-minute drive from the old town. \u201cWe are designing the [guest] experience around the\u00a0essence of pomalo,\u201d Slabovska said. \u201cThe tension melts. Their rhythm softens. They notice the light, the sea, the silence.\u00a0That\u2019s the moment pomalo begins to work its quiet magic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pomalo is tied to the sea, the sun and the gentle povjetarac breeze \u2013 reflecting the slower rhythm of island and coastal life (Credit: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the way, we stopped to see their chickens and their fruit and vegetable garden in Ston, where they grow much of the produce used in the hotel restaurant. We spent the afternoon swimming and munching on fresh figs while their young son zipped around the seaside promenade on his new scooter, ending with a pasta meal whipped up by Fetahi with meatballs made by Slabovska\u2019s mother who was visiting from Ukraine. By the end of the day, pomalo had started to work its magic on me: my overactive mind slowed, my shoulders softened and I started paying attention to the rhythm of my breath as I gazed at the shimmering sea.<\/p>\n

How to experience pomalo in Dubrovnik<\/p>\n

Linger over coffee or cocktails:<\/strong>\u00a0Spend hours people-watching in a caf\u00e9 on Stradun, or sip prosecco with sea views at\u00a0Fratellos Restaurant and Bar.<\/p>\n

Swim like a local:<\/strong>\u00a0Head to Lapad peninsula or Cavtat for late-afternoon dips in the Adriatic.<\/p>\n

Stretch out meals:<\/strong>\u00a0Order fresh fish with\u00a0blitva<\/em>\u00a0(Swiss chard) or the traditional Dubrovnik dish\u00a0\u0161porki makaruli<\/em>\u00a0(\u201cdirty pasta\u201d) and sip local wine slowly over lunch.<\/p>\n

Take the scenic route:<\/strong>\u00a0Ride the ferry to Cavtat, take a day trip to the Pelje\u0161ac peninsula for wine and oysters or simply stroll the old town without a set itinerary.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Dubrovnik we have a saying: \u2018Pomalo, vrag odnio pre\u0161u<\/em>!\u2019 meaning \u2018Slowly, the devil takes the rush!’\u201d said author Jadranka Ni\u010deti\u0107, who has written extensively about the region\u2019s gastronomy, traditions and recipes. \u201cThe slow-paced lifestyle is reflected in our everyday lives because it runs in our genes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meals in Dubrovnik epitomise pomalo. \u201cWe do not allow the hectic pace of the city to dictate the pace at the table,\u201d Ni\u010deti\u0107 said. Last-minute on a Saturday afternoon, I met my writer friend Vesna Jak\u0161i\u0107 Lowe, who grew up here, for a long lunch at\u00a0Restaurant Orsan\u00a0on Lapad peninsula, where we sipped locally cultivated\u00a0po\u0161ip<\/em>\u00a0wine and nibbled on octopus salad and local cheese. In the crushing afternoon heat, we slowly meandered to her family home and lazed on the stone terrace overlooking the sea.<\/p>\n

Later, we reconvened in the old town for an impromptu evening at\u00a0M\u2019arden, a wine bar on a cloistered, leaf-shaded terrace. Back in New York, we usually squeeze in catchups or writing afternoons before school pickups. But that evening, we luxuriated in conversation without a deadline and lingered over glasses of wine until closing.<\/p>\n

I discovered my university friend Tristan Perich was also visiting Dubrovnik, and we made a plan to meet for swimming and Sunday dinner. Although we both live in New York City, we hadn\u2019t seen each other for at least a decade.<\/p>\n

Cavtat, a historic seaside town on Croatia\u2019s Adriatic coast, is known for its picturesque harbour and waterfront caf\u00e9s (Credit: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the spirit of pomalo, I took the scenic 45-minute ferry to Cavtat, a historic seaside town, stopping for a glass of wine at\u00a0Wine Bar Banac\u00a0with my friend Vlaho Carevi\u0107, the founder and CEO of\u00a0Habitat Distillery, Dubrovnik\u2019s first small-batch artisanal gin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a distiller, [pomalo] shapes everything I do,\u201d Carevi\u0107 said. \u201cIt means striving for balance, refining methods and drawing out flavours that go beyond taste alone \u2013 flavours that spark real emotions in the person experiencing them. In that way, pomalo is both my philosophy of life and the essence behind every spirit we create.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

More like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Dalmatia\u2019s fjaka state of mind<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Disneyland to living city: Dubrovnik\u2019s bold fight against overtourism<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Living in: The world\u2019s greatest walled cities<\/p>\n

Later, Carevi\u0107 drove me to Perich\u2019s family home in Mikuli\u0107i. I swam in the sea with his family at Prevlaka near the Montenegro border, and then we all had dinner at\u00a0Konavoski Dvori Eco Green Restaurant, situated on the grounds of an ancient mill adjacent to the Ljuta river. Perich and I took a stroll with his son on a trail through the darkening woods, imbibing the pristine nature and soothing gurgles from the river, attempting to catch up on a decade\u2019s worth of life. Back at the table with his wife and daughter, we relished homemade bread with\u00a0kajmak<\/em>\u00a0(a rich, creamy dairy product) and freshly caught grilled trout.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo glad we got a real hang in after all these years,\u201d Perich wrote to me after I returned home.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s pomalo, distilled: enjoying life at a leisurely pace, finding joy in authentic connection and savouring each moment.<\/p>\n

As Ni\u010deti\u0107 reminded me: \u201cWhy rush when you can enjoy life?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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