During our annual stay at Camp Rogač in Slano we are always looking for new experiences in the surrounding area. This summer we visited Opuzen, a charming town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county, located 12 kilometers upstream from the mouth of the river Neretva. This autenthic place is well-known for its tangerine/mandarin orchards that supply the entire Croatia. No wonder that this region is often mentioned „Croatian California“.
Although the Neretva valley is unavoidable when driving from Split to Dubrovnik, tourists heading to the south are mainly focused on the stalls with fruit and vegetables along the road. However, apart from the nice drive along the Neretva river you can also make a stop in Opuzen and discover this fascinating and colorful town.
That was also our intention: arriving in Opuzen, we parked our car near the city park where we saw an interesting sculpture called ’Victory over the swamp’. It was erected in 1975 and it symbolizes the melioration of the lower Neretva course, i.e. the fight of the local inhabitants against the swamps in order to get fertile land for the cultivation of fruit and vegetables.
It was very quiet in Opuzen. We took a stroll along the promenade along the Neretva river, sat on a bench and admired the river course in its calm flow.
Heading upstream, we arrived in the charming center, a classic Roman forum. The square was almost empty, but along the shadowy side we saw a pub with a few local people drinking coffee. Of course, we were happy to joint them.
The 19th-century church of St. Stephen the First Martyr, built in neoclassical style, could be seen on one side of the square; marble artifacts found in the nearby ancient city of Narona, now located several kilometers from Opuzen in Vid, were displayed on the other side.
Legend says that Opuzen got its name from its fortress, Fort Opus. The Venetians erected this fortress on the ruins of a pentagonal tower in 1684 and these ruins are now part of the old town wall.
But the main reason why we decided to visit Opuzen was the Street Art Festival ’Zen Opuzen’, which is held annually in July and lasts one week. On that occasion, the town invites artists to adorn the facades of abandoned houses and factories with original murals. Showing their talent, artists from around the world have brought life to the grey facades.
Opuzen now boasts over 100 murals; we can safely say that it has become a permanent open-air gallery. The murals are very photogenic, especially in the side streets and along the banks of the canals.
In the first year (2015), only seven artists participated in the festival, while there were this year about 40 of them. The local people are very helpful with the organization, they offer food and drinks, they make available the facades of their houses and invite artists for lunch if they paint nearby.
The results are stunning! Just imagine: you stand in front of traditional Dalmatian stone houses, and on the walls in front of you are colorful works of art!
And just a final tip: try the local cuisine. A specialty is ’Neretvianski brodet’ with fresh eel and frog legs from the canals….