Ston is among the first towns in Europe to be built according to a definite urban plan. It is a historical town which at the time of the Dubrovnik Republic had an important strategic role: its salt works were worth a fortune, and the strong defensive walls were a great protection in those turbulent times. After the Chinese wall, they say that this is the longest preserved wall in the world. It is important to mention that the salt work is still working and the salt is still produced the same way it has been produced for the centuries. Because of its magnificence and a long tradition of oyster and mussel cultivation and fishing, Ston is a favourite tourist destination as well as the gastronomical paradise.
Arboretum Trsteno, as the only arboretum on the Adriatic coast, uniquely combines cultural and natural heritage on the area of 25 ha. Established by the end of the 15th century as a park and summer residence of the Dubrovnik patrician family Gucetic, it has been protected in 1962 as a monument of garden architecture and a collection of decorative trees and bushes, from both Mediterranean and exotic origin.