Choosing between Cavtat and Mostar is like deciding between fish and meat at a restaurant.

I've been down there last summer but I didn't go to Mostar, even if I'd have liked it, because of time constraints.

Going up to Mostar from Dubrovnik on a day trip will probably reduce the visiting time to a few hours; according to my updated guide most of the old town has been reconstructed and is now full of tourist shops. I suppose the views are still worth the visit but of course it has lost the charm of the multi-ethnicity it had before the war.

I've been in Cavtat on a half a day trip. It was summer so the rocky shores were full of people and the old centre shops, restaurants and pastry shops were open; I fear now it's a bit early for the season. There are some nice walks around the little town and a few monuments to see. You can go to Cavtat by boat from Dubrovnik too, stopping at the nice seaside villages along the way.

My personal suggestion for a relaxing trip is to take the boat from Dubrovnik to Lokrum, the island in front of the old port. It's a 10-minute ride to a beautiful natural preserve, crisscrossed by easy footpaths in the lush mediterranean vegetation. It has wonderful views of Dubrovnik's fortified centre and small coves with the clearest seawater I've ever seen. Most Mediterranean plants are evergreens, so it's probably nice in early spring too.

Have fun, Paolo Trieste, Italy