2025-04-23 Čilipi, Dalmatian Etnographic Museum, HR

On our Easter day trip from Dubrovnik, a short bus ride brought us to the heart of Konavle and the village of Čilipi, home to the Dalmatian Etnographic Museum. Housed in a traditional stone building, the museum preserves the rich heritage of the region, from century‑old household tools and sewing machines to intricate examples of konavoski vez — the famed local embroidery, recognized as an intangible cultural treasure of Croatia. Displays of brightly patterned poprsnice and orukavlje, once adorning women’s folk costumes, reveal the painstaking skill and symbolism woven into each stitch. Seasonal exhibitions, like the children’s embroidery workshop pieces we saw, show how these age‑old crafts are passed down, ensuring tradition stays alive. Visiting during Easter added a special resonance, with the village dressed in spring colors and the museum’s artifacts echoing generations of festive celebrations.