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Croatia
Dubrovnik - Neretva County
Dubrovnik
Island Of Korcula
Korcula
Blato
Vela Luka
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Smokvica
Cara
Pupnat
Zrnovo
Raciste
Lumbarda |
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| Croatia
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Much has been said
about the beauty of Croatia. "Heaven on Earth" has been described
in many books by artists, in paintings and countless photographs. "God
wanted to crown his creation, so on the last day he created the Croatian
Adriatic from his tears, the stars and sea breeze",wrote an author
long ago about the splendour of this most beautiful and preserved ecological
corner of the modern world.
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| The
Dubrovnik - Neretva County > |
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It is rich in carefully
cultivated landscape and places with long history. Numerous monuments,
archives and magnificent treasuries testify to this. It is a region of
the historic towns of Dubrovnik, Korcula, Ston; the remains of ancient
Narona and the lost, possibly sunken town of Epidaur; of importants harbours
of Ploce and Metkovic; of communities of great historical importance -
Cavtat, Lopud, Slano, Mali Ston, Orebic; and of a few dozen little villages
blending into the landscape of the coast or a river bank, of a hill or
a field. Also, there are about a hundred renaissance summer houses built
by merchants, nobles and seamen in nice bays, or on the edges of valleys,
surrounded by gardens and parks. On certain sites, these summer houses
were built in spectacular rows, like in Rijeka Dubrovacka, on the island
of Sipan, in Konavle.
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| Dubrovnik
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The uniqueness of Dubrovnik
lies in its continuous ties to its past history and cultural heritage
and the modern lifestyle that mirrors its spiritual identity, historical
imprint and presence within European culture. This monument city, surrounded
by ancient historical walls, reflects its own beauty and its confrontation
with the peculiarities of the centuries. Dubrovnik has always been Croatias
link to the world, recognizable through the contributions of its reputable
writers, scientists, composers, painters, and architects - whose names
adorn the streets and squares, and it has remained a destination for the
many artists world wide who have pilgrimed to Dubrovnik. As an acknowledged
Croatian tourist center rich in tradition, Dubrovnik has always known
how to completely present the specialness of its natural beauty, monumental
architecture and cultural sights through its international art festivals,
scientific and other programs as well as by way of the numerous cultural,
museum, scientific and other institutions that have left their imprint
on Europes cultural map. It could be said that the blend of the traditional
and the modern is the outcome of the supply that is evident in the numerous
events occurring throughout the year, and which are harmoniously fitted
into the tourist supply, that is thereby enriched in its own special and
unique way. To be in Dubrovnik implies participating in a continuously
live, stimulative, and inspirational dialogue with the past and present.
The vivid impressions of the beauty and inter-reciprocity leave no one
indifferent. Dubrovnik is a city one always comes back to.
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| The
Island Of Korcula > |
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The island of Korcula
was inhabited already in pre-historic times, and the trails of pre-historic
life were discovered on many places. The oldest funds are the stone knives
from the Neolithic found on the small island of Badija next to the town
of Korcula. The richest and best investigated fund place from the Neolithic
is the Vela spila (the big cave) in Vela Luka. They found and investigated
there several stratums of pre-historic life with fire places, ceramic
pieces, graves (5000-3000 before Christ).
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| Korcula
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The town of Korcula
(3232 inhabitants) is the historical, cultural and political centre and
the historical harbour of the island. It was built on a small peninsula
that limits the passing between the island and the mainland on only 1270
metres. The possibility to supervise the navigation of galleys and sailing-vessels
on this spot was the reason for the formation of the small town-fortress.
It fulfilled this service for different governors. The town developed
hastily from the 13th century, in the form it can be seen today. Those
were the years of the origin of the Constitution, the coming of the governors
Zorzi and the century of Marco Polo.
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| Blato
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BLATO (4093 inhabitants)
is situated in the middle of the western part of the island like an amphitheatre
on seven hills around a smaller valley. Through the village stretches
a long alley of lime-trees called “Zlinje”, and along it are
public buildings built in the last few decades: the school, a hotel, banks,
shops, the municipality, the clinic and others. In the old centre, southern
of “Zlinje”, on a big patterned place, is the parish church
of “All Saints” that was originally built in the 13th century,
the bell-tower and the lodge.
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| Vela
Luka > |
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Town of Vela Luka is
an oasis of Dalmatia and Mediterranean influences: mild climate, unpolluted
sea and air, olive groves, fig trees, tuneful melodies. Vela Luka is surrounded
by the richness and beauty of Nature. It is the 2nd largest settlement
on the Adriatic islands, a safe harbour for seafarers. It enjoys a Mediterranean
climate with 2670 hours of sunshine a year. Summers are hot with June/July
average temperature 25.6`C. Winters are mild with January average temperature
9`C. Sea temperatures in mid- summer are between 21`C - 24`C, reaching
up to 28`C along the coast. Visibility - up to 30 metres depth.
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| Smokvica |
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1.175
inhabitants) is also on the main island road, 29 km from the town of Korcula.
It lies under the south slope of a high hill protected from the unpleasant
north winds and facing south, like the neighbouring villages of Pupnat
and Cara. Not far from Smokvica one can find significant traces of life
from Illyrian times in the location of Gradina etc. Smokvica began to
develop in its present form in the 15th and 16th centuries, when the island
was more and more being inhabited by refugees from the Turkish advance.
The original church was built in 1666 but was later pulled down, and the
new parish church, Our Lady of Candlemas, was built in 1920. Only the
loggia remained from the old complex, where the village elders used to
settle the village problems, and the judge and the gentlemen of the town
administered justice and passed on the news. Old customs have been preserved
in the village, among the best known being the sword battle Kumpanija
and Plucking the Orange, as well as the ancient dances performed by young
men and girls. The people of Smokvica are known far and wide as industrious
and hard-working men and women, who cultivate their land with hard devotion.
They are therefore rightly proud of their two excellent dry white wines
produced from the original native species - Posip and Rukatac. The modern
wine factory of large capacity is 1 km away from the middle of the village
on the road towards the bay of Brna, which was developed in the previous
century for the export of wine from the Smokvica cellars to the ports
of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. A comfortable hotel, and numerous
villas and houses for hiring to tourists have been built in Brna. One
may taste, together with fish specialities, excellent Smokvica wines in
the cafe near the jetty. Some hundred metres away from the bay of Brna,
there lay the bay of Istruga, full of medicinal sea mud. Local people
use this valuable therapeutic mud although there is still no organized
expert service or supervision. The local road from Brna goes further towards
the west to the bays of Prizba, Grscica and Karbuni, where the inhabitants
of Blato have built significant facilities for tourism.
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| Cara |
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(763
inhabitants) is simared on the main island road, 25 km from Korcula.
The village has a mysterious name (Cara - Charm) and is one of the oldest
settlements of the Island. The parish church of Saint Petes in the middle
of the village was mentioned in 1415, and the most valuable painting
in it is the famous altar painting Christ with Desciples by Leandro
Hassano. Next to she church, there is a neither old cypress which is
protected under Croatian laws for the preservation of nature, though
ir is not protected from thunderstorms which reduced it to only a remnant
of a big tree. Opposite the church, on the road, there is a monument
to the legendary brothers Crnomiri. Under the leadership of Petar Crnomir,
they offered resistance to the Venetian duke, who was extorting tribute
in the 11th century. The duke captured and executed Petar, but the brothers
and the whole village rose up, defeated the duke's soldiers and killed
the duke as an evil-doer. This legend has survived for centuries and
lives still in the minds of peasants from Cara. The Church of Our Lady
in the Field lies in the beautiful Field of Cara on the way to the bay
of Zavalatica. It was built in 1329 and reconstructed in the 17th century.
Christians from all over the island go on pilgrimage to this church
for two Catholic feasts: July 25th, the feast of Saint Jacob the protector
of Cara, and for the feast of Mala Gospa, on September 8th. A young
shepherdess from Cara had a vision of the Our Lady in the bay of Cavica
Luka on July 25 1686. The Baroque altar is this church is decorated
with coloured alabaster relief with four scenes from the Bible. The
reliefs are of the same origin as those exhibited in the Treasury in
Korcula (15th.) Cara has preserved the sword dance Kumpaniiia, which
is performed on July 25 on the feast of St. Jacob. The tradition of
singing Dalmatian popular folk songs has also been preserved. The best
known product of Cara, besides good olive oil, is the famous white wine
from the autochthonic vine of Posip. The new wine factory and olive
press are both at the edge of the valley. Not far from Cara, the little
port of Zavalatica was developed to export the products in earlier times.
Today it is an enchanting tourist attraction. Numerous small pensions,
villas and apartments for hiring at Zavalatica and the nearby bay of
Zitna provide summer homes to well-satisfied tourists from all over
Europe.
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| Pupnat |
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(461 inhabitants) is
situated at the side of the main island road, 13 km from the town of Korcula
and is the highest settlement on the island. It is hidden in a valley
high up amoung the mountains so that enemies and pirates from the sea
could not discren it. The church of Saint George was already mentioned
in 1383, and the parish church of our Lady of the Snow was built in 1620.
Finds from Illyrian and Roman times have been found in the village. Numerous
ancient singlestory houses covered by stone slabs are preserved, especially
the complex of sheep and goat houses southwest of the village. The traditional
Kumpanjija battle and the sacrifice of the ox have not taken place in
Pupnat for almoust 50years. The blessed Marko Tvrdeic (1733 - 1785) -
the blessed Marko of Pupnat - was born here. Man from Pupnat transfered
his body from his tomb in Rimini, and they revere him as a future saint.
The inhabitants used to occupy themselves with wood cutting and collecting
resin ; and they made lime and charcoal for use in the craft workshops
in Korcula. The women from Pupnat used to bring firewood to Korcula, transported
on their mules and donkeys. Agriculture is not largely developed as there
are no sizable fields around the village. Today, many men and women from
Pupnat work in the Korcula Hotels, offices and the shipyard. Pupnat is
a very interesting place for modern tourists as a starting point for attractive
walks: from the village to the top of the island, Klupca (568 m); from
the village down to the village of Raciste on the north coast; from the
village to the valley of Zukovica on the south coast; and by ancient island
donkey tracks down to the town of Korcula (a walk of approximately 3 hours).
Visitors can buy good local product here: oil, brandy, honey, dried aromatic
herbs and fruit; due to the cold dry winters, very well flavoured smoked
ham (prsut) and sausages are produced in Pupnat. Families from Pupnat
are linked with the bay of Kneza on the north side of the island, where
they have built houses and villas for tourists. On the south coast, Pupnat
possesses the most beautiful bays on the island of Korcula: Bacva, Smokova,
Pupnatska Luka and Ripna. It is possible to reach these natural beaches
either by walking or by car. It is even possible to organize a Castaway
stay in some of them. From Pupnat, the road climbs up almost to the top
of the island from where a wonderful panorama streches as far as the island
of Mljet to the southeast and the island of Lastovo directly the the south.
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| Zrnovo |
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(1.267 inhabitans)
is situated on the main island road that runs between Korcula and Vela
luka. Zrnovo is 4 km from Korcula. Its consist of four separate villages;
Prvo Sela (First Vilage), Brdo (Mount), Kampus and Postrana. Due to its
favourable strategic position, it is one of the oldest settlements on
the island. Finds of prehistoric life in Jakasova cave, remains from Illyrian
and Roman times, and medieval buildings and documents all speak of the
rich history of Zrnovo. Entering the village from the direction of Korcula,
to the right one finds a divergent road to Brdo (0.5 km) - a part of the
village perched amoung high rocks from where one can walk to Kocje - a
protected natural park with interesting dolomite rocks of chalk formation
(2.5 km). The church of St. Martin is situated on the Mratina hill, and
was first mentioned in 1329, and completed in the 16th century. A very
attractive piazzeta in front of the church of St. Rocco lies in the region
of Postrana. In accordance with the decrees of the statute of 1620, the
chivalrous battle Mostra - a struggle for the defence of the home and
the election of the village king - takes place here each year on the feast
of St. Rocco, August 16th. Even in the 1970s, this battle was still ending
with the sacrifice of an ox, whose head was cut off with one stroke of
the sword of Vojvoda. This final act has not been performed in recent
years because of debates about the humane context of such a custom. A
fortified house - kastel - of the Banicevic family is situated in Postrana.
Here, Jakov Banicevic (Jacobus de Bannisis) was born on October 15th 1466.
He was a renowned European diplomat, counsellor, and the special envoy
of the emperors Maximillian I and Charles V, as well as the friend of
Erasmus from Rotterdam, Albrecht Durer and Pietro Bemba; he died in Trento
on December 19th 1532. A memorial plaque was set on the wall of his native
house in 1646. Erasmus from Rotterdam said about this man: e is a man
blessed with numerous and varied abilities. The best known man from Zrnovo
today is the great Croatian writer Petar Segedin, who describes his native
Zrnovo in numerous pages of his rich Work. Many families from the regions
of Brdo and Prvo Selo have built impressive stone houses and villas for
hiring to tourists in the bays of Vrbovica, Banja and Medvinjak on the
northern part of the island. They also offer the products of their households:
wine, olive oil, local brandy, and freshly caught fish. Thus, the people
of Zrnovo, like other Korculans, discovered village tourism a long time
ago. The people of Zrnovo living in the regions of Postrana and Kampus
also have possessions in the bays on the south side of the island - defora.
these coves, which can be reached by towpaths or rough roads only suitable
for agricultural vehicles, are popular amoung tourists who look for Robinson
Crusoe like bays and islets. The best known are Orlandusa, Pavja Luka
and Rasohatica. Strong red wines made from the Plavac grape grown in these
southern coves are especially well thought of in the Korcula cafes. Besides
frequent folklore performances, there is a tradition of juvenile theatre
in Zrnovo. Young boys and girls from Zrnovo have recived high prizes in
both local and international festivals.
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| Raciste |
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(446
inhabitants) is one of the younger settlements on the island as it was
only inhabited at the end of the 17th century and at the beginning of
the 18th century by refugees from Makarska Littoral and Herzegovina during
the Venetian – Turkish wars. Enterprising men and women from Racisce
quickly accepted the ?maritime? way of life, and they were the owners
of the biggest island fleet of cargo sailing boats from the end of the
19th century until 1950. Today, the men of Raciste are either mostly maritime
officers or ordinary seamen in modern ships of all flags, and they are
predominant shareholders of the big transatlantic shipping line Mediteranska
plovidba of Korcula. Ther is the old church Our Lady of Christian Aid
from the time of the village (1682), and the more recent church of St.
Nicolas. The war memorial to the fallen in Second World War is the is
the work of the sculptor Pallavicini, and the bust of the war hero Tugomir
Matic by the sculptor Radoslav Duhovic is exhibited in the middle of the
village. The bays and wonderful natural beaches of Vaja and Samograd lie
to the west of the town. The bay of Samograd is also famous for its attractive
cave – a significant prehistoric dwelling of man on this island.
It is possible to walk from Racisce and Kneze to the village of Pupnat,
the highest village of the island.
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| Lumbarda > |
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1.102 inhabitants),
7 km from Korcula, lies at very eastern and of the island of Korcula.
Besides finds from the period of Greek colonization (Psephism from Lumbarda
from the 4th c B.C.), there are remnants of the Roman villa rustica,
and of the medieval churches and chapels. The fortified villas (kasteli)
of the families Krsinic, Nobilo and Milina are exceptional examples
of this kind of architecture.
The small Lumbarda
Hotel with its attractive terrace and intimate of the village by the
Prvi zal beach and next to the bus stop. Excursionists from Korcula
cab enjoy the delicious specialties of Lumbarda, especially the Grk
wine and smoked ham (Prsut). Fruit and vegetables from Lumbarda, and
fresh and salted fish are a special treat at market in Korcua. Going
left from the Hotel terrace along the seashore, there is a modern marina,
a comfortable tourist apartment complex, near the sandy beach Tatinja.
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