Villa Rosaceae

Orasac is a fabulous destination on the Dalmatian coast. This small, delightful village enjoys a fascinating history, beautiful buildings and a wonderful, authentic atmosphere. At the foot of the village, you will discover a lovely beach, plus there are several more nearby, including Potok Beach, which is close to the Dubrovnik Sun Gardens. The exclusive Dubrovnik Sun Gardens enjoy a private beach, three pools, a wonderful array of watersports and an excellent bar and dining service. With narrow, meandering streets full of pretty flowers and hilltops swathed in olive and orange groves, Orasac feels as though it is a place that time forgot. Its 15th century Our Lady of Orasac Church is very attractive, and its Arapovo Castle hangs above the Adriatic. There is a good selection of mini-markets, restaurants and cafes. Surrounding the town are family farms where olive oil is still pressed in the traditional way and lush greenery. 

The City of Dubrovnik is a twenty-minute drive from Villa Rosaceae. This characterful, atmospheric medieval town is enclosed by 2 kilometres of thick city walls which you can walk around to see the whole city. Inside the walls, you will discover many churches, monasteries and palaces, as well as the Stradun, the main thoroughfare. The Old Town's picturesque shops, restaurants and historical sights are absolutely fabulous and very popular. It is always very busy within the walls! There is a fantastic atmosphere if you can get a table for lunch or dinner in the charming, bustling marina and port. There are plenty of boat trips from the port taking you to the nearby islands. There are three entrances to the walled city, including Pile, the main gate, Placa by the port and Buze between the two. Buze Gate will take you in via steep staircases. If you leave the Old Town through the Placa Gate, a lovely panoramic walk along Frana Supila Street is lovely. You will enjoy stunning views over Dubrovnik and the sea. Alternatively, you can take the cable car up to Mount Srd for a phenomenal view of the city and the sea.

Visitors can take a ferry to Lokrum, a small island and nature reserve. It can be seen from the Old Town walls and Mount Srd and offers fragrant pine forest, lush grassy picnic areas and hundreds of birds chirping away. Lokrum is uninhabited though it was bought by Austrian archduke Maxilimilan I in 1858, and much of the botanical plant life was created during his ownership.

Just south of Orasac and before you get to Dubrovnik Old Town are the delightful resorts of Stikovica and Zaton. They are fabulous, with breathtaking views over the shimmering blue waters and encased in greenery. A pretty promenade is brimming with buzzy bars and eateries and a shingle beach that is great for snorkelling. Zaton is located in the Bay of Zaton in the Zadar Channel. It is known for its typical Dalmatian architecture, unspoilt nature, rich cultural and historical heritage, and beautiful scenery. Remnants of life and culture in Zaton date from the beginning of the Bronze age. The town enjoys some fabulous buildings and remnants, including St Nicholas Church built at the end of the 11th century, the Kastelina tower built at the end of the 16th century by Venetians and Liburnian tombs and boats.

Arboretum Trsteno is within easy reach of the villa and is worth visiting. It is the oldest renaissance garden in Dalmatia, having been developed from a park surrounding the summer residence of the Gucetic-Gozze family. It existed as far back as 1492. The gardens are stunning with Japanese banana trees, bougainvillaea, evergreen magnolia, many types of cactus and other exotic plants. It also includes many old stone sculptures and has been used to film Game of Thrones, much to the interest of Harry Potter fans.