Peljesac Sites

Peljesac Paradise Sites

Drace - Zuljana - Trstenik - Sreser - Janjina

JANJINA (web site about Janjina) , a village in the interior of the Peljesac Peninsula, at the foot of the Gradina hill (244 m), 2 km from the Drace harbour on the north-eastern coast; population 333. Chief occupations are farming, viticulture and olive growing. Janjina is located on the regional road.
On the locality of Gradina above the village is an Illyrian hill-fort; around it are many tumuli. The walls of a Roman country mansion (villa rustica) and stelae from the 1st century have been found near the church of St. Stephen on the cemetery. Important are also the remains of the pre-Romanesque church of St. George with a late mediaeval graveyard; on the fragments of its altar partition, adorned with "pleter"(interlacery ornaments), is also an inscription of the donator Petar. A rustic relief with the sitting figure of St. Blaise has been built in above the entrance into the former ducal palace. The village features several nice captain houses from the 19th century; the dominating structure is the church of St. Blaise, built in the historicist style.
Janjina is located only 2 km from the Drace Cove, where tourists may enjoy bathing in the crystal clear sea and water sports.

DRACE, a village and cove of the same name on the northern coast of the Peljesac Peninsula, 30 km northwest of Ston; population 48. The cove is a part of the spacious bay of Bratkovica, open to the north.
The bay has a number of coves (Drace, Stinjivac, Blazevo and Brijesta). Chief occupations are farming and fishing. Smaller yachts may dock in the harbour (depth 1.3 - 3 m), protected from all winds by a breakwater. The village lies on a local road, branching from the regional road leading through the Peljesac Peninsula, 2 km northeast of Janjina.

ZULJANA, a village and small harbour in the cove of the same name, on the southern coast of the Peljesac Peninsula; population 206. The village is located at the end of a valley which -slowly descends from Gruhavica (352 m) to the sea. Chief occupations are farming, viticulture, fishing and tourism. Zuljana is located on the local road, a branch of the regional road.
The Baroque church of St. Martin was built on the foundations of a mediaeval church; the gable acroterion (from the 15th c.) is probably from the original church. Next to the church is the chapel of St. Nicholas from 1630. The church of St. Juliana with the bell tower "na preslicu" was built in the transition period between the Renaissance and the Baroque. - The remains of Roman graves have been found.
The village of Zuljana, located in a deep bay, features rural architecture and one of the most beautiful and biggest pebble beaches on the Adriatic. The cove of Vucine, as well as several smaller coves, offer camping and sports fishing opportunities. Clean sea, a variety of home-made foods and especially quality wines, as well as water sports (sailing, windsurfing) make Zuljana a favourite tourist destination.

SRESER, a hamlet in the central part of the Peljesac Peninsula on Malo More, 4 km north of Drace; population 71. Chief occupations include farming, viniculture, olive growing, fruit growing and fishing. The islets of Goljak, Srednjak and Gospin Skolj and the cliff Bililo are off the coast; the hamlet of Rat, with beautiful beaches. Sreser lies on the local road.

TRSTENIK, a village and harbour in the central part of the southern coast of the island of Peljesac; population 106. Chief occupations include farming, viniculture (the famous wine Dingac), fishing and tourism. Trstenik lies on the local road. Yachts can berth on the landward side of the breakwater or anchor to the southeast of the breakwater's head. Ship connection with the island of Mljet.
The coastline along the town and the neighbouring inlets is covered by groves of pine, offering fine ambience for swimming

Photogallery Peljesac Sites

with Korcula and Mljet

Other Peljesac Sites

Orebić - Ston - Mali Ston - Trpanj - Viganj

OREBIC (Orebici), a small town on the southern coast of the Peljesac Peninsula; population 1,489. An average air temperature in January is 9.1 °C and in July 26.5 °C. The surroundings is characterized by luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation. Economy is based on farming, fruit growing, fishing and tourism. Among the beaches, the most interesting is the cove of Trstenica. Orebic has ferry lines with Korcula. It is located on the regional road running along the peninsula.
In the past Orebic was an important maritime centre; until the 16th century it was called Trstenica and was the duke's seat under the Dubrovnik administration (1343-1806). - Stone tumuli and fortifications (on the hills of Gruda and Vizanjica) date back to the prehistoric times. The traces of a Roman habitation (remains of a Roman villa - villa rustica, graves) have been found as well. The small Baroque church has an early Christian marble relief built-in above the door of the closed arcade. Orebic has also the Maritime Museum. The Gothic-Renaissance Franciscan monastery (15th c.) is located 2 km west of Orebic; it features a collection of works of art. The monastery church was built in 1486 by Mihoc Radisic; the main portal features the relief of Madonna, a work by an anonymous disciple of N. Fiamberti; in the church is another relief of Madonna, made by Nikola Firentinac (Nicholas of Florence). - On the hill above the monastery is a Gothic church, restored in Baroque style, dedicated to Our Lady of Karmen. Next to it are ancient sarcophagi and several age-old, huge cypresses, as well as a Baroque loggia and the ruins of the Trstenica duke's castle.
Since ancient times Orebic has developed as a mari-time centre (the town was named after a family that gave several captains). The Peljesac Shipping Society was founded in 1865 and had as many as 33 ocean clippers (sailing ships). As one of the largest shipping societies on the Mediterranean, it also opened its own shipyard. When steamers replaced sailing ships, the Society and Orebic suffered very bad times. However, navigation remained the most appreciated occupation in Orebic and on the Peljesac Peninsula.
Today, Orebic is an important tourist resort, offering various accommodation facilities (hotels, apartments), long sand beaches, numerous small coves and clear seawater, as well as sports and recreational facilities and opportunities (tennis courts, football; yachting, windsurfing), outstanding gastronomic offer - especially seafood and famous Peljesac wines (Dingac, Postup) - and pleasant walks in the surroundings. The cemetery near the church of Our Lady of Karmen above Orebic, the final resting place of Peljesac-born captains, offers a beautiful view on the island and the town of Korcula, as well as on numerous islets in the Pelje-sac Channel. Below the Franciscan monastery and the church is a forest of cypress, protected as a -forest park. The ships passing through the Peljesac Channel sound their sirens to greet the church of their patron saint and the resting place of deceased captains, and are replied by sounding of the monastery bells.
Close to the monastery is the village of Karmen with several mediaeval monuments. It is the starting point of walking tours to the picturesque upper villages of Ruskovici, Stankovici and Podvlastica. One of the favourite ascents to the peak of Sveti -Ilija (St. Elias) (961 m) also starts here.
Numerous traditional religious feasts take place in Orebic and the surroundings, the most notable being the feast day of Our Lady of Karmen (16th of July). Theatre tours are organized in the summer months, as well as other cultural events and entertainment programs.


STON, a town and harbour in southern Dalmatia, on the extreme north--west of the Ston Channel and the isthmus of the same name connecting the Peljesac Peninsula with the mainland, 59 km northwest of Du-brov-nik; population 581. Chief occupations include farming, viniculture, olive growing, synthetic material processing, fishing, oyster farming and tourism. The sa-lt-works used to be and still are most important for Ston. Ston is situated on the regional road connecting the main road with Peljesac.
Roman settlement Sta-g-n-um. The fou-ndations of the Roman castrum can still be seen on Starigrad Hill. In the 10th century Ston was the seat of the diocese, probably located by the church of Our Lady of Luzina. The present Ston was founded in 1333, as soon as Du-brovnik got hold of Peljesac. The town was fortified by 980-m long walls, forming an irregular pentagon, with mo-re massive towers on the corners. From the north-western corner the walls rise to the top of Po-zvizd Hill, where they merge with Pozvizd Fortress, and from the north-eastern corner they follow the line of the isthmus to coalesce with the walls of Mali Ston. The most massive fortress of Stone, Veliki Kastio, rises on the south-western corner. The wall east of it was running along the coast which borders with the saltworks of Ston between the coast and the sea. The huge fortified complex was built by Dubrovnik between 1333 and 1506. Famous masters include: Zupan Bunic 1455, Bernardin from Parma 1461, Olivier the French 1472-1478 and Paskoje Mili-cevic 1488-1506. The school of Ston was mentioned already in 1389, the almshouse in 1485 (the building still stands there), and the orphanage in 1494. The most representative secular buildings within the walls are the Chancery of the Dubrovnik Republic, built in Gothic and Renaissance styles, Sorkocevic Palace and the former bishop's palace (1573; elements of late Renaissance and the arcade accommodating a collection of stone monuments). The former Renaissance Duke's Palace was expanded and reconstructed in the 19th century. The Franciscan monastery with its Gothic-Renaissance style cloister and the Romanesque-Gothic church of St. Nicholas date back to 1347. The complex holds several pieces of art: a big painted crucifix (a work by Blaz Juraj Trogiranin), the silver frame of the missal, the Gothic wooden statue of St. Nicholas, etc. On the location of the present pseudo-Gothic church of St. Blaise (from 1870) there used to be a 16th-century cathedral (collapsed in the earthquake of 1850); the only preserved remains were the wooden statues of St. Blaise, Sts. Peter and Paul, the icon of Our Lady (by Andrea Rizzo). The parish church of the Annunciation was erected in the 15th century outside the walls, on the location of the former parish church of Our Lady of Luzina. The sacristan's loggia with two big bells (cast by Ivan Rabljanin in 1528) is in front of the church. The well-preserved pre-Romanesque church of St. Michael (9th c.), with valuable early Romanesque mural paintings (featuring the king donor and saints) rises on the St. Michael hill. There are several other old churches in the surroundings of Ston, most of them in ruins now. These are the church of St. Peter with a memorial chapel (probably the first cathedral of Ston), St. Magdalene on the Gorica hill (sarcophagus, fragments of mural paintings), St. John and St. Stephen (within which the foundations of a pre-Romanesque church have been dis-covered), the early Romanesque church of St. Martin and the reconstructed Romanesque church of Our Lady of Luzina.
The historical small town of Ston, with its famous walls and numerous cultural and historical monuments, is one of the most beautiful examples of a fortified town and Dubrovnik architecture. The restaurants offer domestic specialities, especially oysters, as well as other seafood. Ston is also known for its saltworks, and the coast along the Channel and in the Prapratna cove provides fine swimming, fishing and underwater fishing opportunities. The beautiful sand beach is ornamented with centuries-old olive trees, and one of the most excellent campsites of the region is situated in this scenery. Apart from water sports, there are many sports grounds designed for tourists' recreation.
Dubrovnik (53.5 km) * Neretva Delta (41.5 km) * Medugorje (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 81 km) * Korcula (67 km + 2 Nm) * Mljet (2.5 km + 5.5 Nm) * Lastovo (2.5 km + 32.5 Nm).


MALI STON, a village and harbour in the cove of Mali Ston channel, on the slopes of Bartolomija (224 m, with a vista point), 1 km northeast of Ston; population 152. Chief occupations are farming and fishing; cultivation of molluscs (cove Bistrina, Mali Ston channel). The village lies on a local road connecting Mali Ston and Ston. The harbour receives smaller yachts; it is protected from all winds.
Mali Ston was founded by the inhabitants of Dubrovnik in 1334. It is enclosed by the ramparts in a rectangular shape; their mainland side was built in the period 1336-1347, and the side overlooking the sea in 1358, together with the Harbour Gate. According to a town plan from 1335, three blocks of houses were built; the streets intersect at a right angle. The construction of a strong fortress (with five towers overlooking the sea) started on an elevation on the southern side, in 1347. The fortress was later called Koruna. The so-called Great Wall extends from the fortress toward Ston, with a branching path toward the Pozvizd fortress (1335), located on top of the hill bearing the same name. The harbour of Mali Ston, finished in 1490, was built on the model of the town port of Dubrovnik. In the middle of Mali Ston is the church from the mid-14th century, reconstructed on several occasions; one of its bells was cast in 1419 in Dubrovnik.
Mali Ston is a quiet place, famous for the cultivation of molluscs (oysters, mussels and other seashells), which offers excellent opportunities for family vacations; several good restaurants. The Pozvizd fortress , located on the hill of the same name, offers a nice view on the entire surroundings.


TRPANJ, a town and harbour on the northern coast of the Peljesac Peninsula, 11 km northeast of Orebic; population 660. Mild climate; the average air temperature in January attains 7 °C and in July 26 °C. Chief occupations include farming, fishing and fish processing. Trpanj is situated on the regional road passing along the peninsula; linked by ferry with Ploce. Yachts can berth along the embankment.
Once an important harbour of Peljesac, Trpanj developed near a Roman villa (fragments of mosaics and walls on the old graveyard). Ruins of a mediaeval fortress rise on the hill above the port. The church of Our Lady of Karmen (Renaissance main altar with the coat of arms of the Gundulic family) is in the centre of the town. The new parish church was built in neo-Romanesque style; a 16-th century ornamented stone window of an older church has been preserved. A small chapel (inscription from 1695) with a wooden Baroque altar is on the edge of the village.
Beautiful beaches surrounded by groves of pine, numerous inlets, lavish Mediterranean vegetation and fresh water springs are distinctive features of Trpanj.
Various accommodation opportunities (hotels, boarding houses, apartments), domestic food (fish and wine), sports and recreation facilities and intact nature of the island's interior famous for its quality wines attracts many regular guests. Trpanj is also known for medicinal mud.


VIGANJ, a village and small harbour to the west of the southern coast of the Peljesac Peninsula, 7 km west of Orebic; population 330. Situated in a large cove west of Cape Sveti Liberan, on the rim of a fertile flysh zone. Chief occupations are farming, fishing and tourism. The mountain excursion area Sveti Ilija (961 m) lies to the northeast of Viganj. Viganj is situated on the regional road running along the island.
First settlements on this area date back to the prehistoric and ancient periods. The parish church of St. Michael was erected in the Gothic period, expanded in 1760. - The shipowner Marko Krstelj had the Dominican monastery and church built in 1671. The church is a one-nave structure; the main altar is adorned with the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is also the wooden statue of Madonna with Child and a Renaissance bust of a saint. A cloister with an arcade in plain form is near the church.
This place with a long tradition in seafaring is today a beautiful orchard and botanical garden, protected from the northerly winds, turned to the ever warm south. Exotic fruit-trees and plants, brought by the famous seafarers of Peljesac from their journeys on the world seas, grow here. Viganj disposes of many houses and apartments on rent, and tourists enjoy particularly home-made products offered by the local producers. The large pebble beach and the groves of pine will certainly impress those who like swimming. The picturesque hamlets of Basina, Kovacevici, Kraljevica Selo, Sap-etino Selo, Podac and Dol are situated above Viganj. The Peljesac Channel terminates on the top of Sveti Ivan, where an old small church lies near the road, with the remains of the artillery position of the Austrian navy. Viganj offers nice yachting, surfing as well as mountain climbing opportunities.
 

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Paradise beaches - Map | Beaches in Zuljana Bay - Map | Zuljana | Zuljana beaches | Drace | Drace beaches | Sreser | Sreser beaches | Trstenik | Trstenik beaches