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Luciana

Mihanići, Konavle Valley, Dubrovnik

  • 4
  • 2
  • 3

Accommodation

At a glance

  1. Sleeps 4
  2. 2 Double Bedrooms
  3. 3 Bathrooms
  4. WiFi
  5. Beach 8km
  6. Dubrovnik Old Town 26km
  • Exterior stone steps lead to front terrace: 
  • Ground Floor: Open plan living/dining room (TV, DVD, Bluetooth speaker) with kitchen area (oven, dishwasher, microwave). Shower room (washing machine).
  • Open tread stairs (A/C) lead to…
  • First Floor: Landing. Double bedroom with en suite shower room. Double bedroom (with additional single day bed) and en suite shower room.
  • Outside: Front terrace leading to pool area with open terrace and covered dining area with inbuilt barbecue/wood oven. Parking.
  • Private swimming pool (6m x 4m, uniform depth 1.5m).

Guests staying at Luciana’s sister property, Ivana, have been charmed by its setting, views and the friendliness of the owners. We were, therefore, very happy when the owners decided to transform another of Mihanici’s stone buildings into the pretty cottage Luciana. Enjoying the same panoramic views over the Konavle valley, Luciana combines traditional features and modern facilities to great effect.

Ancient stone steps lead up to the entrance terrace which runs the length of the cottage and onto the pool area. Here a tiled sun terrace wraps around two sides of the pool and to the rear, a spacious covered dining area complete with wood oven is the perfect spot for dinner al fresco.

The distinctive local stone walls and thick hewn wood beams add character to the interior, where an open plan living/dining and kitchen area form the ground floor. The bedrooms, each with en suite shower room, are bright and light with white furniture, pretty fabrics and recessed lighting which illuminates the beautiful exposed stone.

A local restaurant (konoba) is just 2.5km away (a 5 minute drive), Ljuta (7km) has a popular waterside restaurant, with Gruda (9km) and Čilipi (7km) providing amenities and a further selection of restaurants and cafes. Vines and cypresses dot the valley, creating a picturesque backdrop for walking and cycling, whilst its beaches offer the opportunity to dip into the clear waters of the Adriatic Sea. And finally, a visit to Dubrovnik Old Town is essential – the boat from palm-fringed Cavtat (12km) is a spectacular way to arrive in this historic and stunning city.

  • Visitor Registration Fee and Tourist Tax are included in the rental rates
  • There are 22 steps up to the front terrace.
  • Larger groups looking to holiday together, whilst fully retaining their own space and privacy, will be interested to know that Luciana is next door to Ivana, its sister property.   Each is self-contained and retains its own individual space and privacy.

Pricing & Availability

All Prices are per property, not per person.

Location of Luciana

Locality

Great Things to Do Near Luciana

Renaissance summer villas in Zaton

Just north of Dubrovnik is the pretty coastal village of Zaton. Formerly a popular dormitory town of Dubrovnik aristocracy and wealthy merchants, it features a number of Renaissance summer villas along its waterfront. These days it has a lazy, bohemian feel, with a number of galleries and, locals say, one of the best restaurants in the area.

Dubrovnik - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Make a day trip (or two) to Dubrovnik… This fabulous city has become a tourist hot spot and it is easy to see why.  The historice city centre is incredible and well worth exploring more than once.  Walk the city walls (great views) to get a feel for the old city, watch the boats in the harbour, stroll along the Stradun (the main courseway in the Old Town). For a different perspective of the city try the open-top Cabrio Bus City Tour hop-on hop-off service. This covers more of the modern city which gives a better overview of Dubrovnik from many differing viewpoints. Or take the Cable Car to the top of Srd Hill for the most spectacular views over the city and beyond.  

Take a boat trip from Cavtat to Dubrovnik

The easiest way to visit the city. Board one of the boat trips leaving from Cavtat for a scenic cruise along the coast and arrive right in the heart of the Old Town. The journey takes around 30 minutes and gives plenty of photo opportunities en route.  There are also direct boats to Dubrovnik (which are slightly cheaper).  An alternative way to reach Dubrovnik is by bus.  There are buses from Cavtat (about 4 times a day).

Vlaho Bukovac House, Cavtat

This is the childhood home and museum of Vlaho Bukovac (1855-1922), the most important Croatian artist of his time. The building, a stone structure over 2 floors with an entrance courtyard and spacious back garden, preserves the architecture typical of Cavtat houses from 1800. The interior features recently uncovered early murals by the artist himself as well as many paintings, drawings, furniture and personal items from throughout his life, covering periods he spent not only in Cavtat but also Zagreb, Prague and Paris.

Traditions of the Konavle Valley

Housed in the main square in Cilipi, in a building that used to be the village treasury, the Country House is recreation of a typical village house from back in the day. The collection holds about 500 items such as folk costumes, embroidery and other textile handicrafts, jewellery, musical instruments, arms and an assortment of everyday items.   Traditional folk music and dancing takes place in Cilipi on a Sunday morning after Mass.  sit on the steps of the church of St Nicholas in Cilipi and watch the locals in traditional dress, noted for its silk embroidery, performing folk songs and dancing. A market is held afterwards selling traditional handicrafts. You need to buy a ticket (which includes a drink). The traditional dress and embroidery are important socially and culturally to the people of the Konavle. You will see examples displayed in public buildings and private homes either ornamentally or in practical usage such as tablecloths, napkins, pillow cases etc. And of course you can purchase the embroidery in local shops!

Sveti Jakov Beach

Visit the little known beach of Sveti Jakov for spectacular views of the old town of Dubrovnik. It is situated at the eastern side of Dubrovnik Old Town, about a mile away, in a protected little bay. It has its own restaurant and cafe bar.

Horse Riding in the Konavle

An 11km tour of the region on horseback is offered at the Kojan Koral stables in Popovici. Running through olive groves, pine forests and along the coast, the trail usually last for about two and a half hours. It’s suitable for beginners and upwards, 16 years and over. 

Go Quad Biking!

This is also offered from Kojan Koral in Popovici. The half day tour runs to Cilipi for a visit to the traditional Konavle house there and continues through the Konavle countryside crossing the river Ljuta a couple of times before picking up the route of a disused railway line and returning to base for a typical, traditional Croatian snack.

Visit a local Winery by train

The Konavle Valley is home to a lot of small wineries, family owned vineyards which produce some great yet relatively undiscovered wines (certainly difficult to buy in the UK). One way of discovering some of them is to join the wine train, a tourist train excursion that visits 4 vineyards and takes in the traditions of the valley.  The joy of staying in the valley is that you can revisit the vineyards very easily. The most famous grape in the region is the Malvasia which is a Konavle indigenous variety. It is not certain how it arrived in the area, whether it was brought over by the ancient Greeks or actually originated from this region.

Cadmos Village Adventure Park

Cadmos Village adventure park features three levels and 4 zip-lines, fields for archery and paintball, giant swing, bicycle service and the first treehouse in Croatia. Activities are suitable for families and children, as well as adventure seekers. Cadmos Village is situated in the picturesque Konavle region near the village of Komaji, hidden in unique oak woods. There is also an eco-restaurant offering local cuisine, run by its own solar system!

Ostri Rt - the southernmost point of Croatia

This cape is the very southernmost point of Croatia and marks the Croatian side of the entrance to Montenegro’s spectacular Bay of Kotor. This narrow sliver of land was, until recently, military property and, as such, inaccessible to the public. Right at the end of the cape is a ruined Austro Hungarian fort dating from the mid 1800s. At the moment it is possible to gain access to the moody ruin, which is largely intact, and to envisage what life might have been like there 15 years ago. Prevlaka beach is a great place to relax as well, small but with a couple of beach bars and kayak rental (summer only).

Further Afield

Drive East and over the Croatia-Montenegro border and discover Herceg Novi, a beautiful coastal town dating from the 15th Century. Stop here and have a spot of lunch and relax on the beach... or... carry on slightly further and explore the towns and spectacular views of the Bay of Kotor where there is a variety of smaller beaches.  Or head over the mountains into Herzegovina and viisit the Kravica Waterfalls.These 25m falls cascade into turquoise blue waters over rocks and lusciously green trees, where visitors can paddle and swim and enjoy the incredible scenery. The natural pool is not very deep so it is ideal for little ones, but the crashing falls and the deeper water closer to the rocks also make for a great natural playground for adults.

The Arboretum at Trsteno

A visit to Trsteno, just north of Dubrovnik, is worthwhile to view the remarkable Arboretum established there about 500 years ago. It is said that seafarers and merchants from here were encouraged to bring back plants, saplings and seeds from their worldwide travels to be planted in this botanic garden which of course have established themselves over the centuries. The entrance to the Arboretum is guarded by a huge 500 year old plane tree.

Konoba, Peka, Rozata

Konoba is the word for a traditional style restaurant, serving local dishes in a traditional setting (wood tables, stone walls), always delicious and home cooked!  Peka is a way of preparing dishes (meat, fish, vegetables| in a bell shaped pot which is placed in an outdoor fireplace with ashes covering the peka (lid). Rozata is a custard pudding flavoured with lemon zest rose liqueur and caramel, and comes from Dubrovnik.
 

Dubronvik Summer Festival

Six weeks of cultural events in Dubrovnik from mid July to end of August.  Dubrovnik's Summer Festival is one of Europe's oldest and takes over the historic Old Town, with lots of open air events including concerts, films, jazz, theatre, ballet, opera... wonderful experiences against a stunning backdrop.




 

Blue and Green

Should never be seen, except when you are in the Konavle Valley and Dubrovnik….You could fill a paint chart with the many shades of green found in the valley, from the olive trees and vines, to the dark green cypresses. The sea provides the variety of blues (emerald, turquoise, aqua, silverly), all of which look so vibrant under the blue sky.

 

Spot the film locations

Star Wars, Robin Hood, and most famously, Game of Thrones: they have all been set in Dubrovnik. There are many tour options available to show you the locations or take a stroll and see if you can spot them yourself.
 

Swimming in Cavtat

Stroll along the waterfront at Cavtat and around the peninsula, and you will discover many spots for swimming – there are a number of swimming platforms and various access points to the rocks and sea.


 

Views from Sokol Grad

For stunning, far reaching views over the Konavle Valley, there is no better place than Sokol Grad. Built to protect the hinterland from invading Turks from the Ottoman Empire and the Venetians of the Venetian Republic, this solid and imposing fort is open to the public. There are lots of stone steps to climb but the view at the top is worth it.





 

Peljesac Wine Trail

Head north past Dubrovnik and visit the Peljesac Peninsula, which produces the king of Croatian red wines, plavac mali.  The dry, inhospitable terrain produces flavourful grapes, hand harvested due to the difficulty in accessing the vines.  There are numerous places on the peninsula to try and buy.



 

Nearby

Towns/Villages

Cilipi 10 mins 
Gruda 10 mins 
Cavtat 15 mins 
Dubrovnik 30 mins 
Herceg Novi (Montenegro) 40 mins 

Beaches

Plat 15 mins 
Pasjača 20 mins 
Molunat 25 mins 

Airports

Dubrovnik 15 mins 
Tivat (Montenegro) 1 Hr 40 mins 
Split 3 Hrs 30 mins 
Times are approximate

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