Our Heritage

HOW HISTORY SHAPED OUR VILLAS

With this mini-series of texts, written during the Covid-19 pandemic, we wanted to show our guests how the history of our villas is closely linked to the remarkable history of Dubrovnik; indeed, it is the very reason they exist.
At our villas you can feel the spirit of Dubrovnik’s great past while enjoying the benefits of contemporary life. Here you can witness that the Republic’s once great villa culture is still alive and has an interesting future ahead, offering you both seclusion and sophistication!

PART I

Dubrovnik – All About Villas and Pandemics

Dubrovnik is one of the cities that you immediately fall in love with. This charming medieval city is world famous for its city stone walls, beautiful beaches and crystal clear water. However, Dubrovnik is much more than that and there is a lot that we can learn from its history. Find out how Dubrovnik managed to prosper in times of world greatest pandemics!

PART II

Escape the Hustle and Bustle of a Metropolis

In these challenging times it is only human that we dream of peace and freedom, to break free of the stresses and strains of our bussssy lives and seek true relaxation. Five centuries ago the wealthy population of the Republic of Dubrovnik felt exactly that way.

PART III

Countryside Villas: The Culture Of Leisure

In the Middle Ages towns became noisy, overcrowded and dirty and Dubrovnik was no exception. During its golden period the city had more than 40,000 inhabitants, which was equal to the number of inhabitants that London had at that time!

PART IV

Renaissance Gardens Of Dubrovnik’s Aristocratic Summer Houses

The rising of cities and a growing urban population made Italy a fertile ground for a cultural revolution, the Italian Renaissance. Never before had there been such a synergy of science, philosophy and art.

PART V

How did Dubrovnik's aristocracy spend their leisure time in their countryside villas?

As the English philanthropist John Lubbock once wisely wrote, “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

PART VI

Šipan - Leisure island of Dubrovnik’s aristocracy

In the vicinity of Dubrovnik lies a green cluster of scattered islands, islets and rocks, the archipelago of the Elaphiti Islands. The largest among these 13 islands is the island of Šipan. Nature endowed the island with a mild climate, crystal clear seas and lush Mediterranean vegetation, which made it a perfect oasis for retreat from the hustle and bustle of life in the city.

PART VII

Witnesses of Dubrovnik's glorious aristocratic past and its villa culture

The golden times of the aristocratic past of the Republic of Dubrovnik are long gone. And as the centuries went by, the beauty of their villas and palaces started to fade. However, villa culture of the nobility still exists and villas, with their walled gardens, are still a prominent feature of the Dubrovnik landscape