DUBROVNIK - In Your Pocket

54
dubrovnik neretva county
past two chapels. You can close your eyes for a moment and
imagine the monks carefully pruning, weeding, and feeding in
the gardens, which are now fairly overgrown.
Polače The village is named after the ruin of a significant
Roman palace and fortifications – one tower is 20m high
-- built between the 2nd and 5th century. Second in size to
the Palace of Diocletian in Split, you can’t miss it: The road
to Pomena slips right between its high walls. Archaeologists
have also discovered two 5th Century basilicas) west of
the palace, baths, an arsenal and shipyards. The palace’s
economy included salt production, olive oil, wine, honey,
meat, cheese and fish. A paved route from the palace will
take you up the hill. When you reach the road, bear right
and continue straight to Mali Gradac, site of an Illyrian fort.
A posted turnoff on the way will take you to Montokuc, the
highest peak in the park, which grants breathtaking views
over the lakes and the Adriatic.
Pomena Located on the western coast of Mljet in the National
Park, about 200 m from Malo Jezero. This village, built after
World War II, has only about 50 inhabitants living among
charming thick alpine woodlands and working in agriculture,
fishing and tourism. The bay of Pomena is perfect for small
Bays & Beaches
Just by walking down many roads and hidden paths, you
will arrive at some lovely swimming spots, although you
may also end up at a rocky cliff. Most beaches aren’t
crowded, so there’s plenty of privacy for you to enjoy. In
the springtime, when you can have them to yourself, it
would be wonderful to get a jump on your tan, if only the
authorities were quicker to clear away the debris that
has washed ashore.
To save you time, here are a few suggestions:
Saplunara Befitting its name, Saplunara, perhaps a
variant of the Latin “sabulum,” is one of the few sandy
beaches on the island. Actually, Saplunara, consists of
two beaches in one cove. (www.saplunara.com). A small
snack bar was under construction in the spring (see St
Paul and the Mongooses).
Blace This beautiful and popular beach is on a very
shallow cove and might best suit families with small
children or, because of its seclusion, naturists. A new
road from Saplunara makes Blace easier to reach – for
you and everyone else.
Sutmiholjska beach can be reached via roads from
Babino Polje. Sutmiholjska’s route is signposted, ending
in a cove with a few vacation houses and fishing boats.
You can always take a dip at the beach next to the hotel
Odisej, in the Pomena harbour. There’s a small kiddie pool
there for the little ones. You can also swim in Veliko and
Malo Jezero, and at a beach in Soline.
yachts, which can pull up to the pier and enjoy the hotel’s
amenities.
Goveđari Settlement began here in the late 18th Century
when two families of land workers and fishermen from Babino
Polje were given permission to settle by the Benedictines to
work as cattle-breeders (goveda means cattle in Croatian).
Located in the national park, 5km inland, this ethnologically
interesting site is a great place to be surrounded by peace,
serenity and lush vegetation.
Babine Kuće This picturesque little fishing village is located
on the shores of the Veliko jezero just beneath Goveđari. It
offers a splendid view of the islet of St Mary. There are a
number of private rentals here, too.
Dubrovnik In Your Pocket
Babino Polje The central and largest inhabited area with
around 350 people, Babino Polje is the administrative center
of the island. Stretched along a ridge above a bypass road
and a field (the name means “Grandma’s Field”), Babino Polje
is surrounded with pine woods, groves of old, twisted olive
trees and vineyards, and the 514m Veliki Grad, the highest
hill on the island. There are also a high per-capita number of
churches: St Pancratius, St Andrew, St Michael, St George,
St Blaise- St Salvation, St Paul, St Joseph and Our Lady of
Mercy. The three oldest are the pre-Romanesque churches
of St Andrew, St Michael and St Pancratius, which was built in
the 11th Century. You can reach the church, and neighbouring
St Blaise, by way of an unmarked turnoff below the town.
When you turn in, the road immediately forks; take the sharp
right, which bends again to head straight into the valley. On
the left among the olive trees you’ll pass the single-storey
Renaissance manor of the Dubrovnik governor of the island.
Clustered around the village cemetery are St Pancratius,
the 15th Century Gothic parish church of St Blaise, and the
sotnica, a Renaissance-era government building in whose
courtyard the governor sometimes issued judgments.
Ulysses’ Cave is situated under the village of Babino Polje. It’s
a large egg shaped cave accessed by a 30 meter tunnel used
as a harbour by local fishermen. There are two entrances to
the cave: one from the seaside and the other one from the
hill. Trough time it’s believed that Ulysses found his shelter
here after surviving a shipwreck. That’s where the cave’s
name comes from. According to Homer, the King of Itaka
survived a shipwreck on his way back home from the Trojan
war. The event took place near the island of Ogigia (interesting
thing is that there’s an rocky island in front of the cave called
Ogiran!). Ulysses swam into the cave for shelter. There, nymph
Calypso, daughter of Poseidon, God of the sea, waited for
him. Amazed by the beauty of nature and in love with nymph
Calypso, Ulysses stayed on the island for 7 years.
Prožura This medieval village was used by Dubrovnik nobles
who – a bit like yourself – were looking for a relaxing getaway.
Perched on a hill over an intermittent lake (blatina) and the
sea, Prožura has a 17th Century watch tower and three
beautiful churches: the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Church
of St Martin and the Church of St Rocco. The Church of the
Holy Trinity has characteristics similar to those of Dubrovnik’s
Gothic chapels, plus a remarkable 15th Century Romanesque
bronze crucifix. The church most likely was built in 1477
by the Benedictines from Lokrum, who were bequeathed
from the estate in Prožura. The crucifix includes figured
representations of St Blaise (the patron saint of Dubrovnik),
St Martin (the patron saint of the poor) and St Nicholas (the
patron saint of sailors and fishermen). Benedictines lived
and worked in a small monastery near the church. It’s partly
ruined now; along with the tower, it has been adapted for
reuse as a stable and storage. The Church of St Martin and
village graveyard is situated on a bluff overlooking the village
on one side and the island road and Mljet Channel on the other.
St Martin’s day is celebrated on November 11 with a mass
in the church. The newer Church of St Rocco is situated on
another small hill above the village. Costumed celebrations
of St Rocco (who was believed to have saved the village from
the plague), take place on August 16 every year. Prožura was
the birthplace of Pavao Gracić, a well known bishop of Ston
from 1635 – 1652.
Maranovići The 18th Century Baroque house of the Peš
family is in the middle of the town. The 19th Century parish
church of St Anton rests on the foundation of an older church
and features Gothic architectural elements.
dubrovnik neretva county
Korita is a nerby village, named after the stone basins filled
with water on the rainy days from the small spring. There is
a small church from the 16th century of St. Eliah, the patron
saint of the village, 16th century church of St. Vitus and a
14th Century Church of St Mary of the Hill with mix of Gothic
and Renaissance elements, St Mary demonstrates features
typical of the island’s churches. Some of the manor houses
have Renaissance-Baroque elements. The town has its own
17th Century defence tower with loopholes for firing.
Sports & Activites: A range of sporting activities are
available on Mljet, along with plenty of hiking and cycling trails
for the less adventurous; if your hiking stick didn’t fit in your
suitcase, you can rent one from the Hotel Odisej.
The best way to see every hill and valley and secluded patch of
waterfront rock or sand is on foot. Bikes are a little quicker for
those who are in better shape, but scooters, quads or car will
get you quicker from one end of the 50-kilometer island road
to the other. Watch your speed, however. Some of the best
views on the island are from narrow, curvy roads unblemished
by those pesky (but lifesaving) guardrails. If you didn’t bring
your own vehicle, two agencies can provide you with wheels.
They can pick up and deliver cars anywhere on the island.
Both agencies only offer standard-shift cars.
Mini Brum Sobra, Polače and Pomena, tel. 74 52 60,
74 50 84, 098 28 55 66, mini.brum@du.htnet.hr, www.
mljet.hr. Offers cars (some with very unusual detailing),
buggies and scooters. Open 09:00-19.00.
Radulj Tours Pomena, N.P. Mljet, tel. 098 42 80 74, 098
42 80 74. Offers cars, scooters, ATVs, bikes, canoes, kayaks
and paddle boats. Open 09:00 – 19:00.
Prožura Travel Agency, Prožua 36, Maranovići, tel.
098 60 88 61, prozura@du.t-com.hr, island.mljet@
yahoo.com, www.island-mljet.com. Rents sailboats and
motorboats, also provides marina and storage services.
Adriatic Kayak Tours, tel. 31 27 70, 091 722 04 13,
info@adriatickayaktours.com, www.adriatickayaktours.
com or Aquatica Mljet, tel. 098 47 99 16, info@aquaticamljet.hr.
Mljet is naturally beautiful below and above the
Summer 2008
55