Elafiti Islands

The collective name for the southernmost group of islands and islets on the Adriatic, which are also called Jelenski otoci (Deer Islands). The string of islands begins with the island of Olipa at the southeastern cape of the Peljesac Peninsula and ends with the island of Lokrum in front of Dubrovnik. The archipelago is separated from the mainland by the Kolocep Channel. It consists of 12 islands, of which only Sipan, Lopud and Kolocep are permanently inhabited. The coasts of the islands facing the mainland are low and green, and they gently rise towards the peaks, while the coasts on the opposite side are rocky, steep and fairly inaccessible.

JAKLJAN - A holiday home for children is situated on the Veli Jakljan Bay on this uninhabited island. The bay provides a safe anchorage. Berths are available at a small pier with a depth of 3 m.

KOLOCEP - The islet closest to Dubrovnik. Its highest peak, Kriz (125 m), rises on the western side. A large part of this uninhabited island is covered with subtropical vegetation and forests. The main economic activities are agriculture, wine growing, olive, carob and citrus fruit growing, fishing, navigation and tourism. The only settlement is Kolocep. The settlement consists of the hamlets of Donje Celo on the irthwestern coast and Gornje Celo on the southwestern coast, te picturesque sandy beaches that line both bays attract day-pers and tourists visiting Dubrovnik. The hotel complex eludes a naturist beach. In the 11th century, ancient Calaphodia became the property of Dubrovnik and from 1489 onwards it had its own rector. There e three pre-Romanesque churches with domes on the island. The parish church dates back to the 13th century. Donje Selo forms a semi-circle around a well-protected bay which is exposed only to northwesterly winds. Boats can berth the larger pier with a depth of up to 3 m, or at the smaller pier, here passenger ships land. Drnje Celo lies on a small bay exposed to the bora, but protect-I from the jugo, westerly and northwesterly winds. Boats can irth at a small pier with a depth of 2.5 m.

LOPUD - Its highest peak is Polacica (216 m). A fertile valley with olive oves, vineyards and citrus trees lies between two limestone ridges. The Lopud Bay lies on the northwestern side and the Sunj bay on the southeastern side. The only settlement, Lopud, lies on the coast of the bay of the same name. The island's propitious climate with predominantly sunny days, lush Mediterranean vegetation and ship lines connecting it with the nearby Dubrovnik were significant factors in its development into an important tourist destination. There are no cars on the island, the Greek island of Delaphodia, later the Roman island of Lafota, became the property of Dubrovnik in the 11th century. In 1457 it then became the seat of the rector. In the 15th century, the island as inhabited by refugees from the Turkish invasions.

There is a sandy beach in the Sunj Bay which is protected from I winds except the jugo, to which it is completely exposed, There is a good anchorage with a sandy and rocky bottom, which is uneven in depth. This important tourist and bathing town developed on the Lopud bay, which is considered the most beautiful in the archipelago, s stone houses are surrounded by gardens, palm trees and cypress trees. The bay has a wide picturesque beach, a small harbour and hotels. On the coast stands the renovated Bordic (Mayneri) summer mansion with a park. Above the harbor stand the Franciscan monastery from 1483, which was abandoned in 1808, the monastic Church of sv. Marija (St. Mary) with impressive furnishings and a bell tower visible far and wide, the ruins of the rector's palace and the ruins of a fortress which protected the town from pirate attacks. The best berths are available at a long knee-shaped pier, part of which is also a breakwater protecting the harbor from north-westerly winds. This pier also serves as a landing for tourist ships, so in the summer it is not a recommended port. Boats can also berth at a large quay in front of the Lafodia Hotel.

SIPAN - The largest and most densely populated island in the archipelago. Its highest point is Velji Vrh (234 m). A fertile karstic valley with olive groves, fig and citrus trees, vineyards, carob trees and aImond trees lies between two ridges. The main settlements of Sipanska Luka and Sudurad lie in the Sipanska Luka Bay at the western end of the valley and the Sudurad Bay at the south-estern end respectively. The island of Sipan attracts many tourists, especially sailors. The island was first mentioned by its present name in 1371. The reconstructed Church of sv. Petar (St. Peter) from the 11,s century stands on Velji Vrh, the Church of sv. Ivan (St. John) fromthe 11th century (frescoes) stands in Silovo Selo, and a Benedictine monastery with the Church of sv. Mihovil (St. Michael) from the 11th century, a Romanesque-Gothic house, a Gothic tower and the Renaissance Church of sv. Duh (the Holy Spirit) from 1569 stand in the village of Pakljena. In the 15th century, the Dubrovnik nobility built summer mansions on the island. Between the settlements of Sipanska Luka and Sudurad lie the ruins of the summer residence of the archbishops of Dubrovnik. The archbishop, humanist and friend of Michelangelo's Lodovico Beccadelli occasionally lived there in the 16th century.

SUDURAD - A settlement with a new ferry landing on the southwestern side of the island. The off-shore islet of Ruda lies in front of it. The most prominent building in the settlement is a fortified mansion from 1539 with a high defence tower from 1577. The bay is well protected from all winds except the jugo. When entering the harbour, care should be taken to avoid a shoal in the middle of the bay. The ferry lands at the new pier with a lighthouse. There is a quay between the new and the old piers, but its berths are not safe when the jugo or bora blows strong. The most reliable berths can be found at the pier of the very high breakwater.

SIPANSKA LUKA - A settlement on a bay of the same name on the western side of the island. There are several medieval architectural monuments in Sipanska Luka, the most prominent of which are the summer mansion of the Sorkocevic family from the 15th century and the Gothic Rector's Palace with two 'biforas' (mullioned windows) and an inscription from 1450 above the Gothic courtyard portal. The wide bay is one of the safest on the Elafiti Islands, except during summer storms which come from the west. Boats can berth at a pier where a passenger ship lands, or at a quay with a depth of 2 m, which is usually occupied by local boats.