Fancy an island escape?
Clocking in more than 2,584 hours of sunshine per year, Lopud is an island of true Adriatic summer feel, brimming with rich Mediterranean and subtropical vegetation, amazing cypress and pine parks and citrus gardens, we’d even go as far as to say its beauty and uniqueness are inversely proportional to its size.
Considering Lopud’s small surface area of just 4.63 square kilometres, we can easily say that the beauty on the island is in fact overpopulated, making every twist, turn and corner a feast for the eyes.
Lopud boasts 11.5 kilometres of coastline, of which 1.20 kilometres are marvellous sandy beaches.
Since no cars are allowed on the island, it makes for a truly natural paradise where you can totally unwind and relax while exploring and taking in its beautiful ambience.
The island has one settlement, on the far side of the island towards Šipan, a neighbouring Elaphite island, which is regularly served by Jadrolinija ferry lines. From there, a short walk leads you across the island to a miraculous Šunj beach, which is a sandy beach, and otherwise a rarity in Croatia, particularly in Dalmatia.
The bay itself has knee deep water, stretching as far as 100 metres (300 feet), making it absolutely ideal for children and all sorts of water sports, mainly picigin, a favourite summer activity of many Croats.
Lopud island has a long and interesting history, with its culture and architecture still recalling long gone ancient times. Numerous remains of Greek, Roman, and Slavic buildings remain to this very day, more than 30 remains of pre-Romanesque chapels and churches, a vast number of former Dubrovnik aristocracy summer manors and several monasteries can be found.
Now we’ve got your attention, which isn’t exactly difficult to do when the destination is as stunning as Lopud, what can you do when staying at Lopud’s Lafodia Hotel? Lafodia Adventure has you covered, with a wide array of activities on offer and transport from Dubrovnik Airport (Cilipi).
Lafodia Adventure travel agency is at your service when it comes to organising comfortable and hassle-free transfers directly to and from Dubrovnik Airport. Your journey will begin with a warm welcome from the hotel’s colleague drivers, followed by a pleasant drive along the stunning Dalmatian coastline to the pick-up point for the boat transfer.
The complete journey to and from Dubrovnik Airport takes approximately 60 – 75 minutes depending on the traffic conditions. The entire journey is as if taken directly from a glossy postcard image, with the sparkling Adriatic sea flanking one side, and beautiful karst mountains covered in dense vegetation flanking the other.
Now you’ve arrived on the island, what if you fancy venturing a bit further afield while here? Excursions aren’t an issue, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Fancy paying Croatia’s top tourist destination and southernmost city of Dubrovnik a visit? The Pearl of the Adriatic is at your fingertips and excursions to this, one of the most beautiful cities in the world are available during the day and during the night.
If you’ve developed a taste for the islands, and we’ll be the first to admit that it isn’t difficult to get addicted when Croatia boasts so many, a three island cruise might be more up your street.
The Elaphite islands are Šipan, Lopud, and Koločep, which is often referred to as Kalamota by locals. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the most popular excursions that allows you to visit all three islands of the incredible Elaphite Archipelago in one day: the breathtaking island of Sjekirica, the traditional village of Koločep, the blue cave of Koločep, a sightseeing tour of the hidden side of Lopud, free time in the little harbour of Šipanska Luka, and a truly unique swimming experience in the natural bays of beautiful Olipa.
Dry land might just beckon you, and it won’t fault you. Southern Croatia boasts a wealth of utterly incredible history and heritage, and must-see sights are never more than a stone’s throw away.
Ston, the home of mouthwatering oysters and mussels, beautiful strawberries, salt, and perhaps most famously, the ‘’European Wall of China’’, is a charming little town surrounded by imposing medieval defensive walls. Ston is known and well recognised for its mariculture, and anyone with a liking for top seafood should grab the opportunity to pay Ston a visit.
If the islands call you back, Mljet is a must visit. Boasting ancient settlements, a national park and some of the most mesmerising nature you’ll ever set your eyes upon, this, another island gem, is only a hop, skip and a jump away, and easily arranged by Lafodia’s dedicated excursion team.
The Adriatic sea has a strange way of silently calling people to it, and spending as much time as possible on it is really the only thing one can do, especially on an island. If you want to rent a vessel of some kind, from yachts to speed boats, jet skis and kayaks, Lafodia has you covered.
From the Uniesse 48 Open Katyandra yacht to the Uniesse 42 Open Alnair yacht, down to the Petar Pan speed boat and jet skis, the sea is just waiting for you to take to it.
Kayaks are also on offer to those feeling like giving their arms and shoulders a pump while being as kind as possible to the surrounding environment. This activity couples exercise with absolute relaxation, all while being at one with nature, bringing you as close to the calmness of the soft Adriatic waves and its hypnotic pastel blues as you can get.
Since the island itself is actually car free, with only golf cars allowed, bike riding is hugely popular as one can ride safely and without any worries.
Powered by two wheels, you can swiftly discover numerous hidden paths that will allow you to experience the beauty of this incredible island to the fullest. From thick pine forests bursting with the summer sound of crickets to dramatic cliffs that touch the sea from an imposing height of 150 metres, all the way to the sandy Šunj beach to cool off. Biking around Lopud is by far one of the best ways to take it all in.
While kayaking, biking, swimming and exploring is sure to keep you in decent shape, for those of us who just need that away time in the gym to burn off any extra calories, Lafodia Sea Resort has you in mind.
A holiday is of course a holiday, but we can let ourselves relax just a little too much and regret it later, Lafodia offers you the opportunity to keep your exercise routine on point and enhance your sporting performance even while having a well-earned break.
If sport is your thing, as opposed to a gym, two outdoor sports courts are waiting for you at a mere five minute distance from the resort, both are covered with artificial grass and a specially equipped lighting system.
One is reserved for tennis only, while the other is multifunctional and offers possibility to play football, volleyball and badminton. All the sport equipment you could want is included in the court rate and is provided by Lafodia Sea Resort.
