Orasac Holidays

It’s often said that the best things come in small packages. Well it’s certainly true of Orasac, a bucolic village on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. Nestled at the foot of Sorcerer’s Hill – or Vracevo Brdo as it’s known locally – this 10th-century village overlooking the Adriatic Sea has historically been the place where Croatian artists and aristocrats escaped from the hustle and bustle of nearby Dubrovnik.

At the foot of the village is Hawaii Beach, a small, immaculately clean swathe of sand and pebble. The beach shelves gently into the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea so it’s safe paddling territory. There’s a pier to one side where boats ferry visitors to the golden sands of the Elaphite Islands, easily visible across the water. And just a 10-minute walk away is Dubrovnik Sun Gardens, part of the Radisson resort, which lines up a wide portfolio of watersports and a private beach.

With its narrow, meandering streets and hilltops draped in olive and orange groves, Orasac is like a place that time forgot. The biggest local landmarks are the 15th-century Our Lady of Orasac church and the Arapovo Castle that hangs precariously above the Adriatic. You won’t find any high-rise hotels or superstores in Orasac. Instead, it’s all about mini-markets, local restaurants, and family farms where olive oil is still pressed the traditional way – with a horse-drawn millstone.

The city of Dubrovnik is a 20-minute drive from Orasac. Dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ by George Bernard Shaw, this beautiful Medieval town is enclosed by thick walls inside which you’ll discover a succession of churches, monasteries and palaces. And come nightfall, Stradun, the main thoroughfare, is the place to rub shoulders with the local glitterati over a bottle of red wine.