Hidden paradise near Dubrovnik

LUCIVANA is a family home situated in the village of Popovici, in KONAVLE, near DUBROVNIK, seen by many as the Croatian equivalent of PROVENCE. Its current owners are direct descendants of the original owner, who had the house built around 1810. During the latest renovations (2014), every effort was made to preserve the original spirit and feel of the house. Thus LUCIVANA is not an aseptic "house for rent", but a place with a soul, a home away from home for the discerning traveller who seeks an authentic holiday experience. The property is most suitable for families and groups of friends who are looking for a location offering peace and privacy, for nature lovers and those seeking fresh air and sea breezes scented with the Mediterranean flora. Croatia's jewel attraction, DUBROVNIK, is half an hour's drive away going westward, and the border crossing into Montenegro is another half an hour's drive away going eastwards. Dubrovnik Airport is only 10 minutes away, but the rolling hills surrounding the village block the air traffic noise from disturbing. Dubrovnik Airport is served by direct scheduled and/or charter flights from 45 European airports: Athens, Barcelona, Belfast, Bergen, Berlin, Bilbao, Birmigham, Brussels, Bucharest, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dublin, Dusseldorf, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Hannover, Helsinki, Istanbul, Krakow, Leeds, London Gatwick, London Stanstead, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Nantes, Newcastle, Oslo, Paris CDG, Paris Orly, Rome, Stavanger, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Tel Aviv, Trondheim, Valencia, Venice, Vienna, Zurich. For those arriving by air, car rental can be arranged at the airport. Local bus services run to Cavtat and Dubrovnik. The property is approached from a country road through a gated entrance, from which a pathway leads to the entrance into the inner, partially walled garden. The garden is additionally sheltered from outside view by a side building and much greenery, thus the house occupants can enjoy complete privacy. INDOORS The main house accommodates six persons. The main living quarters develop at the first floor level, reached by two stone staircases climbing up from opposite ends of the garden and meeting together in front of the house entrance, where the space widens into a small terrace , bordered by a stone seating, thus forming a cozy small outdoor lounge ideal for afternoon drinks. The entrance floor comprises of an open living room and kitchen/dining area, plus one bedroom and a bathroom, while the upper floor houses two more bedrooms and a large bathroom, all accessed from the centrally located landing. The interior has been decorated in traditional style, with the use of some of the original furniture. The kitchen and the bathrooms are appointed according to quality modern standards. The main house is air-conditioned and has central heating. The ground floor level of the main building is an open-plan space. Accessed from the garden, it serves as a summer kitchen and dining area, and a relief day-room. Thanks to the building's thick stone walls and limited exposure to the sun, this space remains plesantly cool even in the top heat of the day. A toilet and a laundry facility are also available on the ground floor, plus a maid's room (which serves as the regular cleaning lady's headquarters, but since it's fitted with an extra bed, it has been used by guests' own house help/nanny). The one-storey side building (partially attached to the main building), known as The Guest House, is an attractive open-plan, split-level space with a high ceiling and plenty of light. The upper level area with its bathroom, a double bed and a walk-in closet, represents the sleeping quarters, while the lower level functions as a living room. The sofa on the lower level is usable as an extra bed, thus The Guest House can accommodate a couple with a child. When it is not used for sleeping, this space offers a tranquil corner for anyone wanting to read or write or to have a peaceful conversation. All the windows on the main building are protected by slatted shutters which regulate the streaming of air and light into the house. The windows on the side building have full wooden shutters. The Guest House is also air-conditioned. THE POOL AND THE OUTDOORS A stretch of lawn separates the buildings from the stone-paved terrace in front of the house, covered with a kiwi and a wild vine pergola. The terrace, with its stone-built barbecue, is the main dining space in the summer months. A low stone wall separates the shaded dining area from the sunlit poolside terrace. A wooden sun deck offers plenty of extra space for sun bathing. Set between the two is a small building housing garden equipment. There is one more area designed to offer a quiet corner for the house occupants: another stone-paved terrace under a wisteria pergola, set between the house and the tall garden wall. The inner and the outer gardens cover some 3.000 square yards partially planted to orchard (orange, prune, fig, apple, quince, pomegranate and some vines) and with a conspicuous presence of walnuts, bay and oak trees. A ten minutes' walk from the house (or a couple of minutes' drive) through patches of shade of pines and oaks, will take you to the edge of the Konavle cliffs offering a breathtaking view of the open sea and of the beach below, a place of great wild beauty. Man-made path down to the beach is safe and no big challenge. Not far away from the village there are also other access paths to the sea. A horse farm in the village offers possibilities of horseback riding through the neighbouring countryside. Although the house is located in the middle of the village, barely 200 m from a bus stop for the Dubrovnik and Cavtat bus lines, it is recommended to have a car as the food shops are available at a distance of about four kms.