The island of Lopud is home to 269 residents. It’s 12 km northwest of Gruž and 4.5 km long and 2 km wide. The sole village, also called Lopud, is made up of old stone houses built around the edge of a wide northwest-facing bay, with a view of Sudjuradj on Šipun across the water.
Guarding the entrance to the harbour, on the north side of the bay, stands a semi-derelict 15th-century Franciscan monastery. The oldest part of the building centres on an arcaded internal courtyard from 1483; during the 16th century the complex was fortified to provide a place of refuge for the entire population in the case of an attack. It has been purchased by Francesca von Hapsburg, Archduchess of Austria, who plans to restore it to its former glory, and will keep part of it for her own personal use, while opening the rest to the public.
Close by, the abandoned and roofless Rector’s Palace is easily recognized by its fine triple Gothic windows. In stark contrast, on the south side of the bay stands the colossal Lafodia Hotel complex, erected in the 1980s.
From Lopud a footpath (15-minute walking time) leads across the island, passing through lush vegetation scented with sage and rosemary to Šunj, a south-facing cove with a generous stretch of sand beach and a couple of summer restaurants.
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